Palisadian Alon Sugarman was a guest speaker at Wish Night 2003, celebrating 20 years of wish granting by The Greater Los Angeles Make-a-Wish Foundation. He was joined by his parents Lainie and Barry Sugarman, his sister Lilah and host of the evening, Brad Garrett.
Palisadian Alon Sugarman, 12, spoke at the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles annual awards and dinner gala on November 1 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Marina del Rey. The evening raised over $160,000 for the Los Angeles chapter, while also celebrating the chapter’s 20th anniversary. Two-time Emmy Award-winning actor Brad Garrett returned for a second year as master of ceremonies. Sugarman, a seventh grader at Paul Revere, spoke about his “wish trip” with his family to Orlando, Florida, in 2001. Alon was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma in his right leg when he was 6 years old. After three years of treatments, which included chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and two stem-cell transplants, he is now in his fourth year of remission. Alon shared how his trip to Orlando helped his recovery, and that he was accompanied by his parents, Barry and Lainie Sugarman, and his sister Lilah, now an 11th grader at Palisades High School. Alon also related how his favorite part of the trip was flying in a World War II fighter plane, gaining him 15 minutes credit towards a pilot’s license. Alon helped Brad Garrett with the evening’s raffle and he beamed when he pulled his own name for a trip to see the horse country in Lexington, Kentucky. His leg was saved with a special prosthetic femoral replacement done in England. Every two to three months, Alon visits the orthopedist who is able to to adjust the titanium bone a few millimeters with a wrench so that it can grow as Alon grows. Alon loves golfing at the Riviera Country Club driving range and will soon earn his brown belt in karate at Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts Center. His parents started the Cure our Children Foundation in his honor. The Web site (cureourchildren.org) gets thousands of hits a month from families of children with life-threatening diseases. “We got so much support from the Palisades community during his illness-from Kehillat Israel where we’re members, the restaurants, stores, people offering to give blood,” said Lainie Sugarman. “The managers at Ralphs and Gelson’s allow him to use the motorized cart. A lot of love helped with that healing.” Make-a-Wish helps children with life-threatening diseases by granting the child’s special wish. Make-a-Wish of Greater Los Angeles can be reached at 788-6990. Alon Sugarman reminded everyone at the end of his speech that wishes do come true.
By Rennie Chamberlain The Nature of Wildworks is a nonprofit wildlife care and education center in Topanga dedicated to the lifelong quality care of its non-releasable wild animals. Under the direction of Mollie Hogan,Wildworks also conducts outreach programs about the wonders of wildlife and the importance of protecting the steadily dwindling habitat that wildlife, as well as humans, depend upon for healthy lives. This task is accomplished with the help of animal ambassadors. “Caring for wildlife is a wonderful privilege, as well as an awesome experience,” Hogan says. “At Wildworks care center, we strive to make the lives of the animals here as interesting and natural as possible.” They raise orphaned babies, watching them grow and develop, and help ease the aches and pains of those who are older. They also get their share of injured wildlife with broken wings and limbs, head trauma, even blindness. But in all her years of experience, Hogan never had an animal come into her care in such atrocious condition as a young cougar she calls Pirate. At eight months, a male mountain lion should weigh about 80 pounds. Malnourished when rescued from a breeding farm in Montana, Pirate weighed just 20 pounds. His spine and hipbones were protruding through rough fur, and the pads of all four feet were raw and bleeding from pacing the concrete floor of the small cage in which he had been forced to live. The tip of his tail was raw as if he had chewed it in frustration, and his right ear was notched, probably from a fight. The worst of his problems were his eyes. The right eye, ten times its normal size, was bulging from its socket and the left eye had been injured. When Pirate arrived at Wildworks, pain and blurred vision made him suspicious and frightened, causing him to lash out in self-defense when unsure of his surroundings. Hogan consulted with an animal ophthalmologist who diagnosed Pirate with severe glaucoma in his right eye, a condition normally found in older animals and causing pain much like a migraine headache. Pirate’s eye was removed that same day. When the young animal awoke from the anesthetic, he was immediately feeling better, purring and meowing like a normal kitten. Hogan kept a careful watch over Pirate, and after a week in her house with around-the-clock care, his paws began to heal, and he started gaining weight. He even became playful, attacking his toys as if they were prey. When Hogan took him back for a recheck, a detached retina and mild glaucoma were discovered in Pirate’s left eye. Hogan is able to treat the eye with drops to keep the pressure at bay, but unfortunately his vision will never be restored. Pirate is completely blind. “Because all cats rely so heavily on their vision, at first I was concerned about his quality of life,” Hogan says. “But after working with him and observing his behavior for two months now, I think he’ll be just fine. Not unlike a blind person, his other senses have taken over. I’m amazed at how well he gets along. He no longer paces and is calmer and more relaxed.” Pirate now lives outdoors in a large enclosure and has learned the boundaries of his cage, the location of food and water, toys and humans. His feet step lightly, and he points his nose upward when he walks to smell what’s ahead. “He calls to us and the other mountain lions when he hears our voices,” says Hogan. And the toy that seems to work best for him is a roll of paper towels that he can easily bat and grab again with his claws. More importantly, Pirate is proving himself to be one of Wildworks’ most impressive goodwill ambassadors. He is not stimulated by movement-what triggers mountain lions to attack-and thus is very safe to use in public. Although Pirate is bonding more closely with people, especially Hogan, his seeing-eye human, he still is all mountain lion, with all his wild instincts intact. Even though cougars exist in the wild in southern California, most people have never seen one. Here in the Santa Monica Mountains, a lack of wildlife corridors is severely limiting cougar populations. The National Park Service has been studying cougars in this area for several years and only three have been located and radio-collared. Wildworks’ captive mountain lions have been helpful to this tracking project as they are used to test scent preferences for lions in the wild. With grizzlies and wolves having disappeared long ago, cougars are the top predators in the local mountains. As such, it is extremely important that they survive here. Hogan sees Pirate’s ambassadorship as one way to inspire the public to help protect these magnificent animals. Despite his disabilities, Pirate works hard and purrs constantly, setting an example to both children and adults that disabilities don’t have to be limiting. Animals don’t laugh at each other and point fingers as we humans often do. Pirate, of course, can never live in the wild. And since mountain lion cubs stay with their mothers for two years in the wild, Pirate, now 11 months, still needs almost constant attention. Cougars can live up to 20 years in captivity, and even as an adult, Pirate will always require a little more attention than the other animals at Wildworks. However, Wildworks sees the relationship as a wonderful win-win situation. Pirate gets a safe, loving home filled with purpose and companionship, and the Nature of Wildworks gets a new way to open people’s eyes to wildlife causes. Tax-deductible donations to The Nature of Wildworks can be sent to: The Nature of Wildworks, P.O. Box 109, Topanga, CA 90290.
Every year, since I was 10 years old, I have sat down on New Year’s Day to write up my goals for the coming year. It was a joyful ritual in our house, where my parents would sit with the four of us (my two older brothers, younger sister and myself) to discuss what each of us intended to achieve. Better grades? Set up a dog-walking service? Learn to swim? We each had a list. We also discussed our last year’s resolutions (in a playful “toast n’ roast” kind-of-way), but what took center stage were our plans for the year ahead. What kind of goals did I have as a 10-year-old child? I remember wanting to learn how to sew, make the spelling bee finals at school (which I did) and take up skiing. By the time I was 15 I had made myself a floor-length Cossack coat (all the rage at the time!), I could ski the expert slopes and I knew I wanted to be a journalist. To this day, I credit my determination to those yearly goal-setting sessions with my family, a tradition I have carried on with my own son, who is now 17 years old. What I have tried to teach him is that setting goals is the best way to keep yourself on course, especially when you have a goal as big as wanting to play in the NBA. What did his list look like when he was 10 years old? To attend as many Laker games as possible, improve his shooting and become a ball boy. While he never became a ball boy, my son has significantly improved his game, having played on the St. Monica High School varsity team since he was a freshman. He is now a senior. Will he get recruited to play college basketball? It’s at the top of his list for 2004. If he does, great. If not, he could decide to study sports management which could still land him in the NBA-as a coach, TV commentator or perhaps one day owning his own team. He has already come to understand that his goals evolve and change as he grows, not only in height. He’s currently 6’4″. How many of us vow (every year!!) to exercise more, spend more quality time with our family or work harder? At least one of your goals should captivate you, whatever your age. Want to design tennis gear, learn Spanish, go to India or write a book? How about having breakfast with someone you admire and picking their brain? How about arranging the same kind of opportunity for your child? One of the best things I ever did was to get my son a tutor, a philosophy major I hired when my son was at Canyon Elementary school, who ended up teaching him not only math but how to surf, dribble and play the guitar. Their friendship and mutual admiration grew out of their weekly sessions together and has lasted, well, for years now. In 2004 I have only two modest goals: to get up earlier to work out and to master my new digital camera (finally going digital was my goal last year). What about you? What “gift” have you promised yourself in the new year?
A colorful quarter-size talisman hanging from your jeans? This is the appeal of Jean Jewel, one of the hottest new trends in jewelry, and it has local origins. Palisadian Carrie Pollare partnered up with Denton Jewelers owner Saad Mazboudi to develop and produce Jean Jewel, a type of jewelry worn on the belt loops of jeans. Pollare and her brother/business partner Dan Hoffman first heard about the product concept when they met with film producer Wendy Thorlakson early this year. “Wendy is naturally creative and stylish,” Pollare said. “She’s a fun, very hip woman.” Thorlakson, who has since become a partner in the business, said her inspiration came from her own fashionable idea to spice up her jeans by hanging chains from the belt loop, according to Pollare. The product’s potential for success in a broad market appealed to Pollare and her brother, who had started their own development company, 2CC (2Cool Corp.) in 2000. “The whole universe wears jeans,” Pollare said. “The only requirement [for wearing Jean Jewel] is something with a belt loop.” Because Pollare and Hoffman knew nothing about the jewelry business, they turned to Mazboudi for advice and brought him on board as the fourth partner. “Saad is not only a tremendous fountain of information, I knew he could help us get started,” said Pollare, a longtime Denton Jewelers customer. Mazboudi liked the Jean Jewel concept because “it was very noveau and could also be very affordable.” The jewelry, which looks like a mix between charm bracelets and fancy key chains, comes in sterling silver or 14K yellow gold and ranges from $55-800. Harper’s Bazaar dubbed the pieces “beaux danglers.” Pollare designed the “JJ” (Jean Jewel) insignia set above the charm, while Mazboudi helped with the mechanics, like the number of links on the chain and the addition of the copyright tag. They had the prototype ready to go in June, along with a Web site (www.jeanjewel.com), which Pollare and Hoffman designed. “We’re computer people so the site was up in three weeks,” said Pollare, who had previously worked as a partner in DISC Distributing, a $150-million computer company her brother started in 1982. They closed the company in 2000 to “get back to our roots and do entrepreneurial things,” Pollare said. With 2CC, she and Hoffman produced unique products such as a reinvented spinning top and handbags made of stingray by Palisades fashion designer Debra McGuire. In March, they created a new company, GDT, in order to develop and produce Jean Jewel with Thorlakson and Mazboudi. Self-funded, GDT has a three-person support staff in addition to the four partners. Mazboudi originally began manufacturing the jewelry at Denton’s, and was turning out 50 to 100 pieces a week over the summer. “We’re not geared for mass production,” said Mazboudi, who could not keep up with the fast-growing popularity of Jean Jewel, and suggested they do their manufacturing in Thailand. Jean Jewel has also added a production facility in the downtown L.A. jewelry district. The company began with 75 different styles and now has about 250. Jean Jewel Classic comes in sterling silver and features the JJ insignia as its centerpiece while Mystique, which comes in silver and 14K yellow gold, has a different, spiritual-looking symbol at its center. Jean Jewel Chain attaches to two belt loops and hangs below the hip, and JJ Neck offers a collection of necklaces in the Jean Jewel style. Popular designs by Balinese designer Shankari include semi-precious stones and crystals while the Mexican-inspired Nagual line offers spiritual motifs, skulls and crosses. Italian Millefiori glass and a personalized design with initials are also in demand. “No one who walks by the Jean Jewel case doesn’t stop to look at them,” said Mazboudi, whose male customers have been buying the new jewelry for their wives and children. The first Jean Jewel piece sold was a $800 Shankari creation for a 54-year-old New York woman. Pollare said that business snowballed after Mariah Carey wore a white butterfly Jean Jewel on “The Today Show” this past summer. “After that I heard from people all over the world,” Pollare said. Jean Jewel now has large markets in Japan and Canada, in addition to the United States. Los Angeles retailers include Theodore, Planet Blue, Ice Accessories, including Ice Accessories/Sparkle at Fred Segal in Santa Monica, and Bloomingdale’s at the Beverly Center, among others. The Jean Jewel office is located in the 881 Alma Real building, suite 220. For more information or to order a Jean Jewel product, visit www.jeanjewel.com or call 230-4557.
Palisades Honorary Mayor Steve Guttenberg at the memorial bench on Palisades Drive to honor cyclist Debra Goldsmith, who died after being struck from behind by an SUV in 2001. Photo by Linda Renaud
Palisades Honorary Mayor Steve Guttenberg didn’t have to look far for a meaningful New Year’s resolution. He decided it was finally time to tackle something that had been bothering him for a long time: the speeding traffic on Palisades Drive, or more specifically, how it affects pedestrians, joggers and cyclists. His proposed solution: guardrails up and down the road, from Sunset to the Highlands. “I see the guardrails as a deterrent,” said Guttenberg, a 15-year resident of the Highlands. “People have taken to using this roadway as a raceway. They think they’re at a Grand Prix or something. It’s a great place to race your car, see what it can do. And because there are four lanes, people drive like they’re on the freeway. As far as I can see, it’s only a matter of time before someone else gets hit.” Guttenberg is referring to the accident (April 2001) in which cyclist Debra Goldsmith was killed. She was pedaling north on Palisades Drive towards her home in the Highlands when she was struck from behind by a Range Rover, thrown up onto the hood of the vehicle and then onto the roadway. The impact forced her helmet off, and she died from severe head trauma. The accident took place at a notorious wide stretch of road halfway up the canyon, a known “blind spot,” where the speed limit is 45 mph. “The fact is, people simply ignore the speed limit, whatever it is,” noted Guttenberg, standing behind the memorial bench in Goldsmith’s honor near the scene of the accident. “Motorists drive twice as fast, whether they’re going up or down this road.” To illustrate his point, Guttenberg invited the Palisadian-Post along for a “test” drive last Thursday morning. Accompanied by Monique Ford (a deputy to Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski), Arnie Wishnick (executive director of the Palisades Chamber of Commerce) and two representatives from the Bureau of Street Services, we slowly drove the two miles from Sunset to the Highlands Plaza. We started out at 25 mph, the posted speed limit by Calvary School. Several motorists passed us up, clearly ignoring the sign. When we reached the 45 mph zone, more cars whipped by, even as we reached the “blind spot” in the road where Goldsmith was killed. We made our first pit stop near her memorial bench, and were surprised to find not the usual vendors that sometimes hawk their wares there (selling strawberries, firewood and hot dogs) but an LAPD officer using a radar gun. “In the less than 30 minutes I’ve been here,” Officer Tasha Karandy told the Post at about 10:20 a.m., “I’ve ticketed three motorists.” Before we could take a picture of her in action, she was gone, headed south after another speeding car. “The police should be out here doing this more often,” Guttenberg said, referring to the LAPD’s infrequent radar patrols. “Imagine if one of those cars spun out of control. This is a great canyon to jog, cycle or stroll. But anyone doing that could be killed, the way it is now.” Ferdinand Chan, an engineer with Street Services, pointed out that a guardrail would not have helped Goldsmith, and, in fact, might have hindered her. He detailed how a three-foot high guardrail “will not stop speeding” and probably would not have “withstood the impact, from a technical point of view, even though guardrails are often installed in hilly areas to try and stop cars from going over.” Chan explained that guardrails are “about vehicle safety, really,” and that his department is severely limited in providing the metal protectors, with a total annual budget of only “$120,000 for the entire city. At $100 a linear foot, it doesn’t go very far. We have to establish priorities.” He also suggested other solutions for that area of Palisades Drive, from widening the sidewalk to narrowing the road from two lanes to one. “One lane would force people to slow down,” said Guttenberg, who suggested we then move on to the upper plaza. Once there, he pointed to the curve by the Hidden Cafe and the adjoining offices, one of which he himself rents for his production company. “If a car went out of control,” Guttenberg observed, “it would crash straight into those offices and restaurant.” Chan agreed the curve might be a suitable candidate for a guardrail and offered to look into it. He did caution, however, that if a guardrail were installed on the curb, it would mean losing several parking spaces on the street, as it would be impossible to exit the passenger side of the car. “What are a few parking spaces if it might mean saving lives?” asked Guttenberg to no one in particular. “For me, this is about making this area safe.” At the end of our tour, the honorary mayor agreed that perhaps it was unrealistic to install guardrails up and down both sides of the road (which would cost an estimated $2,000,000 to cover the four miles) and was open to other suggestions. He said he looks forward to meeting with Highlands representatives and residents to discuss the situation. “I don’t care what it takes, as long as it gets people to slow down.” Guttenberg said his concern about the speeding began in earnest a few months ago when he discussed his ongoing concern with Viet Tran, Mayor Hahn’s West L.A. director, at a Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting. Tran contacted Ford, who arranged for the city representatives from Street Services to meet with her and Guttenberg on Palisades Drive. “I wanted to understand the nature of his [Guttenberg’s] concern and get some knowledge from B.O.S.S. on the feasibility of his request,” said Ford, who is also looking forward to input from the Palisades community. (Editor’s note: In the days following last week’s impromptu tour, the Post received e-mails from Paul Glasgall, chairman of the Highland’s Presidents Council (which represents 17 homeowner associations), and Barry Kurtz, the alternative representative for the Highlands on the Palisades Community Council, objecting to any guardrails being installed. We will publish their comments in next week’s paper.)
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