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Robert Dickson, 72; 35-Year Palisadian

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Robert L. Dickson, a 35-year resident of Pacific Palisades, passed away on July 24, after a lengthy illness. He was 72. Dickson was born on September 3, 1932 and grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where his father, Constantine John, owned and operated an FM radio station, KGUS. His mother, Georgia, was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. He attended the University of Texas at Austin, earning a degree in business administration, then his law degree from University of Texas Law School. After moving to Los Angeles, Dickson practiced law for 45 years, first at Haight, Dickson, Brown & Bonesteel, then later at Dickson, Carlson & Campillo. He specialized in pharmaceutical and medical device products litigation, trying over 250 jury cases. He was a pioneer in creating and implementing national coordination of mass tort litigation, including the drug DES and then breast implant national litigation. He was a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and past president of Southern California Defense Counsel. He was also a member of the board of directors of Lawyers for Civil Justice and the Society of Law and Medicine, and a diplomate of the American Board of Trial Advocacy. He lectured extensively for these organizations as well as for the California State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education programs, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association, the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers, and many others. While residing in the Palisades, Dickson helped coach the Westside Bruins Pop Warner football team, where his son, John, learned to play football. In 1992 he helped coach the Westside Bruins to a national championship played in Las Vegas. He leaves behind his wife of 26 years, Christina, and six children: Robert, Jr. of Newport Beach; Geoff and Chris of San Diego; George Fulton and Alexander of Newport Beach; and John of Pacific Palisades. Contributions may be made in Dickson’s name to the John Wayne Cancer Center at St. John’s Hospital, 2200 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404. Services will be held at Corpus Christi Church on Wednesday, August 3 at 1 p.m.

CLASSIFIED ADS FROM THE JULY 28, 2005 ISSUE OF THE PALISADIAN-POST

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HOMES FOR SALE 1

SPECTACULAR OCEAN/mtn views from newly remodeled 2 bd+2 ba mobile HOME (18 Bali). This double-wide home (1,200 sq. ft) located in desirable Tahitian Terrace offers the beach seeking buyer a very private oasis across from the beach. Over 55 community resort living at its finest. Offered at $469,000. SC Realty, Franklin, (310) 592-6696 or (818) 346-6601 HIGHLAND TOWNHOME for SALE. Beautifully remodeled and immaculate townhome for sale. Call (310) 459-7653 broker/owner

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 HIGHLANDS BEAUTY. Former MODEL home. 3,200 sq. feet. 5 bedrooms+4 baths. Ocean & mountain views. 2 fireplaces. Summit Club, pool, tennis. Avail 8/7/05. $7,100/mo. Call (800) 638-4354 LARGE 3 BED+2 BA CONDO. Highlands. Partially furn. 2-car garage. Ocean & mountain views. 2 fireplaces. Very serene environment. Avail 8/7/05. $3,300/mo. Call (800) 638-4354 RESORT LIVING in the HIGHLANDS. Gorgeous, bright, remodeled 2,000 sf. 3 bed, 2 bath+den. Private backyard. Community pool, tennis court. $4,950/mo. Call Alisa, (310) 990-8515 CHARMING, TRADITIONAL HOME in the Riviera with ocean & city views. 3 bedrooms+3.5 baths+ maid’s room & bath. Gracious formal living & dining rooms, plus den. Very large private backyard with pool. Avail now. $7,000/mo. Lisa, (310) 459-7163 or (310) 570-0518 MARQUEZ KNOLLS. 4 BED+3.5 baths. Dining and family rooms, breakfast bar, office, pool, 2-car garage. Gardener & poolman incl. $4,750/mo. Call (310) 454-0067 LUSH PRIVATE YARD. Charming 3 bed, 2 ba + office home. Great room with fireplace & vaulted ceilings. Newer country kitchen & designer baths. 2-car garage. W/D. $4,750/mo. Call (310) 502-3665

FURNISHED APARTMENTS 2b

OCEAN VIEW CONDO. 1 bedroom + 1 bath. Remodeled kitchen, great view, nicely furnished, incl utilities. Edgewater Towers. $2,950/mo. Agent, (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 PALISADES STUDIO, large kitchen with dinette, stove, refrigerator, walk-in closet, covered parking, laundry, Non-smoker, No pets, one year lease, quiet and clean. $995/mo. (310) 477-6767 CONDO, OCEAN VIEW. Spacious, immaculate, 1+1 with fireplace. Great location. Steps to beach. Sunset & PCH. Pools, spas, tennis, exercise room. 24 hour security. $2,595/mo., incl utils. (310) 454-0269 LARGE 2 BED+2 BATH. New carpet, w/d, dishwasher, balcony, walk-in closet & patio. Fireplace, Jacuzzi. Village close. Controlled-access bldg. Available now. Call (310) 230-4110 PAC PAL. $1,900/mo. 1+1 condo, new appliances, 850 sq ft, pool/tennis, view, gardens, sec bldg, utilities paid. Near beach. NO Pets. Avail 8/1. pp (310) 230-7737

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) 230-6866

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 NICE, local PALISADIAN FAMILY of 4 looking for 3 bedroom SFH to lease for 2 yrs, preferably in Palisades or Malibu. We are local business owners. Ideally $3,800 to $4,200/month, starting 9/1/05. Please call (310) 717-2985 LOCAL Palisades COUPLE of 15 yrs just sold home. LOOKING for at least 2 bedrooms + 1.5 baths for 1 yr or longer lease on quiet street in Palisades, SM or Brentwood. We have 832 and 813 FICO scores. Looking to spend $3,800 to $4,300/mo. Will consider more. Any potential landlord is welcome to see the immaculate condition with which we’ve maintained our home. (310) 570-3839

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

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

Our LONG-TIME NANNY will be avail Monday thru Friday, 9-5 beginning in Sept ’05. She’s a rare gem. She’s energetic, fluent in English, dependable, has her own car & is loving (treats our son like her own). Xlnt refs. Call Julie, (323) 350-0017 P/T NANNY/HOUSEKEEPER available Tuesdays & Fridays. I have a car and good references. Call Estella, (323) 493-1584 PROFESSIONAL BABY NURSE is available for night shifts, to help families with newborns. Contact Ms. Dennis, (310) 226-7097 EXPERIENCED YOUNG ACTIVE female baby-sitter. CPR & First-aid Certified, background check. Palisades local. $12-15/hr. Have references. Call Kerry, (310) 617-5303

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 P/T HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE 2 days per week, Mondays and Wednesdays. I have a car, local references and good experience. Please call Carol, (323) 299-1797 F/T HOUSEKEEPER/BABY-SITTER or driver available. Monday through Friday. Speaks good English, drives own car & has references. Please call Leonor, (323) 660-9985 or (323) 632-7036 F/T HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE. I drive a car and have local references. Call Aida, (323) 735-7603 F/T HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Mon-Fri. Has her own car, good references and speaks English. Call Imelda or Carolina, (323) 752-7589 or (323) 758-1902 HOUSEKEEPER/NANNY available full-time. Speaks English, good references. Experienced, has own transp. Can pick-up children from school. Call anytime. Edith, (323) 481-6564 HOUSECLEANING SERVICE. Available Mon, Tues, Sat. Good rates. Call Marta, (323) 663-4622

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

WOMAN NEEDED to HELP a partially handicapped lady with her daily exercises & housework, 5 days per week for a FAMILY of TWO. Prefer you to live-in. Must be able to drive OUR car. No children or pets. Malibu area. Salary is open. Call (310) 457-3393 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) 692-3692

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 ERIC LANDSCAPING & GARDEN MAINTENANCE. We’ll make your garden dreams come true. Over 15 yrs local experience. References. Call Eric at (310) 396-8218 BUDGET SPRINKLERS & LANDSCAPING – INSTALLATIONS – REPAIRS – UPGRADING & SOD – YARD CLEAN-UPS – FREE ESTIMATES/CASH DISCOUNTS. Lic. #768354 – (310) 398- 8512 GARCIA GARDENING SERVICES. Landscaping, maintenance, planting, sprinkler systems and clean-ups. Call Efren, (818) 881-8523, or cell, (310) 733-7414

BRUSHCLEARING 11a

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

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

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

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. SPECIALTY PET CARE. Birds, Reptiles, Aquatic, Exotic. We specialize in animal environments, cages, ponds, water features, R/O. water filtration, dog runs/doors, dog walking/adventures, pet access., pet travel local/interstate, help with CITIES. Insured. (310) 230-7960

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 FITNESS FOR WOMEN. ZIMMERMAN FITNESS FOR WOMEN specializes in weight loss and body shaping. Our private studio near the village offers professional & individual services, using the finest equipment and products. This specific one-on-one training is safe, natural, efficient and exclusively for women. Appointment only. Local references. Call us for a free consultation: (310) 573-9000. www.zfit.com

SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTION 15d

SWIM LESSONS. Local instructor w/ over 14 years experience. Red-Cross Certified. Children, Mommy & Me and adults. Private and semi-private lessons at your home. Call Brian, (310) 505-9231

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 INNOVATIVE TUTORING. Math, Reading, Creative Writing. Including reluctant readers and learning differences. Experienced Public School Teacher and Tutor. Grades 1-5. Joanie, (310) 204-0935 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 PROFICIENT AP PHYSICS/Math Tutor. Ranked #1 UCLA Physics, Ph.D. + top 10 TA list. Long experience in making hard science easy. Ivailo, (310) 980-8173 SCIENCE & MATH TEACHER for hire. 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

CABINET MAKING 16

CUSTOM CARPENTRY – Entertainment Units – Cabinets – Libraries – Bars – Wall Units – Custom Kitchens – Remodeling – Designed to your Specifications – Free Estimates – CA Lic. #564263 – (310) 823-8523 CUSTOM WOODWORK AND CABINETS. Craftsmanship quality, 20 years experience, local resident. Local references available. General Contractor Calif. License #402923. Ron Dillaway, (310) 455-4462. rondillaway@yahoo.com

CARPENTRY 16a

COMPLETE FINISH CARPENTRY – Architectural Specs, Custom Design – Decorative: Doors, Molding, Mantels, Paneling, Columns, Stair Balusters & Railing, etc. – For new Construction & Remodeling – Superior craftsmanship, utmost care for details. Lic. #772783. (310) 287-1141

CONCRETE, MASONRY 16c

MASONRY & CONCRETE CONTRACTOR. 36 YEARS IN PACIFIC PALISADES. Custom masonry & concrete, stamped, driveways, pool, decks, patios, foundations, fireplace, drainage control, custom stone, block & brick, tile. Excellent local references. Lic. #309844. Bonded/insured/ workmen’s comp. Family owned & operated. MIKE HORUSICKY CONSTRUCTION, INC. (310) 454-4385 – www.horusicky.com

CONSTRUCTION 16d

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 – 1 (877) 360-6470 Toll-Free. 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. Free estimates. 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

HELP WANTED 17

REGIONAL DRIVERS NEEDED. Team drivers & trainers. Trainers receive 1st day approval. Receive full benefits, great pay and home time. Call today! Werner Enterprises. (800) 346-2818, ext. 561 EXPERT PET STYLIST for well-established grooming salon in upscale neighborhood. F/T preferred; p/t optional. Benefit options. Send resume or letter of experience or inquiry to 865 Via de la Paz, #133, Pacific Palisades, CA. 90272 WANTED: REGISTERED DENTAL assistant. Fast-paced Brentwood dental office. Experience preferred; Salary based on experience. FAX resume to (310) 826-6369 Live-out HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER WANTED. Mon-Fri. Good with kids, must drive car, do light cooking & speak English. Refs and experience required. Call Mary, (310) 387-7722 P/T SCHOOL DRIVER NEEDED: Monday thru Friday mornings during 2005/2006 School year. Approx. 8 hrs/week. Starts 9/5/05. Call Karen, (310) 420-0172 P/T BOOKKEEPER NEEDED for local office. Quicken and Excel experience is required. Approx. 15-20 hrs per week. E-mail resume to: postjobs101@yahoo.com R.E. INVESTMENT Partner sought for arch developments. Custom residences, proj by proj., local & dev. of vacation homes. Princ only. (No brokers, lenders, etc.) $1.0 MM, 2 yrs. Active participation, financial qualifying docs req’d. Great R.o.I. (25%+). Call (310) 454-0685, lv msg

SITUATIONS WANTED 17a

PERSONAL ASST/NOTARY Public avail. Let me help you run your life more smoothly. I’m proficient in bookkeeping, clerical duties, event coordination, mailing/research. Honest, reliable, discrete, local. Excellent refs. Patti, (310) 720-8004

AUTOS 18b

CASH FOR YOUR CARS. Foreign or Domestic, not running, old cars OK. Missing pink slip/paperwork, no problem! Top Dollar for Classic Cars. Free towing. We come to you. Honest professional buyer. Local refs. Any questions, please call (310) 995-5898 1997 AUDI A4 1.8L TURBO. Original owner. 74K miles. 5-speed manual trans, new engine and turbocharge at 53K miles. Silver, 4-door sedan, sunroof, CD, very good condition. New tires. $8,500. (310) 459-2454 1969 CORVETTE C-3 COUPE. 350 C.i.d. 480+ HP new, fully-rebuilt, by Phil Cocuzza ($15K). New interior, new suspension, tires, rims, sweet. Loaded, great car. Blk/blk, orig. paint, total 39K miles. $35K Firm. Call (310) 454-0685

FURNITURE 18c

REDECORATING KID’S ROOM sale. Antique white full-size bed + mattress, matching night table, doll-carriages, beanie baby shelves, calico-critters w/ 2 houses & furniture. Please call (310) 633-0230

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

OUR LADY of MALIBU Church sale. 3625 Winter Canyon Road & Civic Center Drive. SAT July 23 to SUN July 31. 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Treasures from all over Malibu. PALISADES GARAGE SALE. SAT. 7/30, 9 A.M. to 2 P.M. 1023 Embury Street. Furniture, books, clothing, and more! ESTATE SALE: PALISADES. Furniture, appliances (washer/dryer, range) clothing, pictures, books, metal work benches, garden & kitchen items and other treasures: 1037 Napoli Drive. SAT. 7/30-SUN. 7/31, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PALISADES MOVING SALE. SAT. 7/30, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1141 Villa View Drive. Beds, antiques, treadmill, electronics, home/office furniture, ’20s piano, TV, kitchenware. Leaving country, all must go! MULTI-FAM. BLOCK sale. 6 families (so far). You name it, we probably have it and at a great price too! SAT.-SUN. 7/30-31, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 18441 Kingsport Drive, Malibu (Sunset Mesa area, off PCH and Coastline Dr.). No early birds!

MISCELLANEOUS 18g

1920s CHALLEN & SONS, London Baby Grand. Ebony & ivory keys. Needs work, original owner. Leaving country, must sell! Best offer. (310) 454-2612

WANTED TO BUY 19

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

Classical Indian Music Concert Features India’s Renowned Musicians

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Ombience Music, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting spirituality in the arts, is hosting a music and meditation concert from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m on Sunday August 7 at Pierson Playhouse, 941 Haverford. Experience deep inner peace in a lovely natural setting with music straight from the heart of India. Artists Debojyoti Bose on sarod, and Kumar Bose on tabla, are among India’s finest musicians today. The sarod is a classical Indian instrument made of one piece of carved wood with 23 strings: four strings played with the nails of the left hand; two rhythm strings turned on the high tonic; four strings placed on a flat bridge near the neck, and 13 sympathetic strings tuned on the notes of the raga. The right hand hits the strings with a coconut wood plectrum. The tabla is a pair of drums, consisting of a small right hand drum called the dayan and a larger metal one called the bayan. Pandit Kumar Bose is known as one of the best tabla players in India, and his genius is his ability to evolve a distinctive style of his own without diluting the purity of tradition. Debojyoti Bose has played the sarod with an effortless spontaneity since early childhood. He received talim (instruction) in sarod for over 20 years from Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. Ombience was founded in 2003 by world musician and yoga instructor Stephen Day. A Palisadian, Day studied both music and yoga in India, then performed throughout the world for several years. He has long been inspired and intrigued by the connection between meditation and music. Ombience, literally meaning the ambience of Om, has worked with various institutions, including the California state public school system (K-12), California state universities and colleges, private schools, art and music festivals, museums, and yoga and meditation organizations. The performing arts group has performed at major venues, including the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, UC Berkeley’s Wheeler Hall, and at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. Tickets are $18, $15 for students and seniors. Admission is free for children.

Benefit Sale to Aid Lange’s Impassioned ‘Pet’ Project

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The love of a Saint Bernard propelled Gillian Lange into her more than three decades of work in animal rescue. The founder of the Amanda Foundation in 1975, and later the Lange Foundation in 1993, Lange recalls the untimely death of her beloved first dog back in the 70s (the canine died of a stroke when only four) as the event that changed her life’and the lives of countless dogs and cats. A heartbroken Lange set out to adopt a new pet at the West L.A. shelter, and came face to face with the facility’s sad reality: animals stay only five days before being killed. Lange promptly adopted a dog for herself’and 12 others that she took to vets for check-ups before advertising for their adoption. Now, 30 years later, this pattern of rescue’ snatching the most adoptable dogs and cats from shelters before they are euthanized and giving them a clean bill of health before adoption’has saved more than 13,000 animals. Lange is a regular at two city shelters’South L.A. and North Central’where most of the animals come from who are up for adoption at the Foundation’s ‘Half-Way Home Kennel’ on Sepulveda in West L.A. ‘My heart is always heavy when I leave the shelter,’ says Lange, adding ‘No matter how many you leave with, you worry about the ones left behind.’ At any given time, the Foundation provides shelter to approximately 90 cats and 30 dogs. Last year, of the 597 animals rescued from shelters and brought to Lange’s halfway house, 532 were placed in homes. Animal lovers can support the Lange Foundation, run entirely by private donations, by attending the organization’s annual sale being held at 1884 S. Sepulveda Blvd. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 30 and Sunday, July 31. A silent auction happens July 31 at 3 p.m. The sale features upscale donated merchandise including antiques, home accessories, estate jewelry, designer clothes, art work, furniture and much more. For years, Lange had a dual career as both animal rescuer and real estate agent, the latter as a way to raise money for her cause. These days she is entirely devoted to the animals, and heartened by the fact that there are well over 100 groups in Los Angeles involved in animal rescue, many modeled after her own organization. ‘Most of the cute little dogs get selected first [from the shelters]’ Lange says, explaining why she is more focused on big dogs and animals in need of surgery. So far this year, Lange has housed 23 injured pets. Among them is ‘Grizzly,’ a young Chow pup who had his choke chain embedded in his neck and ‘Pretzel,’ a silky terrier with a broken jaw. Her biggest push now is an ongoing sterilization program she initiated to help stem dog and cat overpopulation. ‘It’s really the only way to solve the problem,’ Lange says. ‘It has already begun to have a huge impact on the number of unwanted pets born every day in Los Angeles County.’ The Lange Foundation Half Way Home Kennel, 2106 S. Sepulveda, is open 365 days a year from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; no appointment is necessary. Contact: 473-5585. For more information on the sale, contact 472-7727.

Former Miss Palisades Gilli Messer Competes for ‘Junior Miss’ Title

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Gilli Messer spoke at last Thursday's Chamber of Commerce mixer about the upcoming Junior Miss competition.
Gilli Messer spoke at last Thursday’s Chamber of Commerce mixer about the upcoming Junior Miss competition.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

ALEX BOONE Palisadian-Post Intern Gilli Messer, 16, has been selected as one of six Los Angeles County representatives to attend the California Junior Miss Competition this August in Rohnert Park, north of San Francisco. The Palisades resident will be competing against 52 young women from all over the state for more than $10,000 in scholarships. Junior Miss began in the late 1920s as a local pageant in Mobile, Alabama, and turned into a nationwide event that drew more than 5,000 competitors from every state. The purpose of the competition is to promote education by providing college scholarships for ambitious young women. When Messer first heard about Junior Miss, she viewed it as an opportunity to get a scholarship for college. But once she began to learn more about the competition and meet some of the other people involved, her interest was piqued. ‘At first I was skeptical. It seemed really old-fashioned,’ she said. ‘But now that I’ve learned more about what it’s all about, I’m just really excited to go.’ The competition scores the participants in five different categories. The interview, which accounts for 25 percent of the score, evaluates the contestants based on their responses to a series of predetermined questions. The fitness category (15 percent), ranks the contestants based on their fitness, conditioning and stamina when going through a dance routine. Talent (25 percent) grades the young women based on a 90-second stage performance on a talent that they select. Self-expression (15 percent) ranks the contestants based on a choreographed group routine and a 30-second speech. Scholastics (20 percent) ranks the contestants based on their grades and test scores, and is already compiled when the contest begins. The Junior Miss competition in California this year will lack some of the luster of past years because the national Junior Miss program has closed its doors. There will be no future national competitions, although the state and local events will continue. This has not deterred Messer in the slightest. ‘It doesn’t really bother me,’ she said. ‘There are enough opportunities in the state competition.’ Messer’s record of community and extracurricular involvement is extensive. She is the co-founder and president of Palisades Charter High School’s ‘Knit 4 the Needy’ club, an organization in which the students knit various items of clothing and donate them to the needy. She sings in the Kehillat Israel synagogue choir and dances tap, ballet and jazz. Messer was a Music Center Spotlight Awards singing quarter-finalist and won the nationwide Oreo Cookies Essay contest in 2002. She is also a part of her school’s theater group and recently starred in its musical production of ‘The Pajama Game,’ playing the role of Babe Williams to rave reviews. Palisadian-Post senior editor Libby Motika wrote in a review of the play, ‘Gilli Messer, whether in solos or duets, delivers memorable tunes into the night. Messer, a modern-mezzo leading lady, never fails, when singing ‘I’m Not At All In Love’, or when she joins forces with Rosenstein in ‘Small Talk’ and ‘There Once Was A Man’.’ Messer’s talent and experience in dance and stage performance should pay dividends in the Junior Miss competition, with all of the emphasis on coordination and stage poise. ‘I feel like it has helped a lot,’ Messer said of all her stage experience. ‘I don’t get nervous onstage.’ The Junior Miss contestants will be holding a ‘Dance-a-thon’ on August 6 to help raise funds for the expenses they will incur in preparing for the competition. Messer will take donations made by August 2 directly to the competition. If you are interested in sponsoring Messer, you can contact Arnie Wishnick or Marilyn Crawford at the Palisades Chamber of Commerce by phone (459-7963) or mail: 15300 Antioch Street, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272.

Barrett Qualifies for U.S. Golf Amateurs

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Palisadian Sean Barrett seems to have a nack for pulling off his best golf shots when he needs them most. It happened at the Ivy League Championships earlier in the year and it happened again last weekend, when he eagled the second-to-last hole to finish tied for second at a tournament near Napa Valley that qualified him for the United States Amateur Championships held in Philadelphia in late August. Using a wedge from 117 yards, Barrett lofted a shot onto the green. above the hole, then watched as his ball rolled 15 feet downhill and into the cup for an eagle. The shot moved Barrett into a tie at 4-under par, good enough to qualify for the U.S. Amateur by one stroke. ‘I was considering using my nine iron but my caddie, Greg Heidt, suggested I use a wedge and I’m glad I listened to him,’ Barrett said. ‘I saw it drop on the green and then I heard guys in back of the hole cheering and I couldn’t believe it.’ Barrett played two solid rounds on fast greens and in sizzling heat to qualify for the U.S. Amateurs–one of the most competitive tournaments in the country, where aging pros are matched against top collegiate players and even high school stars. ‘There is a lot of history to the tournament so I’m excited to be going,’ Barrett said. ‘I always set high expectations for myself. I’m hoping I can compete well.’ In the Ivy League Championships, Barrett shot even par to finish second as a sophomore. In that event, he hit a three-iron that lipped out for double eagle, then tapped in his eagle putt on the second-to-last hole, to clinch the runner-up position. Barrett attends Wharton School of Business but plays golf for the University of Pennsylvania. Being a student of the game, Barrett knows that players who fare well in the U.S. Amateur are able to putt and chip well. ‘That’s what I’ll be practicing the next few weeks. You don’t necessarily have to drive it far to succeed there, but your short game needs to be on.’ Barrett, who lives near Riviera Country Club, started playing golf at the age of 6 under the tutelage of his father and Eddie Merrins, now the pro emeritus at Bel Air Country Club.

Seven Paly Swimmers Qualify For “A” Meet

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Seven swimmers from the Pacific Palisades YMCA Swim Team qualified to swim in the Industry Hills A Minimum meet July 23, 24 and 25. The only events the swimmer could enter were ones where they had already swam an A time as established as an A time by USA Swimming. For example, in the girls 13 & 14 year 100 M. Breaststroke a C time is 1:42.52, a B time 1:42.50, an A time is 1:33.90, an AA 1:29.70 and to qualify for Junior Olympics (JO’s) a swimmer needs to go 1:26.30. The swims were all exceptionally fast overall because this was the last meet to qualify for Summer JO’s. Coach Eric Butler was happy with the way his swimmers performed, “They all did exceptional jobs,” he said. “We practice in a 25 meter pool so to swim competitively in the 50 meter pool with swimmers who don’t have that disadvantage is an accomplishment.” The summer swim season is done in 50 meter pools. Two mornings a week from 6-8 a.m. many of the swimmers make the trip down to the Culver City Plunge in order to have the experience of practicing in a longer pool. Alexandra Edel, 13, qualified to swim in nine events, placing seventh in the in the 100 Fly, taking 5 seconds off her previous time in that event. She also took third in the 400 I.M. which is a hundred yards of each stroke, butterfly, back, breast, and free style with a sizzling time of 5:44.49. Seven of her times were fast enough to reach AA times. Jessica Schem, 14, qualified in three events, bettering her 200 Back time by almost three seconds, giving her an AA time. Jennifer Tartavull,13, swam in five events the 200 I.M., the 100 Free, the 200 Free, the 100 Breast, and the 50 Free. She dropped time in every event, with the biggest drop of four and a half seconds in the 200 I.M. All of her swims were fast enough to advance her to AA times. Kimberly Tartavull,13, swam in the 50 and 100 Free. Shelby Pascoe,13, qualified in five events and has the distinction of being the first Paly 13 & 14 year old to swim the 1500 meter event. Her time of 21:39.64 will go down on the Paly Record book. After she was done with the grueling swim, she said, “I can’t move my arms,” and then confided, “I almost stopped in the middle of the race, I didn’t think I could finish it.” The swimmer leading the 1500 race did stop at lap 21 and left the pool. A day later Pascoe had a different take, “I’m going to swim it again and I’m going to get a better time.” Qualifying in eight events was Nicholas Edel, 10. He dropped time in five events with the most dramatic drop in the 200 I.M. losing almost 12 seconds off of his previous best time. Nicholas had AA times in the 200 I.M., the 100 Breast, the 100 Free, and the 50 Breast. Catherine Wang, 11, swimming in the 11 &12 year category took third in the 100 Fly with a new best time of 1:16.39. She dropped three seconds off the 200 I.M. with a time of 2:48.99, which placed her tenth. She now has AA times in six events and continues to be a consistently strong swimmer for Paly. This was the last swim meet to be held at the Pacific Palms Swim Center in Industry Hills. After 25 years of meets, the eight lane Olympic pool, with diving boards and towers will close. It is being demolished so a shopping center can be built. There are plans for a new pool at a different location. The Paly Y swim team is gearing up for JO’s which will take place the first weekend of August. Coach Kameron Kennedy welcomes swimmers of all abilities to try out for the team. Find out more about the Paly Swim Team at palyswimteam.com.

Recycling His Glory Days

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Palisadian Tom Hill pedals through the Pyrenees during the L'Etape du Tour on July 11. Tour de France riders completed the same stage eight days. later.
Palisadian Tom Hill pedals through the Pyrenees during the L’Etape du Tour on July 11. Tour de France riders completed the same stage eight days. later.

If anyone can appreciate the hard work and dedication it took for Lance Armstrong to win his seventh consecutive Tour de France last Sunday in Paris, it’s Palisadian Tom Hill. One of the top cyclists in the United States in the 1970s, Hill raced against Greg Lemond every weekend and had dreams of competing in the world’s most prestigious race himself one day until he injured vertebrae in his lower back in a skiing accident, effectively ending his career. And although Hill went on to build a successful business in the wine industry and start a family, in the back of his mind there was always the lingering question… what if? ‘Until that accident in 1978, I was planning on racing professionally,’ Hill recalls. ‘But after that I kind of drifted into a normal sort of life. I went to San Diego State, got my business degree in 1983 and started working. But I always rode on the side. I’ve never given it up. I’m still a huge fan of the sport.’ And on July 11, Hill finally got to experience what the Tour de France would have been like. He participated in the 13th annual L’Etape du Tour, an event run by organizers of the Tour de France. It takes place on one of the two rest days for the professionals during the grueling 23-day event. Hill was one of 7,785 cyclists to ride the 16th stage of the Tour de France, a 112-mile stretch through the Pyranees from the town of Mourenx to the city of Pau in Southeastern France. Considered one of the toughest of the 21 stages in the Tour de France, the route included 25 miles of climbing 10,000 feet over three mountain passes with grades over 16 percent. ‘I trained for four months in Malibu Canyon and Old Topanga Canyon but nothing I did really prepared me for Pyrenees,’ admits Hill, who lives in the Alphabet Streets with his wife Andrea and 14-year-old son Andy. ‘The Pyrenees are much steeper than the Alps and by the end of the race I was absolutely drained. It’s incredible to think the professionals can be right back riding the next day. People don’t realize how physically demanding that kind of cycling is.’ At 45 years old, Hill completed the 112-mile course in seven hours and 31 minutes and earned a silver medal by finishing 15 minutes under the designated silver medal time for his 40-49 age group. The winning time of his race was 5:15. Eight days later, in the actual Tour de France, Oscar Pereiro completed the stage in 4:38:20–the exact time predicted. ‘They have everything down to a science now,’ Hill says. ‘The race has gone on so long that the organizers are pretty accurate in predicting what’s going to happen based on previous results.’ Just being able to participate in the event was Hill’s first hurdle. Sign-ups started last October and the event typically sells out in 48 hours. Most of the participants are French, although riders from 44 countries competed this year, including 187 Americans. ‘I had contacted a French-based company I knew but they first said there was no room so I had given up on the thought,’ Hill said. ‘But I got an e-mail four months ago saying that there had been a cancellation and I was in.’ Hill described the experience as exhilarating but he needed to rely on his past racing experience to navigate on narrow mountain roads with thousands of other riders. ‘I was a late entry so I was assigned bib number 5654,’ says Hill, who rode a Scott CR-1 bike, made of carbon fiber and weighing a mere 16 1/4 pounds. ‘So when the race began, I had about 5,000 people ahead of me. It took me 13 minutes and 50 seconds just to reach the starting line. Once you get going, you can manuever and try to clear a path for yourself, but it’s still very crowded and very dangerous. Accidents happen all the time.’ After finishing, Hill traveled to Montpellier to watch the 13th stage of the Tour de France, then flew home to the Palisades and awoke at 5:30 every morning to watch the last five stages of Armstrong’s history-making feat. ‘The first couple of days after L’Etape I was exhausted and sore all over and I said to myself I’m never doing this again,’ Hill says. ‘But after a few days I thought I have to come back next year and this time I’m going to shoot for a gold medal.’ This year’s gold time was six hours and 38 minutes but it will be different next year as the race will take place in the Alps. Prior to L’Etape, Hill’s last competitive race was 15 years ago at the World Championships in Austria, where he finished first in the men’s 28-34 age group and 67th overall. But his glory days were back in high school when he competed against Greg Lemond, who would become the first cyclist to put America on the international map. Lemond won the Tour de France three times and was named Sports Illustrated’s ‘Sportsman of the Year’ after winning by eight seconds in 1989 in the closest finish ever. ‘I grew up in the Bay area and Greg lived in Carson City, Nevada, so every week we were in the same category,’ Hill says. ‘I was the best in my age group until Greg came along. I felt like Jan Ullrich competing against Lance Armstrong, finishing second to Greg in most races.’ But Hill did beat Lemond on several occasions, including a victory by mere inches at the Nevada City Criterium in 1977 when he was 17 years old and Lemond was 16. ‘It was an exciting race. It was a one-mile course but it was a 20-lap race and I was drafting him most of the way,’ Hill says, remembering like it was yesterday. ‘I made my move on the last lap and had the lead through the last turn and thought I had it won. But somehow he got on the inside of me and I barely held him off at the finish line.’ Hill may not be racing against the likes of Greg Lemond anymore, but he is far from ready to relegate his bike to the garage. He rides for LaGrange in Westwood, a cycling group that rides different 25 to 30 mile routes every morning around Los Angeles, including one in Mandeville Canyon. To put Armstrong’s record in perspective, Hill says it will go down as one of the greatest achievements in sports history. ‘It’s equivalent to running a marathon at a record pace every day for 21 straight days,’ Hill says. ‘No one will do it again in my lifetime–I’ll bet my last penny on it. The man is just incredible.’

Focusing on France

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Top: “Monet’s Garden,” printed in 2004, is composed of photographs taken by Palisadian Helena Ruffin at Giverny over a two-year period. Below: Helena Ruffin poses in front of one of her photographs now on view at Congregation Kol Ami in West Hollywood. Photo: Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer

Lavender graces the hillside. Copper pots hang in the kitchen. Proven’al-inspired fabric brightens the antique wooden chairs. One could easily be describing a domestic scene in France, but this home sits squarely in the Palisades. It belongs to Francophile Helena Ruffin and her partner, Rose Greene. The couple’s thirst for everything French is quenched by two annual treks to their favored country, sojourns they’ve ritually made for the past 14 years. But the most evocative celebration of French culture is found in Ruffin’s photographs, hundreds of which she’s composed during her travels. A selection of these images is currently on view at Congregation Kol Ami in West Hollywood, an exhibition that will continue through September 30. Her range shifts from the iconic’vibrant flower markets, dramatic rooftops, the Eiffel Tower’to the enigmatic, especially with snapshots taken on the Paris Metro. These images’essentially happy accidents’capture “the decisive moment” Henri Cartier-Bresson so famously exalted. The Frenchman’s influence is clear, with one of his renowned prints hanging in Ruffin’s living room together with a collection of other notable photographs. “My goal is to transport the viewer, not just to another country, but to another time and another emotional state,” Ruffin explains. This is Ruffin’s first exhibition, marking a turn from serious hobbyist to full-fledged artist. Her creative growth spurt was prompted by the worst of circumstances. Earlier this year, Rose, her partner for the past 12 years, was diagnosed with cancer. Ruffin poured herself into preparing for the exhibition partly as a way to cope. “I’m happy to say she’s doing terrifically well,” Ruffin says. “It’s a lesson for people who are caring for loved ones suffering from cancer. Caregivers also need a break.” The “big break” came to Ruffin through her friend, Rabbi Denise Eger of Congregation Kol Ami, who encouraged Ruffin to take her art to the next level by organizing an exhibition. She also provided the venue: the lobby space of her temple. “She saw that I needed some kind of outlet. It really was a gift,” Ruffin says. Ruffin, a native of Detroit, first began taking pictures in college as a campus photographer for Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. While she continued on as an avid shutterbug and traveler, her career took a different turn. She held a variety of marketing and sales positions for companies such as Arbitron Ratings and CBS/Viacom, living in Ann Arbor, Chicago and New York City before finally landing in Los Angeles in 1988. Currently, she heads the insurance division of Rose Greene Financial Services. “I wanted to make money; I didn’t listen to my passion,” Ruffin says with a smile. While she still shoots film, Ruffin is slowly making the conversion to digital. Her last trip to France was an all-digital occasion. “I’m happy enough with what I’ve seen in terms of density of color and richness that I’ll probably continue with it [digital],” she says. Both film and digital come into play with “Monet’s Garden,” for which Ruffin imaginatively combined images taken at Giverny over a two-year period to create a monumental collage (the large-scale print measures 23″ x 35″). In contrast to this precisely manipulated composition, “Voyeur,” an award-winning shot taken on the Metro in Paris, happened entirely by chance. “I looked up and just snapped,” recalls Ruffin. “I guess someone was looking down on me.” All the works in the show are limited editions and are for sale. Prices, including frames, range from $375 to $950 depending upon size. Congregation Kol Ami is located at 1200 N. La Brea in West Hollywood. Contact: (323) 606-0996. Ruffin’s images can also be seen on her Web site: ruffprints.smugmug.com.

Wendy Graf’s ‘Lessons’ Directed by Adam Davidson

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West Coast Jewish Theatre and The Group at Strasberg in association with Gail Katz Productions present “Lessons,” a new play written by Wendy Graf and directed by Adam Davidson, opening on Friday, July 29, in the Marilyn Monroe Theatre at the Lee Strasberg Institute, 7936 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood. Produced by Gail Katz and starring Mare Winningham and Hal Linden, “Lessons” is a play about Ben, who finally decides to have a bar mitzvah, and Ruth, the woman he’s hired to tutor him, a former rabbi who’s lost her faith. Through their developing relationship, each searches for healing and forgiveness as they wrestle with their own deep-rooted secrets. Graf, a Mandeville Canyon resident, was inspired to write the play by a sermon delivered by Kehillat Israel Rabbi Sheryl Lewart following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Lewart addressed the loss of faith that many were feeling in response to the violence here and in Israel. “It’s a play that reflects what’s going on right now,” Graf told the Palisadian-Post in March 2003, preceding the first staged reading at KI. “How we’re standing on the precipice of violence and terror, holding onto hope and faith.” In the play, a rabbi who had given up her faith and turned her back on God is confronted by a newfound Jew, struggling to embrace life. They discover they both need each other: one to live and the other to die. “I wanted to do something about how a rabbi’s faith could be tested,” Graf said. “It was right after September 11, so it was about loss of faith, and finding faith and finding hope. I interviewed many female rabbis, both in Los Angeles and other areas in order to write Ruth’s character.” A former stand-up comic and TV writer who previously wrote for such shows as “Murder She Wrote,” “ALF” and “Full House,” Graf premiered her first play “The Book of Esther” in the summer of 2001 at Theatre East in Studio City. She is currently developing a new play, “Leipzig,” the last in the trilogy which again deals with questions of faith, hope, and identity. Director Adam Davidson, born and raised in Pacific Palisades, attended Kenyon College, where he received a bachelor’s degree with honors in history. He received his MFA from Columbia University with a concentration in film. His parents are Gordon Davidson, artistic director of the Center Theatre Group, and Judi Davidson, founder of Davidson, Choy Publicity. While a film student, Davidson created a short film which he himself financed with the hope that he would get class credit for it and gain the experience of putting a story on film, working with actors and completing the editing process. He titled the film “The Lunch Date.” Davidson then went on to write several other scripts that were in development for Hollywood Pictures, including his first feature film as a writer/director, an adaptation of Jess Mowry’s award-winning novel, “Way Past Cool.” It was released last year on Artisan Entertainment. His second short, “The Monster,” was voted the Paul Robeson Award at the 2001 Newark Black Film Festival and recently aired on Showtime. He is also working on another project as a writer/director, a screenplay based on a true story of the CIA’s testing of LSD on unsuspecting individuals in the 1950s. Davidson has directed a number of television programs, including episodes of “Law and Order,” “Cover Me,” “The Chronicle,” “The Invisible Man,” and, most recently, “Six Feet Under.” He is currently writing a political thriller for Paramount entitled “Protect and Defend.” Since “Lessons” first reading at KI, Graf has developed into a more layered work with deeper emotional resonance, she says. She has received technical assistance from KI Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben, whose read it for liturgical points, and from Mare [Winningham], who having converted three years ago to Judaism was flawless in her Hebrew.

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