By ELAINE CHOI Palisadian-Post Intern Some of the fondest memories of childhood are those visits to the ice cream parlor when you watched through the glass as the server scooped out your favorite flavor, pressed it down into the cone, smiled and handed you this special treat. Palisadians have now been enjoying this tradition at the Baskin-Robbins store on Swarthmore for 50 years. With 31 ice cream flavors available from the nearly 1,000 choices that are continually rotated across the country, a customer can try a different flavor every day of the month. Of all those flavors, Mint Chocolate Chip and Jamoca Almond Fudge reign as the town’s favorites. Among the youth, flavors inspired by movies and holidays are the most popular, including the new Shrek flavors and rainbow sherbet. New flavors are constantly being invented and recreated such as the Donkey Gone Bananas Sundae, Fiona’s Fairytale (pink and purple swirled cotton-candy flavor), Puss in Boots Chocolate Mousse (white chocolate mousse, milk chocolate and chocolate ice creams loaded with chocolate chips and chocolate-covered pretzels), and Shrek’s Swirl (green-colored grape sherbet and purple-colored green apple sherbet loaded with popping candy). Baskin Robbins first opened here on March 31, 1954, nine years after the chain’s first store debuted in Glendale. There are now over 4,500 locations throughout the world, making it the largest chain of ice cream specialty stores. In the U.S. alone, more than 150 million ice cream cones are served every year. Chris Fracchiolla, a father of two and a Palisades resident since 1994, bought the store three years ago after a career in playwriting (notably ‘Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding,’ co-created in 1988 with his wife, Nancy Cassaro). ‘I wanted something else in the community that was especially around kids because I work a lot with kids,’ said Fracchiolla, who is a Sunday school teacher and children’s nursery leader at United Methodist Church. ‘I heard the store was for sale and it just felt like the right thing for me and my family. We have always loved this community and the ‘small-town’ qualities. For us the store has always been a kind of ground zero for that good old-fashioned Palisades feeling.’ The dieting craze that is sweeping the country has had little impact on his sales because ‘people still love their ice cream,’ Fracchiolla said. Nor did the Haagen-Dazs store on Sunset have much effect; in fact, ever since Haagen-Dazs closed in February, there has been virtually no change in the number of ice cream cones or cakes sold at Baskin-Robbins. Another popular ice cream franchise, Cold Stone Creamery, which opened in 1988 in Tempe, Arizona, and has grown to 650 stores nationwide, has also had little local impact because the Baskin-Robbins store here has been the Palisades tradition for such a long time. ‘Our store has become a hangout for kids,’ Fracchiolla said. ‘There’s also a lot of Pacific Palisades loyalty, so people continue to keep coming here. He added, ‘We have a big business in cakes too, especially for birthdays and graduations.’ June was especially busy because of all the end-of-the-year school parties and graduations. More than 120 unique cake designs are available, with different sizes to suit any occasion or celebration. In 2000, Baskin-Robbins launched its freeze-frame cakes to turn any picture into a cake design using edible ink and paper. Well before going into the ice cream business, Fracchiolla and his wife Nancy wrote their off-Broadway play, ‘Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding,’ which follows the nuptials of two working-class Italian New Yorkers and their wacky, diverse families. Among the bizarre events that take place, the father of the groom gets in a fist fight with the mother of the bride as the newlyweds take off together. The production ‘has played around the world as a cult classic for 15 years,’ the Hollywood Reporter noted a year ago. The Fracchiollas have two children, 8-year-old Alice and 10-year-old John, who attend Palisades Elementary. Nancy is still an actress (guest appearances in ‘Nip/Tuck’) and writer (co-credit on the screenplay for ‘The Devil and Daniel Webster’) while Chris has become more involved in volunteer work. He helps run two after-school programs, and has also been coaching a Palisades Pony Baseball team (the Baskin-Robbins Indians) while staying involved in Cub Scouts. To celebrate his store’s 50th anniversary and maintain its ‘good old-fashioned’ feeling, Fracchiolla has begun a history wall at the store. Anyone with copies of photographs or favorite recollections of the store are encouraged to bring them to Chris.
James Andrew, 84; Active Resident
James D. Andrew, 84, a former longtime resident of Pacific Palisades, died peacefully at his Solana Beach home on June 18. Funeral services were held at the Mission of San Luis Rey in Oceanside. Born in Lakewood, Ohio, Jim attended Case Institute of Technology, where he earned an engineering degree. General Electric hired him out of college, just as he was engaged to Lois Jeannette Zurlinden of Cleveland, who shared his life for 62 years. They were married January 24, 1942, and Jim was promptly sent on assignment to Nevada to work on the final stages of the construction of Boulder Dam. Four children and new job assignments followed in quick succession as the Andrew family moved to Evansville, Cincinnati, Schenectady, Dayton, Detroit and Adrian. In 1953, Jim drove everyone from Michigan to California along Route 66, and they settled in the Palisades. He had been hired by Douglas Aircraft Corporation, but later also held exciting jobs at Space Technology Laboratories, Planning Research Corporation and TRW. He specialized in communication and encryption, which made much of his work top secret. However, a memorable and highly public moment occurred in 1972 when the Mariner spacecraft orbited Mars, sending back the first pictures from any planet’at four bits of information per second. Jim, in charge of that transmission, stood in the big room at Jet Propulsion Laboratories as the screen gradually filled in with the image of Mars. Given the intensity with which he pursued his occupation, many were surprised when, at age 60, Jim opted to retire, although for years he accepted consulting jobs. After moving to the Palisades, the Andrew family doubled in size and the eight children eventually dispersed around the globe. While maintaining close ties to Corpus Christi parish in retirement, Jim also recorded technical books for the blind and coached youth baseball teams’in addition to pursuing the temptation and frustration of golf. He and Lois also traveled to Greece, Spain, France, England, Mexico and Japan, often meeting up with their children. The couple moved to Solana Beach in 1986, where they joined the Lomas Santa Fe country club. Jim and Lois loved their new environment and were welcomed by the parish at Saint James, and a wealth of friends in the area. They greatly enjoyed their 50th wedding anniversary, which began with a carefully orchestrated surprise family reunion in Iowa during a snowy Christmas and culminated in a party at Lomas Santa Fe in early 1992. Two years later, despite a regular regimen of exercise, Jim suffered a stroke that left him completely incapacitated. Although confined to a bed and wheelchair, he saw and heard everything around him and interacted in his inimitable way with his wife, two caretakers, and all the visiting children and grandchildren. Jim is survived by wife Lois; brother Charles; daughters Patricia (husband Antonio) Andrade of Mexico City, Annette (Tom) Lesher of McKinleyville and Marcia (Ramon) Camacho of Forest Grove, Oregon; sons Dudley (Stephanie) of New Haven, Connecticut, Paul (Kyoko) of Ibaraki, Japan, Russell (Deborah) of Paso Robles, Mark (Debra) of Aurora and Philip (Michele) of Encinitas; 20 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Dean Detrick; Former Longtime Resident
Dean Seaver Detrick, Sr., a former longtime resident of Pacific Palisades, died on June 23 in San Luis Obispo. He was 91. Born in Long Beach, Dean grew up in Bishop where his father ran Detrick’s Photo Studio. In 1943, stationed with the Navy in Washington, D. C., Dean became engaged to Mabel Fowler in a city park near a statue of Admiral Farragut, whose famous words, ‘Damn the torpedoes’full speed ahead!’ became the couple’s motto for 58 years of marriage. The Detricks lived in the Palisades from 1946 to 1973, where Dean began a 40-year career with Bank of America. Always involved with community and youth organizations, he gave his deepest support, after family, to the Palisades Methodist Church. Dean and Mabel moved to Los Osos in 1973, where they joined the Trinity Methodist Church. Always entertaining, loving, and eager to share his faith, Dean will be remembered as a talented fly fisherman, nature-lover, gardener, friend, father, and devout Christian. He is survived by his four children Dean Detrick, Jr. of Hollywood; John Detrick (Vera) of Lakewood; Diane Detrick Bopp (Tom) of Fish Camp; Mark Detrick (Mika) of Brentwood; four grandchildren, Jill and Paul Detrick of Lakewood and Tyler and Emma Detrick of Brentwood; and a sister, Ursula Turner, 95, of Oregon. Services were held in Los Osos on June 28.
Youth Triathlon Full of Stars
A slightly overcast July 4 morning didn’t dampen the spirits of the more than 70 energetic kids who participated in the second annual Palisades/Malibu YMCA Youth Triathlon. Competitors ranging in age from 6 to 15 completed the three-stage event, which included a 5K bike ride, a 1.1-mile run to Temescal Canyon Gateway Park and a 150-yard swim in the Y pool. ‘We had 84 kids register for training clinics and the race,’ said USA Youth Triathlon Executive Director Deborah Hafford, who also directed last year’s inaugural race. ‘The event was an even bigger success this year, thanks to so many people in the Palisades.’ Parents volunteered to help out on the course and cheered the kids on, along with coaches, organizers and volunteers, many from the L.A. Triathlon Club. Both volunteers and entrants wore navy blue T-shirts that said ‘Bike Run Swim’ on the front, with icons for the three events, and ‘Every Finisher Is a Winner’ on the back. ‘The most important thing at the start is to be safe,’ Hafford’s husband, Doug, told participants as they waited eagerly on their bikes for the race to begin. ‘If you get past the start, you’re probably fine.’ Escorted by two policemen, the group followed the rabbit, Evan Bartelheim, a L.A. Tri Club volunteer who helped out last year by accompanying the last place winner. This year, ‘Those kids were nipping at my heels the whole way,’ he told the Post. With their race numbers written in black on their arms and legs, some of the leading athletes could be seen running up the Temescal Canyon dirt hill towards the pool at about the 16-minute mark. Among them were winners Starr Hathaway, who finished the triathlon in 23:21, and Courtney Knapp (23:30). Palisadian Hathaway, 12, said he trained for the triathlon by riding his bike every other day, going to the Y clinics and practicing the course. ‘An amazing genetic athlete,’ according to Deborah Hafford, Hathaway swims, runs track and plays basketball at St. Matthew’s School, where he will be a 7th grader this fall. He said that the swimming was the most challenging of the three stages for him because he was ‘really tired’ when he got into the pool. ‘It was the hardest six laps I’ve ever done.’ Hathaway ran the Palisades-Will Rogers 5K last year. Knapp, who just turned 14, beat her own winning time of 25:29 from last year’s triathlon. ‘The biking was the hardest because I’m used to swimming and running,’ said Knapp, a junior lifeguard who runs track and cross country and has run several 5K and 10K races. ‘I had adrenaline as soon as I got into the pool, and my close friends and family were cheering me on.’ ‘She’s a competitor,’ said Knapp’s mother, who was yelling, ‘Kick!’ as she watched her daughter swim. Knapp graduated from and graduated from Calvary Christian School and will attend Oaks Christian this fall. Several triathletes completed the event after running the 5K earlier that morning. Among them were Palisadian girls Catherine Price, 13, and Dylan Blakely, 12, who attend Calvary, and Carolyn Windler, 10, a Paul Revere student. Blakely (24:27) finished third in the Girls 12 and Above age group, and Windler (29:56) won Girls 10 to 11. Siblings like Isabella and Alexander Porter competed in the triathlon together. Both Isabella, 7, and Alexander, 9, enjoy playing sports at Crossroads School. Sisters Kennedy and Courtney Corrin, Marina del Rey residents and students at Curtis School, completed their first triathlon with mom, dad and their little brother cheering them on. ‘We’re just happy they finished,’ said mom T.C. Corrin, a personal trainer who teaches aerobics at the YMCA and chairs the Little Dolphins sports committee in Temescal Canyon. She is also a mountain biker and former American Gladiator. Dad Michael is a former collegiate track and field athlete. Kennedy, 8, and Courtney, 6, attended three of the Y clinics and trained with their parents for four weeks prior to the triathlon by swimming, biking and running on the beach in Venice. The girls, who enjoy gymnastics, soccer and basketball, among other sports, both said the swimming was the hardest part. After completing the triathlon, Kennedy stood poolside near her mom to support Courtney, the final finisher in Sunday’s event and recipient of the Best Effort Award. A special distinction also went to Palisadian Evan Shaner, 11, who took first place in the Boys 10 to 11 age group at 24:28, and was recognized with the Best Sportsmanship Award. Nicole Lotte (24:00) and Blakely finished second and third overall behind Knapp for the girls while Hathaway was followed by William MacMiller (23:31) and Igor Burks (24:15) in the overall boys standings. ‘I would like to encourage all the kids who participated to come back again next year and bring a friend,’ said Hafford, who is recruiting one parent representative from each local school to help promote this event next year. Interested parents can contact Hafford at info@usayt.com. Race results and photos will be posted on the Web site at www.usayt.com in the next week.
Kids Run for Fun
A surprise visitor awaited 200 children lining up for the start of the ninth annual Kids’ Fun Run Sunday morning, which followed the Palisades-Will Rogers 5/10K races. Despite the busy schedule to promote his new movie, which broke box office records when it opened in theaters last week, our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man dropped by just in time to send runners on their way when the starter’s gun went off. The popular super hero (or someone disguised as him), easily recognizable in his bright red and blue costume, would’ve needed to spin his trusty webs to escape the hordes of kids as they charged past him, heading south down Ocampo Drive. Racers then turned east on Drummond, north on Toyopa and back to the disbanding area at the Palisades Recreation Center. It was hard to tell who was more excited about the race’the kids (ages 12 and under) or their parents, many of whom lined the streets of Huntington Palisades to cheer their kids along the flat 1/2 mile course. All finishers received a medal and a flag for their participation.
PALISADES-WILL ROGERS 5/10K
Hometown Favorites Win Holiday Race
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
A spirit of patriotism and pride for country exuded from the Recreation Center last Sunday morning as friends and neighbors, most dressed in red, white and blue, gathered to watch and participate in the Will Rogers 5K/10K, one of the Palisades’ proudest Fourth of July traditions. Shortly after Miss Palisades winner Gilli Shir Messer sang a stirring rendition of the national anthem, 2,204 runners packed the intersection at Alma Real and Toyopa to begin the 27th annual race. Less than 15 minutes later, the first runner was already crossing the finish line and, to nobody’s surprise, it was hometown favorite Peter Gilmore. Gilmore won the 5K for the seventh time in 10 years, finishing in 14:12. Though he ran the 3.1 miles two seconds slower than the record time he set last year, the victory was just as satisfying for the 27-year-old Palisades High alum. He dedicated the win to John Holcomb (whose wife, Cynthia, passed away in October) and their kids, Mariel and Johnny. “I wanted to do this for them,” Gilmore said upon catching his breath. “I’m not an artist or musician, this is just my way of expressing my love and support for them because they’re a great family and they’ve always supported my running. Cynthia looked forward to this race every year.” Though the 10K has been run every year since 1978, the 5K race was not added until 1986. Gilmore has broken the course record on four occasions and owns five of the six fastest times ever. He won the Post Cup Award as outstanding senior athlete at Pali in 1995, went on to run track and cross country at UC Berkeley and has lived and trained in Menlo Park ever since. “It was nice and cool today, but I knew at the two-mile mark I wasn’t going to beat last year’s time,” Gilmore said. “I’m training for the marathon now, so I haven’t been doing as much speed work. My focus now is on marathons and my ultimate goal is to qualify for the Olympics.” In stark contrast to Gilmore, 5K women’s winner Anna Aoki was running the race for the first time. She found the flat course to her liking and clocked in at 17:15, over a minute and a half ahead of the second-place finisher. Aoki attributed her fast pace to trying to keep up with 10K winner Kara Barnard. “I started off great and after about the first half mile, she [Barnard] was the only other girl in sight. She was running so fast, I couldn’t believe it,” said Aoki, in town to visit her boyfriend, tennis player and teaching pro Brady Heite. “I ran the first mile in 5:15 and was hoping for a little bit of a faster time but I’m happy with it.” Aoki, 26, works in the education department of the NCAA’s national headquarters in Indianapolis. She was twice PAC-10 Conference champion in the 10K and an All-American in cross country at the University of Washington. While Gilmore was motivated by personal reasons and Aoki ran on a whim, Barnard participated in this year’s race for the same reason she always does–because she loves the friendly atmosphere surrounding her hometown race. “I love Palisadians,” Barnard said after burning up the pavement to win her third 10K and eighth Will Rogers race overall. “The people here are great. Everyone is so friendly and supportive. It’s an amazing feeling to be running and have people cheering you on the whole way.” Three days shy of her 26th birthday, Barnard ran the 6.2-mile course in 35:24, the fourth fastest time in race history. Running at a 5:41-per-mile pace, the former PaliHi and UCLA cross country standout bettered her previous-best time by over two minutes. After winning back-to-back 10Ks in 2001 and 2002, Barnard won the 5K for the fifth time last year, finishing in 17:02. She won four straight 5Ks from 1997-2000, improving her time each successive year. Huntington Palisades resident Brad Becken, won the men’s 10K for the first time in six tries, finishing in 32:51 to hold off last year’s co-winners Nate Bowen and Tyson Sacco. Becken was ninth last year. “One guy [Bowen] was within 10 seconds of me but he never reached my shoulder,” he said. “It was easy to see where everyone else was when we got to the switchbacks.” Becken, 24, was on the cross country and track teams at Davidson College in North Carolina, where he graduated with a degree in economics last year. He is now interning as a financial analyst for Fine Arts Entertainment in Beverly Hills and plans on going to graduate school. Among the local age group winners was 16-year-old Ali Riley, who ran the 5K in 19:25 and won her age group for the second straight year. She is a standout in track and soccer at Harvard-Westlake High and recently joined a SoCal United U-17 girls club soccer team that is currently ranked No. 1 in the country. Riley’s mother, Bev Lowe, was first in the 50-54 age group of the 10K in 44:19. “I don’t like to run long distances, but once a year is okay,” said Riley, who was wearing her mom’s ‘lucky’ race t-shirt from 1987. “It’s a fun race. Today I felt a little pressure to repeat because I won my age group last year.” Christine Kanoff, Kathryn Gaskin, Danielle Greenberg and Nicola Kronstadt swept the top four places in the 12-and-under division of the women’s 10K while Alyssa Tennant, Stephanie Sommer and Haley Greenberg took three of the top four spots in the 13-15 age category. Janet Sherman finished first in the 60-64 age group of the 10K, finishing in 51:13. Carol Leacock ran the 10K in 1:19.53 while her husband, Palisades Bike Shop owner Ted Mackie, was first in the men’s 70-75 division. Andrew Martin was first in the 70-74 division and Chuck Workman topped the 60-64 category. In the 5K, Rita Gilmore, Peter’s mom, was second in the 60-64 age group while Barnard’s mom, Kathy, was fourth. Diane Goldberg won the 70-74 category in 41:44. Lauren Rode, Amber Oisen and Mackay Gunderson placed second, third in the 19-29 division while Carol Gordon, Robin Spencer and Tammy Poulos finished second through fourth in the 40-44 age group. Sweeping the top two spots in the 12-and-under men’s 5K were Bryce Caster (22:21) and Stephen Shigematsu (23:20). Other Palisadian 5K age group winners were Anthony White (45-49), Bob Gold (70-74) and 79-year-old Joseph Rossi, who finished in 31:12. Fellow Palisadian Ken Adams (33:58) was second in the 75-99 age category.
Crosswords and Mysteries: A Perfect Pair
By LAURA WITSENHAUSEN Associate Editor Steve Zettler and Cordelia Frances Biddle are going to have to take a break from their usual conversation when they fly from Philadelphia to L.A. to do a book signing at Village Books. The married mystery writers often have conversations like ‘We could always get rid of the body later on’ that may alarm their seatmates. ”Plotting the murders of some of their characters is just part of the job. And the couple, who write under the pen name Nero Blanc, often find themselves talking about their protagonists, New England crossword editor Belle Graham and her husband P.I. Rosco Polycrates, and their latest ‘whodunit’ from morning to night. ”The former Palisadians will speak about their new Belle Graham crossword mystery ‘Anatomy of a Crossword,’ as well as what it’s like to write together, on Thursday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Village Books, 1049 Swarthmore. ”Their mystery series not only revolves around a crossword editor, but incorporates crossword puzzles in each book, written by Zettler, that play a part in the solution of the mystery. ”In the book, the sixth in their series, Graham now a famous crossword editor and amateur sleuth, becomes the subject of a TV pilot. While acting as a consultant on the set in Hollywood, she finds herself smack in the middle of another mystery. ”The book, set in L.A., features references to Pacific Palisades, where the couple got to know the neighborhood while on their daily walks with their dog, Nina. ”The couple met in an acting class in New York City, where they also worked in theater and television. They moved to L.A. in 1988 for Zettler to pursue his acting career, settling in the Highlands. Biddle had already started writing, mostly historical fiction (‘Beneath the Wind,’ and ‘Murder at San Simeon’), and Zettler saw how much fun she was having and began writing international thrillers (‘The Second Man’ and ‘Double Identity’). The couple moved from the Palisades to Philadelphia, their hometown, in 1993. ”’The difficulty with being a writer is that it’s a solitary life. We were going into our own offices in our home and only having lunch together,’ Biddle said. Since the two had enjoyed collaborating as actors, they began looking for an opportunity to write together, trying to decide what kind of book would be fun to write. ” The crossword mystery idea came about when Cordelia was working on the New York Times crossword puzzle. ‘I was so incensed at the clues, I threw down the pen and said, ‘Somebody should kill this guy.’ Steve said, ‘Why don’t we kill off a crossword editor?” ”They wrote their first book, published in 1999 by Penguin-Putnam, and their editor requested a series. In their latest book, a screenwriter gets murdered. Steve said, ‘I had fun writing the director and producer saying, ‘So what if the writer is dead? We have the script.” ”When asked how they write together, Cordelia quipped, ‘You mean without killing each other? ”’We sit down and we go through the whole outline of the book, moment by moment.’ They each work separately on a chapter and then edit each other’s work. ”’He’ll have an idea and I’ll bump it up to the next level, and vice versa,’ Cordelia said. ‘We have different styles, I’ll labor over one word or a sense of smell. Steve is much more hard-hitting, get to the plot, and move it along. He has a sneaky mind and is able to figure out sneaky situations.’ ”Steve added, ‘Our acting background is so collaborative. We’re used to taking direction from a director, it lessens your ego.’ ”The two continue to work on their individual books. In addition, they write holiday books that are short stories in the crossword mystery format. ”They find that crosswords and mysteries are a good match. ‘People who love doing crossword puzzles are wired to look for word clues,’ Steve said. ‘And people who like mystery books are people who want to figure things out.’ ”More information and original crosswords are available on www.crosswordmysteries.com.
Honoring The Man (and Mind) Behind the Geodesic Dome
Fifty years ago, R. Buckminster Fuller obtained the patent for his most famous invention’ the geodesic dome, and this month the U.S. Postal Service will issue a commemorative postage stamp honoring the legendary American inventor, architect, engineer, designer, geometrician, cartographer and philosopher. Fuller lived in the Palisades from the late ’70s until his death in 1983. Fuller’s papers are archived at Stanford University, where the first-day-of-issue ceremony will be held on Fuller’s birthday, July 12. Hailed as ‘one of the greatest minds of our times,’ Fuller was renowned for his comprehensive perspective on the world’s problems,’ said Anita Bizzotto, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, U.S. Postal Service, who will dedicate the stamp. Scheduled to join Bizzotto at the ceremony are Fuller’s daughter, Palisadian Allegra Fuller Snyder, professor emerita, Dance and Dance Ethnology at the UCLA, and Dr. Buzz Aldrin, astronaut, Gemini 12 and Apollo 11, among others. “What excites me is the opportunity to introduce many new people to him and get them asking questions about who he was and why he deserves a postage stamp,” said Fuller Snyder, a Palisades resident since 1963, whose parents were frequent visitors to the Palisades before moving here themselves. “He really felt that we had the know-how and the technology to really make life better for all humanity,’ she said. ‘He talked about doing more and more with less and less. He felt that the trends were possible in so many directions, that we had the tools and material to build a lightweight and inexpensive home that would provide more than adequate real shelter for people. Most of the issues that are central now’energy, sustainability, education’he explored very early on. He tried to urge us to know about them, when people weren’t paying attention to them at all.” The stamp artwork is a painting of Fuller by Boris Artzybasheff (1899-1965). The painting, which originally appeared on the cover of Time magazine on Jan. 10, 1964, depicts Fuller’s head in the pattern of a geodesic dome. Geodesic domes and a number of his other inventions surround Fuller, including the Dymaxion Car, the 4D Apartment House and several objects and models that reflect the geometric and structural principles he discovered. Born in Milton, Massachusetts, in 1895, Richard Buckminster Fuller belonged to a family noted for producing strong individualists inclined toward activism and public service. ‘Bucky,’ as he came to be called, developed an early understanding of nature during family excursions to Bear Island, Maine, where he also became familiar with the principles of boat maintenance and construction. Fuller served in the U.S. Navy from 1917 to 1919, where he demonstrated an aptitude for engineering. He invented a winch for rescue boats that could pull airplanes out of the ocean in time to save the lives of pilots. Because of the invention, Fuller was nominated to receive officer training at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he further developed his abilities. In 1926, when Fuller’s father-in-law, James Monroe Hewlett, developed a new way of manufacturing reinforced concrete buildings, he and Fuller patented the invention together, earning Fuller the first of his 25 patents. Fuller’s lifelong interests included using technology to revolutionize construction and improve housing. He designed the Dymaxion House, an inexpensive, mass-produced home that could be airlifted to its location; the Dymaxion Car, a streamlined, three-wheeled automobile that could make extraordinarily sharp turns; a compact, prefabricated, easily installed Dymaxion Bathroom; and Dymaxion Deployment Units (DDUs), mass-produced houses based on the silo shape. The word ‘dymaxion’ was coined by store advertisers and trademarked in Fuller’s name. Based on the words ‘dynamic,’ ‘maximum’ and ‘ion,’ it became a part of the name of many of Fuller’s subsequent inventions. In 1927, Fuller made a now-prophetic sketch of the total earth which depicted his concept for transporting cargo by air ‘over the pole’ to Europe. He entitled the sketch ‘a onetown world.’ In 1946, Fuller received a patent for another breakthrough invention: the Dymaxion Map, which depicted the entire planet on a single flat map without visible distortion of the relative shapes and sizes of the continents. After 1947, the geodesic dome dominated Fuller’s life and career. Lightweight, cost-effective and easy to assemble, geodesic domes enclose more space without intrusive supporting columns than any other structure, efficiently distribute stress, and can withstand extremely harsh conditions. Based on Fuller’s ‘synergetic geometry,’ his lifelong exploration of nature’s principles of design, the geodesic dome was the result of his revolutionary discoveries about balancing compression and tension forces in building. Fuller applied for a patent for the geodesic dome in 1951 and received it in 1954. Beginning in the late 1960s, Fuller was especially involved in creating World Game, a large-scale simulation and series of workshops he designed that used a large-scale Dymaxion Map to help humanity better understand, benefit from, and more efficiently utilize the world’s resources. After being spurned early in his career by the architecture and construction establishments, Fuller was later recognized with many major architectural, scientific, industrial, and design awards, both in the United States and abroad, and he received 47 honorary doctorate degrees. In 1983, shortly before his death, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, with a citation acknowledging that his ‘contributions as a geometrician, educator and architect-designer are benchmarks of accomplishment in their fields.’ Stamps will be available at U.S. Post Offices throughout the country commencing July 13.
First Babies Are a Hit!
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
‘Here come the First Babies!’ said one of the announcers along the parade route as spectators clapped for the seven kids riding in the yellow Jeep Wrangler and bright-blue PT Cruiser convertible. All were First Babies of the Year in Pacific Palisades, a tradition that began in January 1954 under the sponsorship of the Palisadian-Post and has been maintained ever since. ”New to the parade this year, the entry was organized by Tiffany Hu Epstein, mother of First Baby 2000 Evan Epstein. ‘It was my dream,’ said Tiffany, who made T-shirts for the kids to wear in the parade, with their year of birth on the front and back. ‘The parade is such a big deal for the Palisades, and we’d never met any of the other First Babies.’ ” ”Though some parade watchers seemed to know a couple of the former First Babies, and called out their names as the cars went by, most Palisadians have only ever read about them in the Post. Others wondered out loud, ‘What are First Babies?’ and their friends enlightened them. ”Each year’s contest winner receives gifts from local merchants, including savings bonds, certificates for skin care and massages for the parents, baby clothes, books and photo processing. ”Though they are not all babies anymore, as one spectator commented, the kids, who ranged in age from 1-1/2 to 15-1/2, enjoyed meeting for the first time and waving to the crowd as they rode in cars donated by Palisadian Jim Buerge of Buerge Chrysler-Jeep. ”’It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance,’ said Matt Heartney (1994). Matt is a fifth grader at Echo Horizon School in Culver City. ”’I think it’s so sweet that everyone’s clapping for them,’ said Matt’s mom, Linda, who, along with dad Matt and 13-year-old sister Katie, walked alongside on the sidewalk. The Heartneys lived in the Palisades for about 15 years before moving to Santa Monica last year. ”Also in the Jeep with Matt were the oldest First Baby participating, Daelan Blankfein (1989), and the youngest, Harry Haygood (2003), who sat in mom Clare’s arms. Though Harry may still be a bit too young to understand the Fourth of July or his First Baby status, he certainly seemed to be soaking up the celebratory atmosphere and even honked the horn before the Jeep took off down Via de la Paz. ”’Harry, was that you?’ Daelan asked playfully at the sound of the horn. Now 15, he’s a 10th grader at Liberty Academy in Westlake Village and has two sisters. While he lived in the Palisades, he attended Calvary Christian School. ”The contingent’s only girl, Georgia Raber (1998), decided July 3 that she would ride in the parade. ‘She was afraid she would miss seeing the parade [if she rode in it],’ said her mom, Nancy. The Rabers have lived in the Palisades for almost 10 years. ”Georgia, a first grader at Calvary Christian, got the prime seat in the back of the PT Cruiser between Evan Epstein (2000) and Timmy Ellis (2001), whose moms Tiffany and Kirsten both rode with them. Sammy Marguleas (1999) rode in the front seat with his mother, Sue, who drove the car. This was old hat for Sammy, who rode last year in a golf cart with his parents, representing dad Anthony’s Palisades firm, A.M. Realty. ”’When Sammy’s preschool celebrated the ‘Star of the Week,’ we included his First Baby article on his poster,’ Sue said. Sammy, who has a sister and two brothers, will be starting kindergarten at Corpus Christi in September. ”Timmy Ellis, whose older sister Veronica marched with the Brownies, attends Palisades Presbyterian Nursery School. His mom, Kirsten, said she felt the First Baby cars were an important addition to the parade because ‘we need to increase the representation of families in the Palisades.’ ”First Baby car organizer Epstein has lived in the Palisades with her husband, Scott, for about five years, and they’ve taken their son to watch the parade every year. Evan, who attends the Palisades Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles, rode his bike in last year’s parade with his former preschool, Totally Kids. He told the Post that his favorite things about the Fourth of July are the parade and the fireworks. ”Except for Matt Heartney, who was born on January 3, 1994, and Harry Haygood, born on January 4, 2003, the former First Babies who rode Sunday share the same January 1 birthday. ‘We can wish all these babies a happy half-birthday,’ one parade announcer told the crowd, who cheered loudly.
AARP Members to Hear PFLAG Speaker Liz Armstrong, a Palisades Mom, on July 14
”Liz Armstrong, a member of PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), will speak at the Palisades AARP meeting on Wednesday, July 14 at 2 p.m. in the Palisades Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford. The public is invited and refreshments will be served. ”Armstrong, a native of Los Angeles, has lived in Pacific Palisades since 1970. She married Chuck Armstrong in 1948 and they raised three children. Their gay son, Jeff, died in 1993. ‘Having a gay family member and getting to know many gays and lesbians brought our family profound understanding,’ said Armstrong. As a member of PFLAG since 1990, she has experience that includes board membership and speaking in Los Angeles schools and colleges. ”Armstrong’s community service has included the League of Women Voters of L.A. since 1957; the L.A. City Planning Commission, 1968-1973; L.A. City Board of Airport Commissioners, 1973-1984; Town Hall of California; and Palisades Parents Together. ”The meeting will also feature musician and dancer Ellen McFadden. ” Chapter spokesperson Byrna Holtzman would like to remind Palisades residents that the local AARP chapter ‘is related to the national organization relative to its rules and regulations, but has its own board of directors and plans its own programs. We charge $10 a year for membership, but reduce the fee to $5 from July to the end of the year. The national AARP has its own membership charge and gives you a membership card.’ ”’All indviduals 50 or older are eligible for membership,’ Holtzman continued. ‘Our chapter meetings are diverse in nature, with special lectures, entertainment, local community leaders discussing local problems and agencies providing helpful information. ”’We also offer affordable and interesting day trips every three months which have proven to be very popular.’ ”
