“Folks, we can’t just complain about the traffic,” Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told a Palisades Democratic Club gathering last Sunday. “We all have to be part of the solution.” Although the mayor realized that virtually every person in his audience of about 250 people is wedded to a car 24/7, he earnestly tried to promote his campaign for lessening that dependence. “Traffic congestion is everywhere, not just here on the Westside,” Villaraigosa said, “and the only way out is to change our patterns of living. We’ve got to get more people to carpool, to walk, to get on a bus. As you ride buses, you’ll realize, ‘Hey, this is okay, it works.’ ” Spotting County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky in the audience, the mayor said: “I see Zev as an important ally in my efforts to expand our rapid-transit system in the city, with buses and light rail.” He noted that funding is back on track for Phase I of the Expo light-rail line from downtown L.A. to Culver City, a project that will be completed “by 2009, because it already has a dedicated right of way.” Phase II will extend the line to Santa Monica. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Villaraigosa reiterated his commitment to address widespread poverty in Los Angeles. “If we had had this tragedy in Los Angeles, the world would have seen the poverty capital of the United States,” Villaraigosa said. “We have more poor people and more uninsured people than any other city. Just go downtown, to Pico Union, to South L.A., and you see the dilapidated houses, the schools where so many kids are dropping out.” “A great city, a healthy city, has to be a place where people are growing and prospering together,” the mayor said. “That’s what I’m going to be working on.” Earlier, City Councilwoman Bill Rosendahl reiterated many of the goals he outlined during this past spring’s campaign, and he praised the 22-person staff he has hired. They include Palisadians Norman Kulla, his district director and senior counsel; Laurie Sale, his arts, education and cultural deputy; and Reza Ahef, a constituent advocate. “I’m only as good as my staff, and hopefully my staff is better than me so we will have a sm smooth-functioning District,” Rosendahl said. “My number job is constituent services.” He noted that his staff is “a hybrid blend of folks’young and old, men and women, gay and straight,” and that residents should always remember: “My number one job is constituent services.” Among those attending Sunday’s event were four early candidates for Assemblywoman Fran Pavley’s termed-out seat in 2006: Julia Brownley, Barry Groveman, Kelly Hayes-Raitt and Louise Rishoff. The primary election will be held next June 6.
Mort’s Deli Is in the Spotlight
Bobbie Farberow, owner of Mort’s Deli, helped Councilman Bill Rosendahl keep a campaign promise Tuesday. Running for office last spring, Rosendahl vowed that if he were elected, he would treat the City Council to Mort’s famous chicken matzoball soup. “He loves the soup,” Faberow said, “and it brings him good luck”‘he had a bowl for lunch the day of primary (which he won) and the day of the general election two months later. On Tuesday this week, Faberow and two employees, Esperanza Caulderon and Abelino Martinez, loaded up Mort’s van with an oversized thermos that contained enough soup to feed 20 people, and drove downtown. They brought along crackers, bowls and spoons and carried a chafing dish to keep the soup hot. Bobbie had two concerns before leaving. She wanted to make sure she had directions on how to get past security, but more importantly, she hoped the council members would like the soup. “I want to tell you,” Bobbie said upon her return to the Palisades, “they were so nice and so gracious. They loved the soup, and one of them said, ‘When we come to your area, we’re going to eat at your place.'” In addition to catering to politicians on Tuesday, Mort’s Deli was the backdrop for an HBO television show last Sunday night. Fans of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” the comedy show starring Palisadian Larry David, may have recognized Mort’s in the opening episode of the new season. Although the deli was called Leo’s, the show was actually filmed in the Palisades at Mort’s. In the story line, the deli owner has decided to name a sandwich after Larry David. But the sandwich consists of white fish, sable, capers, onions and cream cheese’everything that David hates. He tells the deli owner that no one is going to buy “his” sandwich, and he asks Leo to switch and name his sandwich after actor Ted Danson, whose sandwich has everything in it that people love like turkey, tomato, swiss and Russian dressing. The deli owner refuses to switch sandwiches, even after Shelly Berman, playing David’s father, orders the “Larry David” sandwich and then has a stroke, which could possibly be blamed on the sandwich. Ultimately, Leo tires of David’s whinning and cajoling, takes David’s name off the sandwich board and names the sandwich after another comedian, Richard Lewis. Arnie Wishnik, executive director of the Palisades Chamber of Commerce, and his wife Cathie thought the episode was funny but that the actor playing the deli owner was “over the top.” “If Mort was alive, he should have played this role,” Cathie said. “He would have been more believable and more fun.” Mort Farberow died three years ago tomorrow, on September 30.
Palisades Garden Club to Host Talk on Plant Propagation October 3
”The Palisades Garden Club will hold its first meeting of the club’s new year with a lecture/demonstration on plant propagation methods by horticulturalist Stephen Williams on Monday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford. ”Williams, who worked as plant propagator at the Huntington Gardens, is currently an instructor in horticulture at Mt. San Antonio College. ”He will present a PowerPoint demonstration on the finer points of plant propagation by making cuttings, growing from seeds and air-layering, which is a method of producing roots on the stem of indoor landscape plants that have become “leggy” through the loss of their lower foliage. ”Air-layering has been used successfully as a mean of propagating some of the more difficult-to-root plants. In this procedure, believed to have been developed centuries ago by the Chinese, the gardener winds the stem or branch of a plant and encloses the wounded stem with moist sphagnum moss or similar rooting medium until roots develop from the wounded area. Success depends on keeping the rooting medium moist until the roots are formed and large enough to support the new plant. Since the development of polyethylene film, air-layering has become a practical method of propagation for the home gardener and amateur horticulturist. ”Refreshments will be served, and the public is invited.
Schumann’s Piano Concerto Opens St. Matthew’s Season
St. Matthew’s Music Guild kicks off its 2005/6 series at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 14, at St. Matthew’s Church in Pacific Palisades. The gala opening night concert features pianist Mark Robson performing Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, with the St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Music Director and Conductor Thomas Neenan. The concert, which initiates the Music Guild’s 21st anniversary season, will also include Mendelssohn’s “Italian” symphony and two tone poem miniatures by Frederick Delius. The theme for the November 11 concert is “Much Ado about Something” and features Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s incidental music for the Shakespeare play “Much Ado about Nothing.” The concert includes Arvo P’rt’s haunting “Fratres” (Brothers) and music of Stravinsky and Respighi. On December 2, The Choir of St. Matthew’s Parish will join the orchestra in performing a Christmas classic, Bach’s majestic Magnificat in D. Vivaldi’s Mandolin Concerto in D and Corelli’s “Christmas” Concerto will round out the program. The Annual Palisades Family Christmas Concert will be performed on Sunday December 11 at 3 p.m. This holiday favorite features the combined choirs of St. Matthew’s Parish, brass ensemble and organist Roger Daggy. Seasonal classics and an audience sing-along will highlight the program. This concert is free and open to everyone. On January 20, pianist Andrew von Oeyen returns for a solo recital. One of the most highly sought after young pianists on the international stage, von Oeyen will perform Beethoven’s “Eroica” Variations, the Piano Sonata by Leos Janacek and music of Maurice Ravel. On Feburary 10, two of this country’s finest early music vocal ensembles, the Concord Ensemble and Voxfire, come together to perform two sumptuous oratorios by Giacomo Carissimi. These seldom-heard Baroque masterpieces will be complemented by Renaissance motets for multiple choirs, organ, harpsichord and continuo ensemble. On March 24, St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra presents a perennial favorite’Concerto Night. Orchestra members David Sarachene, Jim Lasota, David Mergen and Phil Feather will be the featured soloists. The program will include Haydn’s C major Cello Concerto, the Bassoon Concerto of Mozart, a new work for saxophone and orchestra by Ross Wright and Peter Davidson’s “From My Travels” for flute and orchestra. The concertmaster of St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra, Yi-Huan Zhao will be the featured soloist at the April 28 concert. Zhao will perform two works by Camille Saint-Saens, the Introduction and Rondo, and “Havanaise.” The April concert will also include music for wind ensemble and harpsichord by Alec Wilder, selections from “Nuit d’Ete” (Summer Nights), by Berlioz and Three Songs for mezzo-soprano, violin and orchestra by Benedykt Brydern. On June 2 the season will close with a nod to the 250th anniversary of the birth of Mozart. Included will be the Solemn Vespers, sung by the St. Matthew’s Parish Choir, and the Concerto in A Major with soloist Patricia Massey. The concert will also include Copland’s “Quiet City,” featuring trumpeter David Searfoss and English horn soloist Phil Feather. All concerts take place at St. Matthew’s Parish, 1031 Bienveneda Avenue, Pacific Palisades. A subscription to all eight concerts is $165. Single tickets may be purchased at the door for $22. Complimentary intermission refreshments are offered at all concerts and convenient free parking is available in the church lot. For information contact 573-7787 (ext.2) or visit the Music Guild’s Web site: www.stmatthews.com/musicguild.
Conservancy Illuminates Wilshire Boulevard
There is, in every great city of the world, some particularly distinguished thoroughfare beside whose glories the municipality’s other avenues seem commonplace. With Paris, one thinks of the Champs Elysee; with London, the Pall Mall; Berlin, Unter den Linden; New York’s sleek Fifth Avenue; and Chicago, the wide and windswept Michigan Avenue. It is highly significant that Wilshire Boulevard has become, throughout the world, synonymous with Los Angeles. So proclaimed Wilshire Tropics Magazine in 1930. The journal’s assessment was shared by a long line of visionaries, boosters and planners who have marked Wilshire Boulevard as the symbolic spine of the city. Indeed, few streets in any other city can boast the number of landmarks, natural wonders, museums, diversity and density that exist on the boulevard’s 16-mile stretch from downtown to the beach in Santa Monica. The Los Angeles Conservancy will spotlight the history of Wilshire Boulevard during its new “Curating the City” initiative that includes an ambitious slate of programs happening over seven weeks. It launches this Sunday, October 2 with a one-day architectural tour showcasing interior spaces in six important landmarks along Wilshire. “Wilshire Boulevard is a microcosm of the city at large,” says Catherine Gudis, the Conservancy’s director of education. “Its growth parallels the growth of the city.” Gudis goes on to say how the overarching title, “Curating the City,” deliberately takes on the museum metaphor. “Our goal is to turn the city into a living museum. By putting a frame around some place, it gives an opportunity to reflect on ideas and history. There’s no one clear story, rather many layers to the story.” It’s this kind of approach’looking at historic buildings in a much larger context than simply the embodiment of an architectural style’that the Conservancy hopes will broaden its audience. “We want to get people to think of the built environment as part of a whole urban fabric,” Gudis says. The Conservancy, established in the 1970s, grew out of the community-based effort to prevent demolition of the L.A. Central Library. The organization has grown to a membership of over 8,000 households and its mission is two-fold: advocacy and education. “We need to continue to build a preservation ethic among Los Angelenos,” says Gudis, who regards the recent lost battle to save the Roosevelt Hotel as a reminder of the need to be ever-vigilant. “We want people to think about what is lost when buildings aren’t around to tell us about our common heritage.” The Conservancy plans to offer a new “Curating the City” exhibition every few years, highlighting a distinct part of the city. Spanning three cities and countless diverse commerical and residential neighborhoods, Wilshire Boulevard provides an especially rich history lesson. Not only does it showcase all the major architectural styles of the 20th century, it also highlights patterns of migration and immigration, tells the story of L.A.’s fascination with the automobile, and unearths colorful biographies of the city’s early movers and shakers. Interestingly, Wilshire Boulevard did not evolve in a straight westward line. It actually began in 1875 in Santa Monica, as Nevada Avenue, and in the 1880s as Orange Street from downtown to Westlake (now MacArthur) Park, then grew in fits and starts in other sections. The only thing separating downtown from the rest of the Boulevard was Westlake Park. In 1934, a causeway was built over the lake, splitting the park in two but completing the final leg of the Boulevard. The Boulevard got its name from the flamboyant, socialist-millionaire Henry Gaylord Wilshire, who arrived in Los Angeles from Ohio in the late 1800s. “He was such a cool character,” says Gudis, who describes how the man’s unusual legacy includes having a monopoly on the billboard industry and promoting a pseudo-medical device in the form of a belt that promised to cure everything from baldness to cancer. Ironically, while Wilshire espoused socialism and even ran for public office under its banner, he is best known for shaping what was to become the city’s first upscale residential area near downtown. To ensure the residential character of a 35-acre tract he had purchased in 1895 (located between today’s MacArthur and Lafayette Parks), he donated to the city a four-block strip down the center of it for the establishment of a boulevard to bear his name. This came with the stipulation that railroad lines and commercial and industrial trucking be banned. True to Wilshire’s vision, the area soon became dotted with large mansions. Gudis refers to the automobile as the main character in the story of Wilshire Boulevard, serving as the major catalyst in its development. When Bullocks Wilshire opened in 1929, it was the first department store that put the car at center stage, with the main entrance to the building’and valet parking’at the rear. The commercialization of Wilshire continued farther west when the one-mile stretch between La Brea and Fairfax Avenues, dubbed “Miracle Mile,” was developed. Beginning in the 1920s, A.W. Ross envisioned the area as a commercial center to rival downtown. “He knew the automobile was going to make this place happen,” Gudis explains. At the time, it was described as “Ross’ Folly,” since the Boulevard was a dirt road surrounded by bean fields, and the only notable structures were oil derricks. “He had the last laugh,” Gudis adds. Another defining moment for the Boulevard came when the 13-story height limit was lifted in 1957. Some 22 high-rise office buildings were erected in the Wilshire Center area from 1966 to 1976, and during the 1980s, scores of high-rise and high-cost condominiums were erected along the stretch of Wilshire in Westwood. The diverse architectural gems to be opened for docent-led tours on October 2 are The Elks Club, now the Park Plaza Hotel (Curlett and Beelman, 1925), built in the elite Westlake area to host L.A.’s society set; the Art Deco Bullocks Wilshire building (John and Donald Parkinson, 1929) a restored landmark that is now part of the Southwestern University School of Law campus; and the Wilshire Boulevard Temple (A.M. Adelman, S. Tilden Norton, and David S. Allison, 1929) with its immense Byzantine dome. Also featured will be Johnie’s Coffee Shop (Armet and Davis, 1955) an icon of the “Googie” aesthetic; the Victorian-styled Wadsworth Chapel (J. Lee Burton, 1900), the oldest building on Wilshire Boulevard; and the Spanish Colonial Revival Miles Playhouse (John Byers, 1929) in Santa Monica. “The tour is going to be a blast,” says an enthusiastic Gudis. “There will be special attractions at each of the sites.” Tickets for the Sunday, October 2 one-day, self-guided architectural tour are $35 ($25 for Conservancy members and $12.50 for students under 21 with a valid I.D.). To order tickets, call (213) 623-2489 or visit www.curatingthecity.org.
Stuart F. Grant, 88; A 53-Year Resident
Surrounded by family, longtime resident Stuart Francis Grant passed away September 9. He was 88. Born in Alberta, Canada, Grant moved to the U.S. and attended high school in Seattle. He had a life-long interest in aviation, devoting 45 years to this pursuit as a supervisor for Trans World Airlines. He also loved the outdoors and regularly enjoyed hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains. A resident of Pacific Palisades for over 53 years, Grant was an active member of Corpus Christi Church. He will always be remembered as a caring, compassionate husband, father and friend’always ready and willing to help where he could. He will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Dollie; his son Greg Grant (wife Julie) of Anchorage, Alaska; and his daughters, Patricia Boras (husband David) of Redondo Beach and Barbara Cook of Ventura. He also leaves behind 11 grandchildren. Funeral services were held on September 15 at Holy Cross Cemetery. Monsignor Liam Kidney of Corpus Christ Church officiated.
Rudy Orlando, 81; Longtime Palisadian
Rudolph (Rudy) T. Orlando, a longtime resident, passed away from cancer on September 19 at St. John’s Hospital. He was 81. Born on December 3, 1923 in Santa Monica, Orlando attended Santa Monica public schools and Santa Monica College, and graduated from Humboldt State. During World War II, he joined in the Merchant Marines as a radio officer and traveled the world from 1943 to 1949. From 1950 on, he went into a private family business in Santa Monica. Orlando and his wife of 49 years, Arden, raised their family in Pacific Palisades. In his spare time, he enjoyed golf, watching sports, and was a member of the Santa Monica Boys Club and the Lions Club of Santa Monica. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children Michele Warren and Denise Orlando, and grandchildren Demi, Dani and Brett Warren of Atlanta, Georgia. Memorials in Rudy Orlando’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Diabetes Society.
Ralph Hedges; Taught at PaliHi
Veteran Palisades High School chemistry teacher Ralph Everett Hedges, who lived in Santa Monica, passed away on September 22 at the age of 80. Born on November 2, 1924, Hedges served in the U. S. Army in World War II and graduated from UCLA in chemistry. He began teaching high school chemistry in 1958, and was on the faculty at PaliHi from 1962 until he retired in 1988. He taught regular chemistry, honors and advanced placement and was considered a “challenging” teacher. One student, when asked on the quad whether he wanted Mr. Cole or Mr. Hedges, was overhead saying, “It doesn’t matter, they’re both harder than hell!” Hedges was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica and a member of Alpha Gamma Omega Retired Teachers. After he retired, he delivered Meals on Wheels for 18 years, first with another volunteer, and then later with his wife, Marilyn. The two often brought extra goodies to their house-bound seniors, including baked sweets and flowers from their garden. They also loved to travel, visiting all 50 states and many countries. While at PaliHi, Hedges was the American Field Service representative for several years and would arrange student exchanges abroad. In addition to his wife of 51 years, he is survived by his children, Kathleen Loftman (husband Russell) and Robert Hedges (wife Patricia), and sisters Elizabeth Hedges and Marie Rourke. A celebration of his life will be held on October 1 at 2 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, 1008 11th Street in Santa Monica. In lieu of flowers, contributions made to the Hedges Family Scholarship, 1008 11th Street; The Music Concert Fund, c/o United Methodist Church, 1008 11th Street; or Santa Monica/Palisades/Malibu Meals on Wheels, P.O. Box 7001, Santa Monica, CA 90406-7001.
St. Matthew’s Spikers Overcome Crossroads
Head coach Andy Bernstein split his seventh-grade team up in a double header against a pair of teams from Crossroads. In the first match, the Falcons’ seventh-graders beat Crossroads’ sixth-graders 25-9, 26-24. In the first game, St. Matthew’s was led by setter Kellie Barnum and Alexandra Stage, who combined to serve 14 points. Catherine Wang, Bo Campot, Lauren Kaufman, Laurel Irvine, Annie McNutt, Lauren Jones and Kelly Ohriner contribued with pinpoint passing and solid defense. In the second game, setters Taylor Bartholomew and Danielle Greenberg combined to serve 15 points and Ohriner finished off the match with two aces. In the second match, St. Matthew’s seventh-graders beat the Roadrunners’ seventh-grade squad, 25-23, 25-11. Barnum and Greenberg ran the offense once again, combining for 13 service points in the first game. Lucy Davis, Katie Hathaway, Christine Kanoff, Meredith Kornfeind, Kaitlyn Power and Barbara Vlietstra provided the offense and defense to pull it out. Game 2 saw the Falcons put forth a well-balanced team effort from the start, as nine different players tallied service points, led by Barnum’s eight and Kornfeind’s six.
Volleyball Outlasts Santa Monica
In its toughest test so far this season, the Palisades High girls varsity volleyball team passed with flying colors. Facing crosstown rival Santa Monica last Thursday on the sparkling new PaliHi gymnasium floor, the Dolphins fell behind two games to one before rallying to win the final two games and avenge last year’s loss to the Vikings. Sophomore middle blocker Alex Lunder admitted it was not an easy victory. “SaMo was a very tough match. It went back and forth and we were able to pull it out at the end.” New coach Matt Shubin, who has had only two weeks of practice time with the team since being hired three days before the season opener, said beating Santa Monica was a huge confidence booster. “I’m really proud of the girls for coming back the way they did. We came from behind to win the fourth game and trailed 3-0 at the start of the fifth game but came on strong to win it 17-15. That shows a lot of character.” Two days later, Palisades participated in the Chatsworth Tournament and took third place, winning all of its pool play matches before losing in the semifinals to Narbonne, 25-18. “There were about 20 schools there so we got to see some of the better teams in the City,” Shubin said. “Based on what I saw, we should do pretty well in the playoffs as long as we keep improving.” On Monday, Palisades traveled to Fairfax for its Western League opener and swept the host Lions, 25-11, 25-18, 25-23. The Dolphins took a 9-0 lead in Game 2, which senior Alina Kheyfets ended with a crosscourt kill. Palisades trailed 21-17 in the third game before senior Kaylie McCallister came to the rescue by serving six straight points, including two aces. McCallister said the players are adjusting well to Shubin’s coaching style. “We’re doing pretty well considering we didn’t practice all summer and didn’t have a coach until the season started. It helps that a lot of us have played together before.” Though statisfied with the victory, McCallister said the Dolphins must guard against playing down to the level of their opponents. Lunder agreed: “We definitely didn’t play at our own level in that third game. It could be that were still a little tired from the tournament over the weekend, but we know we have to play better against the stronger teams. Venice usually presents Palisades its strongest challenge in league, but Lunder said University could be a sleeper this season. “I know Uni’s coach and they are a solid team. They can did almost anything. I still think we’ll beat them, and Venice too, but they will be our main competition.” Following the varsity match, PaliHi’s junior varsity also swept the Lions.