Palisades Beautiful, the hearty little organization that was predicted to have a short life, celebrated 30 productive years of tree-planting in the Palisades at a champagne and cake party at the Palisades branch library Friday evening. Two of the original founders, Dorothy Bissell and Hilda Sauer, sat outside in the patio of the library and recalled their na’ve, yet tenacious plan to start the nonprofit organization. ‘In 1973, the Palisades was pretty bare,’ Bissell said. ‘Really, there were very few trees in the neighborhoods, and the air was so awful.’ Bissell had read an article extolling the virtues of trees, beyond their curb appeal. ‘I learned that trees are nature’s air conditioner, they give off oxygen and they absorb pollutants.’ Bissell contacted the supervisor of the city’s street tree division to enlist his help in planting trees. Well-intentioned, yet practical, the supervisor was skeptical. ‘Little groups of ladies like to start something and then two years down the line they decide they don’t want to do it,’ he told her. It was then that Bissell’s gentle persistence and determination took root. She asked the supervisor to help her and her cohorts’Sauer, Carole Kenney, and the late Betty Thrower and Carole Horn’decide what trees they should plant. ‘We drove around the streets and looked and decided on a few of this kind here and a few of that kind there.’ The group’s first street was Northfield, where they planted jacarandas, which over the years have been a consistent favorite choice for residents. The group started planting five-gallon trees until the city made them graduate to 15-gallon trees. ‘When we first began, if we had just a few requests and we didn’t want to hire anybody for that little bit of work, Betty and I would go down and plant them ourselves,’ Bissell recalled. Saurer remembered the time she and Dorothy went out in a rain storm to tie up the recently planted magnolias on Via de la Paz, mere saplings at the time. In the early days, it cost $35 to plant a tree. Today, it’s $200 per tree, money the group has received from individuals and local organizations, including the Junior Women’s Club and the Lions Club. Over 50 Palisadians came to celebrate the anniversary, including serious horticulturalists and respectful admirers alike. In bestowing a city commendation to Palisades Beautiful, Monique Ford, Cindy Miscikowksi’s field deputy, underscored the organization’s remarkable work and continued success on having planted 1,500 over the last 30 years. ‘This group has a unique blend of persistence and decorum,’ Ford said, directing her comments to Bissell. ‘She called me, and then called me again.’ Guest speaker Stephanie Landregan, chief landscape architect for the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, capped the spirit of the evening with a salute to trees, and a story. ‘John ‘Appleseed’ Chapman planted apple trees 150 years ago around the United States, so when our ancestors came west, their otherwise boring, bland diet was made made more interesting by the addition of the apple. Chapman sold saplings for 6′ to homesteaders or traded a tree for clothing or feed. Some of those original apple trees are still around today,’ she said. ‘You are following his legacy. Trees feed us in a very different way. They’ll feed you today and tomorrow and they will be your legacy.’

Clear skies. Temps in the high 90s. A breeze along the coast. Bathing suit season is in the air. The question is: Are you ready to join the crowd of summer shoppers perusing racks of colorful nylon suits, searching for the perfect pattern, size and style? Not to mention trying on your suit of choice in front of life’s unforgiving critic, the dressing room mirror. Canyon Beachwear owner Kathleen Mudd says there is a lot more involved in running a swimwear business than stocking and selling suits. ‘We have to overcome all the psychological aspects of buying a bathing suit,’ says Mudd, who purchased the original Canyon Beachwear store on Entrada in 1988. ‘A well-trained staff is important’the customer should get something that looks good after trying on four to five suits.’ Mudd certainly knows the business. She started working at Canyon in 1979, when she was only 14, and worked there through high school on the weekends and during summers. Then a Brentwood resident, Mudd attended Marymount. She met her husband, William, at the University of San Diego, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English (1987) and he earned a bachelor’s in business administration (1985). While in college, Mudd managed a San Diego swimwear store but continued to work at Canyon during the summers. The Mudds married in May 1988, and by October they had purchased the small, 400-sq.-ft. Canyon Beachwear space (across from Will Rogers State Beach) from Palisadian Susan Thomas and her daughter, Amy. In 16 years, the Mudds have opened 10 other Canyon swimsuit stores, the first one in 1989 in Pasadena because ‘we had a lot of customers who lived in that area,’ Mudd says. ‘Old Town grew up around us.’ Other Southern California locations include the Westside Pavilion, Studio City, and the Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks. ‘We see generations of people who grew up in Palisades, moved away and have come back here [to buy suits],’ says Mudd, whose son, Liam, is 3. The Mudds live in Malibu and are expecting a second child in three months. While the popularity of Web-based discount retailers has made the swimwear market extremely competitive in recent years, Mudd says, ‘If somebody wants a designer swimsuit, is hard to fit or wants good customer service, they come to Canyon. We carry higher-end, more European-style suits and we have selection’you’re not going to see yourself walking up and down the beach.’ Refering to an analogy she heard, Mudd compares buying a swimsuit at Canyon to buying flowers at a florist, as opposed to a supermarket. ‘What we have is special, unique.’ The owners have also worked hard to maintain their business. ‘Everything we had we put back into the stores,’ says Mudd, who admits that one of their secrets is ‘working long hours together, being each other’s partner in marriage and business.’ While the Entrada store is the smallest, Mudd says, ‘there’s no room to expand, but the space is irrelevant because it’s a seasonal business and what’s important is customer service.’ The three buying seasons bring different collections, for the November/December cruise season, the February /March spring season and the June summer season. ‘Spring break is usually when business starts to pick up,’ says Mudd, who does the buying and merchandising while William handles the financial end of the business. Named the ‘Best Bikini Store in L.A.’ by Los Angeles magazine, Mudd says another reason they’ve remained successful is because ‘we’ve stayed focused on swimwear.’ Canyon carries 100 different brands with sizes ranging from 2 to 24 and a lot of separates, including D- and DD-size tops. However, Mudd does not see Canyon as ‘a ‘bikini’ store,’ because it caters to ‘the contemporary market instead of the junior market.’ The clientele is mainly women age 16 to 50, and suit prices range from $62 to $250, with an average price of $98 to $120. ‘Like all businesses, we were affected by the economy after September 11,’ says Mudd, who had to close one store in New York. ‘Even though Canyon is the more luxury end of the economy, people weren’t going on vacation as much. We also cut back store hours and we didn’t stay open seven days of the week.’ They currently have a store in Boston on Newbury St. and one on Third Avenue in New York City, in addition to three stores in northern California. Current swimwear trends include mix-matched polka dot- and stripe-patterned suits, often with floral designs. Reversible suits, halter tops and hipster bottoms are also in. Pink and orange are the hot colors this season. ‘There’s a lot of color out there,’ says Mudd, whose staff works with several celebrity stylists. They welcome private appointments if customers cannot come during store hours, and on occasion send suits to customers on vacation. Canyon also carries a limited selection of basic swim trunks for men, as well as sarongs, shirt throw-overs, sandals and straw bags. Located at 106 Entrada, between Marix Tex-Mex Restaurant and Patrick’s Roadhouse, Canyon Beachwear has the following store hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Parking is located behind the store. Contact: 459-5070.

By HELEN HIGHBURGER Palisadian-Post Intern Fire Station 69’s beloved mascot, Buddy the Dalmatian, is the last surviving fire dog in the City of Los Angeles. He has lived at the station (Sunset at Carey) for nine years and when he passes away, the local firemen hope that a Buddy II can carry on the tradition. However, it’s possible the station will not be able to do so because of potential liability issues’dog-biting incidents, for example. So perhaps we have double the reason to treasure a dog who has become a great favorite with Palisadians of all ages, . Fire station dogs like Buddy have been a part of firefighting crews since the days of horse-drawn steam engines. Their original function was to guard the horses that pulled the huge engines firefighters used to get to fires. The fire dog would stay with the horses while the firefighters rushed into the burning building, keeping other dogs and people from spooking them. Since the advent of fire trucks, fire dogs have had less to do, but they still guard the truck while the firefighters are working. Fire Station 69 originally acquired Buddy as a puppy in 1995 from Sandra Jankowski of Brentwood, who breeds champion Dalmatians. ‘We’ve gone at least 10 years without a mascot, and kids have been asking about it all the time,’ said Capt. Ortiz at the time. ‘Now we have a real good one.’ The firemen held a contest to name the new mascot, inviting all kids 10-and-under to vote for either Sparky, Buddy, Smokey or Chief. A few years later they had a contest to count Buddy’s spots. He had exactly 278. Buddy has made news in other ways. In 1996, he not only was the star of a live Alpo commercial with Jay Leno on ‘The Tonight Show,’ he also appeared on the front page of the Palisadian-Post. The paper showed pictures of him getting rescued from the water after he slipped into the Los Angeles River during a routine river-rescue training exercise. A few years later the Post wrote about Buddy’s trip to the veterinarian to combat a brief bout with fleas, and later reported his emergency treatment for a dangerous urinary blockage. Buddy used to ride on the truck to fires, but today at the age of 9 he has arthritis, which has slowed him down somewhat. He can still go out to the fires if he wants to (wearing his own yellow brush jacket for protection), and he remains a great favorite at neighborhood birthday parties, the Fourth of July parade, riding with Santa at Holiday Ho! Ho! Ho! and fire station open houses. When Buddy gets up in the morning, he greets all the firefighters as they arrive and chases a ball while they exercise. Most of the day, he just hangs around the station, barking if people whom he doesn’t know arrive. A look into Buddy’s personal record book (just like the firefighters have!) shows that his top skill is ‘community relations,’ closely followed by ‘testing hydrant paint’ and ‘fetching a ball.’ According to one firefighter, Buddy’s ‘real job is PR, and he does it well.’ Buddy even has a girlfriend, a fellow Dalmatian named Desiree, who lives in the neighborhood. He keeps a photo of her pinned outside on his doghouse.

The spirit of dedicated volunteerism, a deep and vital force in Pacific Palisades since the town’s founding in 1922, was celebrated once again at the annual Citizen of the Year dinner last Thursday at the Riviera Country Club. The event was first held in 1947 and has been sponsored ever since by the Palisadian-Post. In recognition of his crucial leadership role in the $850,000 community-driven campaign to expand, renovate and vastly improve the four playing fields at the Palisades Recreation Center, longtime youth coach and businessman Mike Skinner received his Citizen of the Year award from Publisher Roberta Donohue. Also, Community Council chairman George Wolfberg presented his organization’s traditional Golden Sparkplug awards to Bob Jeffers and Roger Woods, both of whom ignited and completed important beautification projects along Sunset and at the Village Green. ‘Mike Skinner began pushing for the long needed overhaul of the antiquated and dangerous playing fields in 1999,’ Donohue said in her remarks. ‘When he realized that city funding for this project simply wasn’t going to happen, Mike came up with a plan to have the community raise the funds, hire a private contractor to rebuild the fields in accordance with city regulations, and then turn everything back over to the city.’ Once Skinner and the Palisades Pony Baseball Association (led by Bob Benton) received approval from the L.A. Department of Recreation and Parks last spring, they launched a fundraising campaign (under the leadership of Bob Levitt and John Bertram) and hired the company that built the famous ‘Field of Dreams’ baseball diamond in Iowa. ‘Miraculously,’ Donohue said, ‘the fields were ready for AYSO soccer games on November 8 and the bills were paid. The result of this enormous effort is a wonderful new park, with larger and safer playing fields that are available for the entire community to enjoy.’ Skinner’s committee has now raised just over $1,000,000, allowing for creation of a permanent maintenance fund. ‘This is a very humbling experience’doing something I love and having a lot of people help me do it,’ said Skinner when he received his award from Donohue. The 27-year resident thanked the ‘Field of Dreams heroes who stepped up to the plate,’ and noted that ‘it’s amazing how many good people are out there.’ He acknowledged the key people who participated in various aspects of the project, including L.A. Dodgers announcer and Palisades resident Vin Scully and his wife Sandra, whose major donation halfway through the campaign ‘gave us a shot in the arm.’ The father of three sons (Kevin, a fireman; Ryan, a senior at BYU; and Brendan, a volleyball player at Oaks Christian High School), Skinner also praised his wife Carey, a real estate executive with DBL Realtors, for her ‘patience and understanding through years of seemingly endless meetings and the turmoil that was going on at our house. Fortunately, she understood my priorities.’ Skinner received proclamations from U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, Mayor James Hahn, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and, in person, Assemblywoman Fran Pavley. ‘This is my fifth Citizen dinner and the only thing I’m sorry about is I don’t live here,’ Pavley said. ‘This is one of the few events in the District that my husband and I actually attend voluntarily. We feel we’re among friends.’ And in a tribute to Skinner, she said, ‘What impressed me is that his kids are older’he did it for the kids today and the kids of the future.’ When presenting her certificates to the two Sparkplug winners, Pavley emphasized the important role played by citizen volunteers in local beautification efforts. ‘In these tight budget times, we have to collectively take the initiative. The efforts by Bob Jeffers and Roger Woods help maintain the high quality of life that you treasure here.’ Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, who has been attending Citizen dinners since the early 1970’s, agreed with Pavley. ‘The Palisades never ceases to amaze me’the amazing talent, the amazing dedication by residents who say, ‘I have an idea, I have a dream, I can make it happen.’ This community never stops,’ she told the audience. Fourteen past Citizens enjoyed the festivities, including Phyllis Genovese (1952), Dr. Michael Martini (1967), Bob McMillin (1975), Gloria Stout Nedell (1978), Joan Graves (1987), Roger Diamond (1988), Kit Festa (1989), Bobbie Farberow (1995), Hal Maninger and Chuck McGlothlin (1996), Bill Grieb (1997), Kurt Toppel (1998), Carol Leacock (1999) and Mitzi Blahd (2001). The invocation was given by Mike Skinner’s friend, Bob Williams, and the master of ceremonies was Michael Dunn, a local actor who (along with Lulee Fisher) sang one of the lead roles in the evening’s musical roast. The skit was conceived and written by Barbara Dawson, produced by Joan Graves, and directed and choreographed by Babs Warden Lebowsky. The pianist was Dr. James E. Smith. When Wolfberg presented the Sparkplug awards, a Community Council tradition for more than 30 years, he recounted the many obstacles Bob Jeffers had to overcome while spending nearly two years raising funds and working to replace 600 feet of unsightly asphalt median strips along Sunset (near Chautauqua) with dwarf bougainvilleas, day lilies, red-hot pokers and gazanias. In accepting the award, PPBA coach Jeffers first thanked Skinner: ‘My two sons are enjoying the fields’fewer bad hops and fewer bruises.’ He then recalled how he continually complained about the weed-infested medians to his wife until she finally said, ‘Well, why don’t you do something about it?’ And he said, ‘Maybe I will.’ Jeffers attended a PRIDE meeting and soon found himself VP of the median project. Along the way, he recalled, ‘we found old Sunset Boulevard below the asphalt [which required an unanticipated major expense] but Councilwoman Miscikowski came to our rescue.’ Ultimately, PRIDE raised $70,000 in community donations, including important checks from the Lions Club, Junior Women’s Club and Sue Kohl/Prudential John Aaroe. ‘This project shows how much a man can accomplish when he’s trying to make a point to his wife,’ Jeffers said. Roger Woods had somewhat the same experience as Jeffers when it came to getting quickly involved in the Village Green Committee. About seven years ago, after he retired from his private neurology practice, Woods began taking a horticulture class at Santa Monica Emeritus College, where he met Margaret Jose, who was then president of the committee. ‘I wanted to give back to the community and I loved gardening,’ Woods said in his acceptance speech. ‘So I joined their monthly Saturday work parties, and pretty soon I realized nobody was looking after the roses. I decided to adopt the roses. But I didn’t realize I was a sitting duck,’ he said with a laugh. ‘Within a matter of months I was vice-president,’ eventually to become the current president when he couldn’t come up with an exit strategy. In addition to reviving the Green’s rose beds, Woods began renovating first the drinking water fountain and then the decorative dolphin fountain’the centerpiece of the Green. This meant revamping the plumbing system, digging a deep trench and laying new pipes and electric lines, as well as designing and constructing a wooden housing for the pump and a new cement foundation. The project was finally completed last December, ‘and the fountain still works’it hasn’t plugged up yet!’ Woods said, amazed that he had become an hydraulic engineer in his retirement. ‘I especially enjoy watching the kids look at the dolphin. They’re mesmerized by the water, and this makes it all worthwhile.’ He added, ‘I can’t pass up this opportunity to emphasize that volunteerism is infectious; it rubs off on you. I haven’t regretted a moment.’