Home Blog Page 2014

Palisadians Kick to Perfect Season

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Seventh-grader Courtney O'Brien dribbles upfield on her way to scoring a goal for Harvard-Westlake in the Delphic League championship game against Oaks Christian. Photo: W. Ray
Seventh-grader Courtney O’Brien dribbles upfield on her way to scoring a goal for Harvard-Westlake in the Delphic League championship game against Oaks Christian. Photo: W. Ray

Four Palisadians were key contributors to a perfect 9-0-0 season for the Harvard-Westlake middle school girls’ black soccer team, which won the Delphic League A Division championship. Defenders Mikaela Hong (8th grade) and Maddie Oswald (7th grade) were rock solid on the back line all season long while 7th grade strikers Courtney O’Brien and Quinn Frankel led a nearly unstoppable offensive attack that scored 49 goals in 9 games. Last Tuesday, the Wolverines beat St. Matthew’s 4-1 in the semifinals. Two days later they outscored Oaks Christian 6-3 in the championship game. Frankel had a hat trick in the finals and O’Brien also scored. Harvard-Westlake ran the table in a league which also included Marlborough, Viewpoint, Chaminade, Brentwood, Immaculate Heart and Sierra Canyon.

Sraberg Prevails at SCTA Satellite

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PTC junior Adam Sraberg won the boys' 10s at the SCTA Satellite Masters in Carson last week.
PTC junior Adam Sraberg won the boys’ 10s at the SCTA Satellite Masters in Carson last week.

Juniors from the Palisades Tennis Center continue to impress at USTA events across the country, further proof that the public facility off Alma Real is home to many of the top players in California. Adam Sraberg joined the PTC’s long list of tournament winners last week when he prevailed in the boys’ 10-and-under age division at the year-end SCTA Satellite Masters at Home Depot Center in Carson. Sraberg was nothing short of flawless throughout the tournament, winning all five of his matches in straight sets and volleying like a young Pete Sampras. He began his remarkable run by beating Eric Han of Fullerton, 6-1, 6-4, in his first match. In the second round he beat Ivan Smith of Tulare, 6-2, 6-0 before making short work of Allen Sokolov of Woodland Hills, 6-0, 6-4, in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Sraberg beat Gavin Spencer of San Juan Capistrano, 6-2, 6-3, and in the finals he ousted David Howren of San Clemente, 6-0, 6-4. On his way to the title he won three sets at love-an almost unheard-of feat at the Masters because the competition is so tough. Sraberg trains regularly at the PTC and is one of the most popular kids there. “It was a great feeling to play on a court that many pros have played on as well as having my own chair umpire in the finals,” said Sraberg, a fifth-grade honors student at Carlthorp School in Santa Monica. In addition to tennis, Sraberg plays basketball year-round on two teams and is an all-star baseball player for the West Los Angeles Little League. Meanwhile, Cristobal Rivera has advanced to the finals of the Gene Jung Tournament in Orange County, one of the largest junior events of the season. Rivera survived six matches and will play Gage Brymer for the championship. Although he is only 15, Rivera is among the PTC’s most gifted young players. Rivera first outlasted Xavier Saavedra, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, in the first round, then beat fellow PTC junior Blake Anthony, 6-3, 6-2, in the second round. In the third round he beat Adam Bagdy, 6-0, 6-2 and in the round of 16 he eliminated James Boyd, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. In the quarterfinals, Rivera defeated Stefan Menichella and in the semifinals he made short work of Daymon Johnson, 6-1, 6-4. The final was rained out and will be made up at a later date. sports@palipost.com

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 11, 2010

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CONDOS/TOWNHOMES FOR SALE 1e

$245,000. PRICE REDUCED! 1+1 condo+patio on Palisades Drive. Quiet, park-like setting, lots of trees. Min. age 62. 2 car garage, elevator, 1/2 mile to beach. Broker, (310) 795-3795 (c), (310) 456-8770 (h)

FURNISHED HOMES 2

EXECUTIVE RENTAL! MOVE RIGHT IN! Immaculate, fully furnished, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath. Pool, gym, spa, near trailheads, mountain view, minutes to the beach. (310) 459-9111

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

3 BD, FRANKLIN SCHOOL DIST. Beautiful 3 bd, 2 ba Santa Monica hm w/ large yard, updated, fireplace, north of Wilshire. $4,300/mo. seller pays utilities. Call James (310) 704-0007

FURNISHED APARTMENTS 2b

$2,000/MO. SPACIOUS MASTER BEDROOM SUITE + DEN (ENTIRE 2ND FL.). Use of beautiful pool and gardens, kitchen including laundry facilities and maid service once a week. Parking available. Short (3 months) or long term rental accepted. Personal and professional references required. Ideal for single professional female. No pets. Reply to: swyndon@aol.com (for fastest response); or may call (310) 478-4495 between hours of 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. or between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

CUTE & COZY SINGLE mediterranean triplex near village & bluffs. Full kitchen, bath, hardwd flrs, laundry, garden, and carport. 1 year lease. Non-smoking building. No pets. $1,500/mo. (310) 804-3142

CHARMING, SUNNY UPPER UNIT. 1 bdrm. + office/den. Hardwood floors, 2 fireplaces, 2 bthrms., 1 car garage, on-site laundry, small pet considered. $2,300/mo. (310) 459-5576

UNUSUAL, HOME-LIKE, SPACIOUS 1 bed, 1 bath, 800 sq. ft. in triplex near bluffs and village. Fireplace, bay window, hardwood, garage, laundry, garden. NS, NP. 1 yr. lease. $2,300 (310) 804-3142

2 BD, 1 BA UNIT AVAILABLE. $1,850/mo. upper unit available now. Vintage 6 unit building. Includes water. Approx. 800 sq. ft., Hardwood, tile floors. Lite & brite. Shared laundry. Pet o.k. with approval. 1 year lease. (424) 228-4570

CLOSE TO THE BEACH & SHOPPING. One bedroom, one bathroom, wood floors, in a great complex with fabulous grounds in P.P. Appliances are included. Must be over 62 years of age. (310) 979-4170

BRIGHT, LARGE, 3 BD+2 BA, 1,500 sq. ft., top floor, 1 garage+1 tandem, new carpets. Great closet space. 1 yr lease. N/S. $2,500/mo. (310) 498-0149

PALISADES 1 BEDROOM apt, Large remodeled, carpet, gas stove, refrigerator, one year lease, new paint, laundry, storage, covered parking. No pets, Non-smoker. $1,325/mo. (310) 477-6767

$1,750/MO. ‘COZY & ELEGANT’. Brentwood best location near Gretna Green on Montana Ave. @ golf course. Charming one bedroom lower. Hardwood floors, woodburning fireplace, french doors to petit private patio. Beaut. Tuscan garden courtyard setting. Stainless appliances, security bldg. No pets, one year lease. (310) 826-7960

TWO UNITS AVAILABLE, two blocks from Starbucks in the village. Two bedroom $2,400/mo., studio $1,250/mo. lease. Quiet, sunny, small pet considered. (310) 883-8049

CONDOS/TOWNHOMES FOR RENT 2d

CHIC PALISADES VILLAGE CONDO. Remodeled 2 BR, 2 BA, stainless appliances, includes wshr/dryr, storage, security building. Small pets considered. $2,750/mo. 1 year lease. (310) 454-6058

REMODELED PALISADES TOWNHOME. Mt views, 2+2.5, hardwood floors, granite kitchen, marble bathroom, fireplace, 2 car private garage, community pool, tennis & spa. (310) 383-7455

PAC. PAL. $2,100/mo. 1+1 condo. Maple floor, 800 sf., pool/tennis, view, gardens, sec. bldg., utilities inc. Across from beach. No pets. Avail. 4/1, earlier. (310) 230-7737, eskovner@aol.com

WANTED TO RENT 3b

WANTED: APARTMT/GUESTHSE/ROOM FOR RENT. Financially reliable, single, male Palisadian-Post reporter and indoor cat-owner is looking for an apartment/bachelor/studio/guest house to rent. Preferably in the $700-$800 range (negotiable). Palisades/Santa Monica area preferred. Looking for a quiet environment relatively close to the village. Please contact Michael at: Michael@palipost.com or (424) 645-3709

NURSE RN, middle-aged female, quiet, non-smoker desires guest house/apartment/rooms unfurnished for rent. Call Vita, (310) 826-7894 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

PACIFIC PALISADES OFFICE SUITE: Atrium Bldg., 860 Via de la Paz. 900+ space, reception, two offices & bathroom. 18 month sublease. Call (310) 459-5353 to see.

PROFESSIONAL BUILDING in Pacific Palisades village for lease. Lovely and spacious suite available. 750 square feet. Reasonable rent price. Excellent lease hold improvement allowance. Please call Ness, (310) 230-6712 x105, for more details.

LARGE, BRIGHT EXECUTIVE OFFICE suite for rent/share in Palisades Village. Fully furnished including fax, copier & internet. $625/mo. Call (310) 573-2175

OFFICES FOR RENT on 2nd floor in First Federal Bank building on Sunset Blvd. in Palisades Village. Call Ev Maguire, (310) 600-3603 or (310) 454-0840

FURNISHED OFFICE ON SUNSET, near village. Mountain view, quiet, light & bright. $800/mo., terms negotiable. (310) 459-3493

LARGE EXECUTIVE OFFICE SUITE with 2 separate rooms in the heart of Palisades village. $995/mo. Negotiable terms. (310) 573-2175

VACATION RENTALS 3e

MAMMOTH SKI CHATEAU RENTAL. Blocks from Canyon Lodge, brand new 2400 sq. ft. premium luxury townhome with limestone and hardwood floors throughout. Sleeps up to 14 people. Call: (310) 699-9972

THREE FULLY SELF-CONTAINED trailers for rent across from Will Rogers State Beach & about 2 miles from Santa Monica Pier. $795/mo. & $695/mo. 2 bedrm mobile, $1,995. (310) 454-2515

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 3f

HERITAGE REALTY & INVESTMENTS. Property management services, sales & leasing, commercial & residential. (310) 459-3493

BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b

ACCOUNTANT/CONTROLLER. Quickbooks/Quicken setup. Outsource the hassle’all bookkeeping needs including tax prep for home or office. Get organized now! (310) 562-0635

Local Bookkeeping Service. WWW.BIGSISTERWORKSHOP.COM. (310) 570-6085

COMPUTER SERVICES 7c

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 * EXPERT SET-UP, OPTIMIZATION, REPAIR. Problem-Free Computing Since 1992. Work Smarter, Faster, More Reliably. If I Can’t Help, NO CHARGE! ALAN PERLA, (310) 455-2000

THE DETECHTIVES’ ‘ PROFESSIONAL ON-SITE MAC SPECIALISTS. PATIENT, FRIENDLY AND AFFORDABLE. WE COVER ALL THINGS MAC ‘ Consulting ‘ Installation Training and Repair for Beginners to Advanced Users ‘ Data recovery ‘ Networks ‘ Wireless Internet & more ‘ (310) 838-2254 ‘ William Moorefield ‘ www.thedetechtives.com

USER FRIENDLY’MAC CONSULTANT. User friendly. Certified Apple help desk technician and proud member of the Apple consultant network. An easy approach to understanding all of your computer needs. Offering computer support in wide variety of repairs, set-ups, installs, troubleshooting, upgrades, networking, and tutoring in the application of choice. Computer consulting at fair rates. Ryan Ross: (310) 721-2827 email: ryanaross@mac.com ‘ For a full list of services visit: http://userfriendlyrr.com/

EXPERT COMPUTER HELP ‘ On-site service’no travel charge ‘ Help design, buy and install your system ‘ One-on-one training, hard & software ‘ Troubleshooting, Mac & Windows, organizing ‘ Installations & upgrades ‘ Wireless networking ‘ Digital phones, photo, music ‘ Internet ‘ Serving the Palisades, Santa Monica & Brentwood ‘ DEVIN FRANK, (310) 499-7000

GARAGE, ESTATE SALE SERVICES 7f

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

ORGANIZING SERVICES 7h

NEED TO GET ORGANIZED? * Simplify and find more balance in your life. Let me help you get organized and stay organized. Call me, Jennifer Brook, Professional Organizer, (310) 916-7745 or visit BeeOrganized.la

WE OFFER BOOKKEEPING, assistant services and project management. (818) 591-7729

MESSENGER/COURIER SERVICES 7n

MESSENGER & COURIER SERVICES (S. Cal.). Direct, same day or overnight, PU & Del. 24/7 guaranteed, on-time service. All major credit cards accepted. Santa Monica Express Inc. ‘ Since 1984 ‘ Tel: (310) 458-6000 www.smexpress.com

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

EXPERIENCED NANNY & HOUSEKEEPER. Reliable, caring & flexible. Bilingual and I provide my own transportation. Great local references. Call Nancy at (818) 209-6024

NANNY EXTRAORDINAIRE. Smart, kind and capable 46-year-old woman with a lifetime of experience taking care of families seeks full time, live-out employment. Can drive, organize schedules and household, and is a gifted cook. Great with kids. Call Mary at (713) 478-5624

HOUSEKEEPERS 9a

LOOKING FOR A HOUSEKEEPING JOB. 12 years experience, own transportation, legal, local references. delmycleaning.com. Call Delmy, (323) 363-9492

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE every other Monday and every other Thursday. Speaks English, good local references. Call Lupe, (310) 454-7383 (local number Mon.-Wed.) or (323) 898-2766 (cell.)

MY FABULOUS HOUSEKEEPER is available! Excellent cleaner, great with kids, honest & reliable. 19 years local experience. References available. Call Barbara, (310) 454-4030

HOUSEKEEPING/NANNY, 20 yrs. experience. Available Mon. thru Thurs. & Sat. Live-out. Own car. CA license. Excellent English. Local refs. Please call Miriam, (562) 644-5288 (cell.)

MY NAME IS ALICIA. I’m looking for a job as a housekeeper or babysitter. Available Mon., Wed. & Fri. Experience, drivers license, good references. Please call (323) 394-5901

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Tuesday through Saturday. Own transportation, local references, good English. Please call Elena, (323) 733-0576 (h), (310) 591-7563 (c)

I’M LOOKING FOR 3 days cleaning or nanny. Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday. Good references, 8 years experience. You can contact Norma at (310) 867-4095

PALISADES HOUSEKEEPER, 15 yrs. experience. Excellent references, honest, dependable. Legal resident. Child & pet care. Available every Tues., Fri., Sat. & Sun. Carmen, (323) 460-6473

GREAT HOUSEKEEPER available! Excellent references, fluent English, warm and reliable. Wonderful with kids and pets. Please call Raquel at (213) 736-5362

HOUSEKEEPER/NANNY with 10 yrs. experience. Available Monday thru Friday (own transportation). Great references. For more information please call Imelda, (818) 941-9768 or Carolina (323) 817-8311

LOYAL, TRUSTWORTHY, METICULOUS . . . Ticvah is available full or part-time for childcare and/or keeping your house sparkling! Bright, loving, educated, has own transportation, lives close by, and comes with highest recommendations from current local Palisadian family of 12 years. Call Ticvah at (310) 207-4894

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

GOOD COMPANY Senior Care. A premiere private duty home care agency. Provides in-home care and companionship to help people remain independent and happy at home. If you are a caring individual who would like to join our team, please call (323) 932-8700. joni@goodcopros.com

CAREGIVERS $15. Professional/exper/reliable. Also lic. nurses/notary ‘ yourextraspecial.com ‘ Jim, (310) 795-5023

FANTASTIC CAREGIVER. Kind, gentle and highly capable woman with 20 years of experience caring for elderly woman seeks full time employment. Can drive, cook, and nurse. Smart, fun. Call (713) 478-5624

SCANDINAVIAN LADY W/ EXPERIENCE & great references. Available 1 up to 5 days per week as your private chef, companion, driver, etc. for active senior/s, F/M. Please call Ms. Anna, (310) 312-6099

CAREGIVER/PERSONAL ASSISTANT/COMPANION. Mature, experienced & reliable female with own transportation. Flexible. Good local references. Please call (310) 442-3524 or (310) 383-6593

GARDENING/LANDSCAPING 11

PALISADES GARDENING ‘ Full Gardening Service ‘ Sprinkler Install ‘ Tree Trim ‘ Sodding ‘ Sprays, non-toxic ‘ FREE AZALEA PLANT ‘ Cell,(310) 701-1613, (310) 568-0989

MOVING & HAULING 11b

HONEST MAN SERVICES. All jobs, big or small. Moves & hauls it all. 14 foot truck. 20th year Westside. Delivery to 48 states. (310) 285-8688

HEALTH & BEAUTY CARE 12a

PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP, PHOTOGRAPHY, airbrush tanning, hair and eyelash extensions, for all ages. Affordable prices! Will come to you! Shannon, (310) 310-2668, www.jankulaimages.com

STEREO, TV, VCR SERVICES 13g

1 REMOTE CONTROL THAT WORKS! Is your entertainment system not entertaining you? We can tune up your system, bring it up to date, hide wires, mount TVs, install speakers, etc. We can even reprogram or replace your remote control so it is easy to use. Call us, we can help! Lic. #515929. Stanford Connect, (310) 829-0872

WINDOW WASHING 13h

THE WINDOWS OF OZ. Detailed interior/exterior glass & screen cleaning. High ladder work. Solar panels/power washing also avail. Owner operated. Lic., bonded & insured. Free estimates. (310) 926-7626

CATERING 14

CHEF & EVENT MANAGER! Cordon Bleu Chef and 15 year veteran event manager wants to help you plan your event! $60 per hour. Please call or email Danielle . . . (310) 691-0578 or daniellesamendez@gmail.com

PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g

PRIVATE DOG WALKER/housesitter, Palisades & Santa Monica. S.M. Canyon resident. Please call or email Sherry, (310) 383-7852, www.palisadesdogwalker.com

HORSE STALLS FOR RENT ‘ 3 horse stalls for rent near Will Rogers Park. Easy park access, rent neg. dep. on feed and cleaning needs. Call Bob, (949) 235-4761, (949) 305-2110

FITNESS INSTRUCTION 15a

HAVE FUN! GET FIT! NORDIC WALKING CLASSES. Certified Advanced Nordic walking instructor, Palisades resident teaches private/group classes in the Palisades. Weekends. (310) 266-4651

TUTORS 15e

INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION. Children & adults. 20+ years teaching/tutoring exper. MATH, GRAMMAR, ESSAY WRITING & STUDY SKILLS. Formerly Sp. Ed. teacher. Call Gail, (310) 313-2530

MS. SCIENCE TUTOR. Ph.D., Experienced, Palisades resident. Tutor All Ages In Your Home. Marie, (310) 888-7145

PROFESSIONAL TUTOR. Stanford graduate (BA and MA, Class of 2000). Available for all subjects and test prep (SAT & ISEE). In-home tutoring at great rates. Call Jonathan, (310) 560-9134

MATH & CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS: COLLEGE ESSAYS, SAT/SAT II/ACT/ISEE/HSPT MATH PREP. All math subjects thru calculus. Jr. high thru college level writing skills. Fun, caring, creative, individualized tutoring. Local office in Palisades Village. Call Jamie, (888) 459-6430

EXPERIENCED SPANISH TUTOR ‘ All grade levels ‘ Grammar ‘ Conversational ‘ SAT/AP ‘ Children, adults ‘ Great references. Noelle, (310) 273-3593, (310) 980-6071

SCIENCE & MATH TUTOR. All levels (elementary to college). Ph.D., MIT graduate, 30 years experience. Ed Kanegsberg, (310) 459-3614

GROZA LEARNING CENTER. Tutoring K-12, all subjects & reading. SAT, ISEE, HSPT, ACT, ERB, STAR. Caring, meticulous service. GrozaLearningCenter.com ‘ (310) 454-3731

MATH/SCIENCE TUTOR * Credentialed with 15+ years experience. Will come to you late afternoons or evenings. Specializing in GED, CAHSEE, SAT & homework. Pomona College Graduate. Call Hal, (310) 384-4507

EXPERIENCED FRENCH TUTOR tutors JHS, HS & AP students. Excellent references. Masters in education. Native French speaker, Malibu resident, very enthusiastic. Will come to you. Cate, (310) 456-5398

STANFORD MATH & SCIENCE TUTOR, 7 years exp. tutoring Pali kids. For my bio, list of classes tutored, and contact info, check out my new site: westsidestanfordtutor.com. Call (323) 309-6687

MATH TUTOR. Harvard-Westlake Junior in advanced math and science classes is available to tutor students in elementary math thru Algebra II. $20/hour. (310) 795-8249

SPANISH’Palisades resident from South America, patient & friendly, offers Spanish tutoring to all student levels. Learn, improve & gain self confidence at school, traveling, work, etc. (310) 741-8422

MUSIC LESSONS & INSTRUCTION 15h

SINGING & PERFORMANCE COACH ‘ All ages ‘ Singing ‘ Songwriting ‘ Recording ‘ Demos ‘ Talent Shows ‘ School Plays ‘ Laurie, (310) 457-4661 ‘ Native Palisadian ‘ soundeyes@aol.com

CONCRETE, MASONRY, POOLS 16c

MASONRY, CONCRETE & POOL CONTRACTOR ‘ 39 YEARS IN PACIFIC PALISADES ‘ New Construction & Remodels. Hardscapes, custom stone, stamped concrete, brick, driveways, retaining walls, BBQs, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, foundations, drainage, pool & spas, water features. Excellent local refs. Lic #309844. Bonded, ins, work comp. MIKE HORUSICKY CONSTRUCTION, INC. (310) 454-4385 ‘ WWW.HORUSICKY.COM

CONSTRUCTION 16d

ALAN PINE, GENERAL CONTRACTOR ‘ New homes ‘ Remodeling ‘ Additions ‘ Kitchen & bath ‘ Planning/architectural services ‘ Insured ‘ Local refs. Lic. #469435. (800) 800-0744 or (818) 203-8881

PALISADES CONST. SERVICES. All phase construction and remodeling. All interior and exterior construction. Additions, concrete, tile, wood work (all), brick, patios, bathrooms, fences, bedrooms, permits. We have built (2) new 2,500 sq. ft. Palisades homes in last 3 yrs. Please contact us to schedule your free consultation and free estimate. ALL JOBS WELCOME. Please call: Kevin, Brian Nunneley, (310) 488-1153. Lic. #375858 (all Palisades referrals avail.)

A-1 SUPER CONCRETE & BLOCK. Concrete patio, blockwall, stucco, foundation, driveway, painting, stamp concrete. FREE ESTIMATES. Lic. #902840 Call Tangi, (310) 592-9824 or (818) 793-4415

SEME TILE. License #920238, insured. All phases of tile work. Kitchens, bathrooms, walkways, etc. No job too small! Call Steve, (310) 663-7256. FREE estimates! Email: semetile@gmail.com & website: www.semetile.com

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. Local service only. Non-lic. Please call (310) 454-6849 or (818) 317-8286

LICHWA ELECTRIC. Remodeling, rewiring, troubleshooting. Lighting: low voltage, energy safe, indoor, outdoor, landscape. Low voltage: telephone, Internet, CCTV, home theatre, audio/video. Non-lic. Refs. LichwaElectric@gmail.com, (310) 270-8596

FENCES, DECKS 16j

THE FENCE MAN ‘ 18 years quality work ‘ Wood fences ‘ Decks ‘ Gates ‘ Chainlink & patio ‘ Wrought iron ‘ Lic. #663238, bonded. (818) 706-1996

FLOOR CARE 16m

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

JEFF HRONEK, 40 YRS. RESIDENT. HARDWOOD FLOORS INC. ‘ Sanding & Refinishing ‘ Installations ‘ Pre-finished ‘ Unfinished ‘ Lic. #608606. Bonded, Insured, Workers Comp. www.hronekhardwoodfloors.com (310) 475-1414

HANDYMAN 16o

HANDYMAN ‘ HOOSHMAN ‘ Most known name in the Palisades. Since 1975. Member Chamber of Commerce. Non-Lic. Experience do it, not lic. Call for your free est. Local refs available. 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) 487-6464

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

DJ PRO SERVICES ‘ Carpentry, Handyman, Repairs. ALL PROJECTS CONSIDERED. See my work at: www.djproservices.com ‘ Non-lic. (c) (310) 907-6169, (h) (310) 454-4121

ALL AMERICAN HANDYMAN! Quick home/office repairs. Furniture assembly, plumbing, appliances, electric & fixtures. F/T technical student. Local refs. Non-lic. Thomas, (310) 985-2928

PALISADES HANDYMAN & CONST. SERVICES. All jobs and calls welcome!! All phases of const. and home repair. A fresh alternative from the norm, very courteous, very safe, very clean!! Call for a free estimate and consultation. Please call: Kevin, Brian Nunneley, (310) 488-1153. Lic. #375858

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 16p

SANTA MONICA HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING. INSTALLATION: New and old service and repairs. Lic. #324942 (310) 393-5686

PAINTING, PAPERHANGING 16r

PAUL HORST ‘ Interior & Exterior ‘ PAINTING ‘ 56 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. Refs. Lic. #715099

SQUIRE PAINTING CO. Interior and Exterior. License #405049. 30 years. Local Service. (310) 454-8266. www.squirepainting.com

ALL SEASONS PAINTING. Kitchen cabinets, garage doors, deck & fences. Interior/exterior painting specialist. ‘Green’ environmentally friendly paint upon request. Excellent referrals. Free estimate. Lic. #571061. Randy, (310) 678-7913

REMODELING 16v

KANAN CONSTRUCTION ‘ References. BONDED ‘ INSURED ‘ St. Lic. #554451 ‘ DANIEL J. KANAN, CONTRACTOR, (310) 451-3540 / (800) 585-4-DAN

ROOFING 16w

AFFORDABLE ROOFING & General Contracting Co. (800) 806-8688

HELP WANTED 17

MYSTERY SHOPPERS earn up to $150 per day. Undercover shoppers needed to judge retail and dine-in establishments. No experience required. Call (877) 648-1571

GARDENER. Professional for residence. References. (310) 459-4746

ANTIQUES 18

ANTIQUES. Italian professional restorer specializing in waxing your home furniture. For an estimate call Lamberto at (310) 994-2986

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

Brentwd hse chock full of collectibles, books/records/some antiques. Think Valentine’s Day! 721 Moreno Drive (off San Vicente) Fri.-Sat., Feb. 12-13, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Photos/details/directions: www.bmdawson.com

HUGE GARAGE SALE: Collectibles, vintage appliances, clothes, furniture, art work, housewares, great stuff! Sat. Feb. 13th 8 a.m.-4 p.m. 710 Hartzell, Pac. Pal. *If rain, sale will be moved to Sat. Feb. 20th

PETS, LIVESTOCK 18e

CAVALIER KING CHARLES PUPPY for sale. Beautiful, sweet. AKC registered. $600. (310) 230-0120

MISCELLANEOUS 18g

DODGERS SEASON TICKETS! 20 games, 4 seats. Behind home plate, parking included. Call Jill, (310) 459-3458

PENDANT LIGHT FIXTURES. Traditional glass lanterns w/ bronze finish $175 each or 2/$300. Excellent condition; used for staging new Palisades home. Please call owner: (213) 925-8128

Jacopo’s Closes after 25 Years in Pacific Palisades

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Pedro Aispuro, veteran head chef at Jacopo's, which closed on Sunday. The restaurant was a 25-year fixture in the building next to the Shell station, just west of Via de la Paz.
Pedro Aispuro, veteran head chef at Jacopo’s, which closed on Sunday. The restaurant was a 25-year fixture in the building next to the Shell station, just west of Via de la Paz.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Jacopo’s, a pizzeria located at 15415 Sunset Blvd. since 1985, closed without warning Sunday night after the Super Bowl.   ’We’ve turned off the oven, but I wish we could have stayed,’ owner Barry Fogel told the Palisadian-Post. ‘The main thing is I want people to know that we’re sorry that we’re gone and that we’re going to miss them.’   The popular family eatery, which featured, pizza, pasta and salads, was a place people gathered for birthday parties and end-of-season baseball and AYSO celebrations. Many Pacific Palisades residents who had been customers as children were now introducing their own kids to the restaurant.   Jacopo’s was also a popular location for take-out, with about 50 percent of the orders made to go. Customers actually ate more pasta and salads than pizza, said Fogel, who estimated that pizza accounted for about 35 percent of the revenue.   As he spoke to the Post on Tuesday, Fogel was at the Sunset restaurant disassembling equipment, which he says he’ll probably store in his garage. ‘It’s awful,’ he said. ‘It was one of the hardest decisions of my life.’   Like many Pacific Palisades establishments, Jacopo’s has not been profitable since the economy took a downturn.   ’People are definitely cutting back on spending,’ Fogel said, noting that expenses have increased because of the hike in minimum wage and the cost of ingredients. He said he refused to cut corners with cheaper ingredients to save money.   In addition to the economy, Fogel noted that he had reached an impasse in lease negotiations with his landlord, the Topa Management Company.   ’They wouldn’t work with us anymore,’ Fogel said. ‘I had no option. I tried until a week ago. I was working on a past-due balance. I even went to court, but basically they just wanted a new tenant.’   ’There were irreconcilable differences between the landlord and the owner,’ said Larry Hait, attorney for Topa. ‘The owner has agreed to give up possession of the premises to the landlord.’   Jacopo’s employees were unaware the restaurant was closing until Fogel made the announcement Sunday night. Most of his staff, including head chef Pedro Aispuro, who has been with Jacopo’s for 35 years, will transfer to Fogel’s sole remaining restaurant in Beverly Hills.   Fogel, who has a 14-year-old son Max, and a 10-year-old daughter Lily, said, ‘It was an honor to serve the people in Pacific Palisades. We’re going to miss them very much.’

PaliHi Creates Banners Policy

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In collaboration with the community, Palisades Charter High School leaders are developing a new sign policy for banners displayed on perimeter fences around campus.   School administrators have received complaints from community members about the quantity and look of the banners, which display everything from fundraisers to summer camp registrations.   For that reason, PaliHi’s Operations Manager Maisha-Cole Perri asked Pacific Palisades Community Council member Harry Sondheim to help her write a policy. She also wanted to include the input of community groups that hang their banners around campus, so she asked Matt Davidson of Kehillat Israel to join them.   ’PaliHi is a part of the community, and we want to work together to solve issues as they come up,’ Perri told the Palisadian-Post.   As a result of their meeting, the Community Council approved the sign policy at its January 28 meeting and PaliHi’s Operations, Facilities and Technology Committee followed suit on February 1. However, the PaliHi committee made one change to the policy, so Perri needs to talk to Sondheim before the motion is presented to the school’s Policy Committee for official adoption.   Sondheim requested that PaliHi not place any banners on Sunset Boulevard because it is designated as a scenic highway under the Brentwood-Pacific Palisades Community Plan. He asked that signs on Temescal Canyon Road be at least five feet from Sunset.   PaliHi’s committee agreed to forgo signs on Sunset, but wants to hang them on Temescal one foot from Sunset.   '[The committee] wanted to utilize that corner at Temescal and Sunset since there is a lot of traffic there,’ Perri said.   Other than that change, the school committee and the Council agreed that only four school-related banners would be placed on Temescal Canyon Road and El Medio Avenue.   The banners from community groups will be limited to four on Temescal and two on El Medio. School personnel will hang the banners and allow them to remain up for two to three weeks. Groups will not be allowed to put up banners more than four times during the year.   ’We wanted to limit the number and time, so one group doesn’t dominate,’ Perri said. Right now, there is no set time limit for how long a banner can be displayed.   Nonprofit organizations that pay to use the school’s facilities are allowed to put up signs to promote their events, Perri said. The administration also allows organizations that have made generous donations to the school to display their signs. For-profit companies are prohibited.   The school cannot charge any group a fee to hang a banner on campus because the Los Angeles Unified School District owns the fence, Perri said. PaliHi is an independent charter school, which rents its facilities from LAUSD.

Palisades Doctor Serves in Haiti with L.A. County Rescue Team

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Pacific Palisades resident Bruce Cummings, D.O., FACEP recently returned from nine days in Port au Prince, Haiti, where he was a medical team manager on the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue team.   A total of 53 USAR Heavy Rescue teams from around the world were deployed to Port au Prince immediately after the catastrophic 7.0 earthquake. The government of Haiti requested international aide through the United Nations, which sent requests to participating nations with Heavy Rescue team capabilities. The U.S. State Department responded with several USAR teams.   After two weeks, these 75-person heavy rescue teams (and their search dogs) returned to their home countries and the 12-man, L.A. County Fire Department USAR team with Cummings was deployed at the request of the United Nations, to respond to any further collapsed structure rescue needs and provide humanitarian aid to local orphanages.   Port au Prince has 300 orphanages in the city. Through referrals from UNICEF, the L.A. County USAR team was able to build and provide large tents, sleeping cots and electrical generators for five orphanages, all provided from the American people.   Cummings has assisted or deployed with the County’s USAR program for the past 18 years, including Hurricane Iniki, the Oklahoma City bombing tragedy, the Northridge earthquake apartment collapse, the Indonesian earthquake and tsunami, and the 2008 earthquake near Chengdu, China.   Cummings credits his parents for instilling in him a desire to give back to the community and those in need. He is a fulltime emergency medicine physician at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in the San Fernando Valley. He and his wife, Gracia Goade, M.D., have daughters at Calvary Christian School in Pacific Palisades and a daughter teaching elementary school English in Nanjing, China.

Via de Las Olas Bluffs Monitored by the City

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The Via de las Olas bluffs, between Friends Street and Mt. Holyoke, offer sweeping views of the ocean and coastline from Palos Verdes to Point Dume.   Yet these bluffs have also been prone to landslide activity over the years, the latest incident coming on January 19 when dirt, rocks, uprooted trees and shrubs came crashing down the hillside from near the Mt. Holyoke lookout, stopping just short of Pacific Coast Highway. (Palisadian-Post, January 28).   The most infamous landslide off Via de las Olas was ‘the killer slide’ on March 31, 1958 that buried one person under 100 feet of dirt and rock at the foot of Via de la Paz. PCH was subsequently moved around the toe of the slide, closer to the ocean.   According to a June 2004 Bureau of Street Services document prepared for former City Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, Via de las Olas was ‘withdrawn from public use’ in the late 1950s owing to public safety concerns following the landslide.   Palisadian-Post files reveal that Miscikowski also received a May 2004 geotechnical report stating that Occidental Petroleum did extensive geotechnical studies in the 1960s and ’70s directed toward stabilizing the landslide so that they could drill for oil in an area along PCH, just south of Temescal Canyon Road. As part of the project, 22 hydraugers were installed into the landslide debris and beneath Via de las Olas. Concrete terrace drains were also installed on the surface of the landslide in order to minimize erosion.   Failing to receive approval to drill, Occidental Petroleum turned the property over to the city.   The 2004 geotechnical report also noted that reactivation of a large portion of the existing landslide could remove lateral support for Via de la Olas and affect PCH, and for this reason, the area should be periodically monitored. The report recommended that the city maintain and replace hydraugers to continue to stabilize the landslide, clean and repair the drains and install inclinometers along the scarp above the landslide and just below to the street in order to monitor future movement.   The Post recently queried Richard Lee, spokesperson for the Department of Public Works, whether something should be done to shore up Via de las Olas. He reported that ‘The washouts on January 19 are part of the natural headward migration of the bluff area that has been ongoing in the Pacific Palisades area. The area is periodically monitored prior to and during periods of heavy rainfall by city geologists. At this time, there does not appear to be an increased danger to the road or residences due to these washouts.’   Lee added that since 2004, bulkhead construction along the southeast portion of Via de las Olas and the realignment of the sewer and storm drains away from the large landslide have repaired and protected a critical portion of the roadway.

Thursday, February 11 – Thursday, February 18

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11

  Award-winning journalist Susan Zeidler reads and signs her debut novel, ‘The Practice Room,’ a young-adult science fiction tale, 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12

  Jo Maeder discusses ‘When I Married My Mother: A Daughter’s Search for What Really Matters’and How She Found It Caring for Mama Jo,’ 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore.   Theatre Palisades presents Neil Simon’s ‘Chapter Two,’ 8 p.m. at the Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Rd., through February 14. For tickets, call (310) 454-1970. The comedy, directed by Sherman Wayne and produced by Martha Hunter, plays Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13

  Free screening of the 1976 film ‘Robin and Marian,’ 1 p.m. at the Palisades Branch Library, 861 Alma Real. The film is a romantic tale of the later years of Robin Hood and Maid Marian, starring Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn.   Opening reception for ‘Ice,’ Tatiana Botton’s photographs of icebergs in Antarctica, 5 to 8 p.m. at g169, on West Channel Road in Santa Monica Canyon. (See Lifestyle feature, page 9.)

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14

  Pacific Palisades resident Julie Van Herwerden and her students read ‘Kids Love Love!’ 4 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Haitian earthquake relief.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15

  Jay and Maggie Jessup discuss and sign ‘Fame 101,’ a playbook for professional success, 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16

  Storytime for children ages 3 and up, 4 p.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real.   Culture in the Canyon at the Chautauqua Series features ‘Native Cultures from Mountains to Sea,’ 7:30 p.m. in Woodland Hall in Temescal Gateway Park. Free admission. (See story, page 10.)   The Malibu Orchid Society hosts Peter T. Lin, who will speak on the three A’s of the orchid world”angraecum, aerangis and aeranthes, 7:30 p.m. at the Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford. (See story, page 14.)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17

  Dorothy Lamb Crawford signs ‘Windfall of the Musicians: Hitler’s ‘migr’s and Exiles in Southern California,’ 7:30 p.m. at Village Books, 1049 Swarthmore. Her book examines the brilliant gathering of composers, conductors, and other musicians who fled Nazi Germany and arrived in Los Angeles. (See story, page 10.)

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18

  Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting, 7 p.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. The public is invited.

The Tip of the Iceberg

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Tatiana Botton captures the mystery of the icebergs in Antarctica in her 4 x 6-ft. photographs on display at g169 Gallery in Santa Monica Canyon from February 13 through March.
Tatiana Botton captures the mystery of the icebergs in Antarctica in her 4 x 6-ft. photographs on display at g169 Gallery in Santa Monica Canyon from February 13 through March.

Photographer Tatiana Botton brings her abstract eye to the strange and mutable iceberg at her first solo exhibition ‘Ice’ from February 13 through March at g169 on West Channel Road in Santa Monica Canyon. The opening reception will be on Saturday, February 13 from 5 to 8 p.m.   Floating, sailing, twisting and melting in the vast world of Antarctica, icebergs are the fascination for Botton, surprisingly, because she had originally thought that she would prefer the land-based phenomena, such as the penguins, on her trip to Antarctica.   During her 14-day excursion aboard the National Geographic Explorer ship in October, Botton and her partner, Lauren McCollum, managed to survive the notoriously choppy, turbulent waters of Drake’s Passage’a two-day endurance test from the tip of Argentina to the Antarctic peninsula.   ’It was 48 hours of straight crossing’or for some, two days of lying in bed,’ Botton says. The benefit, though, was that the passengers were well informed by the time they emerged from the trial. The Explorer is equipped with a team of scientists, who offer videos and presentations on the strange, empty continent.   Although Botton was able to get close to the many varieties of penguin (minus the majestic emperors), she was transfixed by the icebergs.   ’I think the best pictures I took were of the tabular icebergs,’ she says. These particular icebergs have a flat, table-like top and steep sides. She credits a middle-of-the night view from the deck for her splendid shots. ‘The captain had promised the passengers that if the light was good at 3:30 a.m.’by the time we had cleared Drake’s Passage’he would wake us up via intercom. At 3:30, I woke spontaneously, put on all my gear and went out in the 10-below night air. There was a white cloud cover, no sunlight (at this time of year, spring in South America is daylight most of the time). The flat light made it easier to photograph the icebergs.’ Botton remained on deck shooting the gigantic shapes until about 8 in the morning, at which time a few more brave souls joined her.   Botton, 38, specializes in advertising and editorial portraits but fits her Antarctic expedition into the category of personal work. ‘Right now it’s all about panoramic landscapes,’ she says. Future projects may include a trip to Hawaii to study and photograph the lava flows, and perhaps a study of the desert.   Botton, whose father is French, grew up in Cannes and Barcelona, where she studied American literature and filmmaking. She moved to Los Angeles in 1994 to study journalism at UCLA, and has remained ever since. She and Lauren and their cat make their home in Santa Monica.   ’While writing for publications in the U.S. and Spain, I discovered photography,’ she says. ‘Making people look beautiful was initially easy for me and drew me in, but capturing the ‘essence,’ as one art director said to me, was the real challenge. I found that I had to approach each subject intuitively.’   Botton was attracted to icebergs for their abstract shapes, and was further intrigued by the names of their locations that speak to the fabled lore and silent starkness of the continent. Names like Deception Island and Paradise Bay encourage the visitor to create their own narrative, she says.   Botton’s association with Frank Langen’s g169 came about through Langen’s girlfriend Diana Brown, a good friend. His gallery in Santa Monica offered an agreeable fit with her interest in marrying art with philanthropy. Twenty percent of the proceeds of this exhibition will be given to Heal The Bay, whose mission is to protect and preserve the health of Santa Monica Bay.   She and Lauren have just closed on a commercial building in Santa Monica’an old printing press at Tenth and Broadway’that they intend to open as an art studio/gallery. ‘I would like to combine art with charity, particularly with local organizations,’ Botton says. ‘We’ve already talked with L.A.’s Best, an after-school education and enrichment program for elementary school kids.’ Botton will be on hand at Saturday’s reception to talk further about her Antarctica adventure. ‘It’s an amazing location; from one season to the next, it will always be different. No matter how many photographers come, they will never be able to find the same picture again.’

Wood’s Whimsical ‘Plants’

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“Untitled,” 2009, oil on linen, is a good example of Wood

The Armand Hammer Museum has been on a roll in recent months, with shows by Charles Burchfield and Robert Crumb. Add to this eclectic, electric list the young abstract artist Jonas Wood, whose whimsical series of paintings based on plants are a must-see. ‘I’m only relying on structure: plant and base,’ Wood tells the Palisadian-Post on a recent visit to his Culver City home base. And that’s about it. The minimalist painter jettisons three-dimensional planes and perspective from his latest group of canvases. Alive with simple shapes and basic colors which all at once evoke Joan Mir’, Alexander Calder and perhaps some wonderfully dated-looking art from a Little Golden children’s book or the cover of a funky 1960s jazz album, Wood’s paintings are now on display through May 9 at the Hammer, located at Wilshire and Westwood Boulevards. In addition to various group shows, Wood’s work has been the subject of solo exhibitions in New York, Chicago and Tokyo. Wood’s Culver City studio is located at the end of a busy alley in an industrial area lined with hangars of auto parts and furniture imports. A small black dog named Robot greets the Post reporter on a recent visit. In one corner of the room, Wood’s assistant will spend the entire time focused on his laptop, as if posing for a still life. As solid as the work is, Wood’s Hammer exhibit may be a disservice to him as an artist, as it represents only one facet of what he does. Here at his studio, there’s a much wider breadth on display, and the artist, casual in a royal blue track suit jacket, is surrounded by oversized works in various stages of completion: abstracted portraits based on family photos and baseball cards, interiors, a Spalding basketball. But at the Hammer, viewers will see his series of potted plants, distilled to their very essence: leaves, stem, base. All of these oil-on-linen works are untitled. Wood is not particularly excited about titling his individual paintings. But he does have a label for the group of nine abstracts already there hanging at the Hammer. ‘The name of the show is ‘New Plants,” Woods says. ‘I want you to know that these are plants.’ Or ‘very simplified plant forms,’ as he dubs them. Wood did not consciously set out to emulate or evoke Calder, an artist he enjoys, but he relates to and connects with Calder’s ‘primal struggle’ between dimensions. On one table sits a miniature model of the gallery space at the Hammer which Wood created to see how the paintings would be organized. Next to this cardboard construction, which features thumbnail versions of the paintings on display, are under-drawings for paintings of the model itself. Instead of painting existing interiors, as he has often done, ‘I’m doing the reverse,’ he says, ‘creating hypothetical interiors.’ Wood, who turns 33 this year, was born in Boston and raised in the suburb Weston. He received a B.A. in psychology from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in upstate New York, and his M.F.A. from the University of Washington in 2002. Upon graduation, he knew he didn’t want to return to the East Coast, so he moved to Los Angeles in 2003 at the urging of a buddy, sculptor Matt Johnson. Unlike, say, San Francisco, L.A. has an important art scene, Wood says. Unlike New York, L.A. has good weather going for it. The artist does see some California influence in some work, ‘particularly the cactus and succulents out here.’ To him, the palm trees are exotic, ‘prehistoric.’ One painting features a bird of paradise atop a Sony stereo speaker, which is broken down into geometric shapes and cool, muted colors. Interiors of his parents’ and grandparents’ homes are a kind of ground zero from which many of his abstract images emerged, to be re-contextualized. One of the paintings in the Hammer show, a predominantly yellow canvas with wan doodles earmarked by a red triangle wedge, is based on his painting of a children’s drawing made by his older sister, pinned to the wall of his childhood home and appeared in the background of another painting. From a portrait of his mother with a cat seated in front of a group of plants, Wood created a series reinterpreting those plants as seen in the painting, not the source photos. ‘I’ve been painting the art in the back of my paintings,’ Wood says. ‘There are all sorts of abstractions, all these little moments’ which he likes to re-contextualize as new works of art. ‘But it’s still from me. I don’t feel as detached.’ He points to the vague reds and yellows behind Oil Can Boyd on a baseball card pinned to the wall. ‘I could say everything about those things,’ he says, regarding those blurry shapes. On one wall, his portrait of Pablo Picasso hangs among his interpretations of baseball heroes. ‘All of the Boston sports teams are my teams,’ he says, showing his rendition of former Celtic Larry Bird. Wood walks the Post through some of his process. Take a particularly lively portrait of Wood’s wife, ceramist Shio Kusaka (who is now about seven months pregnant with their first child), and Robot, amid striped furniture and a gaudy chandelier. In the painting”in which Wood exploits patterns in Kusaka’s dress, the furniture, and in the repetition created by the chandelier’s candleholders”art imitates life as Robot is depicted doing exactly what he does during the Post’s visit: slumbering in a black, long-haired lump.   Wood suggests that a common technique cuts across all of his paintings, regardless of subject matter. ‘There’s a flatness in my work,’ he says. That is Wood’s legerdemain, making such minimalism look effortless and fresh. Wood believes that ‘only in the last three or four years have I been making work that’s important [in terms of his artistic evolution].’ So does Wood worry that ‘New Plants’ might erroneously suggest an artist with a narrow type of output? ‘I have a fear of being pigeonholed,’ he says, quickly adding that he does not fret about these images representing his first major West Coast show. ‘History compresses an artist’s work to make people think they’re doing only a certain kind of work,’ Wood says. ‘I’m not going to be concerned if people are [upset] if I never do anything like this again.’

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