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LAPL to Open Temporary Palisades ‘Book Bungalow’ Facility

By
Sarah Shmerling
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Longtime PPLA President Laura Schneider (left) passes the gavel to incoming President Cameron Pfizenmaier.
Photo courtesy of Tim Schneider

Pacific Palisades Library Association Welcomes New President

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Pacific Palisades Library Association has announced that while rebuilding efforts are underway for Palisades Branch Library, it will operate a temporary facility, which is on schedule to be up and running by fall.

The temporary facility, called the Palisades Library “Book Bungalow,” is set to be located near the entrance of Palisades Recreation Center. The “welcoming space,” created by Los Angeles Public Library, will offer a “small browsing collection, holds pickup, Wi-Fi [and] community meeting space. It will also be a home for Friends of the Palisades Library, aka PPLA.

The library, located on Alma Real Drive, was destroyed in the Palisades fire. Debris removal was completed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“It’s a meaningful first step toward restoring library services in the Palisades, as well as a place for us all to meet and gather,” Laura Schneider wrote on behalf of PPLA in a statement. “More good news includes the conditional approval of FEMA funds to support the rebuilding of our library.”

Next steps, according to PPLA, will include the selection of an architect, as well as developing a timeline and a plan for gathering community input. In the coming months, Schneider said, the PPLA board will be determining where local fundraising can “enhance our new library” and “weigh-in on key milestones and timelines.”

“We will keep you informed as we learn more from LAPL,” Schneider wrote. “There will also be lots of news to report in terms of how our ‘Book Bungalow’ can help us stay connected, provide programming and continue to serve the community while we rebuild.”

During the Pacific Palisades Recreation Center Park Advisory Board Meeting on June 24, LAPL City Librarian John Szabo said the department is “very eager to begin providing library services.”

“We’re very fortunate within the city to have these adjacent properties,” Szabo said of the temporary facility being on city of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks land. “Going forward, we certainly [want to be as] collaborative as we can be with our colleagues in Recreation and Parks.”

In the letter, Schneider also detailed changes within the Friends of the Palisades Library leadership.

“I’m happy to announce that a new group of energetic and visionary leaders has stepped up to guide the Palisades Friends in this next chapter, led by our new board president, Cameron Pfizenmaier,” Schneider said.

Schneider has served nearly two decades on the board, with nearly 10 years in the role of president. She said she is “excited to welcome new volunteer leaders” to PPLA, as she assumes the role of “immediate past president.”

“Serving in this role has inspired me, challenged me and filled me with gratitude to be part of a community so deeply committed to our library and its future,” Schneider wrote. “Thank you for your trust, your commitment, and the many moments of collaboration, friendship and laughter we’ve shared over the years. But most of all, thank you for your continued support of the Pacific Palisades Library Association.”

Updates about PPLA are available at its website: friendsofpalilibrary.org.

PEP, TP Teen to Present Two Weekends of ‘HADESTOWN: Teen Edition’ at Paul Revere

By
Sarah Shmerling
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Photo courtesy of Laura Jung

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Personal Enrichment Program and Theatre Palisades Teen will present a two-weekend run of “HADESTOWN: Teen Edition,” with performances to take place July 24 to August 2 at Paul Revere Charter Middle School.

“‘HADESTOWN: Teen Edition’ follows two intertwining love stories—that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of immortal King Hades and lady Persephone—as it invites audiences on a … journey to the underworld and back,” read a synopsis. “Inspired by traditions of classic American folk music and vintage New Orleans jazz, this beguiling sung-through musical pits industry against nature, doubt against faith and fear against love.”

The show is directed by Lara Ganz and co-directed by Sydney Diamond, who is also the show’s choreographer, along with Aaron Jung. Lexie Palmer and gaba are the music directors.

“With music and lyrics by Anaïs Mitchell, ‘HADESTOWN’ was the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Orchestrations,” according to TP Teen.

TP Teen is a branch of Theatre Palisades Youth, which Ganz previously said was launched to create a space for high school-age performers who want to continue the program. Past performances by TP Teen include “Ride the Cyclone High School Edition” in July and August 2024.

TPY operates with a mission to “provide a safe space within which community youth will: be inspired, develop talents in all aspects of theater arts, support each other as they grow their confidence, accept themselves for who they are and, by extension, others for who they are, and celebrate the essential power of live theater to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.”

PEP is a nonprofit organization at Paul Revere which offers a “variety of sports and enrichment classes” at the school, with three sessions per academic year.

Performances of “HADESTOWN: Teen Edition” will take place on Thursday, July 24, at 7 p.m.; Friday, July 25, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, July 26, at 12 and 3 p.m.; Wednesday, July 30, at 7 p.m.; Thursday, July 31, at 7 p.m.; Friday, August 1, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, August 2, at 12 and 3 p.m.

Tickets are $17 for seniors and students, $22 for general admission, and range from $25 to $30 for VIP.

All performances will take place at Paul Revere in the auditorium, located at 1450 Allenford Avenue. Tickets are available online at theatrepalisades.org/youth.

UCLA-Led Air Quality Monitoring Dashboard Launches

By
Sarah Shmerling
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Pictured, from left: Dr. Yifang Zhu, Dr. Yuan Yao (partly hidden), Dr. Qiao Yu (center) and Mr. Brad Shimada install an air quality sensor station at the PS1 School in Santa Monica.
Photos courtesy of UCLA

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

The installation of 20 air quality monitoring sensor stations in West Los Angeles has been completed this month in an effort led by UCLA researchers—providing “real-time information to residents about safety as reconstruction work progresses in Pacific Palisades and adjacent neighborhoods.”

The effort, known as the Community Action Project Los Angeles Air, includes sensor stations installed in “secure locations” spanning from Topanga State Park through the Palisades toward Brentwood and south to Santa Monica.

The network provides “easily understood updates from each station,” which are superimposed over a “public, online dashboard” that “maps the region every five to 10 minutes.”

“The data includes color-coded icons for air quality ranging from good (green) through hazardous (dark red) for a variety of potentially dangerous airborne particles, ranging from 10 micrometers, PM10 (about the width of a cotton fiber), to 2.5 micrometers, PM2.5, or 30 times smaller than a human hair,” according to information shared by UCLA.

Air quality expert Dr. Yifang Zhu of UCLA Fielding School of Public Health is leading the effort. Zhu explained that “while there are existing sensor networks that track PM 2.5,” “there’s a real gap when it comes to monitoring PM10,” which Zhu described as “coarse particles.”

PM10 particles typically come from “dust from roads and construction, soil particles and natural dust, pollen and mold spores, and industrial activities,” according to information on the map. They can be inhaled and “may cause irritation to your eyes, nose and throat.”

A map of the sensors on Tuesday morning, July 22

PM 2.5 particles come from “vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, smoke from fires and chemical reactions in the atmosphere,” the map read. These particles can “penetrate deep into your lungs and even enter your bloodstream, potentially causing serious health problems.”

Zhu noted it’s “important to measure both fine and coarse particles to gain a complete picture of air quality and community exposure.”

On Tuesday morning, July 22, 19 sensors were active on the dashboard, with all but two air quality levels in the “good” range, with two PM10 monitors reading as “moderate.” There is a “view recent trends” feature available for viewers to access data from the past 24 hours.

“Our goal here is to give residents access to real-time, local air quality data, help identify pollution hotspots and inform public health responses,” Zhu said.

If air quality is not “good,” Zhu suggested limiting “strenuous outdoor activities.” Measures one could take in that case also include staying indoors with windows and doors closed “to reduce the infiltration of outdoor pollutants.” She also suggested filtering indoor air by running an HVAC system with a MERV 13 or higher filter, or use a certified HEPA portable air cleaner recommended by the California Air Resources Board.

“If you must go outside, wear a properly fitted N95 or K95 mask to filter out those particles,” Zhu said for when air quality is not “good.”

The UCLA-led team is leading the western Los Angeles monitoring project, while a similar effort is underway in the Altadena/Pasadena area for the Eaton fire. The West LA effort has been jointly funded by nonprofit R&S Kayne Foundation and Danhakl Foundation.

“As both a mother and a physician living in the Palisades, I believe Dr. Zhu’s air quality research is essential for all residents,” said Dr. Victoria Danhakl, trustee of the Danhakl Family Foundation. “Air sensors are tools that give us real-time data to protect our kids, our patients and our community.”

To view the dashboard, visit cap.la/capair.

Michele International Opens on Montana Avenue

By
Sarah Shmerling
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Photos by Jude De Pastino

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Michele International has set up shop on Montana Avenue, following the destruction of its Sunset Boulevard salon in the Palisades fire.

“After 40 years of serving the Pacific Palisades community, Michele International Salon was lost in the devastating Palisades fire,” read a statement. “What had been a cherished family-run business—built on decades of trust, loyalty and community—was reduced to ashes.”

In addition to the loss of the salon, “several members of the extended salon family” lost their homes in the fire as well, including many clients and owner Marice McCrory-Irwin’s son and daughter.

“It was heartbreaking to watch it all burn on the news, knowing there was nothing we could do,” described the owners, McCrory-Irwin and sister Anne Egan. “The chairs, desks, books, important papers—everything we had built over the years—gone.”

Despite the losses, they said they knew they wanted to return to serve their clients.

“We knew we couldn’t give up,” they described. “After everything we’ve been through, we still had each other—and our incredible clients, many of whom became family over the years.”

One of these clients is former Honorary Mayor of Pacific Palisades Steve Guttenberg, who shared the news of the salon reopening with the Palisadian-Post.

“Marice and Anne … and everybody are just such a beautiful, beautiful family,” he said. “They are very involved in the community, not only having hundreds of clients that live in the neighborhood, they take care of it.”

Their brother, Martin McCrory, is also part of the salon.

Guttenberg described driving past the spot where the salon was located on Sunset Boulevard a couple of days after January 7, saying: “It devastated me.”

“I knew what it meant to this family to have a business,” Guttenberg said. “[It was] just destroyed, physically destroyed, and they handled it with such grace and elegance.”

Guttenberg described the salon’s history, which extends back to roots in Ireland, eventually landing on Swarthmore before moving to Sunset.

After the fire, McCrory-Irwin described going to where clients’ were living, then renting a space for a couple of hours per day. She said that many of their clients are located or have been displaced to nearby areas, but some have come from “far away just to support us,” including Newport Beach and Santa Barbara.

She expressed gratitude to her “loyal” clients: “They’re still coming back to us, no matter where they are. I just would love to say thank you. I really appreciate it.”

Michele International Salon is located at 1106 Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. Its opening was celebrated with a welcoming reception on June 29.

“I’m so proud of them because they are a symbol of Pacific Palisades,” Guttenberg said. “They’re a symbol of who we are and who we must be … we are realistic that this tragedy occurred, and we are optimistic and hopeful and spiritual and mindful that we must be positive, it’s the only way to go.”

McCrory-Irwin and Egan said that moving from the Palisades “was not easy,” but walking into “this new space feels like a blessing.

“We prayed for a fresh start, and now we have a beautiful new salon to share with the people who’ve supported us for so long,” the owners said. “It will be wonderful to see our clients together again. So many of them first met at Michele International in the Palisades. This next chapter will be filled with the same love and care we’ve always believed in.”

The salon is currently open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday. To reach Michele International Salon, call 310-454-1885.

Santa Monica Mosaic to Present ‘The Treasured Trees of Pacific Palisades’

By
Sarah Shmerling
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Courtesy of Santa Monica Conservancy

Santa Monica Mosaic will present “A Cultural Landscape: The Treasured Trees of Pacific Palisades” on Sunday, July 27, beginning at 5 p.m.

The event, which will explore “the rich horticulture heritage of the region and how the community’s arboreal roots provide strength for the Palisades’ recovery,” is presented by Santa Monica Conservancy and Santa Monica History Museum, with “special thanks” to Pacific Palisades Historical Society.

The panelists for the event will include David Card (landscape designer and president of Palisades Forestry Committee), Suzanne Goode (a retired California State Parks senior environmental scientist) and Randy Young (historian, author and activist who resides in Rustic Canyon).

Santa Monica Mosaic is a livestream series that celebrates “the preservation of our historic cultures.”

“Like a mosaic, many fascinating stories, diverse perspectives and multiple legacies create the shape of today’s Santa Monica,” read information about the programming.

To attend the in-person “intimate watch party,” email alissa@smconservancy.org. To RSVP for the livestream, visit smconservancy.org.

—SARAH SHMERLING

Theatre Palisades: Member Dinner & Awards Show, ‘The Wisdom of Eve’

By
Sarah Shmerling
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Courtesy of Theatre Palisades

Theatre Palisades will host its annual Member Dinner & Awards Show on Sunday, August 17, at Windjammers Yacht Club at 13589 Mindanao Way.

“Our theme is ‘We Will Rise From The Ashes and The Show Will Go On,” according to Theatre Palisades. “It’s an opportunity for our Theatre Palisades family to come together under one space … to both mourn our recent loss and celebrate our exciting new future.”

Theatre Palisades is also preparing for its next show: “The Wisdom of Eve,” which will be performed September 5 through 21 at Blue Door Theatre.

“This story is about a naive Eve Harrington, who initially appears to be a devoted fan of the acclaimed actress Margo Crane,” read a synopsis. “Shortly after meeting Crane, she’s hired as her assistant. But as she then sets her sights even higher, her ambition to be a star herself threatens to leave ruined careers and relationships in her wake.”

For more information, visit theatrepalisades.org.

—SARAH SHMERLING

Friends of the Palisades Library Sponsors Teen Nature Writing Workshop

By
Sarah Shmerling
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Courtesy of PPLA

In lieu of its summer creative writing contest, Friends of the Palisades Library is sponsoring youth-centric writing workshops, including a Teen Nature Writing Workshop—for ages 12 and up—on Tuesday, July 29, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

“Inspired by nature’s images and sounds, teens will be guided by a peer teacher to create poetry, prose or flash fiction to share and experience in this immersive workshop,” read the flyer.

Limited spaces are available, and RSVPs are requested to prncho@lapl.org. The workshop will take place at Palms-Rancho Park Branch Library, which is located at 2920 Overland Avenue.

—SARAH SHMERLING

Palisades Recovery Coalition Plans Alphabet Streets Visioning Charrette

By
Sarah Shmerling
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Courtesy of Palisades Recovery Coalition

Palisades Recovery Coalition will host the second visioning charrette in a series of at least eight on Saturday, July 26, beginning at 10 a.m.

This visioning charrette will be focused on the Alphabet Streets: “Help shape a fire-resilient future for your neighborhood,” read the PRC website.

PRC operates with a mission “to create lasting solutions for fire recovery and rebuilding in Pacific Palisades and other affected communities.”

The event will take place at 15224 W Sunset Boulevard. Visit palirecovery.org for the most up-to-date information.

—SARAH SHMERLING

RCDSMM Seeks Volunteers for Topanga Beach Clean Up

By
Sarah Shmerling
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Photo courtesy of RCDSMM

Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains and Surfrider Foundation Los Angeles are seeking volunteers to clean up Topanga Beach “after impacts from the fire” on Saturday, July 26, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“We’re welcoming volunteers back to Topanga Beach with the hope of healing this scarred space,” RCDSMM wrote. “We’re excited to be a part of positive and impactful change at a space that’s been touched by recent wildfires, and we hope you’ll be a part of this change alongside us.”

Parking will be provided by LA County Department of Beaches & Harbors. Gloves, grabbers, reusable trash bags, sunscreen and a water refill station will be provided.

Space is limited so volunteers are requested to RSVP at volunteer.surfrider.org.

—SARAH SHMERLING

‘Jimmy Dunne Says’

By
the Palisadian-Post
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Photo courtesy of Jimmy Dunne

‘I Believe in the Palisades’

I believe our town is built on more than land—it’s built on classrooms and pews and open doors. I believe in schools that teach kindness before math, and churches and synagogues where faith and friendship sit side by side. I believe our children grow strong not just from what they learn—but from knowing they belong. This is the soil where roots take hold.

I believe we live in a cradle carved by wonder. I believe the sea sings us calm, and the mountains wrap us in quiet strength. I believe our town breathes between salt and stone, and every sunrise is a reminder … home is where the sunset slows you down, and the community lifts you up.

I believe in saying “Good afternoon” to Palisadians walking down the street at four in the afternoon—just because. I believe in neighbors who show up. I believe in hearts that lean outward. Being from here isn’t just where you live—it’s how you live. It’s the quiet vow we all take … to care, to connect, to make room at the table—even when it’s full.

I believe every town block, every cul-de-sac, is its own small kingdom of belonging. I believe in block parties with homemade cocktails and too much guacamole, driveways filled with sidewalk chalk, and shared bikes for toddlers. In potluck dinners, power outages that turn into campouts and the sacred rite of waving at every neighbor you see. Because in the Palisades, your street isn’t just where you live—it’s who you live with.

I believe in the clubs that hold our stories. In the Optimists who still believe in better days, the Woman’s Club that’s been holding hands and holding hearts for generations, and the American Legion, where veterans pass on more than just memories. I believe in meetings with donuts and decades of laughter. In friendships made over card tables, calendars and causes. These aren’t just clubs—they’re second homes. Places where membership lasts a lifetime—and so does the love.

Pacific Palisades isn’t just a place. It’s a feeling. The kind that tells you you’re safe. You’re home. You belong. Its best fences are built out of shared stories and borrowed tools. I believe that hearts are healed in kitchens, on walks and late-night phone calls. That every scraped knee holds a lesson in courage. Our town’s heartbeat lives in its barbershops, on Veterans Gardens’ picnic tables and bocce courts, and at Little League games. Our dear town is our backdrop to our memories, the setting of our stories, and the keeper of our dreams.

I believe our Palisades is made of light. Light on the water. Light through the oak trees and sycamores. Light in the eyes of folks who wave when you walk by. Light that doesn’t just shine—it welcomes. Light that makes you slow down, smile and breathe a little deeper. Light that reminds you you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.

I believe our children carry the best of us forward. And that they learn joy by watching it. That they inherit not just our homes, but our hopes. That kindness is our town’s heirloom.

And when we say, “I’m from here,” we’re really, really saying …

“These people are mine—and I’m theirs.”

Jimmy Dunne is a modern-day Renaissance Man; a hit songwriter (28 million hit records), screenwriter/producer of hit television series, award-winning author, an entrepreneur—and a Palisadian “Citizen of the Year.” You can reach him at j@jimmydunne.com or jimmydunne.substack.com.

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