When it comes to crossword puzzles, the world is clearly divided between those who always finish and those who, well, don’t. This premise lies at the heart of Jerry Mayer’s new play ‘2 Across,’ a romantic comedy where opposites (puzzlers, that is) attract on a commuter train. ”This is Mayer’s seventh play and collaboration with producer Emily Mayer, his wife of 51 years. During a recent interview, the couple, longtime Palisadians, frequently referred to the new work as ‘our play,’ showing the synergistic devotion each brings to the task.’ ”Rehearsals are taking place in the garage of the Mayers’ Paseo Miramar hilltop home, where an authentically reproduced BART train interior’soon to be transferred to the Santa Monica Playhouse for previews beginning October 22’is the setting for the action. ”A man and woman meet on the train at 4:15 a.m. as it leaves San Francisco station on its way to the East Bay. She takes crosswords’ and life’very seriously, and he treats both like a game. ‘She’s successful, he’s a free spirit who is not task-oriented,’ Mayer explains. ‘The minute he hits a stone wall with the puzzle, he heads to the sports section.’ By the time they reach East Bay 80 minutes later (the play is acted out in real time with no intermission) their lives have changed. ”During the course of writing the play, Jerry Mayer himself crossed over from casual puzzler to one who is driven to finish. Not surprisingly, he sees solving crossword puzzles as a metaphor for life. ‘The idea of completing something can help you with everything,’ Mayer says. ‘It’s about not giving up. ”’Most of my plays have to do with love, and the main idea here is never giving up on finding it. It’s a topic that interests everyone.’ He adds: ‘If you’re lucky enough to marry the right person, it’s more important than anything in life.’ ”Clearly the Mayers are in the lucky category, with a fun-loving and easy rapport characterizing their teamwork. ‘When I hear ‘Jerry, you’ve gone too far,’ I change it,’ says Mayer, referring to Emily, his chief reader and critic. ‘She keeps me honest.’ ”Not only does she have major artistic input, Emily handles financial affairs and all the scheduling for Jerry’s plays. ‘I do everything’place stamps on envelopes, deal with actors, call press people, you name it,’ Emily says with a laugh. ‘It’s really a labor of love.’ ”The Mayers’ own love affair began in St. Louis when both were teenagers. After marrying, Jerry originally set out to work in his family’s construction business, but knew in his heart he wanted to be a writer. ‘I was always the class clown,’ he recalls. ‘I felt I should be writing comedy.”’ ”Success selling a spec script to the television sitcom ‘McHale’s Navy’ prompted a daring move to Los Angeles in 1966 with their three kids when the couple were in their 30s. After what Mayer refers to as a ‘suitable period of struggle,’ he eventually reached the top of his game, writing for such classic TV comedies as ‘All in the Family,’ ‘MASH,’ ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show,’ ‘The Bob Newhart Show,’ and ‘The Facts of Life’ over a period of 25 years. ”It was in the ’80s that Mayer turned his creative juices to playwriting. His first three plays, all comedies, are strongly autobiographical. ‘Almost Perfect’ dealt with the early days of the Mayers’ marriage and leaving the family building business; ‘Aspirins and Elephants’ turned a comedic eye to Mayer’s in-laws; and ‘A Love Affair’ looked at the comedy and drama of marriage. Other Mayer productions soon followed, including ‘Killjoy’ and two musicals, ‘Falling in Love Again,’ and ‘You Haven’t Changed a Bit & Other Lies.’ ”’I have picked things in my own life that ring a bell with everyone,’ Mayer says. While getting laughs is the main goal, Mayer also reaches for his audience’s heart. ‘I always go for some lumps in the throat, too.’ ”’2 Across,’ directed by Deborah Harmon, stars two alternating casts of actors: Susan Cash, Sandra Kerns, Kip Gilman and Steve Vinovich. ”The play will be performed at Santa Monica Playhouse, 1211 Fourth Street, on Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 6 and 8:30 p.m. and Sundays at 6 p.m. Previews take place October 22 through November 5. The play opens on November 6 and continues through December 9. For reservations, call (800) 863-7785.”
Santa Monica Beach: A Visual Century
When Ernest Marquez tells the story of Santa Monica Beach in his new book of the same name, he is casting events through his own family history. Marquez is a name familiar to Palisadians, as it was Francisco Marquez and Ysidro Reyes to whom the original Spanish land grant was given’6,656 acres stretching from just north of Topanga Canyon to just south of Entrada Drive. Ernest’s great-grandfather Francisco and Reyes grazed their cattle on the grassy headlands of the Rancho Boca de Santa Monica and built simple adobe homes in Santa Monica Canyon. ”Like his father and grandfather, Ernest, who was born 80 years ago, grew up in Santa Monica Canyon in a small home just behind Canyon School. ‘I used to play with all the kids at school even before I was old enough to go,’ Marquez says. ‘I walked out the door, around the fence and I was there.’ ”When Marquez was a boy, there were only 30 kids in the school and just four in his 6th grade graduating class. His teacher, the dedicated Miss Weber, lived across the road near the creek. She was a spinster married to her calling, and unforgettable, says Marquez. ‘She used to read us stories from Shakespeare and ‘Ivanhoe” while playing Wagner on the record player.’ ”Marquez’ father died when the young Ernest was only 4. His mother kept him and his sister Dolly clothed and fed by working in a candy factory in Venice, making chocolates. She perfected the art so well that she would ‘make tons of chocolates at home as gifts for Christmas,’ Marquez remembers. ”’Growing up I had no clue of our family’s involvement in California history,’ Marquez says. ‘I kept hearing stories, talked to some old aunts and uncles but each gave their own story; each said theirs was the truth.’ ”This confusion drove Marquez to search the records at the Library of Congress and the Board of Land Commissioners only to discover that historians had ignored their rancho. ‘I asked historian W. W. Robinson how come our rancho had been ignored? ”’He said, ‘If you don’t leave records, you don’t leave any history.” ” Determined to fill in the gaps in his own understanding of his forefathers, Ernest became the family historian, initially while he was still employed as a commercial artist in the aerospace industry. He searched newspaper articles from the period and minutes from meetings of the Santa Monica Trustees. Along the way, he began collecting old photographs of family members and memorabilia of scenes of early Santa Monica. ‘I soon realized that I had a visual record, encompassing more than a century of the development of the beach at Santa Monica. Many of the photographs, taken years apart, were of the same scene from the same location by different photographers.’ ”’Santa Monica Beach: A Collector’s Pictorial History’ (Angel City Press) is a collection of many of those photographs and an abbreviated history that highlights some of the dramatic changes that have occurred to the beach over the last 125 years. ”The history of Santa Monica beach falls into easy chapters’many of which will resonate with local readers because of the land-use decisions and landmarks that remain to this day. As early as the 1850s, Santa Monica Canyon attracted vacationers from Los Angeles, 21 miles away, who would travel all day over dirt trails to enjoy an opportunity to splash in the ocean. The Marquez and Reyes families welcomed these visitors and allowed them to set up their tents beneath the sycamores and close to the creek. ”Marquez offers a fascinating description of the development of Santa Monica as a beach resort, which was fully developed by the turn of the century. One of the first hotels was the Santa Monica Hotel, which was built in 1876 at the corner of Ocean and Railroad (Colorado). It offered a dining room, bar and baths on the first floor and sleeping rooms upstairs. ”The author points out that in the 1870s, some Victorian codes of decency lingered and few people were bold enough to appear in swimsuits in public view. ”’For the most part if people wanted to relax in the water, they visited a bathhouse on the beach to soak in a porcelain tub rather than take a dip in the ocean,’ Marquez writes. ‘Bathhouses had comforts that the ocean did not possess, such as rooms for rent with bathtubs filled with warm saltwater from the ocean or huge plunges (which we now call swimming pools). ”While the beach was recognized as a destination for visitors, businessmen were eyeing the bay for its commercial possibilities. In chapter two, Marquez tells the vivid story of wealthy Nevada senator and businessman John Jones, who was looking for a terminus for the railroad he intended to build from his Panamint silver mines in Independence, California. The railroad, known as the Los Angeles & Independence, was completed in 1875 and ran from downtown Los Angeles to Railroad Avenue (Colorado). Jones also built a wharf extending into the ocean that served as a warehouse and depot for unloading ships. ”Marquez describes the cutthroat competition among railroad owners over the official location of Los Angeles’ major port, a decision that was ultimately determined by Congress. While Jones lost out to railroad magnate Collis Huntington, whose Southern Pacific Railroad owned the only rail line from L.A. to the port at San Pedro, Huntington’s own greed eventually caught up with him. By 1890, Huntington faced mounting competition from the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, which was handling over 60 percent of the water traffic coming in and out of Los Angeles through its Redondo Beach wharf. He decided that the only way to ensure shipping for the Southern Pacific was to have his own harbor. So he pulled out of San Pedro and built the 4,720-ft. Long Wharf, which stretched out to sea from Potrero Canyon. From its completion in 1893, to 1896, a total of 759 ships from all over the world called at Port Los Angeles (Long Wharf). Alas, in 1897, Congress resolved the harbor controversy and ruled that San Pedro was the logical site for L.A’s deep water harbor. The loss of business and eventually Huntington’s death in 1900 spelled the end of his harbor. ”In subsequent chapters, Marquez follows the colorful diversions of beach visitors, who by the 1920s enjoyed the pleasure piers that stretched into the ocean from Santa Monica to Venice. He describes amusements from bathhouses to beach clubs, roller coasters to ballrooms. Many readers will be fascinated to learn that the La Monica Ballroom, at the end of the Santa Monica Pier, drew crowds from all over the world when it opened in 1924. There were fashion and automobile shows, weekly carnivals, masked balls, Mardi Gras and fireworks. At night the pier and all its attractions’the carousel, roller coaster, Aeroscope and the ballroom, were illuminated with thousands of small electric lights. The final chapters of the book are dedicated to the photographs and the photographers. The reader has to remember that before the Brownie mass-marketed camera, there were no snapshots. Picture-taking was a highly technical and difficult process that was the domain of professionals. ” ”In addition to professional photographers, souvenir postcards became popular, and around the turn of the century real photo postcards became the mode. These were printed on photographic paper and cut into postcards with space on the back for a message. ”When Marquez started collecting old photographs and memorabilia, he found images of Santa Monica Beach as far back as the 1880s for $2 or $3 apiece in junk shops and at garage sales. ”’I got to the point that I could spot a Santa Monica image from across the room. As years went on I accumulated several hundred. I would study them not so much for the image but to see whatever else was there. Each one holds mysteries I’ve never been able to solve.’ ”Marquez will talk about Santa Monica Beach and sign his book at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 26 at Village Books 1049 Swarthmore.
Palisades Pacesetters
Erin Ogilvie, a sophomore libero on the women’s volleyball team at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, had a team-high 28 digs to lead the Bantams’ five-game victory over Emmanuel last week. Ogilvie won back-to-back state championships as a defensive specialist at Marymount High in 2001-02. As a freshman last year, she had 217 digs in 25 matches (3.15 per game), including a season-best 26 digs against Connecticut. Senior Geoff McArthur had nine catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns in eighth-ranked California’s 45-28 football victory over UCLA last Saturday at Berkeley. McArthur, the nation’s second-leading receiver last year behind Larry Fitzgerald of Pittsburgh, scored on receptions of 20 and 80 yards. McArthur led the nation with 1,779 receiving yards, 91 catches and 28 touchdowns as a senior at Palisades High in 1999 and is the Dolphins’ career receptions leader.
AYSO Roundup
U-8 Girls The Golden Stars lost to the Golden Girls, 5-0, at Kenter Canyon. Courtney Corrin, Caroline Scholze and Marianne Verrone kept the pressure on the Girls with several shots on goal, with help from midfielders Erica Jaffe and Libby Sondheimer. Stars Brittney Ghadoushi and Devon Shalom were strong on defense in front of goalies Kelsey Allen-Niesen and Lizzie Howard. U-10 Girls Black Magic scored four goals in the third quarter to post a 4-3 victory over the Silver Cyclones. MacKenzie Howe scored the first three goals and Brittney Butler tallied the game-winner for the Magic. Isabella Bertagna scored all three goals for the Cyclones. U-10 Boys The Red Barons and Tigers played to a scoreless tie at Barrington Recreation Center. Tiger goalies Brad Graboff and Hagen Smith shut down the Tigers with the help of defenders Jonah Joffe, Tommy Collins, Joan Iacopino and Nick Ravich. In another game, the Burgundy Bombers overcame a two-goal deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the Green Goblins, 3-3, Saturday at Barrington. The Bombers were led by the goaltending of Bennett Shaeffer, Jesse Wood, Jordan Shalom, and Kieran McCann. Jack Davis scored the tying goal off an assist from brother Charlie Davis and Joe Rosenbaum added two goals for the Bombers. U-12 Boys Crimson United beat the Flaming Watermelons, 3-1, at Palisades High. Turner Hanley, Judd Liebman and Parker Hiatt each scored for the United, with Cole Kahrilas, Jordan Lewis and Shervin Ghaffari each adding an assist. Casey Jordan played strong in goal for the United.
Paly Third at Annual Meet
Local YMCA Swimmers Host Invitational at Temescal Canyon Pool
It wasn’t the Olympics, but one could not tell from the excitement generated during the Palisades-Malibu YMCA swim team’s annual Invitational last Saturday and Sunday at Temescal Canyon Pool. An Olympic atmosphere pervaded the Some 670 swimmers representing 12 of the strongest YMCA teams from Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange Counties participated in last weekend’s meet. All but five of Paly’s 120 swimmers, ranging from 5 to 18 years old, competed in at least one race. Their efforts resulted in a third-place finish for the second straight year, once again behind first-place San Pedro and runner-up Crescenta Canada. Paly Coaches Eric Butler and Kameron Kelly agreed that the host team did well considering the quality of competition it faced. ‘The 8-and-unders really did an outstanding job for us. They exemplified the direction the program here is going,’ Kelly said. ‘After all of the schedule changes and coaching changes, the team is exceeding even our expectations.’ Coach Butler added: ‘Our 10-and-unders really put on a great performance. This is the first meet of the season and I think we’re right where we need to be at this point.’ Relays were confined to one session after it became apparent that with so many swimmers it would be a challenge to finish the meet before dark on Sunday. Paly’s 10-and-under girls’ 200 Freestyle Relay team of Courtney Carswell, Pamela Soffer, Olivia Kirkpatrick and Mara Silka finished third. The boys’ 11 & 12-year-old 200 Freestyle Relay of Danny Fujinaka, Jack Porter, Stephen Anthony and Jacob DeFilippis also placed third. Among the Paly swimmers who took to the starting blocks for the first time in an organized meet were Mac Abe, Ruby Allen, Nick Barnett, Catherine Bergin, Caroline Carswell, Andrew and Derek Chang, Tommy Collins, Sean Daigle, Jake Dvorsky, Nicole Elattrache, Jei Gapito, Nicolas Green, Kate Heck, Izzy Kalichman, Griffin Koffman, Kenny Kim, Gabriella Lamm, Maya Landan, Michael Lukasiak, Tristan Marsh, Rachel Martin, Amanda McAdams, Kelly McGinnis, Adam and Caroline Moreton, Mardell Ramirez, Jeremy Ratib, Samantha Richmond, Chris Soffer, John Soneff, Peter Tilton, Melina Vamos, Joe Walker, Alec Wilimovsky, Connor Yost, and Stephanie Zolan. The group of 11& 12-year-old girls who were first-timers themselves five years ago consisted of Alexandra Edel, Allison Merz, Haley Lemoine, Jennifer and Kimberly Tartavull and Shelby Pascoe. They placed second, seventh, ninth, 10th, 12th and 17th, respectively, in the 200 Individual Medley, dropping as much as 19 seconds off of their previous best times and scoring 50 points for the team in that event alone. Individual winners who placed fifth or better were six-year-old Joe Walker (third in the 25 Freestyle); six-year-old Elizabeth Edel (first in the 100 Individual Medley and 25 Breaststroke, second in the 25 Freestyle, 50 Freestyle and 25 Backstroke and third in the 25 Butterfly); Courtney Carswell, who once again proved one of the toughest competitors in the 7 & 8-year-old girls division with a second-place swim in the 100 Individual Medley, 25 Backstroke and 50 Freestyle, and fourth-place finishes in the 25 Freestyle, 25 Breaststroke and 25 Butterfly. Eight-year-old Syndey Cheong took fourth in the 25 Backstroke, while Jayme Rossie swam fifth in the same event. Alex Landau was another top point getter for the Paly boys’ team with a second-place swim in the 25 Butterfly, thirrd in the 25 Breaststroke and fourth in the 100 Individual Medley. Ten-year- olds Matthew Piazza and Adelaide Seaman each placed third in the 50 Freestyle in the boys’ and girls’ divisions, respectively. Danny Fujinaka, the fastest 11 & 12-year-old boy, placed fourth in the 200 Breaststroke and 200 Freestyle and fifth in the 200 Individual Medley, 50 Butterfly, 100 Freestyle and 50 Freestyle. Having an outstanding meet and garnering the most points for the Paly girls’ team was 12-year-old Alexander Edel, who won the 50 (36.48) and 100 Breaststroke (1:20.14), the 50 (28.40) and 100 Freestyle (1:01.47), finished runner-up in the 50 Butterfly, 50 Backstroke and the 200 Individual Medley, and swam third in the 200 Freestyle. Other 11 & 12-year-old girls who place in the top five were Haley Lemoine (fourth in the 50 Freestyle; Jennifer Tartavull, who shaved four seconds off of her previous-best 50 Breaststroke time to place third and added a fifth-place swim in the 100 Breaststroke; Allison Merz (fifth in the 100 Butterfly) and Shelby Pascoe (fourth in the 100 Backstroke). Swimming third in the 100 Backstroke and fifth in the 100 Breaststroke was 13-year-old Nick Karody. Samantha Brill, 14, took third place in the 50 Freestyle while Jessica Schem swam fourth in both the 100 and 200 Backstroke. Sixteen-year-old Chelsea Davidoff placed second in the 100 Breaststroke and fourth in the 50 Freestyle. Hannah Haberfield, also 16, took fifth in the 50 and 100 Freestyle events and second in the 100 Butterfly. Fifteen-year-old Erica Drennan won the 100 Butterfly in 1:13.00), placed second in the 100 Backstroke and swam third in the 200 Backstroke, 200 Individual Medley and 100 Freestyle. For the Paly boys, 16-year-old Paris Hays scored well in the 15-and-over division, placing second in the 50 Freestyle, third in the 100 Butterfly and fourth in the 200 Freestyle. Carlson Cameron, 18, was third in the 100 Freestyle. The Paly Y Invitational has been held ‘as long as anyone can remember,’ according to meet director Rob Merz, dating back at least 32 years when the Paly team was started. Coaches Butler and Kelly invite any swimmers who think they might like to try the excitement of competing to call the pool and schedule a tryout. The coaches also give private lessons at the Temescal Canyon facility to teach proper technique for competitive swimming.
Volleyball Loses to Venice
Palisades may be the defending City champion, but Venice was the more experienced team entering Monday’s Western League showdown. In the end, that experience served the visiting Gondoliers well throughout a 25-19, 23-25, 25-10, 25-22 victory which gave them sole possession of first place heading into the second round of league play. ”The rivalry between the two schools has long been among the most fiercely competitive in the City Section and Monday’s match was no exception. But while the majority of Dolphins are freshmen, the Gondos’ roster boasts five seniors and five juniors. And although Palisades’ youthful exuberance and athleticism showed at times, the poise and consistency of Venice proved to be the decisive factor. ”As the match progressed, a battle in the middle evolved between Pali freshman Alex Lunder and Venice senior Ashley Legoretta. The Dolphins’ 14-year-old was by far their biggest offensive weapon, finishing with 10 kills and six blocks. Legoretta countered with 14 kills, 14 digs and eight blocks while junior outside hitter Kiana Seaver added 12 kills and three aces for Venice (5-2 overall, 4-0 in league). ”Momentum swung back and forth throughout the first game. Senior setter Diana Grubb served four consecutive points to give Pali (5-2, 3-1) a 13-12 lead but six service errors ultimately cost Pali a chance to take an early lead on its home floor. Game two was closely contested until freshman Jenna McCallister’s touch kill down the line put Pali ahead to stay. Fellow ninth-grader Alina Kheyfets, who was born in Moscow and is a black belt in karate, dropped a quick-set kill on game point that leveled the match at a game apiece and put a smile on the face of Pali’s first-year coach Cheri Stuart. ”Venice took control of the match in the third game, benefiting from numerous service, rotation and return errors by the Dolphins to open a commanding 17-5 advantage. The Gondos’ domination continued early in the fourth game as they raced to a 22-14 lead. However, Palisades did not go down without a fight. The Dolphins mounted a furious rally, pulling to within two points twice and saving two match points before Seaver ended it with a crosscourt kill. ”Natasha Vokhshoori had six kills and three blocks and Kaylie McCallister had 12 digs for the Dolphins, whose only previous loss came in its season opener at Santa Monica. Venice is undefeated since nonleague losses to San Pedro and Narbonne. Monday’s match aired that evening on KCLS-LA television and will be rebroadcast Friday at 10 p.m. Football ”For the third time in five games, the Palisades High varsity football team failed to produce an offensive touchdown in a 34-6 nonleague loss to San Pedro Friday night at Stadium by the Sea. By halftime, an eery mist had engulfed the field, but it was the Dolphins who seemed to be in a fog. ”Palisades (1-4) rushed for a season-low 45 yards, all but three of those by junior tailback Andre Harris. Senior quarterback Dylan Cohen completed 4 of 13 passes for 27 yards’two of them to Harris’and was sacked four times. The Dolphins might have been shut out completely if not for a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior defensive back Brandon Bryant with 21 seconds left in the third quarter. Bryant also made a spectacular one-handed interception at midfield in the second quarter, but the Dolphins could not take advantage of the turnover and punted four plays later. ”After recovering the opening kickoff, San Pedro (3-2) wasted little time capitalizing on Palisades’ miscue. Gregory Wood, who finished with 71 yards in 16 carries, scored on a seven-yard run 1:31 into the game. Quarterback Dustin Garneau completed 8 of 13 passes for 153 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown pass that extended the Pirates’ lead to 28-6 early in the fourth quarter. Girls Tennis ”Without top player Olivia Colman, Palisades may not have the best varsity tennis team in the City Section. But the Dolphins are out to prove they are still the team to beat in the Western League. Pali’s stiffest competition was supposed to have come from Westchester, but Pali trounced the host Comets 6-1 in the first meeting between the schools, sweeping all three doubles matches in the process. ”Just before the season started, Colman left PaliHi and enrolled in an independent study program. Her absence was felt in nonleague losses to Mira Costa and Malibu, but since then Palisades has won five matches in a row, with No. 1 and No. 2 singles players Krista Slocum and Contessa Brown leading the way. ”The defending league champion Dolphins traveled to Venice Monday and beat the Gondos 6-1. Brown defeated Jenna Yoshikama, 8-3, at No. 1 singles, Slocum beat Pauline Lampert by the same score at No. 2 singles, Lauren Pugatch blanked Kiri Inouve, 8-0, at No. 3 singles and Sarah Yankelovitz won 8-2 at No. 4 singles. ”Co-captain Brittany O’Neal and Yasmir Navas lost 8-2 at No. 1 doubles, Mary Logan and Lotte Kiepe won 8-4 at No. 2 doubles and Dina Quick paired with Elieka Salamipour to win 8-6 at the No. 3 doubles position.
TGA Golf Classes at Temescal Park
Total Golf Adventures (TGA) will begin a revolutionary golf program in the Palisades for children from kindergarten through sixth grade. TGA’s mission is to grow each child’s passion for the game of golf while developing and improving their motor skills and coordination, encouraging their advancement, and building their confidence and self-esteem. TGA’s golf class is an eight-week program, beginning Monday, October 18, and running through Monday, December 13, at Temescal Canyon Park. TGA provides the necessary equipment, including golf clubs and new technologically advanced practice balls. The class includes a National Golf Program t-shirt, a certificate of completion, exciting contests with prizes, a two-week team tournament and the opportunity to participate in weekend events with students from schools all over Los Angeles. To register call Steve Tanner at 399-8422 or e-mail: steve@totalgolfadventures.com.
Pros Prep to Light Malibu Surf Night
Red Bull 5X will take over First Point in Malibu from 7 to 9 p.m. this Saturday, October 16, when five of the world’s best female longboarders compete in 5X, a new type of surf competition. The break at Surfrider Beach will be lit up with 180,000 watts of power, making it seem like a bright summer day on a July weekend. World class longboarders Kassia Meador, Kim Hamrock, Daize Shayne, Mary Osborne and Schuyler McFerran will test the waves at First Point, then a post-surf party will be held across the street at the Malibu Inn (22969 Pacific Coast Hwy). Surfers will be judged based on their performance in five categories: torque, boost, push, mojo and combo. Call Josh Kendrick at 460-5254 or Jordan Miller at 323-866-6035.
Calvary Upsets St. Matthew’s
In a matchup between Palisades private schools, the Calvary Christian girls volleyball team defeated defending Junior Delphic League champion St. Matthews, 25-17, 25-17, last Thursday at the St Matthew’s gym. Calvary exacted a measure of revenge against the team that eliminated them in the Delphic League semifinals last year. Eighth-graders Glenna Roberts, Cati Hance, Hilary Dahl and Catherine Price led the Cougars while seventh-grader Maya McPherson made numerous kills. Dahl passed well in her defensive specialist role. Other valuable contributions were made by Christina McHugh, Genevieve Dash and Tate Johnson. Calvary is coached by Brian and Karen Kelly. ‘St. Matthews is a well-coached team,’ Brian Kelly said. ‘We put forth a good effort and we are looking forward to our remaining games.’ All six Calvary starters play for Sunshine Volleyball Club. Along with St. Matthew’s, Calvary competes in the Junior Delphic League with Harvard-Westlake, Brentwood, St. Paul’s and Windward.
Judith Lengyel, 59; Pioneering Molecular Biologist at UCLA
Judith Ann Lengyel, a molecular biologist at UCLA, whose groundbreaking work has created new insights into how specific genes control cell shape and movement during the formation of an organism, died September 25. Lengyel, 59, a professor of molecular and developmental biology at UCLA for 28 years, died from a brain tumor. She was a longtime resident of Pacific Palisades, where she enjoyed hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains and bicycling. ‘Judith was an amazing figure who broke new ground in determining how organisms evolve,’ said Utpal Banerjee, chair of the Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. ‘She was a superb scientist, a role model and a mentor for women in the sciences, and a national leader in advancement of work in molecular biology.’ Born in Rochester, New York, Lengyel moved to Los Angeles at an early age. She attended Palisades Elementary, Paul Revere and University High, then earned her undergraduate degree in microbiology at UCLA in 1967. She received her Ph.D. from UC Berkeley in molecular biology. Lengyel conducted post-doctoral work at MIT in molecular and developmental biology, beginning her work on genetic development in drosophila (fruit flies) that she would continue for the rest of her career. In 1976, Lengyel became an assistant professor in the biology department and the Molecular Biology Institute at UCLA. With her first student, Kathryn Anderson, she pioneered the measurement of the rates of synthesis and turnover of messenger RNAs in drosophila embryos’research that opened the door to modern molecular approaches to investigating development of organisms. ‘Judith conducted landmark research on ‘tailless,’ an extremely interesting gene with many unique properties that affect development,’ said John Merriam, professor of molecular and developmental biology at UCLA. ‘Her work was instrumental in creating a revolution in biology that had a major impact on our understanding of how genes control the development of the embryo. ‘It is likely that the tailless interacts with other signals to lead to specific head and tail organs. Judith’s work on tailless led to a more contemporary question: how are the cells that make these organs actually controlled?’ said Merriam. ‘Judith played an important role in promoting the idea that the signaling pathways used in the early embryo are deployed again at later stages of development, and are also used in adults to maintain the integrity of organs,’ said associate professor Karen Lyons. ‘This concept emerged from the collected work of many scientists, but Judith’s research certainly provided some of the strongest arguments supporting it. Among her most specific contributions were many papers clarifying the details of the tailless signaling pathway. The work was one of the earliest examples to show that repression of gene activity is as important for proper development as is activation of gene activity.’ Lengyel’s honors include Phi Beta Kappa (1967), elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1992), the Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award (1996), elected California representative to the National Fly Board (2001-2004), and elected treasurer of the Society for Developmental Biology (2002-2004). Well known for her active role in teaching, mentoring and as a role model for young scientists, Lengyel established and regularly taught the upper division developmental biology course, bringing in most of the other faculty who now teach in this course. She was a leader in many arenas to promote graduate and undergraduate teaching in developmental biology. Lengyel is the daughter of physicist Bela Lengyel, the founding chair of the Department of Physics at Cal State Northridge, and Helen Wilman. In addition to her husband, Frederick Eiserling, she is survived by two stepchildren, Erik and Ingrid, and her brother, Thomas. Plans for a memorial service are pending. Call 825-1054 for the time and location.
