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Helen Johnson, Bay Pharmacy Employee

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Helen Elizabeth Johnson, a longtime resident and 40-year Bay Pharmacy employee, passed away on October 2 at home in Pacific Palisades. She was 83. Born on May 15, 1922 in Flushing New York, to William and Anna Marshall, she and her family moved to the Palisades in 1960 for her husband’s work at the Systems Development Corporation in Santa Monica. Lt. Colonel Harry Johnson preceded her in death in 1985. Helen was a familiar face at Bay Pharmacy (now Pharmaca), where she was employed from 1960 until her retirement in 2000. During those years, she met many people and watched generations of Palisadians grow up. She is survived by her children, Maryann Knipscheer of Temple City, Candice Hynes of Pacific Palisades and Harry Johnson of Vail, Colorado; and grandchildren Laurie-ann de Leon and Marc and David Wardle. A casual gathering will be held for family and friends on Sunday, October 9, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the family home, 15102 Bestor Blvd. All are welcome. Donations may be made to a charity of choice in Helen’s name.

Dorothy Knight, 82; Quiet Activist for Peace, Sustainable Agriculture

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Dorothy Knight help man the Palisadians for Peace table during the Swarthmore farmers market on many Sunday mornings. Photo: Marcy Winograd
Dorothy Knight help man the Palisadians for Peace table during the Swarthmore farmers market on many Sunday mornings. Photo: Marcy Winograd

Dorothy Knight, a 33-year resident of Pacific Palisades and community activist, passed away in her sleep on October 1. She was 82. Born on January 18, 1923 in East Lyme, Connecticut, Knight worked for a graphic arts firm in New York City, where she met her future husband, actor Ted Knight. The couple were married in 1950, and moved around the East Coast as Ted pursued his career in radio and local television. In 1956, they moved to Los Angeles and settled in Burbank before moving to the Palisades in 1974. Ted starred in a number of television shows (“Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Too Close for Comfort”) and Dorothy served as his financial advisor for years. Ted passed away in 1986. Dorothy was an activist by nature, but her two big passions were sustainable agriculture and proper nutrition for children in school. She served on the board of the Price Pottenger Nutrition Foundation in San Diego, a clearinghouse of information on sound nutrition, alternative medicine, humane farming and organic gardening. She actively campaigned for No Oil! (the successful 20-year effort to ban drilling along PCH in Pacific Palisades), and more recently worked on the successful campaign to ban gas-powered leafblowers in Los Angeles. Even when she moved to Park City, Utah, for two years in the late 1990s, she was active in her neighborhood, becoming the landscape enforcer. “She dove into stuff that annoyed her,” recalled her children. “Dorothy was one of our community’s most dedicated unrecognized volunteers,” said her close friend Joan Graves in a letter nominating Dorothy for Citizen of the Year. “She worked diligently over the years on such committees as the Village Green, DASH (the Highlands shuttle) and CAPPY (Citizens Assisting Pacific Palisades Youth.) Her ability to organize, recruit and quietly get the job done benefited every group with whom she worked.” However, in 1993, Dorothy did come out from behind the scenes to receive a Golden Sparkplug award from the Community Council in recogition of work with CAPPY. More recently, Dorothy was active in Palisadians for Peace, and could often been seen sitting at the peace table at the Sunday farmers market on Swarthmore, engaging visitors, both friendly and wary, in conversations about foreign policy. “At my age I should be thinking of rocking chairs, but every time I hear something I get all fired up,” Dorothy told an interviewer in 2003, as she urged her fellow citizens to remember the vision of the Founding Fathers. “We’ve gotten too far away from the constitution. Our country has become corporate America.” Dorothy is survived by her children Ted Knight, Jr. of Thousand Oaks, Elyse Knight (husband Joseph Giardina) of New York and Eric Knight of Pacific Palisades; grandchildren Paige and Tyler Knight of Thousand Oaks and Agoura; sister Norma Bertussi and brother Arthur Clark. A chapel and burial service will be held on Friday, October 7, at 1:30 p.m. at the Wee Kirk o’ The Heather at Forest Lawn in Glendale, 1712 S. Glendale Ave. Friends are invited to a reception at Dorothy’s home in the Highlands, 1390 Avenida de Cortez, at 4:30 p.m. Friday. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dorothy Knight’s name to Greenpeace, 702 H Street, N. W, Suite 300, Washington, D. C. 20001 or Palisadians for Peace, c/o Martha Dresher, 934 Las Pulgas, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272.

CLASSIFIED ADS FROM THE SEPTEMBER 29, 2005 ISSUE OF THE PALISADIAN-POST

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HOMES FOR SALE 1

SPECTACULAR OCEAN & MTN views. Charming mobile home across from the beach at Tahitian Terrace this slice of paradise offers over 1,350 sq ft. 2 bed, 2 bath, remodeled kitchen, woodburning fireplace, deck & 2-car parking. 55 year-old community. Pets OK. Rent control. $459K. SC Realty, Franklin, (310) 592-6696 OPEN HOUSE, SUNDAY Oct. 2, 1-5 p.m. 687 Hampden Place. Cozy 2 bedroom, great bathroom, oak floors, fireplace. Located on quiet street, short walk to Village green. $1,550,000. Don Kennington, Broker. (310) 980-7158

UNFURNISHED 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 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/mo. SPANISH CONDO, 2 BED+2 BATH. Unfurnished. Gorgeous courtyard bldg. Heart of the village. Fireplace, balcony, garage, storage. Large bright kitchen. One year lease. No pets. $3,950/mo. Call Tom, (310) 948-9898 PALISADES 2 BED+1.5 BATHS. Fireplace, hardwood floors, appliances, yard. Near Via bluffs and village. No pets. N/S. Principals only. Avail now. $2,995/mo. Broker, (310) 454-0054 PALISADES MARQUEZ KNOLLS. $4,350/mo. New carpet. 4 bedroom+3.5 baths. Dining room, den (opens to 100 ft. perimeter pool), fireplace, kitchen built-ins, breakfast bar. Office/hobby room, 2-car garage. 26′ by 24′ basketball court-yard. Gardener+poolman service incl. Call (310) 454-0067 SMALL COUNTRY HOME – Santa Monica, Montana and 14th Street neighborhood. Designer’s 1 bedroom. Wood-burning fireplace, Hardwood floors, high beam ceilings, shutters. French doors to large private garden and brick patio. Stainless appliances, limestone bath. Washer/dryer hookup. Completely secure and gated, enclosed garage. $2,650/mo. Available 10/15/05. (310) 826-7960

FURNISHED APARTMENTS 2b

OCEAN-VIEW CONDO. 1 bedroom+1 bath, chef’s kitchen, includes utilities and cleaning service. Edgewater Towers. $2,950/mo. Agent, Doreen, (310) 255-3458

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

CARMEL in THE PALISADES. 2 bedroom, beautiful lot. Walk to village. $3,495/mo. Agent. Call Nancy, (310) 230-7305 SUNSET in THE VILLAGE. Spacious 2 bed+2 bath. Newly renovated, walk-in closets, gated parking, security bldg, laundry. $2,100-$2,600/mo. 1 year lease. (310) 454-7743 INVITING PACIFIC PAL. 2 bed+2 baths with gorgeous canyon views, hardwood & slate flrs. Large bedrooms w/ spacious closets. Located at the base of a fantastic trailhead. Heated community pool w/ BBQ area. Great for an active lifestyle! $3,500/mo. Call Susan Monus, Coldwell Banker, (310) 589-2477 SANTA MONICA CONDO. 2 bedroom, 2 bath. 2nd Street, north of Wilshire. Hardwood floors. Security building. $2,750/mo. Call Susie, (310) 266-6033 PALISADES 1 BED, 1 BATH, upper, sunny, views, carpet, stove, refrigerator, laundry, covered parking with storage, NO pets, NON-smoker, 1 year lease. Quiet, clean, $1,220/mo. (310) 477-6767

ROOMS FOR RENT 3

ROOM with KITCHEN PRIVILEGES and small salary in exchange for some driving and light housework help by reliable female. Close in Pac Pal. Call (310) 459-3266

WANTED 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) 557-0135 SEEKING GUESTHOUSE/COTTAGE in the area. Works in local bookstore, teacher. Call Ed, (626) 806-6996

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

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) 472-5763

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

UPSCALE BRENTWOOD HAIR salon for sale. 9 operators, 11 chairs. 60K. Evenings, (310) 459-3537, and cell, (310) 600-9582 I’M THE CEO of my life. Are You? Executive Pay Without Executive Stress! (800) 841-8702 FreedomMyWay.com

LOST & FOUND 6a

LOST WED. 9/21, all white kitten w/ blue eyes named Snowy. Lost on Haverford Street; (15516 Sunset). Pac Palisades. $300 REWARD. Call (310) 463-5355 or (310) 993-5959

BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b

BOOKKEEPER BY THE DAY. Need help with getting your books in order? Help is near! Call Joannie, (310) 486-1055

COMPUTER 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.com

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 7f

PLANNING A GARAGE SALE? a moving sale? a yard sale? a rummage sale? an estate sale? Call it what you like. But call us to do it for you. We do the work. Start to finish. – BARBARA DAWSON – Garage Sale Specialist – (310) 454-0359 – Furniture – Antiques – Collectibles – Junque – Reliable professionals Local References

ORGANIZING 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

MISCELLANEOUS 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 & MANAGED

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

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 TOTALLY KID’S ENRICHMENT Center now offers all-day care for children, 2 through 5 years old. Limited space. Call (310) 573-7073 F/T BABYSITTER or HOUSEKEEPER avail. Own transportation. Over 5 years experience. Call Maria, (213) 892-8973 EUROPEAN live-in AU PAIRS. US government approved and regulated. Cultural exchange. English speaking. Call Mrs. Fox, (310) 230-2646 OUR WONDERFUL NANNY is looking for a job. Call Angelica, (310) 721- 9799 AVAILABLE FULL-TIME Monday thru Saturdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. I can babysit, take care of elders, or do housekeeping. I can drive a car, have a license & speak English. Please call America, (323) 251-2672 CHILDCARE, DRIVING, TUTORING, cooking, other. Responsible gentleman w/ teaching background can help with range of duties. Please call (310) 218-6653 or (310) 459-2066

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 HOUSECLEANING SERVICE. 15 years experience, local refs. Paola Reyes, Juan Flores. Please call (310) 419-0479 LIVE-OUT HOUSEKEEPER available Mon., Thurs., Fri. and Sat. Has own transportation and local references. Light English. Please call Oralia, (323) 228-7788 EXPERIENCED HOUSEKEEPER AVAIL full-time. Mon-Fri. I have good references, own transportation & speak English. Call Blanca anytime, (323) 299-1491 or cell (213) 215-7035 P/T HOUSEKEEPER. Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun. I have car, can drive, have Palisades references. Call Carol, (323) 299-1797 FULL-TIME HOUSECLEANER available. Mon.-Sat. I have a car, over 18 years experience and references. Call Maria, (323) 732-4309 FULL-TIME LIVE-OUT, housekeeper or babysitter. Good experience and references. Light English. Call Patricia, (310) 398-2831 F/T HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Monday through Friday. I speak English well, have good experience, transportation and references. Please call Adelina, (323) 737-7158 or (323) 527-4538 Do you NEED HELP with EVERYDAY chores? Available everyday Monday-Sunday. I have good references and speak English. Please call Guicela, (310) 836-8853 LIVE-IN/LIVE-OUT HOUSEKEEPER. I am available Monday thru Friday, speaks some English. I am very experienced, am pleasant, neat and have references. Please call Gloria, (323) 571-8299 LIVE-IN NANNY needed for newborn twins. Please call (310) 246-9921

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

HOUSEKEEPING/CHILD & Elderly CARE. Experienced, CPR & first aid certified with medical backgrounds. Live-in or live-out. Fluent English. References avail. Call (888) 897-5888

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 MARTINEZ GARDEN SERVICES. Landscape, tree-trimming, sprinkler systems, planting, yard clean-up. Good workers. 19 yrs experience. Call Fortino, cell: (323) 397-6255, or hm: (323) 935-0841 FULL SERVICE YARD & sprinkler systems. 15 years of experience. References available. Call Javier anytime, cell: (310) 634-5059 or pager: (310) 495-0533

BRUSHCLEARING 11a

Just Paid a Lot for Brush Clearance? Time to bring in “great grazing goats!” (310) 573-0124

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

MASSAGE THERAPY 12b

NATALIE AWARD-WINNING MASSAGE by Natalie. www.massagebynatalie.faithweb.com. Ask about free massage offer. Call (310) 993-8899

WINDOW WASHING 13h

NO STREAK WINDOW cleaning service. Fast and friendly. Quality service you can count on. Free estimates. Lic. #122194-49. Please call (323) 632-7207

MISCELLANEOUS 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) 459-5485 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

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. RESPONSIBLE & Dependable DOG WALKER needed immediately. Two very well-behaved, loving dogs in Huntington Palisades. 1 small male Yorkie and 1 medium female Aussie. Mon.-Fri., 4 to 5 p.m., or 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Time is NOT negotiable. $50/hr. All ages welcome to apply. (310) 573-6288

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) 573-9000

SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTION 15d

SAXOPHONE LESSONS. IMPROVISATION, MUSIC THEORY by professional. Please call (310) 230-0559

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 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 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) 309-6687 SPANISH TEACHER, CERTIFIED TUTOR. 15 years experience. Conversational & writing skills, all levels. Local refs. Palisades resident. Affordable rates. Call Marietta, (310) 459-8180 SPANISH TUTOR AVAILABLE. Please call (310) 617-1115 or (310) 828-5087 PHYSICS & MATH. Experienced UCLA Teaching Fellow, MIT degree, tutors all levels of physics and math as well as AP, SAT I & II and GRE. If interested, contact Dimov, (310) 980-8173 TUTOR TO YOU. Improve your skills in English! Former Pali High English teacher specializing in reading, writing, study skills, 10 years in the classroom (elementary through high-school). M.S., Ed/B.A., English. California credentials in regular and special education. Speech and language services for children with hearing loss. I drive to you! Call Shea Thompson, (310) 446-6190

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

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 EMR – MASONRY & CONCRETE – (310) 456-0534 – Specializing in Fine Masonry work – Custom Stone, Concrete & Brickwork – Hand-built Fireplaces/tilework – Local References/20 years Experience – CA. State Lic.#451844/Bonded & Insured – Call Eric, cell: (310) 486-1103

CONSTRUCTION 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

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. All Phases and General Repairs. 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 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) 478-7988

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 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. Lic. #B-858574. Call (310) 216-9034

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 – 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 Greek

PLUMBING 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) 827-4040

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 JLK PLUMBING. Re-pipe and sewer specialist & all plumbing repairs. Mention this ad & receive 10% off. Lic. #722414. Call (310) 678-6634

ROOFING 16v

WE SEAL LEAKS. “Don’t wait for the rains.” Roofing, gutters, windows, carpentry, painting, slope retention, drainage systems, drywall, plaster, concrete, Carmel-style waterfalls. Call (310) 457-4652

HELP WANTED 17

P/T OFFICE ADMIN SRVS. Work from home with flexible hours. Professional firm seeks organized, conscientious and technology proficient individual to process mail (scan & upload to the Internet), file mail, organize electronic faxes and send out about 150 pieces of mail, organize electronic faxes and send out about 150 pieces of mail per month. Must have sufficient space to accommodate small filing cabinet. Ideal for mom with kids in school. Call Peter, (310) 230-1486 BRENTWOOD Law Firm has an immed. opening for TWO P/T RECEPTIONISTS, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. or 1-5:30 p.m. Great opportunity for students! Studying is OK when phones are quiet! $10/hr. Please fax resume to (310) 471-1043 or Email to DBResumes@aol.com ADMIN/PR. Really great position in Pacific Palisades. Will train, develop and reward. Excellent typing skills a plus. Call (310) 454-0317 P/T FRONT OFFICE in local dermatology office. Excellent people skills. Experience helpful, but we will train qualified person. Trustworthy & dependable. Excellent local references. Fax resume to (310) 454-5027 RESPONSIBLE & dependable DOG WALKER needed immediately. Two very well-behaved, loving dogs in Huntington Palisades. 1 small male Yorkie and 1 medium female Aussie. Mon.-Fri., 4 to 5 p.m., or 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Time is NOT negotiable. $50/hr. All ages welcome to apply. (310) 573-6288 P/T WOMEN’S RETAIL SALES in Santa Monica. Weathervane, an upscale women’s specialty store, is looking for an energetic, motivated, professional sales associate to work 3-4 days/wk. E-mail resume to weathervaneii@aol.com or fax (310) 393-2077 ORGANIZED & EFFICIENT ASSISTANT needed for growing Pacific Palisades company. Phones, fax, internet. $28K+benefits. Call (310) 230-1295 F/T LEGAL SECRETARY needed Monday through Thursday. Office located in Pacific Palisades. Call (310) 454-1388, or fax resume, (310) 459-9720 P/T CHILD-CARE NEEDED for 10 year old boy & 6 year old girl. Flexible hours. Must have and drive own car. Please call Rebecca, (310) 454-7490 GERMAN TUTOR WANTED to tutor college student for 1 or 2 hrs. per wk. in Palisades or Sta. Monica in intermediate German in preparation to study abroad. References required. Speak to Diane, (213) 974-1868 or leave a voice-mail message. NANNY/HOUSEKEEPER for Brentwood family NEEDED. 12 p.m.-6:30 p.m. M-F (mornings free); boy & girl twins, age 11 (girl has Down Syndrome); drive to activities; general cleaning/laundry; typically $325 plus $40 car expense; paid time off, starting year 2. Call Cheryl, (310) 780-8115 F/T NANNY NEEDED for 11-month-old boy. We are looking for an energetic and loving person with experience, who speaks English & has good refs. Please call (310) 459-8740

AUTOS 18b

CASH FOR YOUR CARS. Foreign or domestic. Running or not. We come to you. We handle all paperwork. Friendly, professional buyer. Please call (310) 995-5898 1997 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. 100K miles. New brakes, new tires, new battery. $5,000 obo. Call (310) 457-3393

FURNITURE 18c

LEATHER COUCH for sale. Very comfortable, soft, beige couch, 8 feet long. As new. Paid $1,100. Asking $550. Beige fabric LOVE SEAT w/ brass & wood trim. A-1. $150. (310) 444-9240

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

PALISADES GARAGE SALE. SAT. 10/1, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. 360 Aderno Way, Pacific Palisades. Electronics, clothes, kitchen appliances and much more! MULTI-FAMILY GARAGE sale. SAT. October 1st, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. No early birds. In alley behind 650 El Medio. PALISADES PLANT Sale with some beautiful FURNITURE pieces available. All potted plants must find new homes! Assorted bromeliods, cymbidium orchids, plumeria, succulents, ferns. Healthy, well-cared for, beloved plants. SAT. 10/1, 12 noon, at 525 Muskingum Ave. MALIBU GARAGE SALE. SUN. 10/2, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Great selection of designer clothes, handbags, shoes, furniture, antiques, misc. house items, etc. High quality merchandise and great prices! 18326 Wakecrest Drive.

MISCELLANEOUS 18g

ELECTRIC Golf KADDY KART. Excellent condition with two batteries & remote charger. Orig cost $1,200. Will sell for $700. Call Zimmerman, between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (310) 454-9453

WANTED TO BUY 19

WANTED: Old tube guitar amplifiers, ’50s, ’60s, etc. Tommy, (310) 306-7746 – profeti2001@yahoo.com LOOKING for BMW 325i (mid-1990’s) with low mileage. Call (310) 428-9339

Canyon Home and Trees Draw Ire

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Rustic Canyon homeowner Sue Toigo views the towering eucalyptus trees on her neighbor's property that she says
Rustic Canyon homeowner Sue Toigo views the towering eucalyptus trees on her neighbor’s property that she says “could jeopardize my family’s safety.”
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Pacific Palisades homeowners lambasted the City of L.A.’s lack of law enforcement concerning Building and Safety orders at last Thursday’s Community Council meeting. Rustic Canyon residents appeared before the council to complain that Building and Safety is not enforcing its control over a corner residence at 909 Greentree, the home of Mehr and Vickey Beglari. The house is 14 feet closer to the street than permitted by the Los Angeles Municipal Code, and last December the State Court of Appeal ordered Building and Safety to revoke the permits issued to the Beglaris for the completed addition to their home as well as their certificate of occupancy. However, while Building and Safety revoked the Beglaris’ certificate of occupancy as well as their main permits in May, neighbors argue that nobody has ordered the Beglaris to vacate their home or make their house comply with the Code. “This case has been adjudicated,” said Randy Young, a local resident and longtime community activist. “The court has said the City of Los Angeles is not doing its job.” He called the City’s unwillingness to act “cultivated ignorance” and said, “they have worked at being incompetent.” The main issue of the dispute is whether the front-yard setback was calculated correctly, and whether the Beglaris must now lop 14 feet off the entire front of their two-story house to meet the setback requirement of 27 feet. Vickey Beglari told the council, “The City throughout this whole process has said that we’ve done nothing wrong, that we’ve complied with this whole process. There have been mistakes, and we’ve responded to them.” Mehr Beglari said that “the City stopped our job three times to check and recheck all our plans, to make sure we were in compliance.” Vickey added, “Our property is large but it’s not that large compared with other homes in the Rustic Canyon area.” She noted that “the appellate court said the goal was not to tear down the home, but to make sure the City complies with the error.” By the “error,” Vickey was referring to the disputed calculation. Council member Steve Boyers expressed confusion about what the Beglaris wanted the council to do about their current situation, seeing that the case has already been adjudicated. “There are alternatives to tearing down the home,” Vickey said. “We’re still looking into other alternatives to make this right.” Asked after the meeting what some of those alternatives are, she declined to discuss that with the Palisadian-Post. Rustic Canyon resident and attorney Ronald Oster, one of the six plaintiffs in the case against the Beglaris, spoke on behalf of the group and requested that the council write letters to Building and Safety and the City Council asking them to enforce the law. “I’m asking for the support of this community,” Oster said. “You have a judgment. This is a clear-cut case. The certificate of occupancy has been revoked and the building cannot be inhabited.” After hearing from both sides, the council voted that chairman Kurt Toppel write letters “to any and all people to get the City to enforce the law.” Meanwhile, the Beglaris have started construction on a second property they purchased in early 2004 at 921 Greentree, just down the street from their disputed residence. For a year, next-door neighbor Sue Toigo has been concerned about a cluster of eucalyptus trees on the Beglari property that hang dangerously low over her own property. She has previously discussed the problem with Mehr Beglari and trimmed two of the trees over her roof at her own expense. Toigo’s concern for “the safety of my family and home” grew in recent weeks as the Beglaris began excavating their property, which compromised the roots of the trees. On Tuesday, she approached Beglari about the problem and he suggested that she call the City Street Tree Division, which she did. Jerome Washington, a supervisor with the Street Tree Division who visited the site shortly after Toigo’s call, told the Palisadian-Post that he determined that “the trees have to be removed at the owner’s expense,” and if they’re not removed, “it’s a public hazard.” Toigo wrote a letter to Beglari on Tuesday stating, “Now that the City has determined that the excavation of some of the trees in your backyard at 921 Greentree has rendered them unsafe and that they must be taken down, I hope they can be removed quickly… “As neighbor to neighbor, I respectfully ask that you not let any quarrel you might have with the City authorities delay the tree removal which could jeopardize my family’s safety.” Beglari did not answer a telephone call from the Palisadian-Post that afternoon, before our Wednesday morning deadline.

VA Advisory Panel Nixes Commercial Development

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In an unusual alignment of opinion, about 700 Westsiders attended a public meeting on the future uses of the Veterans Affairs property last Thursday and voiced their opposition to recommendations that the 387-acre campus include a mixed-use residential complex or a medical research facility. Members of a advisory panel, who met for nearly three hours after the marathon public meeting in the Wadsworth Theatre on the VA campus, were nearly unanimous on their recommendations, which they hoped would be seriously considered by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson. Appointed by the VA secretary, the panel is made up of state and local VA officials, a UCLA/Veterans Hospital physician, veterans service providers and Brentwood activists, including realtor Barbara Tenser and Brentwood Community Council chairman Flora Krisiloff. They adopted a set of four principles which guided their votes on each of the business plan options. The principles included: 1. Honor former Secretary Anthony Principi’s pledge that there be no commercial development on the site. 2. The land should be retained for direct benefit to veterans in perpetuity, in compliance with the deed. 3. Honor the Cranston Act, which established preserve areas totaling about 109 acres; and 4. Abide by the National Preservation Act. “Everything else followed these four guiding principles,” Krisiloff told the Palisadian-Post. “We were unanimous on every vote except the plan to establish a medical research facility on the site, which I voted against because I felt it hadn’t been vetted properly. I didn’t want to see Amgen or Genetech on the property.” Secretary Nicholson is under no obligation to accept the panel’s recommendations, Krisiloff said. “He will decide which options he wants to adopt and then send the business plan options back to the consultants for analysis.” There will be two more public meetings, and further reviews by the panel at each step of the process. The third public meeting may be called by the end of October. “I think, in the end, that our recommendations turned out to be better than I had expected because we followed the guiding principles,” Krisiloff said. “But it’s 50-50 if the secretary will accept our recommendations. I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes back with more commercial options. Nor would I be surprised if he supports our proposals. “I really do hope that this secretary honors the new land-use plan,” Krisiloff added. “I would really like to see a land-use master plan that covers all the federal land in West Los Angeles, including the proposed 1 million-sq-.ft. FBI headquarters at the Federal Building, and the army reserve [at the corner of Federal and Wilshire]. We have all this federal land that is not heavily developed and the federal government is looking at ways to increase revenue. It’s the wrong time, because we’re in traffic gridlock.”

Villaraigosa, Rosendahl Visit Local Democrats

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“Folks, we can’t just complain about the traffic,” Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told a Palisades Democratic Club gathering last Sunday. “We all have to be part of the solution.” Although the mayor realized that virtually every person in his audience of about 250 people is wedded to a car 24/7, he earnestly tried to promote his campaign for lessening that dependence. “Traffic congestion is everywhere, not just here on the Westside,” Villaraigosa said, “and the only way out is to change our patterns of living. We’ve got to get more people to carpool, to walk, to get on a bus. As you ride buses, you’ll realize, ‘Hey, this is okay, it works.’ ” Spotting County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky in the audience, the mayor said: “I see Zev as an important ally in my efforts to expand our rapid-transit system in the city, with buses and light rail.” He noted that funding is back on track for Phase I of the Expo light-rail line from downtown L.A. to Culver City, a project that will be completed “by 2009, because it already has a dedicated right of way.” Phase II will extend the line to Santa Monica. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Villaraigosa reiterated his commitment to address widespread poverty in Los Angeles. “If we had had this tragedy in Los Angeles, the world would have seen the poverty capital of the United States,” Villaraigosa said. “We have more poor people and more uninsured people than any other city. Just go downtown, to Pico Union, to South L.A., and you see the dilapidated houses, the schools where so many kids are dropping out.” “A great city, a healthy city, has to be a place where people are growing and prospering together,” the mayor said. “That’s what I’m going to be working on.” Earlier, City Councilwoman Bill Rosendahl reiterated many of the goals he outlined during this past spring’s campaign, and he praised the 22-person staff he has hired. They include Palisadians Norman Kulla, his district director and senior counsel; Laurie Sale, his arts, education and cultural deputy; and Reza Ahef, a constituent advocate. “I’m only as good as my staff, and hopefully my staff is better than me so we will have a sm smooth-functioning District,” Rosendahl said. “My number job is constituent services.” He noted that his staff is “a hybrid blend of folks’young and old, men and women, gay and straight,” and that residents should always remember: “My number one job is constituent services.” Among those attending Sunday’s event were four early candidates for Assemblywoman Fran Pavley’s termed-out seat in 2006: Julia Brownley, Barry Groveman, Kelly Hayes-Raitt and Louise Rishoff. The primary election will be held next June 6.

Mort’s Deli Is in the Spotlight

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Bobbie Farberow, owner of Mort’s Deli, helped Councilman Bill Rosendahl keep a campaign promise Tuesday. Running for office last spring, Rosendahl vowed that if he were elected, he would treat the City Council to Mort’s famous chicken matzoball soup. “He loves the soup,” Faberow said, “and it brings him good luck”‘he had a bowl for lunch the day of primary (which he won) and the day of the general election two months later. On Tuesday this week, Faberow and two employees, Esperanza Caulderon and Abelino Martinez, loaded up Mort’s van with an oversized thermos that contained enough soup to feed 20 people, and drove downtown. They brought along crackers, bowls and spoons and carried a chafing dish to keep the soup hot. Bobbie had two concerns before leaving. She wanted to make sure she had directions on how to get past security, but more importantly, she hoped the council members would like the soup. “I want to tell you,” Bobbie said upon her return to the Palisades, “they were so nice and so gracious. They loved the soup, and one of them said, ‘When we come to your area, we’re going to eat at your place.'” In addition to catering to politicians on Tuesday, Mort’s Deli was the backdrop for an HBO television show last Sunday night. Fans of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” the comedy show starring Palisadian Larry David, may have recognized Mort’s in the opening episode of the new season. Although the deli was called Leo’s, the show was actually filmed in the Palisades at Mort’s. In the story line, the deli owner has decided to name a sandwich after Larry David. But the sandwich consists of white fish, sable, capers, onions and cream cheese’everything that David hates. He tells the deli owner that no one is going to buy “his” sandwich, and he asks Leo to switch and name his sandwich after actor Ted Danson, whose sandwich has everything in it that people love like turkey, tomato, swiss and Russian dressing. The deli owner refuses to switch sandwiches, even after Shelly Berman, playing David’s father, orders the “Larry David” sandwich and then has a stroke, which could possibly be blamed on the sandwich. Ultimately, Leo tires of David’s whinning and cajoling, takes David’s name off the sandwich board and names the sandwich after another comedian, Richard Lewis. Arnie Wishnik, executive director of the Palisades Chamber of Commerce, and his wife Cathie thought the episode was funny but that the actor playing the deli owner was “over the top.” “If Mort was alive, he should have played this role,” Cathie said. “He would have been more believable and more fun.” Mort Farberow died three years ago tomorrow, on September 30.

Palisades Garden Club to Host Talk on Plant Propagation October 3

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”The Palisades Garden Club will hold its first meeting of the club’s new year with a lecture/demonstration on plant propagation methods by horticulturalist Stephen Williams on Monday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford. ”Williams, who worked as plant propagator at the Huntington Gardens, is currently an instructor in horticulture at Mt. San Antonio College. ”He will present a PowerPoint demonstration on the finer points of plant propagation by making cuttings, growing from seeds and air-layering, which is a method of producing roots on the stem of indoor landscape plants that have become “leggy” through the loss of their lower foliage. ”Air-layering has been used successfully as a mean of propagating some of the more difficult-to-root plants. In this procedure, believed to have been developed centuries ago by the Chinese, the gardener winds the stem or branch of a plant and encloses the wounded stem with moist sphagnum moss or similar rooting medium until roots develop from the wounded area. Success depends on keeping the rooting medium moist until the roots are formed and large enough to support the new plant. Since the development of polyethylene film, air-layering has become a practical method of propagation for the home gardener and amateur horticulturist. ”Refreshments will be served, and the public is invited.

Schumann’s Piano Concerto Opens St. Matthew’s Season

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St. Matthew’s Music Guild kicks off its 2005/6 series at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 14, at St. Matthew’s Church in Pacific Palisades. The gala opening night concert features pianist Mark Robson performing Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, with the St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Music Director and Conductor Thomas Neenan. The concert, which initiates the Music Guild’s 21st anniversary season, will also include Mendelssohn’s “Italian” symphony and two tone poem miniatures by Frederick Delius. The theme for the November 11 concert is “Much Ado about Something” and features Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s incidental music for the Shakespeare play “Much Ado about Nothing.” The concert includes Arvo P’rt’s haunting “Fratres” (Brothers) and music of Stravinsky and Respighi. On December 2, The Choir of St. Matthew’s Parish will join the orchestra in performing a Christmas classic, Bach’s majestic Magnificat in D. Vivaldi’s Mandolin Concerto in D and Corelli’s “Christmas” Concerto will round out the program. The Annual Palisades Family Christmas Concert will be performed on Sunday December 11 at 3 p.m. This holiday favorite features the combined choirs of St. Matthew’s Parish, brass ensemble and organist Roger Daggy. Seasonal classics and an audience sing-along will highlight the program. This concert is free and open to everyone. On January 20, pianist Andrew von Oeyen returns for a solo recital. One of the most highly sought after young pianists on the international stage, von Oeyen will perform Beethoven’s “Eroica” Variations, the Piano Sonata by Leos Janacek and music of Maurice Ravel. On Feburary 10, two of this country’s finest early music vocal ensembles, the Concord Ensemble and Voxfire, come together to perform two sumptuous oratorios by Giacomo Carissimi. These seldom-heard Baroque masterpieces will be complemented by Renaissance motets for multiple choirs, organ, harpsichord and continuo ensemble. On March 24, St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra presents a perennial favorite’Concerto Night. Orchestra members David Sarachene, Jim Lasota, David Mergen and Phil Feather will be the featured soloists. The program will include Haydn’s C major Cello Concerto, the Bassoon Concerto of Mozart, a new work for saxophone and orchestra by Ross Wright and Peter Davidson’s “From My Travels” for flute and orchestra. The concertmaster of St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra, Yi-Huan Zhao will be the featured soloist at the April 28 concert. Zhao will perform two works by Camille Saint-Saens, the Introduction and Rondo, and “Havanaise.” The April concert will also include music for wind ensemble and harpsichord by Alec Wilder, selections from “Nuit d’Ete” (Summer Nights), by Berlioz and Three Songs for mezzo-soprano, violin and orchestra by Benedykt Brydern. On June 2 the season will close with a nod to the 250th anniversary of the birth of Mozart. Included will be the Solemn Vespers, sung by the St. Matthew’s Parish Choir, and the Concerto in A Major with soloist Patricia Massey. The concert will also include Copland’s “Quiet City,” featuring trumpeter David Searfoss and English horn soloist Phil Feather. All concerts take place at St. Matthew’s Parish, 1031 Bienveneda Avenue, Pacific Palisades. A subscription to all eight concerts is $165. Single tickets may be purchased at the door for $22. Complimentary intermission refreshments are offered at all concerts and convenient free parking is available in the church lot. For information contact 573-7787 (ext.2) or visit the Music Guild’s Web site: www.stmatthews.com/musicguild.

Conservancy Illuminates Wilshire Boulevard

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The landmark Wilshire Boulevard Temple, featured on the Conservancy's October 2 tour, is distinguished by an immense Byzantine-style dome. Photo courtesy Laszlo Regos Photography.
The landmark Wilshire Boulevard Temple, featured on the Conservancy’s October 2 tour, is distinguished by an immense Byzantine-style dome. Photo courtesy Laszlo Regos Photography.

There is, in every great city of the world, some particularly distinguished thoroughfare beside whose glories the municipality’s other avenues seem commonplace. With Paris, one thinks of the Champs Elysee; with London, the Pall Mall; Berlin, Unter den Linden; New York’s sleek Fifth Avenue; and Chicago, the wide and windswept Michigan Avenue. It is highly significant that Wilshire Boulevard has become, throughout the world, synonymous with Los Angeles. So proclaimed Wilshire Tropics Magazine in 1930. The journal’s assessment was shared by a long line of visionaries, boosters and planners who have marked Wilshire Boulevard as the symbolic spine of the city. Indeed, few streets in any other city can boast the number of landmarks, natural wonders, museums, diversity and density that exist on the boulevard’s 16-mile stretch from downtown to the beach in Santa Monica. The Los Angeles Conservancy will spotlight the history of Wilshire Boulevard during its new “Curating the City” initiative that includes an ambitious slate of programs happening over seven weeks. It launches this Sunday, October 2 with a one-day architectural tour showcasing interior spaces in six important landmarks along Wilshire. “Wilshire Boulevard is a microcosm of the city at large,” says Catherine Gudis, the Conservancy’s director of education. “Its growth parallels the growth of the city.” Gudis goes on to say how the overarching title, “Curating the City,” deliberately takes on the museum metaphor. “Our goal is to turn the city into a living museum. By putting a frame around some place, it gives an opportunity to reflect on ideas and history. There’s no one clear story, rather many layers to the story.” It’s this kind of approach’looking at historic buildings in a much larger context than simply the embodiment of an architectural style’that the Conservancy hopes will broaden its audience. “We want to get people to think of the built environment as part of a whole urban fabric,” Gudis says. The Conservancy, established in the 1970s, grew out of the community-based effort to prevent demolition of the L.A. Central Library. The organization has grown to a membership of over 8,000 households and its mission is two-fold: advocacy and education. “We need to continue to build a preservation ethic among Los Angelenos,” says Gudis, who regards the recent lost battle to save the Roosevelt Hotel as a reminder of the need to be ever-vigilant. “We want people to think about what is lost when buildings aren’t around to tell us about our common heritage.” The Conservancy plans to offer a new “Curating the City” exhibition every few years, highlighting a distinct part of the city. Spanning three cities and countless diverse commerical and residential neighborhoods, Wilshire Boulevard provides an especially rich history lesson. Not only does it showcase all the major architectural styles of the 20th century, it also highlights patterns of migration and immigration, tells the story of L.A.’s fascination with the automobile, and unearths colorful biographies of the city’s early movers and shakers. Interestingly, Wilshire Boulevard did not evolve in a straight westward line. It actually began in 1875 in Santa Monica, as Nevada Avenue, and in the 1880s as Orange Street from downtown to Westlake (now MacArthur) Park, then grew in fits and starts in other sections. The only thing separating downtown from the rest of the Boulevard was Westlake Park. In 1934, a causeway was built over the lake, splitting the park in two but completing the final leg of the Boulevard. The Boulevard got its name from the flamboyant, socialist-millionaire Henry Gaylord Wilshire, who arrived in Los Angeles from Ohio in the late 1800s. “He was such a cool character,” says Gudis, who describes how the man’s unusual legacy includes having a monopoly on the billboard industry and promoting a pseudo-medical device in the form of a belt that promised to cure everything from baldness to cancer. Ironically, while Wilshire espoused socialism and even ran for public office under its banner, he is best known for shaping what was to become the city’s first upscale residential area near downtown. To ensure the residential character of a 35-acre tract he had purchased in 1895 (located between today’s MacArthur and Lafayette Parks), he donated to the city a four-block strip down the center of it for the establishment of a boulevard to bear his name. This came with the stipulation that railroad lines and commercial and industrial trucking be banned. True to Wilshire’s vision, the area soon became dotted with large mansions. Gudis refers to the automobile as the main character in the story of Wilshire Boulevard, serving as the major catalyst in its development. When Bullocks Wilshire opened in 1929, it was the first department store that put the car at center stage, with the main entrance to the building’and valet parking’at the rear. The commercialization of Wilshire continued farther west when the one-mile stretch between La Brea and Fairfax Avenues, dubbed “Miracle Mile,” was developed. Beginning in the 1920s, A.W. Ross envisioned the area as a commercial center to rival downtown. “He knew the automobile was going to make this place happen,” Gudis explains. At the time, it was described as “Ross’ Folly,” since the Boulevard was a dirt road surrounded by bean fields, and the only notable structures were oil derricks. “He had the last laugh,” Gudis adds. Another defining moment for the Boulevard came when the 13-story height limit was lifted in 1957. Some 22 high-rise office buildings were erected in the Wilshire Center area from 1966 to 1976, and during the 1980s, scores of high-rise and high-cost condominiums were erected along the stretch of Wilshire in Westwood. The diverse architectural gems to be opened for docent-led tours on October 2 are The Elks Club, now the Park Plaza Hotel (Curlett and Beelman, 1925), built in the elite Westlake area to host L.A.’s society set; the Art Deco Bullocks Wilshire building (John and Donald Parkinson, 1929) a restored landmark that is now part of the Southwestern University School of Law campus; and the Wilshire Boulevard Temple (A.M. Adelman, S. Tilden Norton, and David S. Allison, 1929) with its immense Byzantine dome. Also featured will be Johnie’s Coffee Shop (Armet and Davis, 1955) an icon of the “Googie” aesthetic; the Victorian-styled Wadsworth Chapel (J. Lee Burton, 1900), the oldest building on Wilshire Boulevard; and the Spanish Colonial Revival Miles Playhouse (John Byers, 1929) in Santa Monica. “The tour is going to be a blast,” says an enthusiastic Gudis. “There will be special attractions at each of the sites.” Tickets for the Sunday, October 2 one-day, self-guided architectural tour are $35 ($25 for Conservancy members and $12.50 for students under 21 with a valid I.D.). To order tickets, call (213) 623-2489 or visit www.curatingthecity.org.

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