Peninsula People August 2016

photo by David Fairchild 

Volume XXI, Issue 1 August 2016

August 2016 • Peninsula 3

PENINSULA 

Volume XXI, Issue 1 

August 2016 

P A L O S V E R D E S P E N I N S U L A M O N T H L Y 

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photo by David Fairchild 

Patrick O’Flaherty of O’Flaherty’s Tap 

House. 

PROFILES 

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52 

58 

68 

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MJ’s Peninsula People by Kevin Cody 

After two decades as publisher of Peninsula People and over 

four decades of community involvement Mary Jane 

Schoenheider is passing the baton to a new generation. 

Peninsula publican by Richard Foss 

Patrick O’Flaherty sensed something was missing on the 

Peninsula. So he opened a bar, featuring craft beer. 

Arun for the money by Kevin Cody 

Arun Bhumitra arrived in the U.S. with three dollars, a good 

education and a lot of hustle. Now it’s payback time. 

Class rockers by Whitney Youngs 

Lizzy Borden bassist Marten Andersson brings together 

some of his closest friends to perform in support of Peninsula 

schools. 

Komatsu’s kids by Ryan McDonald 

TrinityKids Care Hospice’s Dr, Glenn Komatsu offers comfort 

and a listening ear to children who have run out of medical 

options. 

SpARTan design by Stephanie Cartozian 

A Rolling Hills home honors the city’s ranch style tradition 

with a rare, contemporary design. 

An uncompromising Italian by Richard Foss 

Giorgio Borelli has no interest in fusion at his namesake 

restaurant. 

Backhand compliment by Randy Angel 

Peninsula High tennis player Connor Hance hopes to lead 

his team to a second, consecutive league championship. 

HIGHLIGHTS 

6 Olympics Day at the Promenade 

14 Colin Hay at Terranea Music on the Meadow 

18 Tea with the Asia America Symphony 

24 Golfing with Providence Little Company 

28 Sara Balough’s Freighthouse opening 

38 Celebrate Wellness at the Botanic Garden 

40 Seahorse Golf Classic 

44 South Bay Family Business 

DEPARTMENTS 

61 Peninsula calendar 

77 Around and about 

81 Home services 

STAFF 

EDITOR 

Mark McDermott 

PUBLISHER EMERITUS 

Mary Jane Schoenheider 

PUBLISHER 

Stephanie Cartozian 

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER 

Richard Budman 

DISPLAY SALES 

Adrienne Slaughter, 

Tamar Gillotti, Amy Berg, 

Shelley Crawford 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Teri Marin 

ADVERTISING 

DIRECTOR 

Richard Budman 

ADVERTISING 

COORDINATOR 

Teri Marin 

GRAPHIC DESIGNER 

Tim Teebken 

FRONT DESK 

Judy Rae 

DIRECTOR OF 

DIGITAL MEDIA 

Jared Thompson 

CONTACT 

MAILING ADDRESS 

P.O. Box 745 

Hermosa Beach, CA 

90254 

PHONE 

(310) 372-4611 

FAX 

(424) 212-6780 

WEBSITE 

www.easyreadernews.com 

EDITORIAL 

PenPeople@ 

easyreadernews.com 

ADVERTISING 

(310) 372-4611 

displayads@ 

easyreadernews.com 

Please see the Classified Ad 

Section for info. 

FICTITIOUS NAME 

STATEMENTS (DBA’S) 

can be filed at the 

office during regular 

business hours. 

(310) 372-4611 

Peninsula People is a supplemental 

publication of Easy 

Reader, 2200 Pacific Cst. Hwy. 

#101., PO Box 745, Hermosa Beach, 

CA. 90254-0427. 

SUBSCRIPTIONS 

Yearly domestic mail subscriptions 

to Peninsula People are $40, foreign 

$90 payable in advance. The 

entire contents of Peninsula People 

are copyrighted 2016 by 

Peninsula People, Inc. 

4 Peninsula • August 2016

S P O T L I G H T O N T H E H I L L 

World Champion skaters judge 

Promenade Ice Chalet Olympic Day 

Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, two time Olympians, World Champions 

and five time National Figure Skating Champions, were just 

two of the acclaimed judges present at the Promenade Ice Chalet’s 

Olympic Day Event last month. Forty figure skaters and 20 hockey players 

were selected Learn to Skate programs for the competition. The program 

showcased talented area skaters while offering a family friendly 

event at the Palos Verdes Promenade. Olympic Day producer Azumi 

Williams is the director of Ice-America, which operates the Promenade 

Ice Chalet. 

PHOTOS BY TONY LABRUNO 

1. 2016 World silver medalist Ashley from Prestige Princess. 

Wagner, Olympic Day producer Azumi 4. Natalie Longfellow, Learn to Skate 

Williams, Ice skater and actress (“The student Malia Merager and skater and 

Hangover”) Alisa Allapach, voice actress Alisa Allapach. 

actor Josh Keaton, Brian Calle, 

Olympian Randy Gardner, Olympian 5. Coach Annie Alexander, Brian 

Tai Babilonia and 2016 U.S. National Calle, voice actor Josh Keaton and 

Champion Adam Rippon. 

Learn to Skate student Jordan 

Weinert. 

2. 2016 U.S. National Champion 

Adam Rippon coaches Learn to Skate 6. Princess Elsa and Anna from the 

student Uzziah Bermudez. 

movie Frozen provided by Prestige 

Princess. 

3. Captain America and Spider Man 

1 

2 3 

4 5 

6 

310-325-6500 


THANK YOU! 

30th Annual Torrance Memorial Golf Tournament 

Jerry Soldner, Jim Scriba, Ralph Scriba, Daniel Scriba (back row) 

Jeff Higgins, Spencer Higgins, Rick Higgins, Erik Higgins 

Forrest Riopelle, Brandon Hovard, James Zupanovich, Jim Haney 

Joe & Terry Hohm, Carole Hoffman, Stuart Dolan 

Tracy Bracken, Chris Wilson, Dave Klein, David Clinton, 

Song Cho Klein, Steve & Helaine Lopes 

T O U R N A M E N T S P O N S O R S 

Stevan Calvillo, Louis Graziadio, Jon Lund, Bill Lang 

Tournament Sponsor 

City National Bank 

Dinner Sponsors 

Graziadio Family Foundation 

Payden & Rygel 

The Scriba Family 

Golden Putter Sponsor 

Torrance Memorial Medical Staff 

Silver Putter Sponsor 

Sodexo 

Pacific National Group 

Bronze Putter Sponsor 

McCarthy Building Companies 

Golf Cart Sponsor 

Keenan Healthcare Services 

Reception Sponsor 

Torrance Memorial Medical Staff 

Lunch Sponsor 

HUB International 

Eagle Sponsor 

Cerner Corporation 

Tournament Award Sponsors 

ExecutivePerils 

Program Book Sponsor 

Newport Printing Solutions 

Hole-in-One Sponsors 

Martin Chevrolet 

Pacific Audi 

Pacific Porsche 

Scott Robinson Honda 

South Bay Lexus 

Tournament Chair 

Don Douthwright 

Don Douthwright has served on the Golf 

Committee since 1987. His dedicated efforts 

on behalf of Torrance Memorial Medical Center 

and its Foundation are 

greatly appreciated! 

Special Thanks to the Members of the 2016 Tournament Committee 

Don Douthwright, Chair 

Chris Adlam 

Carlos Botana 

Tracy Bracken 

Stanley Chang, M.D. 

Erik Chessmore 

Harv Daniels 

David Klein 

Rick Higgins 

John Moody 

Dan Mueller 

Mike Philbin 

Rosemary Pudlik 

Gary Randazzo 

Forrest Riopelle 

Scott Rouse 

Marc Schenasi 

Marianne Sfreddo 

Neal Verga 

3330 Lomita Blvd., Torrance, CA • 310-325-9110 • www.TorranceMemorial.org 

For information about the 31st Annual Golf Tournament, please call 310-517-4703

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Peninsula People publisher emeritus Mary Jane Schoenheider. Photo by CMS Design Portraiture 

MJ’s Peninsula people 

A pillar of the Peninsula is 

giving her tired legs a rest 

by Kevin Cody 

Mary Jane Schoenheider co-founded this 

magazine two decades ago. She was 59, 

an age when most people are looking to 

retire. The magazine she envisioned would occasionally 

feature celebrities. Donald Trump was 

on the cover the month he opened Trump National 

Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes. 

Michael Jackson was on the cover following his 

acquittal, photographed with his Peninsula attorney 

Tony Capozzola. But the signature Peninsula 

People cover was to be a civic volunteer, many of 

whom labored in anonymity until profiled in the 

magazine. 

An editorial in the magazine’s first issue stated, 

“The stories in Peninsula People are like letters to 

family members, simply written and accompanied 

by a few photographs, because a community 

whose residents don’t know one another ceases 

to be a community.” 

Shortly after Peninsula People began publishing 

in 1996, Mary Jane introduced a feature that 

would become even more important to the magazine’s 

success than the profiles. 

“I happened to go to the Portuguese Bend 

Horse Show in September, 1996,” Schoenheider 

wrote in the magazine’s 15th anniversary issue, 

“and took some photos of the committee members. 

That was fun. So I started showing up at 

other events with my camera and what would 

you know. Friends began calling their friends to 

tell them that they had seen their picture in a 

new publication that was thrown on their driveway. 

When I kept hearing this, I knew we were 

on our way.” 

No one was more qualified to be the publisher 

of a Peninsula magazine. Dating back to 1973, 

Mary Jane chaired the Los Angeles Philharmonic 

Peninsula Committee. In 1987, she became the 

first female member of the Palos Verdes Rotary 

Club and its president in 2000. She was co-president 

of the Rolling Hills High School Drama 

Booster Club, a Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts den 

mother for over a decade and co-director of the 

Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance for five years. 

In 2004, the Palos Verdes Chamber of Commerce 

named her Woman of the Year. “The 

evening began when fellow Concours d’Elegance 

committee member Dick Boberg, dressed in his 

‘bib and tucker’, arrived at my home in his 1930 

Rolls Royce Phantom II Hooper Boat-tail Tourer 

to take me to my party. I felt like Cinderella,” she 

wrote for a Peninsula People photo page following 

the event. 

Equally important as the photo pages and profiles 

to the magazine’s success was Mary Jane's 

background in sales. She had been the Palos 

Verdes News advertising director for 10 years and 

after that Cox Cable’s Peninsula sales manager 

for six years. 

Periodically, over the past several years, 

Schoenheider would look up from editing photo 

pages on her computer and announce to no one 

in particular, “I’m too old for this. I’m going to retire.” 

Months would go by without another mention 

of the dreaded “r” word. 

Then, a few weeks ago, after returning from 

her annual two week tour of Europe, Schoenhei- 


Peninsula People co-founders Kevin Cody and Mary Jane Schoenheider in 

2004, when Schoenheider was named Woman of the Year by the Palos 

Verdes Chamber. The caption to the photo in that month’s Peninsula People 

read, “Mary Jane Schoenheider reacts to the news that Peninsula People 

has been sold to aspiring media mogul Donald Trump. The even worse 

news was that Trump didn’t fire Schoenheider, but instead, insisted she continue 

as publisher.” Photo by Bev Morse 

der announced, again to no one in particular, “I’m too old for this. That 

was my last European trip.” 

She is 79. But she was old when she co-founded Peninsula People 20 

years ago. So her being old never seemed odd to the staff. We told her she 

was just suffering from jet lag. She answered that it was her legs that bothered 

her. Walking through museums, ruins and airports was becoming too 

difficult. 

A few days later she said taking photos at the civic events she attended 

almost nightly was also becoming difficult because of weakness in her legs. 

With the same finality with which she would decide who would be on the 

cover of the next Peninsula People, she announced she was retiring with 

the publication of this issue. 

Her acknowledgement of the fact that she could no longer do the work 

that defined the magazine was akin to a professional athlete announcing 

he or she could no longer carry his or her own weight. Its inevitability 

made her decision no less difficult to accept, for her or her staff. 

“I always said I knew everyone on the Hill. But I don’t. I meet new people 

all the time,” she said, referring to the stories and photos she would 

not be able to publish. 

Mary Jane’s retirement will leave a void not only at the magazine, but 

in the community at large. For the sake of the community she loves, she 

said she is hopeful new people will step forward to hold the community 

together. And continue doing so, as she did, long after their children have 

grown and moved away. 

“I have a real worry that the younger people of Palos Verdes are not stepping 

up into the community positions. If parents see the importance of 

being involved with the schools, they must also understand that they need 

to look to the future and get involved with the greater community,” she 

said. PEN 



PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE CARTOZIAN 

Colin Hay headlines 

Terranea Resort’s 

Music on the Meadows 

The third annual summertime 

Music on the Meadows at Terranea 

Resort rocked the Peninsula 

on Father’s Day weekend. The 

sold out crowd saw headliner 

Colin Hay, of Men at Work,with 

the Walcotts, Barley and Kate 

Voegele. Whiskey, craft beer and 

wine vendors were scattered 

throughout the grassy, ocean view 

site. Concert goers had the option 

of bringing their own chairs, blankets 

and food or viewing the concert 

from VIP cabanas while 

enjoying food from Terranea. Hay 

recently released “Next year People.” 

His music can be heard on 

the hit shows “Scrubs,” “Army 

Wives” and “Modern Family” and 

in films, including “Garden State.” 

1 

1. Jill and Tim Monohan. 

2. Chikaodi Akalaonu, Julie 

Tucker, Keith Lawton. 

3. Colin Hay Men at Work 

vocalist and songwriter. 

4. Christa Ravenscroft, Mary 

Flaxman, Vienna Flores. 

5. Anita Lugliani, Jennifer 

Irwin, Carol Mell. 

3 4 

6. Jason Rosenfeld, Ernestine 

Burns, Thomas Redfield. 

7. Jeremy Williams and Kristin 

McKnight. 

8. John Slaninka, Barbara 

Letts, Luke Slaninka. 

9. Maria Tirado, Colin Hay, 

2 

Kevin Prince. 

10. Kids Club Tori Caporaso, 

Andrew Mentesana, Tyler 

Turse, Hanna Allman. 

11. Karen Mitchell, Jen Paull, 

Jeff Mulligan, Ryan Farrell. 

12. Maria Tirado and Kevin 

Prince. 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 12 


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Tea in the garden 

with the Asia America Symphony 

The formal garden of the Palos Verdes Estate 

home of Dali and Brian Higa was the 

setting for the recent Asia America Symphony 

Guild Spring tea. Cookie Atsumi and her 

daughter Carolyn, provided a variety of tea 

cups, tea pots and accessories for the guests, 

all dressed for spring. Co-presidents, Susan 

Toy Stern and Lissa Malone welcomed the 

guests and thanked event committee members 

Leslie Low, Karen Bronson and Margaret 

Shimada. Marcus Chang performed on the violin 

and symphony director David Benoit performed 

on the piano. For more information 

about the Asia America Symphony call (310) 

377-8977 or visit the website 

AASymphony.org. 

1 

2 

PHOTOS BY VAL NOGUCHI 

1. Asia America Symphony conductor David Benoit 

violinist Marcusd Chang. 

2. David Benoit with Elizabeth Morinaka and Lily 

Miyata. 

3. Carolyn Elliott, Gloria Mata, Yoshiko and Darryl 

Tanikawa. 

4. Guild co-president Susan Stern, hostess Dali 

Higa, Guild co-president Lissa Malone, event cochairs 

Leslie Low and Karen Bronson and event 

committee member Jenny Ho. 

3 

4 

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Peninsula 

publican 

by Richard Foss 

Patrick O’Flaherty recommends Belgians, pilsners, and pale ales to customers new to craft beer. Photo by David Fairchild 

“Once they’ve had the fresh stuff, they can’t go back.” -- O’Flaherty’s Tap House owner Patrick O’Flaherty talking 

about his customers’ reactions to his craft beer offerings 

Patrick O’Flaherty didn’t know what he was doing when he opened 

his pub in a corner of the Golden Cove Shopping Center. Not only 

did he have no bar experience, he didn’t realize that his was the first 

business of its kind in the whole area. 

“I figured there had to be another pub and I just didn’t know about it. 

Then these people kept walking in and saying, ‘Oh my God, we don’t have 

to drive all the way into town any more.’ I had done some research into 

residents’ ages and income and such, but somehow didn’t realize I now 

had a monopoly for the whole area.” 

That was the day after Thanksgiving, 2013. Over the next two and a half 

years O’Flaherty’s Tap House became a local institution. The Sonoma 

County native had been a professional musician, worked on solar cell projects 

and ran businesses in Hawaii before moving to Southern California. 

Though he is from a family of cooks, he had never worked in a commercial 

kitchen or behind a bar. He decided to open a pub for a simple reason. He 

was homesick for the ones in his home town of Healdsburg. 

“Sonoma is wine country and I was an amateur cider maker, and couldn’t 

find a place that had a good selection of craft beers. So, I decided the place 

to start was in my own neighborhood. Though we were living in Torrance 

then my wife Maureen grew up in Rancho Palos Verdes, and we came up 


here to take her daughter to soccer games. Golden Cove shopping center is 

very much like where I came from, low speed and laid back. It also reminds 

me of Hawaii, where I spent 13 years, but with a view of Catalina across 

the channel.” 

Though the O’Flaherty’s name sometimes creates expectations of a Celtic 

atmosphere, the pub’s rustic, modern look evokes Napa rather than Dublin. 

“No, no shamrocks, no corned beef and cabbage… That happens on St. 

Patrick’s Day, but it happens everywhere that day. I just wanted to use my 

last name. Sometimes I’ll have someone coming 

in wanting a Smithwick’s or some other Irish 

beer, and the closest I can offer is Guinness on 

draft.” 

O’Flaherty’s has 18 different beers on tap. Almost 

all are boutique craft beers and the wide 

selection has boggled some visitors. O’Flaherty 

is proud of the fact that for many of his customers 

it’s their first experience with non-industrially 

produced beers. 

“My clientele is across the board here. I’ve 

had kids just turning 21 who come in because 

they don’t know anything and have heard that 

this is where they can learn. One old man was 

93. He who came in here every day for months 

for a hot dog and a craft beer. I haven’t seen him 

lately and hope he’s okay. We get all ages, men 

and women, and what we do here is new to 80 

percent of them. They haven’t tried craft beers 

or fresh cider. I base my suggestions from the 

commercial beers they drink. Once they’ve had 

the fresh stuff in the same categories, they can’t go back. Their most common 

response is ‘Oh my, I’m spoiled here.” 

Patrick and his staff offer tasting flights for those who want to experiment 

with different styles. 

“I usually start people out with easy drinking beers like Belgians, pilsners, 

and pale ales. West Coast IPA’s are very popular and we have a few of those, 

but IPA’s can be a little much for beginners -- too bitter and too hoppy. If 

they don’t know what they want we offer tasting flights and tell everyone 

that if any of these intrigue you, we’re happy to guide you further. I also 

have some books and the local beer newspaper here. So anyone who wants 

to really dive in and get an intellectual understanding of the beer can do 

that.” 

Patrick also is enthusiastic about introducing people to cider, or in some 

cases reintroducing them to a beverage they 

may have tried but not liked. 

“A lot of people reject it because most of what 

you can get is poor quality, sugary and sweet. 

Most commercial cider is made to mask the 

quality of stuff that isn’t made right. I found a 

really good one at Two Rivers in Sacramento 

and visited their ciderworks. They only have a 

limited production but they said sure, we’ll give 

you whatever you want. I brought a keg down 

to see if other people liked it as much as I did 

and in no time it was gone. I can’t keep it in. 

It’s tart, crisp, and refreshing rather than sweet 

and syrupy.” 

O’Flaherty’s Tap House also serves food, but 

unlike just about every new place that offers 

both food and beer, the offerings are not what 

you’d get at a gastropub. 

Tasting flights give beer lovers the opportunity to conduct 

their own taste comparisons. 

Northern California style sandwiches on pretzel 

“We offer simple food made well, mostly 

bread. It’s not traditional pub food, which is 

deep-fried everything, but we’re not trying to be a gastropub with fancy 

tapas and all that. In the wine country, which is increasingly beer country 

with all the breweries that have started up there, you have fine beverages 

with something simple like a pizza or a sandwich. I have no interest in following 

trends, I just want to serve good simple food and great beer.” PEN 



Providence 

Little Company of Mary 

Foundation Golf Classic 

More than 140 golfers teed up on May 16 for 

Providence Little Company of Mary Foundation’s 

37th annual Golf Classic held at the Palos 

Verdes Golf Club. The day was a great success raising 

nearly $250,000. Proceeds benefit the Heart to 

Heart Campaign to create a Cardiovascular Center 

of Excellence at Providence Little Company of Mary 

Medical Center in Torrance. Thank you to Co-Chairs 

Ed Fountain and Rich Severa for their leadership. 

Special thanks to Presenting Sponsor, American 

Honda Motor Co., Inc., who also offered a 2016 

Honda Accord for a hole-in-one contest prize. Appreciation 

to lead sponsors The Jacqueline Glass 

Family and The Jankovich Company, as well as Clifford 

Swan Investment Counselors; College Admissions 

Counseling Associates; Colich & Sons; 

Emergency Physicians of Little Company of Mary, 

Torrance; The George P. Johnson Company; Ocean 

Terminal Services; Redondo Van and Storage, and 

The Thermal Club. 

After the on-course competition, 22 golfers participated 

in the first-ever “Shoot-Out” Competition. In 

front of a gallery of their cheering peers, players 

were given one chance to hole out a 150-yard shot 

to win $98,000 in cash. One competitor came within 

two feet, but alas, no one claimed the prize. 

Committee members wish to thank all of the generous 

sponsors, golfers and volunteers for another 

fantastic tournament! 

1. Co-Chairs Ed Fountain and 

Rich Severa. 

2. Sean Armstrong, Foundation 

President; sponsors Jacky 

Glass and Steve Morikawa of 

American Honda; Sister 

Terrence Landini, LCM; Mary 

Morikawa, Hazel Breen,, 

Foundation Exec. Director. 

3. Special thanks to presenting 

sponsor American Honda Motor 

Co., Inc. 

1 

4. Sponsor Tom Jankovich, 

Cheryl Gage, Bill Moller, Chuck 

O’Malley. 

5. Shoot-out $98,000 Competition. 

6. Sponsors Steve Young and 

Ken Prindle. 

7. Ryan Lindner, Dr. Mike Del 

Vicario and Paula Del Vicario. 

8. 1st place Mixed Foursome: 

Des Armstrong, Carol Cozen, 

3 4 

2 

Sean Armstrong and Steve 

Solomon (not pictured). 

9. Ryan Todaro, Alex 

Kouzmanoff, Eric Lee, and Ryan 

Choura. 

10. Bill Delaney and son Mike 

Delaney, Frank Malone and son 

Frank Malone Jr. 

11. 1st place: Bryce Lindsey, 

Clark Nelson, and Bret Parker. 

5 

6 7 

8 

9 10 

11 



Freighthouse Art and Furnishings 

Cocktails and Conversation at Launch Party 

Sara Balough’s new designer showcase store, Freighthouse, in old Torrance 

joined the 2nd annual Torrance Artwalk on Saturday evening, 

June 25 with an elbow to elbow in-store crowd. Offering up gin and tonics, 

champagne and fresh seafood provided by Lisa’s Bon Appetit, the crowd 

was clamoring over designer-curated consignment furnishings and original 

works of art by Rodolfo Rivademar, Jody Wiggins, Thomas Redfield, Steve 

Mirich and several other well known painters. 

Conveniently located next to longstanding Chef Michael Shafer’s restaurant 

Depot, Freighthouse is a passion project owned and operated by the 

longtime Palos Verdes interior decorator. 

Balough states, “I had no idea this Artwalk was such a happening — Do 

we have to wait a whole year to do it again?” 

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE CARTOZIAN 

1. Bob Mennig, Tracie England, 

Tim Vaughan and Bernard Fallon. 

2. Evelyn Kita and Jo Margolf. 

3. Thomas Redfield, Bernard Fallon, 

owner Sara Balough, Emily 

and Tim Vaughan. 

4. Live contemporary music 

provided by Dale Balough. 

5. Joan Kenney and owner Sara 

Balough. 

6. Jim Vandever and his wife Kim 

Hall. 

7. Darlene Deichler and Thomas 

Redfield. 

1 

2 3 

4 5 

6 7 

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Lower Lunada Bay, 4 bedrooms, completely remodeled inside and out! Beautiful open living 

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Headlong 

into thesea 

Arun Bhumitra at his Rolling Hills home. Photo by Kevin Cody 

Arun Bhumitra came to the United States with $3 and an engineering degree. Four 

decades later, he is using his experience and wealth to repay his adopted country 

by Kevin Cody 

Arun Bhumitra’s day begins at 4:30 a.m. at 

the Equinox gym on Silver Spur Road with 

15 to 20 fellow, type A businessmen and 

businesswomen, among them Northrop Grumman 

Aerospace Systems president Tom Vice. 

“When I was a young engineer at Northrop, the 

president was a god. And now I work out with 

him,” Bhumitra said, still marveling, at 66, at his 

good fortune. 

After working out, Bhumitra goes to Sea Bean 

at Terranea Resort for tea, then back to his ranch 

style Rolling Hills home, designed by Cliff May, 

the architect who created the ranch style home. 

After breakfast and a 20 minute nap, Bhumitra 

leaves for his office at Arjay Plaza on Hawthorne 

Boulevard, at the foot of Palos Verdes. Arjay is a 

combination of his daughters Arielle’s and Jaya’s 

names. After meeting with his assistant of 18 

years Carla Morgan, whom he credits with holding 

together his many projects, Bhumitra checks 

in with his tenants. 

At the end of the day, Bhumitra runs on the 

beach, or returns to the gym, or boxes with a 

trainer at his home gym. He stays up to watch 

Jimmy Fallon on the “Late Late Show,” then 

sleeps for three to four hours. 

Bhumitra opened his first cell phone store in 

1987. Today he and his brother Maxy, who lives 

in New York, own 200 cell phone stores with 800 

employees in 18 states, plus a cell phone store in 

Brussels and a software company in Ireland. 

About five years ago, Bhumitra began stepping 

back from the family cell phone business to focus 

on real estate development in the South Bay, philanthropy 

and politics. 

On a recent morning he stopped in to see 

George Mavro, owner of Blue Salt Fish Grill on 

Artesia Boulevard in Redondo. Mavro recently 

opened a second Blue Salt Fish Grill in Arjay 

Plaza. It took six, frustrating months, largely because 

of Los Angeles County Health Department 

delays. 

As an example, Mavro was ordered by a health 

inspector to put a lock on an air conditioning 

unit. But the manufacturer said drilling holes for 

the lock would void the warranty. 

“This is one of the reasons I’m stepping back 


from opening new cell phone stores. I’m tired of fighting the county,” Bhumitra 

said. 

But real estate development brings its own set of bureaucratic challenges, 

Bhumitra noted. It took him six years to get a grading permit from the 

county for a single family spec home he built in Rolling Hills. The delays 

turned his anticipated $1 million profit into a $1 million loss. 

Bhumitra’s mechanical engineering background helps explain the intensity 

of his frustration with government’s systemic failures. It also helps explains 

why he was a California delegate pledged to Donald Trump at the 

recent Republican National Convention. 

Three months ago, Bhumitra received a phone call from Donald Trump’s 

California campaign manager Tim Clark asking him to be the 33rd Congressional 

District delegate at the Convention. The once illegal, Indian immigrant 

readily accepted the offer because of his appreciation for Trump’s 

business acumen. 

“I saw what Trump did on the Riverside South waterfront project in New 

York. He stood up to the bureaucrats. He pacified the unions and the mafia 

and helped resurrect New York. He’s good at schmoozing and knows how 

to deal with people. 

“A year ago, when he began his run for president, is when I was having 

my problem with the county building department,” Bhumitra added. 

Bhumitra is not an ideologue, nor a partisan. 

Over the past 20 years, beginning with $500 he contributed to the John 

Kerry presidential campaign, Bhumitra 

has made nearly 100 political campaign 

contributions, most under $1,000, according 

to OpenSecrets.com. 

He was 4th District Supervisor Don 

Knabe’s election co-chair four years ago. 

But this year, instead of supporting 

Knabe’s anointed successor, former Manhattan 

Beach councilman Steve Napolitano, 

he is supporting former Los Angeles 

city councilwoman and current 44th 

Congressional Representative Janice 

Hahn. 

“I support whoever I think can get the 

job done. I don’t care about parties. I 

don’t care about issues like gun control, 

though I don’t think people need assault 

rifles. That’s asking for trouble,” he said. 

the favor, with interest. 

The four brothers -- Arun, Maxy, Shelly, who sells Mercedes in New York 

and Vijay who exports pharmaceuticals from India -- established Bishop 

Cotton School’s largest ever endowment fund, which provides scholarships 

to underprivileged students. The brothers also funded the school’s computer 

lab. 

Bhumitra traces his work discipline and his fondness for tea to his four 

years at Bishop Cotton School. 

“We were up at 5:30 for tea in the mess hall. At 6 we ran, 6:30 was dress 

inspection. In winter we wore gray suits, white shirts and ties. In summer, 

we wore shorts, blue shirts, ties and calf-length, grey socks. After inspection 

we’d sing hymns, then go to class. At lunch there was a teacher at the 

head of each table who would counsel us. After school we had high tea, 

then we boxed, played field hockey, soccer or cricket. I played on the state 

field hockey team,” Bhumitra said. 

Following graduation, he went onto Visvesvaraya National Institute of 

Technology Nagpur, where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering. 

At age 25, Bhumitra was one of 7,000 applicants for five managerial positions 

at the newly formed Bombay Marine, which had a contract to build 

freighters for Qatar. 

His wife Marina was a medical doctor. But their financial situation was 

still not good. 

“I made 700 rupees a month. That’s $10 a month. My wife made $8 a 

month,” he said. 

One of the many lasting lessons from 

his classical education at Bishop Cotton 

is a fondness for inspirational, literary 

quotes. A favorite is from John Keats: 

“I leaped headlong into the sea, and 

thereby have become more acquainted 

with the soundings, the quicksands, 

and the rocks, than if I had stayed upon 

the green shore, and piped a silly pipe, 

and took tea and comfortable advice.” 

In that spirit, 10 months after landing 

the coveted, supervisorial job at Bombay 

Marine, Bhumitra boarded a plane 

for New York City. It was November, 

1975. He had $3 in his pocket. In the 

mid 1970s, New York City was the murder 

capital of the country. Central Park 

South Bay State Assemblyman David 

Arun Bhumitra with Blue Salt Fish Grill’s George Mavro and Mike 

was its ground zero, and despite it being 

Hadley is currently a tenant in his Arjay 

winter, that is where Bhumitra slept his 

Plaza. The Republican Assemblyman’s 

Tafe. Photo by Kevin Cody 

first week in America. 

sign on the side of Arjay Plaza, in 5-foot 

His youngest brother Shelly was already 

in New York, but Bhumitra resisted calling him until he found work. 

tall letters, is seen by the 150,000 cars that pass by daily on Hawthorne 

Boulevard. 

“Luckily,” he said, “employers then didn’t worry about immigration papers.” 

Bhumitra’s previous political tenants have included Republicans Arnold 

Schwarzenegger, John McCain, and Craig Huey and Democrat Betsy Butler. 

A brag wall in his office has photos of Bhumitra with President Bill manufacturing plant. Then he found an 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. job in a machine 

At the end of the first week, Bhumitra found a 3 to 7 a.m. job in a wire 

Clinton, former New York governor Rudy Giuliani, and President Obama’s shop and then a 4 to 10 p.m job at a sheet metal factory. His employers 

chief of staff William Daley. In 2006, Bhumitra served on a Clinton trade were all Long Island aerospace subcontractors. The Cold War was in full 

delegation to Ireland. 

bloom. 

Bhumitra has no illusion about his modest financial contributions buying By 1979, he had added to his resume an MBA from Dowling College. 

him political favors. If they could, he notes, he wouldn’t have needed six “I was young and scrappy and hungry,” he said. 

years to get a grading permit. 

Marina followed him to New York. After completing her residency at 

His political contributions, he said, are an expression of his appreciation Kent Oaks Medical School in Michigan she returned to New York for her 

for his adopted country. 

psychiatry degree at Stony Brook Medical School on Long Island. 

“Politicians have the power. If we want change, we need to change the In 1980, Bhumitra was recruited by Northrop to come to California. 

politicians,” he said. 

“I was always fascinated by California, with its year ‘round 70 degree 

Bhumitra was born in Jaipur, the famous “Pink City” of northern India. weather,” he said. 

His father had a good job at Indian Airlines until his unexpected death. A colleague recommended he buy a home in Torrance, He still owns the 

Bhumitra was 14 and about to enter Bishop Cotton School, a boarding house. 

school modeled after the prestigious Harrow School in London. 

At Northrop, he designed tools for making parts for the F 18 fighter 

His father’s death left his mother financially destitute. 

bomber while also becoming an associate professor at UCLA, where he 

“She camped out in front of the headmaster’s office for two days, until taught tool making. 

he agreed to grant me admission. Then she camped out another two days But by the mid 1980s, the Cold War was cooling and defense spending 

until he agreed to give me free tuition and lodging. Then she told him I 

had three brothers, who also needed free tuition and lodging.” 

The headmaster acquiesced and Bhumitra and his three brothers repaid Bhumitra cont. on page 34 


Arun Bhumitra (center) with fellow California Republican Presidential Convention 

delegates K.V. Kumar and Noel Hentschel, who worked with 

Mother Teresa in Calcutta. 

Bhumitra cont. from page 33 

declining. Bhumitra felt uncomfortable about the classes he was teaching. 

“When I started teaching there was so much demand for tool makers 

that anyone who took my class could get $32 an hour and double for overtime. 

But then I saw aerospace going down and couldn’t in good conscience 

train people for jobs that didn’t exist,” he said. 

He stopped teaching in 1987, and turned his attention to the newly 

emerging cell phone technology. 

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To learn the business, he took a 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. shift at Motorola in 

Fullerton. His Northrop shift, where he supervised 45 engineers, was 3 to 

11 p.m. 

“I wanted to learn how to manufacture cell phones. But I soon realized 

that was for the big boys. So I joined LA Celluar as a dealer,” he said. 

In 1988, Bhumitra once again left a comfortable job for an uncertain, 

but more promising future. The early cell phones were the size of small 

toasters and cost $4,000. 

“I made $1,500 a sale. But I had to make cold calls from Palm Springs to 

San Diego. People would say, ‘I’ve lived all my life without a cell phone. 

Why do I need one now?’ My customers were mostly doctors and lawyers. 

One day a vice president at LA Cellular said to me, ‘Why not concentrate 

on the South Bay, where there are plenty of doctors and lawyers.’” 

Bhumitra took the advice, but for the first five years, business was shaky. 

“Reception required line of sight with the cell towers and there weren’t 

many cell towers. The phones worked well in Torrance and the beach 

cities, but not in Palos Verdes because of the hills.” 

Finally, in 1993, as the prices and sizes of phones dropped and coverage 

improved, business began to boom. His brother Maxy had joined him and 

over the next decade, they opened nearly 150 stores in 12 states. By the 

end of next year, Maxy plans to have opened 150 new cell phone stores in 

the Los Angeles area, adding to the 200 the family already owns across the 

country. 

He described the Republican presidential convention as an inspirational 

experience where he was able to meet with figures such as the Indian Ambassador 

to the U.S., and San Diego Congressional Representative Darrell 

Issa, who once sold car alarms to Bhumitra. He said the convention left 

him hopeful that a Trump presidency will make government at all levels 

more supportive of business. 

Bhumitra, despite his family urging him to slow down, continues to look 

for new challenges. But at least for a few weeks, he plans to follow his 

family’s advice. In September he will return to Bishop Cotton School for 

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Wellness and Wine 

20th Annual Cancer Support 

Community’s fundraiser 

The Cancer Support Community 

raised a record $175,000 at the 20th 

annual Celebrate Wellness food and 

wine tasting on Sunday, June 26, at the 

South Coast Botanic Garden. Over 600 

attendees enjoyed tastings from some 

of the South Bay’s favorite restaurants, 

including Mistos Caffe, Barsha’s Wine, 

Cafe Pacific at Trump, and Bettolino’s 

Kitchen. Live auction items included a 

tour of the SpaceX factory, Adele and 

Streisand concert seats, dinner at Wolfgang 

Puck’s WP 24 and a private yacht 

excursion from Marina del Rey to 

Avalon. 

Proceeds stay in the community to 

help people affected by cancer. Dr. 

Harold Benjamin opened the first Wellness 

Community in Santa Monica in 

1982. Now called the Cancer Support 

Community, they have continued their 

mission of providing psychosocial services 

and educational support services at 

no charge to thousands of cancer patients 

and their loved ones. For more information 

call 310-376-3550 or visit 

CancerSupportRedondoBeach.org. 

1. Brittany Veneris and 

Kristin Jolley. 

2. Wayne Larsen, Darren 

Howe, Richard Manriquez. 

3. Operations manager 

Pat Lemaire and Anne 

Lemaire. 

4. Board member Steven 

Griswold and Khryste 

1 

Langlais. 

5. Diane Kazan, board 

chair Kyle Kazan, director 

of development Paula 

Moore, table sponsor Brad 

Moore. 

6. Herbert Franck, Jeanina 

Franck, Susan Sleep, Ben 

Schmir, David Pozzi. 

3 4 

7. Vivi Tokatlian, Dave 

Khan, Irene Khan, Frank 

Mori, board member Wade 

Nishimoto. 

8. Suzi Gulcher and Bob 

Gulcher. 

9. Yvonne Rangel, Ana 

Straser, program director 

Nancy Lomibao, Irene 

Hanna, Nancy Weir. 

2 

10. Founder Anne Clary, 

executive director Judith 

Opdahl and public relations 

director Theresa Plakos. 

11. Richard Glimp, M.D., 

Jamie Glimp, Sylvia Luna, 

Jeremy Glimp. 

12. Founders Anne Clary, 

Jean McMillen, Tom 

Simko, M.D. 

PHOTOS BY 

STEPHANIE CARTOZIAN 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 12 




27th Annual Seahorse Classic 

Palos Verdes Country Club 

P 

eninsula Committee Children’s Hospital held its 27th annual golf 

tournament at Palos Verdes Country Club on April 25. All proceeds 

from the event benefit the Associates Sarcoma Program Chair at Children’s 

Hospital Los Angeles. Players enjoyed a fun-filled day which included 

lunch, golf, longest putt and hole-in-one contests, dinner, silent 

and live auctions, a helicopter ball drop and raffle. Save the date for the 

59th Annual Portuguese Bend National Horse Show September 9, 10 and 

11 at Ernie Howlett Park in Rolling Hills Estates. 

1 

1. Golfers were greeted by committee 

members Margaret Gibbs, Alyson 

McFerson, Vall Light, Shari Moore, 

Michelle Del Conte, Ann Cullen, Allyson 

Shen, Leslie Hively and Hilary Waxler. 

2. PCCH 2016 President Val Kelly, 

Horse Show Chairman Kate Cocke 

and committee member Meredith Edwards. 

3. Tournament dinner sponsors Terry 

and Wally Durham, and their daughter, 

committee member Shannon Cobb. 

4. Bagpiper Eric Rigler kicked off the 

festivities. 

5. 2016 Seahorse Classic Chairs 

Carey Romer, Patty Ochi and Karen 

Miller. 

6. Morgan Moore, Gary Stuckman, 

Vic Ulrich and Davis Moore. 

7. Ken Ochi, Chris Adlam, David 

Cocke and Jim Sala. 

8. First Place net score winners Jim 

Cook, Al Walsh, Jeff Maclean and 

Dave Farrell. 

2 

3 4 5 

6 7 

8 


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For the three Chong brothers, Fernando, Roberto and 

Marcelino, the journey to success in the restaurant business 

began in their mother’s very own kitchen. 

“She had a passion for cooking, not only Chinese, but also Cuban 

and Peruvian cuisine. I picked up a lot of things from her,” recalled 

Roberto, who would grow up to become the executive chef of the 

family’s restaurants.It may be noted from Roberto’s quote above, 

that the three brothers were born in Cuba and raised in Peru before 

settling in California. Once here, Roberto furthered his culinary education 

while working for California Cuisine pioneers Robert Bell and 

Michael Frank at Courtney’s, in downtown Manhattan Beach. 

In the early 1990s the three brothers opened the family’s second 

Chong’s at the corner of PCH and Artesia. Subsequently, other 

Chong’s would open in Long Beach and Costa Mesa. Roberto, however, 

wanted to stretch his culinary legs. When the opportunity presented 

itself to open a formal, 80-seat restaurant in Manhattan 

Beach, they seized it. 

Ws China Bistro 

China Grill, like the family’s other restaurants, enjoyed immediate 

success. With its western influenced menu and upscale décor, the 

restaurant is often compared to PF Chang’s. But Fernando noted a 

critical difference. Unlike corporately owned restaurants, “because 

we are family owned, we are quality driven, instead of bottom line 

driven”. The western influences, Robert noted, allow him to use 

flavors that are bolder than traditionally mild Cantonese food. Ginger, 

garlic, peppers and other exotic spices are used to enhance the 

natural flavors. Over time, influences from the countries of their 

upbringing have worked their way into the menu, such is the case 

of the Asian Paella and the Peruvian Saltado. 

Continuing in this tradition of entrepreneurship, their sisters, 

Meiyen and Meiling, are opening their own restaurant in Hermosa 

Beach this summer, named Rabano. 

No doubt, a new dynasty in Chinese/Asian cooking was started 

right here in the South Bay. 

China Grill 

Ws China Bistro 1410 S. PCH, Redondo Beach (310) 792-1600 • www.wschinabistro.com 

China Grill 3282 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach (310) 546-7284 • www.chinagrillbistro.com 


V 

ince Giuliano and Andreanna Giuliano Liguore were just kids when their parents 

opened Gaetano’s in 1993. If one is born into a family that owns a business, it’s 

very common to feel like a part of the business, especially at an early age. And 

they did. Growing up, Vince and Andreanna spent more time at Gaetano’s than they 

did at home. Carpools would take them to the restaurant after school rather than 

their home. “This was our special world we lived in. When it came time for us to 

choose our professions, our paths had already been slightly paved by our parents, 

grandparents and great grandparents who opened the locally loved Giuliano’s Gardena. 

We loved food, wine, people & Italy. We were in the right place.” 

When Vince was eleven, he was a dishwasher, busser, server and even cooked in 

the kitchen. After attending college in San Diego and studying in Italy, he returned 

to Gaetano’s in 2006, where he began running its operations full time. In 2010, he 

returned to Italy and attended Apicius Culinary Arts School in Florence. There, he also 

worked in two restaurants, learning the traditional recipes and techniques, planning 

to bring that knowledge back to share at Gaetano’s. 

Andreanna, Vince’s sister, was eight years old when Gaetano’s opened, and she was 

the cash register guru! She even helped train new employees. When in college, she 

continued her restaurant work at the Catamaran Resort in San Diego and met her, 

now husband, Sean Liguore. As he also gained experience in the restaurant industry 

in San Diego, they both returned together to Gaetano’s here in Torrance. 

In 2010, Vince and Andreanna’s mother, Dori, decided to sit back and “let her kids 

run the show”. They successfully did that, as today, Andreanna focuses on marketing 

while Sean focuses on “front of house” operations and Vince’s passion is in the 

kitchen. This traditional Italian restaurant serves lunch and dinner every day, has a 

full bar with extensive beer and wine list and caters to small and large parties. But, 

as it had always been a dream of Vince, Sean & Andreanna to open a modern Italian 

restaurant in the South Bay, their dream came true. In 2015, they opened Bettolino 

Kitchen in Redondo Beach, and have brought even more “family hospitality,” but with 

a modern touch, to the South Bay. 

Gaetano’s Restaurant 

Gaetano’s 2731 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance (310) 326-3354 • www.gaetanosonline.com 

Bettolino Kitchen 211 Palos Verdes Blvd, Redondo Beach (310) 375-0500 • www.bettolinokitchen.com 

Bettolino Kitchen 

Hennessey’s Tavern 

The Neighborhood Meeting Place” is not just a slogan, but states the truth about 

Hennessey’s Tavern - all 10 of them! Now it their 40TH YEAR serving Irish Hospitality, 

owner and founder Paul Hennessey says he’s looking forward to the next 40 

years! 

It all started on Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, September of 1976 when the first 

Hennessey’s Tavern opened for business. At half the size then, this flagship location 

has grown westward and up to offer diners spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean 

while enjoying great food and drinks. Each Hennessey’s offers a full bar & menu, 

serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 

Paul Hennessey couldn’t stop with just the one concept. Apart from 10 Hennessey’s 

Tavern locations throughout Southern California and Las Vegas, Paul also 

proudly owns H.T. Grill, The Lighthouse Café, The Wine Bistro & Whiskey Bar in Dana 

Point, and three additional concepts in Las Vegas; LVCS, a live music venue, Brass The 

Lounge, a hipster hangout, and Mickie Finnz Fish House & Bar. Most recently Paul 

has partnered with 3 of his senior management team, to create Rebel Republic Social 

House in the Riviera Village which he’s hoping to take to other City’s in the near future. 

Paul Hennessey, married with 3 daughters and 5 grandchildren actively participates 

in the daily operations of all 17 of his locations. No matter what, the respected business 

& family man promises, when referring to his locations “You always run into 

someone you know there”. And that’s what has kept the Irish Hospitality going for 

40 years! 

8 Pier Ave. Hermosa Beach (310) 372-5759 • 1712 S. Catalina Ave. Redondo Beach (310) 540-8443 • 313 Manhattan Beach Blvd. Manhattan Beach (310) 546-4813 

H.T. Grill 1701 S. Catalina Ave. Redondo Beach (310) 791-4849 • The Lighthouse Café 30 Pier Ave. Hermosa Beach (310) 376-9833 

Rebel Republic Social House 1710 S. Catalina Ave. Redondo Beach (424) 352-2600 

www.Hennesseystavern.com 


ony’s On The Pier today is known for its fresh seafood, ocean 

Tview sunsets and best customer service. Back in 1952, when 

Tony Trutanich opened its doors, it had that same positive reputation. 

Growing up in San Pedro, Tony was a successful tuna fisherman, 

and as the boat Captain, would be out to sea for months 

at a time. Just plain “tired of the long hours and extra hard work,” 

Tony decided to bring that tuna to the tables of his own restaurant 

- Tony’s On The Pier. 

With only 20 tables at first, Tony’s On The PIer grew quickly and 

was soon frequented by movie stars, as hundreds of photos on 

the walls depict. In 1964, Tony added the famous “Top of Tony’s” 

where guests, still today, walk up stairs to enjoy the most beautiful 

sunsets, full bar, food and live entertainment. His son, 

Michael, started working there when he was just 15, as a busboy 

and dishwasher, doing anything he could to help his father’s 

business. Moving up the ladder to become General Manager, 

Michael continued working with his father until he passed away 

in 2006. “Dad stayed active all the way to the end,” Michael recalls. 

“He taught me everything. I worked for him all my life.” 

Retiring two years ago, Michael still works for Tony’s, ordering 

all of the seafood, even living in Idaho. He communicates daily 

with now GM Regina Fong, who’s been at Tony’s for 39 years. And 

that’s not uncommon. In fact, the average employee has worked 

there for over 20 years. Downstairs bartender Billy Morgan has 

been there for 46 years while upstairs bartender Manny Jimenez 

just hit his 37 year anniversary. Tony’s son Michael says his father 

was such a “role model” and treated everyone at his restaurant 

like family. Today, Tony would be proud as everyone at Tony’s On 

The Pier is still his family. 

Tony’s On The Pier 

210 Fishermans Wharf Redondo Beach • (310) 374-1442 • www.oldtonys.com 

riginally from Guadalajara, Mexico, Rafael 

OSolorzano has been in the food industry for 

over 30 years. As Executive Chef of PV Grill and 

Salsa Verdes, Chef Solorzano specializes in catering 

to groups from 30 to over 300. He serves a 

variety of international cuisine, including Italian, 

French, Asian, American and his native, Mexican. 

Currently catering at weekly meetings for the Kiwanis 

Club of Hermosa Beach, he also prepares 

food for worthwhile fundraising events throughout 

the year, such as Cancer Support Community’s 

Celebrate Wellness Food & Wine Tasting 

Event and Adrienne’s Search for Children’s Cancer 

Cure hosted by the Woman’s Club of Hermosa 

Beach. 

At his PV Grill restaurant in the Lunada Bay area, 

Chef Solorzano delights diners with specialties 

like Prime Steaks, Fresh Fish & Homemade Pastas. 

Salsa Verdes offers a festive selection of traditional 

Mexican choices. With free parking and a 

great selection of Beer and Wine, this location is 

also the perfect place for private parties! 

PV Grill 

Salsa Verdes 

2325 Palos Verdes Drive West Palos Verdes Estates • (310) 750-6877 • (310) 460-6995 • www.pvgrill.com 

2325 Palos Verdes Drive West Palos Verdes Estates • (424) 206-9456 • www.salsaverdes.com 


If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Sergio should 

feel very flattered indeed. Sergio’s Continental Gourmet 

Market has risen to prominence most notably on the 

strength of its empanadas, which are Argentine dumplings 

filled with meat, poultry, cheese, spinach and the like. For 

the past decade or so, competitors have been trying to duplicate 

those flaky pastries, but without the same success. 

The 36-year-old store in Hawthorne specializes in hard-tofind 

foods and wines from Argentina, Peru, Guatemala and 

other Latin American countries, working hand-in-hand with 

its sister business, Continental Gourmet Restaurant in Lomita. 

But the development of the perfect empanada gave the 

Continental brand a signature product that has drawn flocks 

of customers – and the Food Network’s cameras – to the 

store. That development involved tireless rounds of studying, 

testing, tasting, refining, and starting all over again. “I 

started reading books about how different flours react with 

different shortenings and butters. We finally arrived at a 

recipe that works for us, and it took off. We got the dough 

to that certain flakiness, and people responded to that,” Sergio 

said. “In the last five to ten years, a lot of empanada specialty 

places have come around, and we see competitors try 

to do some of the same things,” he said. They have even 

copied Sergio’s practice of stamping letters into the dough 

of each empanada so the customer can tell which flavor he’s 

about to bite into. 

Sergio worked on the empanada recipe with Continental’s 

patriarch, his father Roberto. “He always said, if you’re going 

to make something, make the best,” Sergio said. He learned 

the business from his father, who used to bring him in on 

Saturdays when he was just a toddler. “He would bring me 

in, in the morning, and we’d make dough together. He’d 

teach me how to make sausages, fillings for stuffing,” Sergio 

said. “I’d wake up at 4 or 4:30 in the morning. If I was not 

able to go in I would throw a fit, I’d cry.” As the years passed, 

Sergio learned the business “from the register in front, to 

receiving merchandise in the back,” and all the meat, bakery 

and deli matters in between. “I worked other places too. 

When it was time to take over [Continental] it was second nature. 

I felt I could do it with my eyes closed.” 

At age 84, his father now puts in fewer hours, while Sergio 

runs the business, with wife Sandy taking care of payroll and 

other matters. They visit the Lomita bakery very early every 

Sunday morning with their two kids, 5-year-old Robbie and 

3-year-old Abbie. These young children “actually help pull 

and push the ice chests, holding freshly baked empanadas 

for the farmers markets.” That’s a family business! Both Robbie 

and Abbie will eventually learn the ropes of the business 

as their father Sergio did from his father. And the new Continental 

Gourmet Gardena is coming soon! 

Continental Gourmet Market 

25600 Narbonne Ave., Lomita (310) 530-3213 

12921 S. Prairie Ave., Hawthorne (310) 310-676-5444 • www.continentalgourmetmarket.com 


Quality Seafood 

100 S. International Boardwalk Redondo Beach • (310) 372-6408 • www.qualityseafood.net 

uality Seafood was founded in kets on the West Coast. The market 

Q1953 by Nick Dragich and his son continues to be family run, with Pete 

Peter Dragich Sr. After years of fishing 

from Alaska to South America, 

Dragich Jr. and Ann Belson at the 

they decided to open a market and helms. And recently the 4th generation 

of Dragich family members 

bring the freshest possible seafood 

from the boats directly into Redondo 

Beach. Prior to the redevel- 

came aboard to help keep things 

running smoothly for years to come. 

opment of the pier, the Dragich 

family owned four separate seafood As Cassie (Dragich) and her husband 

markets in Redondo. In 1968 the Jeff Jones recently relocated back to 

family combined those markets into the South Bay, together, they foresee 

continuing the family legacy of 

Quality Seafood Inc., and opened its 

current location on the International 

Boardwalk, where it remains one of providing a truly unique experience 

the largest and finest seafood mar- 

and fresh seafood to all. 

riginally from Quebec, Canada, Jacques Gre- 

began his culinary career with La Rive 

Onier 

Gauche in 1980. For the next 15 years, he not 

only was the Executive Chef at this classy restaurant 

in Malaga Cove but also cooked on a cruise 

ship. The Cunard Cruise Lines traveled worldwide, 

stopping in places like Bombay and Vietnam. 

Jacques recalls his favorite experiences 

being in the South Pacific and the Mediter- 

La Rive Gauche 

ranean. “They would bring 

aboard the freshest ingredients 

for cooking, like 

herbs and homemade Cognac 

- the very best.” 

In 2002, Jacques purchased 

La Rive Gauche 

and decided to make 

some significant upgrades. 

He changed the 

menu, renovated the entire 

inside, with its grand 

piano, and enhanced the 

sunset-view outdoor terrace. 

More recently, he 

and his wife Kidist opened 

a bar area at the entrance, 

with a casual feel, perfect 

for enjoying Happy Hour 

specials Tuesday through 

Friday 4:00 to 7:00pm. 

Today, Executive 

Chef/Owner Jacques Grenier 

offers a full food and 

drink menu with lunch 

and dinner specials everyday 

except Monday. And 

guests are invited to a delicious 

Breakfast starting 

at 10am every Sunday. 

320 Tejon Place • Palos Verdes Estates • (310) 378-0267 • www.LaRiveGaugePalosVerdes.com 

Attending the World Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, Steve Hodges 

didn’t anticipate it would change his life. But it did. That’s where he met his wife, 

Lisa in 2010. Originally from and living in Vancouver, Lisa moved down to the South 

Bay, where they were married in 2011. Now with two daughters, 3-year-old Shiloh 

and 1-year-old Shelby, the Hodges have brought a bit of “Cajun Country” charm to 

Redondo Beach. 

Growing up in Torrance and working at the Lamppost Pizza for 25 years, Steve had 

always wanted to open his own restaurant. After Ragin Cajun moved from its original 

location in Hermosa Beach to Redondo Beach, its founder Steve Domingue and the 

Hodges started working together. In 2014, with its founder’s help, Steve and Lisa 

were able to get the newer location “off the ground.” 

Today, the Hodges offer the same delicious traditional “Weeziana” choices as the 

original Ragin Cajun did. But they’ve added lots more to the menu, like Fried Chicken 

and Alligator - one of its most popular appetizers. If you’re not a spicy food lover, 

don’t fret, as Steve and Lisa have many “mild” choices, too. With its signature Gumbolaya, 

Ragin Cajun also offers a full bar, with over 50 Bourbon choices, Moonshine 

flights and signature drinks like the Hurricane and Skull cocktails. Plus, they’ve colorfully 

decorated this restaurant so well that you feel you’re actually in Louisiana! 

Ragin Cajun Cafe is the perfect place for private parties, any special occasion and 

is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. The best part is that you’re bound 

to meet either Lisa or Steve. After a smiling employee greets you at the door, one, 

if not both of them, will most likely be there, with bright smiles, treating you with 

that genuine southern hospitality and charm. Laissez le bon temps roulez! 

RAGIN CAJUN CAFE 

525 Pacific Coast Highway • Redondo Beach • (310) 540-8441 • www.ragincajuncafe.com 


Mary Lou Schatan began 

her professional career 

at Ballard Optical in the 

Riviera Village. The family 

owned and operated business 

gave her the opportunity to 

learn all aspects of the business 

from janitor to manager. 

It took 20 wonderful years of 

"hands on" working experience 

in dispensing to become 

a Professional Dispensing Opti- 

cian and an Award Winning 

Eyewear Consultant. 

Mary Lou began building 

Schatan Optical Gallery in 

March of 1988. It took 9 

months to build and became 

an instant destination for "Exceptional 

Eyewear”! 

Schatan's "family" consists of 

two other women. Winky 

Stavropoulos, who has worked 

25 years at Schatan and loved 

as a "daughter" and Brittany 

Mine, a 10 year veteran, who 

assists both Mary Lou and 

Winky and regarded as the 

"most important sister". 

Family-owned and operated 

is an exercise in perfection. We 

have a stellar reputation because 

we respect our customers 

and offer only the very 

best quality that money can 

buy. 

Come see us. We will open 

your eyes to the most wonderful 

eyewear you have ever 

seen! M-F 10-6 

SCHATAN OPTICAL GALLERY 

24405 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, CA 90505 • (310) 378-3936 

Seymour’s 97th Birthday with Scott 

and his sister Gail 

F 

ather and son team, Scott and Seymour 

Bilowit, have been owners of 

Seymour Jewelers, located in Hermosa 

Beach since 1950. Here they are 

in a photo above, with sister Gail, on 

Seymour’s 97th birthday - this year! 

Scott took over from his father with 

pride to maintain the long-established 

SEYMOUR JEWELERS 

1212 Hermosa Avenue Hermosa Beach 

(310) 379-5401 • www.seymourjewelers.com 

fine jewelry house thirty years ago. 

Both Scott and Seymour have been 

long-standing Honorary members of 

the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce, 

the Hermosa Beach Kiwanis 

Club and members of the California 

Jewelers Association. 

Known locally as “the gem of the 

South Bay”, Seymour Jewelers provides 

a high level of fine jewelry excellence 

with professional friendly 

on-site staff, complimentary giftwrapping. 

They specialize in custom 

creations for unique and personal designs 

of heirloom quality. Seymour 

Jewelers are purveyors of gold, Tahitian 

pearls, and fine diamonds. Also 

featuring vintage and estate jewelry, 

Seymour’s specializes and caters to 

the discerning and avid watch collector. 

They buy, sell, trade and consign diamonds, 

gold, silver, colored gems and 

Rolexes. Offering fine jewelry cleaning, 

watch repair and insurance replacement/appraisal 

by appointment. Seymour 

Jewelers offers full-service 

for all your jewelry needs. Seymour 

Jeweler’s staff pride themselves on their 

outstanding level of quality and distinctive 

craftsmanship for their discerning 

clientele and the longevity of Seymour’s 

fine jewelry business. 

Michele Brown has been a South Bay resident 

for over 20 years and professionally 

in the real estate industry with Keller 

Williams for over 40 years. 

She has been honored numerous times locally, 

nationally and internationally. Most 

recently she was honored as Daily Breeze Favorite 

Realtor 2016, as well as Realtor of the 

Year in the South Bay of Los Angeles, having 

been voted the honor by 4,000 of her peers 

at the South Bay Realtors Association. 

Michele was also nominated in this month's 

Angeleno magazine as Top 5, as well as Top 

Ten Dynamic Women in Los Angeles for 2016 

(and will be presented with her award by the 

Mayor of Los Angeles in December). 

She has also received numerous awards 

for her outstanding record of exemplary 

character and achievement, including Keller 

Williams international Cultural Icon award. 

Having started her career as a nurse, she 

brings a compassion and understanding of 

people's sensitivities to her real estate work 

and says "the quality and quantity of the 

service rendered, is as important as the spirit 

in which it was rendered". 

She is the living embodiment of Gary Keller 

(of Keller Williams) philosophy and beliefs 

(based on his book "The One Thing") 

utilizing her set of principles and the Keller 

Williams belief system into both her life and 

her professional perseverance. 

An accomplished keynote speaker, she 

lectures on motivation and team building. 

Michele's son, Chris Brown, followed her 

into the real estate business and is located in 

Nashville where they offer family and corporate 

relocation packages. Her sister Teresa 

Lehman is also a realtor in Dallas. 

She is the Executive Director also for the 

Real Estate Professionals team and was honored 

as the Top Producer with her team, 

winning Gold and Platinum medals 5 years 

running in Los Angeles. 

Heading up luxury real estate teams from 

Los Angeles to Dallas and Nashville, as well as 

Newport Beach, Michele is also happily married, 

the mother of three, grandmother to 

six, as well as being a resident and serving on 

Councils in the South Bay of Los Angeles 

including the Historic Commission of 

Redondo Beach. 

Michele's personal mottos come from her 

father's favorite Napoleon Hill's books (as 

well as Gary Keller's). 

Tune in to Michele Brown on South Bay by 

Jackie on Friday August 12th at 8am to hear 

more news about Real Estate and motivational 

tips and tactics. 

Client’s confidentiality matters to us. For 

all your real estate needs and to request your 

complimentary copy of Michele's High End 

magazine go to: 

www.realestateprofessionalsinternational.com 

Michele Brown Real Estate Professionals International (KW) 

1845 S. Elena Avenue, Suite 100A, Riviera Village, Redondo Beach 

23670 Hawthorne Boulevard, Suite 100, Torrance 

michelebrown@kw.com • BRE# 01165450 

310-944-5188 


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together 

From Classic to Rock performers and organizers (left to right) Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington, Stone Temple Pilots’ Dean DeLeo, musician and composer 

Gary Wright, Schools Superintendent Donald Austin, Ed Foundation Development Director Cheryl Ward, Ed Foundation Board President Roma Mistry, 

PTSA Council President Beth Myerhoff, School Board member Malcolm Sharp, Stone Temple Pilots’ Robert DeLeo, Lizzy Borden’s Marten Andersson, 

PYT singer Lauren Mayhew and event co-producer Amy Friedman. 

When Lizzy Borden bassist Marten Andersson teaches a clinic in a 

school classroom, he’s nervous. 

“I can play in front of 60,000 people, no problem, but talking 

about music to 25 kids is pretty daunting,” Andersson said with a laugh. 

During one of these clinics, the heavy metal bassist learned about the dismal 

state of funding for arts education in public schools and vowed to 

change things — if only in Palos Verdes. So he enlisted some fellow musicians, 

and together, they conceived of a benefit concert, to be called From 

Classic to Rock. 

The fellow South Bay musicians included cellist Stan Sharp (Long Beach 

Symphony, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra), violinist Yutong Sharp (Pacific 

Symphony, LA Phil, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra), bassist Robert DeLeo 

(Stone Temple Pilots) and singer Chester Bennington (Linkin Park). 

“When I found out that some teachers’ salaries are paid for by parents, I 

figured I could do what I do best, which is music, and we could maybe pay 

for one teacher for the school year,” he said. “School systems need money, 

even in Palos Verdes, believe it or not.” 

Andersson moved to Los Angeles from his native Stockholm, Sweden, 

about 20 years ago to join Lizzy Borden. He has since been in other bands 

(Lynch Mob, Starwood), scored music for films, commercials and television 

Banding 

Heavy metal bass player Marten Andersson enlists some unlikely collaborators to perform 

a benefit concert for arts education 

Photos by Cynthia Halverson (CynthiaHalverson.com) 

by Whitney Youngs 

and embarked on a solo career. Andersson joked about being in the T-shirt 

business because so much of an artist’s income today derives from selling 

merchandise on the road, due in part to the advent of streaming services 

such as Spotify, Apple Music and Pandora. 

The inaugural From Classic to Rock took place on March 26 at the Norris 

Theater. It added $50,000 to the $3.5 million the Peninsula Education Foundation 

contributed this year to the 17 schools within the Palos Verdes Peninsula 

Unified School District. The concert, presented by Opus 88 and the 

Select Strings Foundation, showcased an eclectic set list of classical, rock 

and pop music, and a musical amalgamation of both genres, featuring Stone 

Temple Pilots, Gary Wright, Chas West (Bonham and Foreigner) and Monte 

Pittman (Madonna), among others. 

“We kind of melded the boundaries among the different styles of music,” 

Andersson said. “It was an amazing night, people are still talking about it.” 

California’s cutbacks in public school arts education are traced to the passage 

of the People’s Initiative to Limit Property Taxation, better known as 

Proposition 13. The 1978 primary ballot measure was approved by nearly 

two-thirds of California voters. It capped annual property tax increases 

Classic to Rock cont. on page 55 


Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington. 

Lizzy Borden’s Marten Andersson with Hollywood Bowl Orchestra’s 

Stan Sharp and Yutong. 

Monte Pittman.

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Gary Wright performs his hit “Dreamweaver.” 

The Peninsula High School choir. 

Classic to Rock cont. from page 52 

at two percent. Over the subsequent years, California’s ranking in per pupil 

spending fell to 47th among the 50 states, according to the Peninsula Education 

Foundation. The national average for per pupil spending is $11,014. 

In Palos Verdes, the average is $7,276. Between 1999 and 2004, the number 

of students enrolled in music education dropped by 47 percent, according 

to the California Alliance for Arts Education, . 

The Peninsula Education Foundation helps to fill the gap in state funding. 

“Each year the Peninsula Education Foundation makes a pledge to the 

district based on the gap of what is financially needed to provide a wellrounded 

education versus what state and local funds are received by the 

district,” said the foundation’s executive director Christine Byrne. 

According to a 2007 study titled, “An Unfinished Canvas. Arts Education 

in California,” 89 percent of California schools (kindergarten to 12th grade), 

“fail to offer a standards-based course of study in all four disciplines — 

music, visual arts, theatre, and dance — and thus fall short of state goals 

for arts education.” 

Numerous academic studies show a significant correlation between the 

arts and improved academic performance in reading, writing, math, verbal 

memory, spatial skills and SAT scores. 

Andersson said rehearsals and performing for the benefit concert was 

easy, compared to the work of the concert’s volunteers, who solicited sponsors 

and did the organizing and promotion. Sponsors included BMW, Palos 

Verdes School Gardens, Samuel Adams, Trump National Golf Club, JBL, 

Cobblestone Wine, Castle Rock Winery, Blue Ice Vodka, Diabolo, Depot 

Restaurant, Locale 90 Pizza Market and Traveling Guitar Foundation. 

“Everyone was just amazing, I’m very proud of it,” Andersson said. “We 

had some fun up on the hill. I hope what we did will help and I’m hoping 

we can do it again.” 

A video of From Classic to Rock produced by high-school student Dilan 

Mistry can be viewed at FromClassicToRock.com. PEN 


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Dr. Glen Komatsu of 

Providence 

TrinityCare Hospice 

listens to a young 

hospice care patient. 

Photo courtesy of 

Providence 

TrinityKids Care 

Treatment ‘beyond the grief’ 

For children who have run out of medical options, Dr. Glen Komatsu 

of TrinityCare Hospice offers a listening ear 

by Ryan McDonald 

For Dr. Glen Komatsu, the most valuable 

tool a doctor can have is a good pair of ears. 

Komatsu is the chief medical officer for 

Providence TrinityCare Hospice, and the medical 

director of Providence’s TrinityKids Care, the 

only dedicated pediatric hospice program for all 

of Los Angeles and Orange counties, an area of 

more than 13 million people. The Rancho Palos 

Verdes resident is convinced that doctors need to 

do a better job asking basic questions, and listening 

to the responses. 

“Sometimes, we in medicine just keep doing 

stuff to people,” Komatsu said. “We have all of 

these machines, all of these bells and whistles, 

and we use them without asking, ‘Is this helpful? 

Is this worth it to you?’” 

Komatsu works with people in the most desperate 

of circumstances: those who have essentially 

run out of curative medical treatment 

options. In many cases, the suffering is amplified 

by the youth and innocence of the patient. 

Much of this work is made possible through 

philanthropy. TrinityKids Care, along with Torrance 

Memorial Pediatrics and Vistas for Children, 

will be among the beneficiaries of the 30th 

Annual Honda Evening Under the Stars for Children’s 

Healthcare Event on August 27. Held at 

American Honda’s Torrance campus, the event 

will feature saxophonist Kenny G, gourmet food 

and wine, and raise money for the children’s 

healthcare causes. 

Komatsu said people often assume the work 

the event supports is something of a downer. By 

his own admission, mentioning his work tends to 

create long bouts of silence when it comes up in 

conversation. 

But the conditions of his work seem to have the 

opposite effect. Komatsu believes in mindfulness, 

and is devotedly “present” at his job. He is attuned 

to the relationship networks of patients, 

understands the social and political forces shaping 

his work, and is reflective about the lessons 

that emerge from traumatizing experiences. 

“The best kept secret in hospice is that we get 

more out of the work than we give,” Komatsu 

said. “To see the strength of the children, to see 

the resilience of their parents…We hope that we 

can be as brave as them when we have to face 

the end of our lives. It gives us inspiration to do 

our best work.” 

Switch in time 

Komatsu’s temperament stems in part from 

seeing things with beginner’s eyes — after nearly 

20 years in a high-level position, he decided to 

suddenly make a change. 

He was medical director at the neonatal intensive 

care unit at Torrance’s Providence Little 

Company of Mary Medical Center from 1985 to 

2004, when he had what he describes as a 

“midlife crisis.” He felt the work had become detached 

from the actual needs of patients. The job 

he had been so dedicated to no longer was as 

gratifying. 

“It did not seem that my colleagues were always 

very concerned about the pain and suffering 

of babies,” Komatsu said. “We would put 

them through all of these procedures, only to 

have them die from complications or chronic illness 

months later.” 

His concern for how patients were actually 

feeling, and a willingness to respect their wishes, 

led Komatsu into palliative care. He went to 

Boston to pursue a fellowship, studying at the 

Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and 

Woman’s Hospital, and Harvard Medical School. 

Despite the credentials he accumulated, staking 

out new territory so far into his career was 

not easy. 

“It’s certainly not common to [switch fields], 

especially when you’re 50 years old,” Komatsu 

said. “Even my dad asked me, ‘Are you sure about 

this?’” 


But he knew it was the right decision. 

“Children have really always been at the center of my 

practice,” Komatsu said. “It’s a population of people who 

are very vulnerable, and are underserved in the total 

scheme of our healthcare system.” 

Returning to Southern California, Komatsu faced a 

whole new set of challenges. The swirl of emotions that 

goes with hospice care can make people simultaneously 

obstinate and desperate, a tendency that he said has 

been intensified by the availability of information on the 

Internet. Sites like webmd.com have made everyone a 

doctor. And from snake venom to seaweed, Komatsu has 

heard about a lot of miracle cures. In such situations, Komatsu 

has learned to work with patients and families 

“within their belief systems.” 

“In the beginning, when I heard that I wanted to say, 

‘What medical school did you go to?’” Komatsu said. “I 

had to swallow my pride and realize, it’s not about my 

pride or my ego. It’s about taking care of patients. If I 

strongarm them, I’m going to lose their trust, and the relationship 

is going to go down the tubes.” 

Grammy award winning saxophonist and the biggest selling instrumental musician of all time 

Kenny G makes a repeat performance at the “30th Annual Honda Evening Under the Stars For 

Children’s Healthcare.” The food and wine festival will be held Saturday, August 27 at the Honda 

North America headquarters in Torrance. In previous years, Honda hosted both the “Evening 

Under the Stars,” benefiting Torrance Memorial’s pediatric department, and also “For our Children,” 

benefiting Providence TrinityKids Care and Vistas for Children. This year the two events 

are being combined. For tickets call Call 310-517-4703 or visit 

torrancememorial.org/Giving/Foundation_Events 

In Demand 

As the only dedicated pediatric hospice program in the 

region, TrinityKids Care is inundated with requests for 

help. And the pace is unlikely to slow. 

A little-known clause in the Affordable Care Act, commonly 

known as Obamacare, allows children on Medicaid 

to receive curative care and hospice simultaneously. 

Known as “concurrent care,” the practice enables children, 

for example, to be in their homes for hospice while 

periodically heading to the hospital to receive 

chemotherapy or radiation treatment. 

The change in law has greatly increased the number 

of children in the TrinityCares program, Komatsu said. 

When he returned from Boston in 2005, the team was 

caring for between six and 12 children. Today, there are 

70 youths in hospice, and another 40 in a “waiver program” 

for those receiving palliative care, but who have 

not yet entered their last six months of life. 

TrinityCares is now the largest pediatric hospice program 

in the country. Komatsu said he often receives calls 

from San Bernardino and Ventura counties, but must explain 

that they are only licensed for Los Angeles and Orange 

counties. Still, Komatsu regularly drives more than 

50 miles each way to visit patients at the far reaches of 

the service area. 

“Through his compassion for his patients and colleagues, 

and his passion for his work, we are growing 

this very special program to care for more and more children,” 

said Terri Warren executive director of Providence 

TrinityCare. “This would not be possible without Glen’s 

incredible talents, his willingness to give of himself to 

the children, their families, and his team.” 

TrinityKids Care has no official age limit. There are 

newborns and infants, but occasionally, the program will 

have patients in their late 20s or early 30s, so long as the 

patient has a pediatric diagnosis and is still seeing a pediatric 

team. This frequently happens with developmental 

disorders like cerebral palsy, where the patient is 

technically an adult but relies on parents or guardians 

to make decisions. 

The middle of this spectrum presents some of the 

biggest challenges. Occasionally, parents will be desperate 

to fight a disease in the hospital, while a child wants 

to return home. It’s here that Komatsu’s gets to practice, 

as well as preach, his philosophy about paying attention. 

“I really try to get parents to listen to their children. 

Even at 8, 9, 10 they are very wise. They have grown up 

really quickly in these situations and say some amazingly 

profound things,” Komatsu said. “I try 

to get parents to listen to that voice. Even 

though legally, they can’t be adults ‘till 18, 

these kids have a really strong sense of what 

they want.” 

Looking to the future 

Incurable diseases strike with unfortunate 

randomness. Though hospice is generally far 

more affordable than ending life inside a hospital, 

it can still be a significant expense. And 

while some of the families are capable of paying, 

many cannot. (It is for patients like these, 

Komatsu said, that make the Evening Under 

the Stars event especially important.) 

“We serve the poorest of the poor. We’ve 

been to homes where six people are living in 

a converted garage with a dirt floor,” Komatsu 

said. “We take undocumented children if they 

need help. No matter what language they 

speak, most kids want to be at home with 

their families.” 

In addition to poverty, Komatsu’s work exposes 

him to all manner of social ills. These 

are, of course, exacerbated by looming end of 

life. 

“There is a lot of emotion, a lot of drama in 

families when the child is seriously ill or 

dying,” Komatsu said. “We’ve seen parents 

get divorced, domestic violence, drug abuse, 

all kinds of stress going on.” 

As a result, TrinityKids Care is a group effort. 

In addition to doctors, the program includes 

nurses, social workers, chaplains, 

home health aides and volunteers. And a significant 

aspect of the program consists of 

what Komatsu calls “non-medical” services. 

Staff chaplains pray with patients, or get 

outside clergy involved if it is important to 

the child or the family. Patients and families 

also benefit from art therapy. The projects 

provide the activities for the patients, while 

also creating tangible memories for after the 

child has passed away. Sometimes volunteers 

will bring paints and paper to capture the 

handprints of each member of the family. 

The program will also take a piece of the 

child’s clothing, and use it to make a teddy 

bear. 

“What makes TrinityKids Care unique is 

concept of the whole-person care model that 

Komatsu promotes with his staff,” said Margaret 

Sullivan, a social worker and clinical supervisor 

with the program. “This is a one of 

a kind leadership that none of us have experienced 

anywhere else.” 

This approach to tragedy sometimes promotes 

the same kind of reflectiveness among 

survivors that Komatsu brings to his work. 

While getting beyond the grief is difficult and 

sometimes impossible, it occasionally endows 

parents with a renewed appreciation for life. 

“It’s obviously awful when a child dies so 

young, but to remember the legacy that a 

child leaves is powerful,” Komatsu said. “I 

just talked to a family that lost a child at three 

weeks. Now, they don’t take anything for 

granted. They hug their sons all the time. It’s 

just a different way of life after you’ve lost a 

child.” PEN 



eventcalendar 

CALENDAR OF COMMUNITY EVENTS 

Compiled by Mary Jane Schoenheider 

You can email your event to our address: penpeople@easyreadernews.com 

All submissions must be sent by the 10th of each month prior to event taking place. 

Ongoing 

Assistance League of San Pedro-South Bay 

Now through August 13 at the Assistance League of San Pedro-South Bay 

Annual Summer Sale at their Chapter House, 1441 W. 8th Street (Weymouth 

Corners) San Pedro Make your outdoor living a great summer experience 

with unique garden and patio items. Shop for those personal and gift items 

you will need for summer. It is one stop shopping. The Assistance League of 

San Pedro-South Bay has been giving back to the community since 1936. All 

proceeds benefit local philanthropic programs. Sale Hours: 10:00am - 

5:00pm (weekdays), and 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. (Saturdays). For information 310- 

832-8355 Ext. 221. 

Thursday, August 4 

Palos Verdes Land Conservancy 

Third Grade Program Docent Training, 9 a.m.- noon. Share the wonders of 

nature with our local students. Training provided, all you need is enthusiasm 

to help connect 3rd graders to local open spaces! Sign up at: www.pvplc.volunteerhub.com. 

Friday, August 5 

Seaside Beaders Meet 

The Seaside Beaders, a special interest group of the Embroiderers' Guild of 

America is meeting at 9:30 a.m. at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 2200 Via 

Rosa, Palos Verdes Estates. Members will be working on finishing a beaded 

box. Visitors are welcome. Bring your own project to work on. For more information, 

call 310-540-6104 or visit www.azureverdeega.com/bead_projects.com. 

Saturday, August 6 

South Bay Bromeliad Associates 

Bromeliad Plant Show Saturday and Sunday, noon - 4:30 p.m. Plant sales 

both days 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at Rainforest Flora. Free admission and free 

parking. The show will feature many species, hybrids, and cultivars not commonly 

seen. SBBA members and Rainforest’s employees will be available to 

answer any questions you may have. Many plants will be offered for sale 

from commercial vendors and SBBA members’ private collections. Ted Johnson, 

Show Chairman of South Bay Bromeliad Associates, Jerry Robinson and 

Paul Isley of Rainforest Flora extend a hearty welcome to all. Direct Inquiries: 

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eventcalendar 

DAVID FAIRCHILD PHOTOGRAPHY 

"Its Like You’re There All Over Again" 

310-316-5547 WWW.DAVIDFAIRCHILDSTUDIO.COM 

Bryan Chan, bcbrome@aol.com 

818-366-1858. Rainforest Flora is 

located at 19121 Hawthorne 

Blvd.in Torrance. 

Telling tales 

Today is the deadline to register for 

California Listens: You Are Invited to 

Tell Your Story! At Peninsula Center 

Library, Staff Lounge held on August 

19 and 20. At the two-day workshop 

you will create a 2 to 4-minute 

video using your personal and family 

photographs, videos and archival 

material. There is a limit of 10 participants. 

Apply online at 

www.pvld.org/yourstory. Learn how 

to tell a great story, write and record 

a narration script and the basics of 

video editing. The video you create 

will become part of a statewide 

archive of stories about life in California. 

The Library District is looking 

for stories that reflect the full spectrum 

of life on the Palos Verdes 

Peninsula. Long-time residents, newcomers, 

surfers, environmentalists, 

artists, community activists, business 

owners, aerospace industry employees 

and their families - they want to 

hear from all of you. Selected applicants 

will be notified by August 9. 

This program is free and open to 

people ages 14 and up. 

Monday, August 8 

Gem and Mineral Society 

Meet and Greet at 6:30 p.m. Program 

at 7 p.m. Community Room of 

Palos Verdes Main Library, 701 

Deep Valley Dr., RHE. Park on roof 

as program goes past the closing 

hours of the library. Showing of the 

Walking with Dinosaurs (DVD) 

Episode: Giants of the Skies. Everyone 

is welcome. There is no charge 

to the public. Call 310-373-2696 

for more information. 


Hills are Alive Deadline 

Today is the deadline to register for 

the 35th annual Hills are Alive 

10K/5K run/walk 8 a.m. on Aug. 

13 at Ernie Howlett Park. Register: 

online at www.active.com or 

mail/drop off at City of RHE, 4045 

PV Drive N, RHE, CA 90274.Packet 

pick-up and late registration at Village 

Runner, 1811-A Cataline Ave., 

Redondo Beach. 310-375-2626 or 

310-377-1577 for more information. 


Casa Alegria in Hollywood Riviera 

505 Calle de Arboles, Redondo Beach 

5 Bedroom, 4 Bath Home 

3,370 Square Feet, 6,358 Square Foot Lot 

Built in 2009 

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310-418-7906 Office 

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eventcalendar 


Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Jr. 

The Palos Verdes Performing Arts Conservatory will present Disney’s “Alice in 

Wonderland Jr.” August 12-14 at the Norris Theatre. Lewis Carroll’s famous 

inquisitive heroine comes to life in this fun-filled adaption of the classic Disney 

film, featuring a cast of talented student performers, ages 7-12. The fast-paced 

production will delight children as they follow Alice on her adventures with 

the White Rabbit, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and the Queen of Hearts. 

Performance times are 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Saturday 

and Sunday. Tickets are $12 for youth ages 17 and under and $14 - $20 for 

adults. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 310-544-0403 or visit 

www.palosverdesperformingarts.com. The Norris Theatre is located at 27570 

Norris Center Drive in Rolling Hills Estates. 


Hills are Alive run/walk 

8 a.m. at Ernie Howlett Park.See Aug. 11 listing for more information. 

Guided Nature Walk 

By Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy at Vicente Bluffs/Vanderlip Park, 

9 a.m. Traverse the cliff side trail along Terranea’s grounds to Vanderlip Park. 

Explore the habitat that is home to the rare El Segundo blue butterfly with 

beautiful views of Catalina Island. This is a strenuous walk. 2 ½ hours. Park 

at Pelican Cove lot. 31300 Palos Verdes Dr S, Rancho Palos Verdes. Free and 

open to the public. For more information, contact 310- 541-7613 ext. 201 

or sign up at www.pvplc.org/_events/NatureWalkRSVP.asp. 


eventcalendar 

Trail Crew Intro Class 

Introductory course will prepare volunteers to join the Land Conservancy for 

monthly trail work on the Preserves! Class is held indoors at the PVPLC Main 

Office, 916 Silver Spur Road., Suite 104, Rolling Hills Estates, 9 a.m. to noon. 

Must be 18 years old or older. Sign up at: www.pvplc.volunteerhub.com. 

Nature & Me Stories, Songs and More 

Join Storyteller Carla Sedlacek at White Point Nature Education Center at 10 

a.m. for wonderful stories featuring nature themes and exciting props and 

songs. Bring the whole family. Free. RSVP: www.pvplc.org. 

Impressions Nature & Art Workshop 

Enjoy a Naturalist-guided walk and painting activity in outdoor art studio with 

Art to Grow On, Inc., at Pelican Cove Park/Terranea Resort 10 a.m. to noon. 

All ages welcome. $25 per family. RSVP www.pvplc.org/_events/Impressions.asp 

or 310-541-7613. 

Sunday, August 14 

South Coast Cactus & Succulent Society 

"Acts of Cactography on an Otherwise Dull Afternoon" Act 1: "ABC’s of Stunning 

Cactus & Succulent Photography." Act 2: "Secrets," an allegorical suspense 

film about the environment. Unusual movie in which cactus and 

succulents play a supporting role. Program by explorer and filmmaker Bob 

Caplan. Come at 1 p.m.to buy plants, meet other cactophiles, and have refreshments. 

Program is at 1:30 p.m., South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 

Crenshaw Blvd., Palos Verdes Peninsula. For more information visit southcoastcss.org. 



Telling tales 

California Listens: You Are Invited to Tell Your Story! At Peninsula Center Library, 

Staff Lounge 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. This two-day workshop is part of California 

Listens, a summer-long program sponsored by the California State Library and 

led by Berkeley-based StoryCenter. You will create a 2 to 4-minute video using 

your personal and family photographs, videos and archival material. The 

video you create will become part of a statewide archive of stories about life 

in California. Program is free and open to people ages 14 and up. Deadline 

to register is August 6; selected applicants will be notified by August 9. Apply 

online at www.pvld.org/yourstory. 


Friends of Banning Museum Birthday Concert 

Friends of Banning Museum will celebrate the birthday of the “Father of the 

Whatever happened to… 

Bonina Mavar 

“I fell and my family realized I could no longer live alone. I moved into Harbor 

Terrace and everyone was so welcoming and friendly. The staff really listens to 

me and cares about how I am doing. Plus, they are overseeing my medication, 

so I don’t worry about whether I took it. 

I love not making my bed, not cleaning my house, not cooking, not doing dishes 

or yard work. This is my home and I would not want to be anywhere else.” 

Bonina Mavar 

Resident of Harbor Terrace 

A Full-Service Retirement Community • Independent Apartments 

Assisting Living Services • Delicious Chef-Prepared Meals 

Housekeeping & Linen Services • Daily Recreation & Social Programs 

435 W. 8th St., San Pedro 

wwwHarborTerraceRetirement.com 

(310) 547-0090 

eventcalendar 

Los Angeles Port” Phineas Banning with a special evening of music and dancing. 

In the spirit of the Rancho-period of the Banning property from 5 to 8 

p.m., guests will be treated to a Western-themed evening with live music provided 

by local favorite, JB and the Big Circle Riders, free line dance instruction, 

country style dancing and a good old fashioned barbecue buffet provided by 

Southland Favorite, The Outdoor Grill. Country Western attire is admired but 

not required. PICNIC – $10 General Admission, FREE for Friends of Banning 

Museum members and children 11 and under – Guests bring their own dinner 

and beverage, blanket/low chair and enjoy the concert and dancing on the 

front lawn of the Mansion. VIP -$45 Includes on-site BBQ buffet dinner with a 

birthday cupcake, line dance instruction, reserved seating and gated parking. 

Guests are welcome to bring their own wine or beverage. Reservations required 

for all guests. The Banning Museum is located at 401 East “M” Street, 

Wilmington. For more information or to reserve your ticket, 310-548-2005. 

Sunday, August 21 

Seaside Summer Sounds Series 

The Neighborhood Church is pleased to announce the return of its seaside 

summer concert series— Summer Sunday Sounds. Enjoy brother duo Evan J. 

Marshall and John “Slap Bass Billy” Marshall delight the crowd with their 

unique “Classgrass” sound. Classgrass is a celebration the blissful union of 

Classical and Bluegrass music— concertos and hoedowns, instrumental virtuosity 

and pickin’ and grinnin’ all combined to create a one-of-a-kind concert. 

Evan and John have performed at symphony halls across the United States, 

made appearances with the Buffalo Philharmonic and Grand Rapids Orchestra, 

amongst others. Bring your own picnic starting at 6 p.m., concert begins 

at 7 p.m. All are welcome— no tickets or reservations required! The church is 

located at 415 Paseo del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates. For more information, 

contact 310- 378-9353. 


Embroiderers meet 

The Azure Verde Chapter of the Embroiderers' Guild of America is meeting 

at 9:30 a.m. at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 2200 Via Rosa, Palos Verdes 

Estates. Visitors are welcome. For more information, call 310-675-2745 or 

visit our web page at www.azureverdeega.com. 

Friday, August 26 & Saturday August 27 

Banning Museum Seeking Volunteers 

The Banning Museum is seeking volunteers and will host two Get to Know Us 

receptions from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. The receptions will be held in the conference 

room at the Banning Museum, 401 East “M” Street, Wilmington. Volunteers 

attend a training class to gain the background necessary to offer public 

tours and special group tours of the interior of the Museum, Stagecoach Barn 

and grounds. Once training is complete volunteers participate in a full range 

of Museum programs such as conservation and maintenance of antiques, participating 

in decorative arts exhibitions, special events, Museum Shop assistance, 

lecture and discussion committees, volunteer activities, Living History 

Program and School Program. The Museum's School Program is designed to 

introduce fourth grade students to local cultural and historical heritage and 

may require additional training to familiarize new volunteers to the program 

details. For additional information or to RSVP for one of the receptions above, 

please contact the Museum, 310-548-7777. 

Wednesday, August 31 

Mac Users Group Meeting 

Meets at Lomita VFW Hall, 1865 Lomita Blvd, 6:30 PM, Beginners Q & A 

8 p.m., presentation on a subject of interest to Mac users 310-644-3315 

email: info@sbamug.com. Admission is free. All Mac/iPad/iPhone users and 

potential users are welcome. PEN 


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ContemporarySpARTan 

A couple’s 

ranch style home 

fulfills a husband’s 

promise to his 

young wife when 

they fled 

their homeland 

by 

Stephanie Cartozian 

Photos by 

Anthony Hernandez 

hen Shahram Fozoonmehr, DDS and his wife Jilla fled Iran during 

the political unrest of the early 1980s, Shahram promised Jilla he 

would provide for her in the manner in which she was raised. 

Her once wealthy family had lost everything during the upheaval. 

The couple’s 9,000 square foot, Rolling Hills home on a nineacre 

parcel overlooking the Los Angeles city lights attests to the 

husband’s fulfillment of his promise, though he gives his wife 

equal credit for their success because of the sacrifices she also 

made. 

He also credits his wife with their home’s striking interior design. 

When the couple purchased the property in 2003, it was simply 

an orchard and a dream. 

Palos Verdes architect Criss Gunderson designed the home in 

the ranch style required of all Rolling Hills homes. “The low slung 

character of the ranch home is the essence of Rolling Hills. Its casual 

feel, its relationship to nature, the open space and natural 

beauty must be preserved,” the architect said. But at the same 

time he wanted his clients to have a contemporary home with elements 

of uniqueness. The home is one of the few to have received 

city approval for a smooth stucco exterior. It is also one of 

the largest lots in Rolling Hills. 

WMultiple skylights bring “whiteness” to the ceilings and warmth 


The kitchen counters are Kalakata gold stone and 

the cabinet doors are motorized with German 

engineered technology. 

The pool is within view 

of the major entertaining area and 

there’s an outdoor cooking area, all perched 

majestically above the Los Angeles basin.

The dining room, 

which is positioned 

by the entrance, 

features walnut wood 

flooring and 

natural light. 

to the floors. The kitchen cabinets and the 

glass doors to the patio are motorized. They 

patio doors disappear into the walls when 

opened. 

Jilla’s interior design features an onyx bar 

and four contemporary, Napoleon brand, 

glass ember fireplaces. The flooring is a 

combination of American walnut and Italian 

marble, with an intricate, stone design 

in the the master bathroom floor and white 

cobblestone walls in one of the guest bathrooms. 

The six-car garage has a circular, travertine 

driveway. There are five separate zone 

air conditioners including one in the garage 

to keep the cars cool. The home has an independent 

fire hydrant and an interior fire 

sprinkler system. 

A temporary exhibit of work by pop artist 

Deb Penk plays off of Jilla’s spartan design. 

The exhibit was curated by Time 4 Art 

founder Homeira Goldstein. 

“I enjoy my life here more than anywhere 

else,” said Fozoonmehr, who has lived 

abroad, in many different places. PEN 

The master bathroom 

is sensually modern 

with a hint of 

old Hollywood glamour. 




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Your clock reminds you of its presence every time you wind 

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It is imperative to maintain and service your clock regularly. 

Oil gets old and dry forcing the train of gears to work twice as 

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Michel Medawar has been extending the lives of timepieces 

for over fifty years as his father did fifty years before. He is the 

inventor of the first talking clock in the world. He is a graduate 

from Patek Philippe in Geneva, Switzerland, The Theod Wagner 

clock Co. in Wiesbaden, Germany, and the Howard Miller 

Clock Co. in Zeeland, Michigan. Call him so that he may come 

to your home and offer you a free estimate for servicing your 

clock. Or bring your wall or mantel clock to our store to see our 

showroom and receive the same complimentary diagnosis. 

We are located at 810C Silver Spur Rd., in Rolling Hills Estates, Ca. 

90274. Or call us at (310) 544-0052 

• Interlocking Pavers 

• Retaining Walls 

• Driveways 

(310) 325-6790 

www.quinnpools.com 

License B, C-8, C-53 #775677 

Open 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Tuesday - Saturday 

810C Silver Spur Road • Rolling Hills Estates • CA 90274 

Call 310.544.0052 


Unapologetically 

Italian 

Italian 

Giorgio Borelli dismisses 

contemporary trends in favor of 

his family’s traditional Italian cooking 

by Richard Foss 

photo by Richard Foss 


Chefs have a reputation as prickly, mercurial people, and though that 

isn’t always deserved, there are certainly some who fit the stereotype. 

I remember asking one master of traditional cuisine whether 

he had a personal style that distinguished his cuisine. He fixed me with a 

glare and asked, “Is cooking about pleasing people or is it about showing 

off?” 

Giorgio Borelli, the genial, soft-spoken owner and chef of Giorgio’s in 

Rolling Hills Estates, would never be that abrasive, but he might agree with 

the sentiment. He grew up eating Naples-style Italian food at home and in 

restaurants owned by his father and uncles, and unapologetically ignores 

current trends. He serves up the Italian food of his forefathers, not a California 

or New York variant. 

Giorgio’s deor is an understated blend of contemporary and classic, 

sunny by day and dark and candlelit in the evening. There’s a patio for 

those who enjoy fresh air and a view of the quiet street. 

On my first visit, at lunch, I enjoyed a simple meatball Panini that came 

with a richly herbed and slightly spicy red sauce. I liked it enough that I 

came back for dinner, bringing family members who grew up on the East 

Coast and have strong opinions about Italian food. We arrived without 

reservations and took the only open table, which was in a rear, particularly 

dark alcove. I like romantic atmospheres, but this was a bit much. We 

needed the flashlight app on our cellphones to read the menu. But we 

didn’t really need the menus because if you thought of just about any classic 

Italian dish, it was there. We were assisted in our decision by a waiter 

who put our East Coasters completely at ease, an old, Italian man who 

knew everything on the menu and wine list. Once we established that we 

were interested in his guidance he dispensed cheerfully opinionated information 

in an endearingly brusque style. When we asked about a particular 

wine he responded, “With what you’re ordering, forget that one. Try this 

Rocca delle Macie Chianti, it will make it sing.” And so it did. 

We started with stracciatella and minestrone soup and a green salad, 

which were included with our meals for $3 extra, and an order of housemade 

tortellini with peas and prosciutto in Alfredo sauce as a shared second 

course. Stracciatella is similar to Chinese egg flower soup, in which 

egg is drizzled into a hot meat and vegetable broth. Whether this is some- 

TORRANCE 

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thing Marco Polo 

brought back or an independent 

invention, 

it’s a hearty, rich way 

to start a meal. The 

minestrone was good, 

too. Though I can get it 

anywhere, this minestrone 

was a treat. The 

salad was fine but ordinary, 

the dressing just 

a bit more vinegary 

than I like. 

We had ordered the 

tortellini as a secondi, 

the dish Italians have 

between courses. It 

turned out to be the 

highlight of our meal. 

The cream sauce had 

delicate hints of nutmeg, 

pepper and other 

A classic Veal Marsala. 

Photo by Brad Jacobson (CivicCouch.com) 

spices. One of the transplants at our table liked it so much that she changed 

her main course to fettuccini alfredo so she could have more of the cream 

sauce. The big bowl of tortellini would have been a full meal for one person 

and was ample for four to nibble on and have some left over. 

Besides the fettuccine, which was more of a good thing, we had a seafood 

sampler and an Italian style ribeye steak with mushroom sauce. (The 

fourth member of our party intended to dine light and snack from our 

plates, but the portions were large enough that she enjoyed a full meal.) 

The fish sampler had three fish done different ways. The halibut was simply 

broiled, the sand dabs sautéed with capers and lemon, and the snapper 

served in a red sauce with herbs. This sampler is always available though 

the seafood changes. If you like both fish and variety it’s a delight. 

The steak in a Chianti sauce with mushrooms was even more mammoth 

in size. The old fashioned preparation was as much about the sauce as the 

meat. Modern steakhouses often grill meat in a way that emphasizes the 

smoky char and caramelized fat. But while both of those were present, 

they were partners with the wine and mushroom sauce. The sauce was so 

rich that if a few extra carrots and onions were tossed in, it might be served 

as a stew and since there were some carrots and broccoli on this plate we 

tested the theory. It’s a full pound of ribeye, so there’s plenty to share between 

two people. 

Despite the fact that we only ordered three entrees for four people we 

were so full that we had no room 

for dessert. When I return, I intend 

to have either more people or 

fewer entrees so I can find out 

what the tiramisu is like. 

Our lavish dinner with one bottle 

and two glasses of wine ran just 

over $40 per person, which we 

found remarkable for the quality of 

the experience. It wasn’t trendy 

and wasn’t trying to be, but we felt 

lucky to get that last available table 

on a Friday night. Italian comfort 

food doesn’t go out of style, and 

Giorgio and his staff prove it every 

day. 

Giorgio’s is at 777 Deep Valley 

Drive in Rolling Hills Estates. Open 

Mon-Thur: 11:30 a.m. to -9p.m. Fri: 

11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sat: 5 p.m. 

to 9:30 p.m. Sun: 5 p.m. 9 p.m. Street 

parking, wheelchair access OK, beer 

and wine served, some vegetarian 

items. No website. (310) 541-2600. 

PEN 


Diamond anniversary celebration 

n Long time residents of 

Rolling Hills, Allen and Dottie 

Lay celebrated their 60th 

wedding anniversary at an 

afternoon party on June 12 

at the Palos Verdes Art Center. 

Allen has served on the 

Rolling Hills City Council 

and both Dottie and Allen 

have been very active members 

of the Palos Verdes Art 

Center along with other 

Peninsula organizations. 

Photo by Mary Jane Schoenheider 

around&about 

Calling all duffers 

n Young Life Christian Youth Ministries is holding its annual charity Golf Tournament. 

Monday, October 17 at the Los Verdes Golf Course starting at 1 p.m. The 

tournament is shotgun start, scramble format and costs $175 per person and will 

include goodie bag, lunch, dinner, prizes, and awards. If you think this sounds 

fun, wait until you see the mulligan package! To RSVP or to get more information, 

please call Steve Heffernan at (310) 466-3661. 

Palos Verdes Woman’s Club Scholarships 

n The Palos Verdes Woman's Club awarded $1,000. scholarships to recent 

high school graduates. 

Palos Verdes Woman’s Club Celebrates 90 Years 

n In January 1926 Mrs. Charles Cheney, whose husband was an architect and 

city planner for the Palos Verdes Project, invited 20 women residing in Palos Verdes 

to her home on Via del Monte to discuss establishing a woman's club. The following 

month the Palos Verdes Woman's Club was formed.The Club went into action 

two months later to "lend a hand" when the grade school moved from the Gardner 

Building to the newly constructed Malaga Cove School building. They supplied 

curtains, furniture and helped establish the cafeteria.The Palos Verdes Woman's 

Club staged musical concerts, plays, poetry readings and dances, offered gardening 

and sewing classes, library projects and other endeavors. During the Depression 

the Club organized donations of food and clothing for affected South 

Bay families and partnered throughout World War II with the local Red Cross 

chapter. With soldiers in three camps on the Peninsula their assistance was appreciated.Celebrating 

90 years of serving the community, the Palos Verdes 

Woman's Club continued the legacy of the early founders by sponsoring fund 

raisers with all proceeds going to local charities and scholarships for Peninsula 

High School Seniors. Membership in the Palos Verdes Woman's Club is open to 

all women living in the South Bay. 

Left to right: Lizzy Mansukhani of Palos Verdes Peninsula High School / 

University of Oregon, Gabby Grant of Rancho Del Mar High School / 

Harbor Junior College, Ava Conway of Palos Verdes High School / Eastman 

School of Music, and Wesley Booth of Palos Verdes High School / 

University of California Berkeley. 

Peninsula Shopping Center Donation 

n Peninsula Shopping Center's Grand Opening event for Habit Burger Grill and 

Chipotle Mexican Grill raised awareness and money to help support Soleado Elementary 

School programs. From left to right: Gina Stutzel, Principal of Soleado 

Elementary School, middle: Heath McCue, Director of Marketing for Peninsula 

Shopping Center, far right is Erica Mangham, Booster President, Soleado Elementary 

and then just say with Soleado Elementary school students. 

Susan Negrete, AAUW Status of Women Awardee 

n The Palos Verdes Peninsula Branch of the American Association of University 

Women (AAUW-PVP) has announced that the 2016 prestigious AAUW Status of 

Women Award will be presented to Susan Negrete, a Palos Verdes resident and 

member of the organization. The annual award, which was established in 1969, 

recognizes a woman who has utilized her leadership talents for the benefit of 

AAUW’s mission in the community, and who has been, and continues to be, an 

outstanding role model for girls and other women. Susan Negrete has demonstrated 

her leadership in many ways. She is now a trainer and spokesperson for 

the AAUW California State Division and is completing a two-year term as a State 

Director. At the same time, she has been supportive and active in the California 

AAUW Tech Trek science summer camp program for 8th grade girls. In addition 

to helping the local branches send qualified, but under-served girls to the camps, 

she has also volunteered as a camp dorm mom for the last two years, and plans 

to repeat the experience again this summer. Susan is a member of the Torrance 

branch of AAUW, and is involved in their activities as well. She is the facilitator 

and one of the founding members of Women in Transition, a viable discussion 

group with members from three AAUW branches: PVP, Torrance, and Beach 

Cities. She is also active in the work of the Downtown Women’s Shelter. Susan 

Negrete will be presented the Status of Women Award at the AAUW-PVP Fall Fiesta 

meeting on August 20, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., at Hesse Park, 29301 

Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes. Reservations are necessary. Cost is $15. 

For more information or reservations go to the AAUW-PVP Website at palosverdesca.aauw.net. 

AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, 

education, philanthropy and research. 


Backhanded 

compliment 

A strict fitness 

regimen and 

strong backhand 

have helped 

Peninsula High’s 

Connor Hance 

become one of 

the top junior players 

in the country 

by Randy Angel 

Facing match point against the top 

seed, up-and-coming tennis player 

Connor Hance was trying his best 

to dig himself out of a hole. 

The 14-year-old had dropped the first 

set in the Asics Easter Bowl finals and, 

trailing 6-5 in the second set, was looking 

for a ray of hope. 

He got it when John McNally, of 

Cincinnati, double faulted giving Hance 

the opportunity he needed. He scored 

the next two points to force a tiebreaker 

and proceeded to win the championship 

with a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory. 

“That definitely was a big moment in 

my career,” said Hance, now a 17-yearold 

senior at Peninsula High School. “It 

was nice to beat him because he later 

defeated me at the National Championships 

in Kalamazoo, Michigan.” 

The 2013 Easter Bowl championship 

drew the attention of national coaches. 

American tennis greats who have competed 

in the Easter Bowl – Agassi, 

Austin, Capriati, Davenport, McEnroe, 

Roddick and Sampras – later became 

household names. 

UCLA-bound Connor Hance led 

Peninsula High to its first 

boys tennis CIF championship 

since 2000. Photo by Ray Vidal 


Hance’s career on the tennis court has since flourished. The 5-foot-10, 

160-pound right hander is ranked No. 21 in the nation in the Boys 18 Singles 

division and in April, became the first boys tennis player from Peninsula 

High to win the CIF singles division title at the prestigious Ojai Tournament. 

The junior’s victory over Corona del Mar senior Bjorn Hoffmann helped 

Peninsula finish in a first-place tie with San Marino for the team title. 

In May, Peninsula and San Marino would square off in the finals of the 

CIF-Southern Section Division 1 team championships. Hance led the Panthers 

to a 10-8 victory and Peninsula’s first CIF championship in boys tennis 

since 2000. 

“My freshman year we were not close to being one of the top teams,” 

Hance said. “We worked hard and it paid off.” 

Peninsula head coach Mike Hoeger said Hance has a style similar to 2012 

Olympic gold medalist Andy Murray. 

“He has a good serve and good wheels, but he has a world-class backhand,” 

Hoeger said. “Most players at this level pick on their opponent’s 

backhand but they can’t do that with Connor.” 

Hoeger expects Hance to return for his senior season in hopes of winning 

the CIF Individual Singles title. 

“Connor has meant a great deal to our program,” Hoeger said. “He had a 

lot of hype coming into high school. It was surprising to see what a team 

player he is. Having a No. 1 player be such a team player is a blessing. He’s 

been a great role model for other players.” 

Hance said his short-term goals are to play well in tournaments, keep improving 

his game and next spring help Peninsula win back-to-back CIF 

championships while claiming the elusive CIF Individual Singles title. 

“It’s different playing for a team. There’s more pressure because all of 

your teammates are counting on you,” Hance explained. “I work well with 

coach Hoeger. He accommodates me so I can play in other tournaments, 

letting me know when he needs me for important high school matches.” 

Hance said the two toughest opponents he faced this year have been Hoffman, 

who won the CIF Individual title, and Alex Kuperstein of Palm Desert, 

who defeated Hance in the semifinals. 

Hance comes from a tennis family. 

His father, Ken, has been involved in tennis in the South Bay since 1976 

and is Director of Junior Tennis at the Peninsula Racquet Club. 

Connor’s mother, Courtney has been teaching tennis for more than 20 

years and was the No. 1 player at UC Irvine all four years. She and Ken 

founded South Bay Tennis Club 19 years ago and it became a second home 

for their four children. 

“I think the kids have spent more time at the club than in our own home,” 

Courtney quipped. “Fortunately, they all love tennis.” 

Connor feels his dad has had the biggest influence on his tennis career 

‘He taught me how to play tennis and coached me every day,” Connor 

said. “Also, Eric Basica, whom I’ve been working with since I was 12.” 

“Connor came to work with us as soon as he was allowed to the leave 

the hospital after his birth,” Ken said. “He’s had a tennis racket in his hand 

since two years old. I worked with him every day until he was about 16, 

when he took on other coaches. Now we’re working together again fine 

tuning his game.” 

When Connor was 5 years old, he was cast as the son of tennis greats 

Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf in a television commercial. 

“It ran during Wimbledon and US Open so he had his five seconds of 

fame,” Ken recalled. “He did other commercials until about 8 or 9, but tennis 

has always been his passion.” 

Connor began playing in tournaments when he was 6 years old and by 

the age of 10 started to take the sport seriously. 

“I always knew I’d be a tennis player,” Hance said. “When I was 12 I won 

the National Clay Court Championships and I was on my way.” 

Along with a devastating backhand, Hance feels one of his strengths is 

his ability to wear down his opponent. 

“Connor has grit and even at a young age, his work ethic and discipline 

were exceptional,” Courtney said of her son. “He’s not the tallest or best 

athlete on the court, but he’s scrappy and in better shape than most other 

players.” 

In June, at the USTA SoCal Jr. Sectional Championships, a sore wrist 

forced Hance to withdraw from the tournament after winning his first four 

matches. Later that night, Courtney heard a noise coming from the street. 

“I looked out the window and saw Connor running around cones in the 

middle of the street,” Courtney said. “He told me, ’Just because my wrist is 

hurt, I have to stay in shape.’” 

The nutrition-conscious Hance spends three to five hours each day on 

the court but his workout does not end there. 

After returning home from practice, Hance will either run or drive to the 

beach where he works in the sand on movement, quickness and sprints. 

“Many people believe that strong arms and shoulders are important in 

tennis but it’s quickness and strength in your legs that will help you succeed 

on the court,” Hance said. ”I also work on my core two to three times a 

week. I don’t lift weights because it constricts muscle movement, which is 

vital to tennis players.” 

Hance is coming off a win at the Manhattan Beach Tennis Open where 

he played “just for fun” with friend Joseph Rotheram, of Manhattan Beach. 

The pair captured the Men’s Open Doubles championship. 

As the level of competition increases, Hance has learned to cope with 

pressure, finding something in the match to focus on so nerves don’t get 

the best of him. 

“I’m used to pressure. I’ve learned to stay loose in big point situations,” 

Hance said. “If you get nervous, you tend to tense up. I feel the preparation 

I put in gives me the confidence to handle any situation in a match.” 

Tennis has provided Hance the opportunity to travel while playing in 

tournaments across the country. 

“I least like to play in Florida,” Hance said. “I really like Kalamazoo, not 

only because it’s the National Championships, but because it has the best 

sponsors and hospitality. I also enjoyed playing in Louisiana. Three other 

boys and myself got to stay with a host family in this beautiful mansion. 

Ojai is also a great tournament. It is highly competitive and the entire town 

comes out to support the tournament.” 

Hance will return to Kalamazoo for the Boys 18s National Championships 

Aug. 5-14. He said the highlight of his career came two years ago when he 

reached the finals in the 16s tournament at Kalamazoo. 

He’ll later represent Southern California at the Junior Team Tennis National 

Championships in South Carolina Oct 20-23, where regions compete 

for the title. 

Hance hopes the stiff competition will help prepare him for his college 

career at UCLA. The Bruin head coach is Billy Martin, a 1974 graduate of 

Palos Verdes High School who won the NCAA Singles championship in 

1975 before turning pro. 

Helping UCLA win an NCAA championship is among Hance’s long-term 

goals. 

“I plan to focus on college and work my way up in the lineup,” Hance 

said. “I eventually want to have a professional tennis career and, of course, 

it’s every player’s dream to win a Grand Slam or be in the Olympics.” 

Numerous universities were interested in Hance, including Stanford and 

USC, but he chose UCLA because of its proximity and balance of athletics 

and academics. 

“I was highly ranked at the age of 14 and knew if I maintained that level, 

I could pick almost any school I wanted to attend,” he said. ”It’s a beautiful 

campus and close to home so my family and friends can come watch me 

play.” 

Free time is rare for Hance but he takes advantage of it when it occurs, 

hanging out with friends or playing guitar. 

“I took up guitar a year ago and can actually play songs now,” Hance said. 

“I also like to surf, which I’ve been doing a lot of this summer. It really 

loosens up the shoulders and improves my range of motion.” 

Hance said his mother, Courtney, has been the biggest overall influence 

in his life. He enjoys the fact that older sister Kenadi, 19, younger sister 

Kimmi, 13, and brother Keaton, 8, all love tennis. 

“My mom is very outgoing so we have similar personalities. She’s also 

very funny,” Hance said. “Kenadi and I are so close in age that we’ve had a 

sibling rivalry for many years. Playing tennis, we were both similar at levels 

in our respective age groups. When I got taller and stronger, I caught up to 

her but she still thinks she’s better than me.” 

Kenadi, like Connor, was a CIF champion at Peninsula High. As a freshman 

at the University of Washington last fall, she finished second on the 

team with 11 dual match wins in singles. She also was a five-time USTA 

National Champion. 

The Palos Verdes Peninsula has been a breeding ground for tennis players, 

including greats of the game Tracy Austin, Pete Sampras and Lindsay Davenport. 

Hance hopes one day to join that list. PEN 


around&about 

PV Ballet 

appointment at any of the libraries please visit: www.pvld.org/services/passport. 

The Palos Verdes Library District is a nationally recognized, award-winning library 

system serving all four cities on the beautiful Palos Verdes Peninsula. It collaborates 

with the community to create environments for learning and inspiration, 

and to share the unique history of the Peninsula. PVLD is an independent special 

district governed by a publicly elected Board of Trustees. 

Special Children’s League 

The incoming board (L/R first row: Maria Ballinger, Jacqueline Dunton, 

Joyce Komatsu, Michele Dahlerbruch second row: Paula Boothe, 

Monique Caine and Lori Delgado). 

Olivia Tang performing the role of ‘La Esmeralda.’ Dream come true! 

n 19-year-old Olivia Tang of Palos Verdes Ballet signed her contract as a member 

of the Joffrey Ballet Company. She started at the age of 6 at Palos Verdes Ballet 

with all the fun and professional performances as a little mouse and party girl in 

the Nutcracker. Her talent and consistent work and dedication progressed to beautiful 

roles of the repertoire. She was a dreamy Cinderella, magical Firebird and 

beautiful sweet Sugar Plum Fairy. Olivia was invited many times to the prestigious 

Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) competition New York Final, semi-finalist at Los 

Angeles Music Center Spotlight Award Competition. She has spent many Summer 

Intensive Workshops at Palos Verdes Ballet as well as San Francisco Ballet School’s 

year round program. Palos Verdes Ballet is very proud of Olivia and her achievements. 

She follows the path of many former students who joined companies like 

New York City Ballet, Pacific Northwest, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet 

Theatre as many students excelled in life. 

Passport services expanded 

n The Palos Verdes Library District (PVLD) is opening an additional passport 

branch at the Malaga Cove Library beginning August 1. Passport services at this 

location will be by online appointment only from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 

Thursday and Friday and will include the processing of new passport applications, 

renewals, expedited services, passport photos and copying. 

In addition, PVLD will be increasing passport hours of operation on Wednesdays 

and Saturdays at the Peninsula Center Library beginning July 30, and the new 

hours of operation there will be as follows: Walk-in Services: Monday, Tuesday 

and Thursday from 1 to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday from 1 to 6 p.m. and Friday 

from 1 to 4 p.m. Appointment Only Services: Monday through Friday from 9 to 

11 a.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prices vary according to services 

needed. 

The Miraleste Library continues to offer passport hours from noon to 4:30 p.m. 

Monday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays. To book an 

n The Special Children’s League recently held its installation of officers and 

awarded over $86,000 in annual gifting. The majority of gifts were granted to 

United Cerebral Palsy of Los Angeles (UCPLA), as well as to local organizations 

including: PVPUSD Special Education 

Services, Pediatric Therapy Network, 

Ride to Fly, LA Dodgers Foundation - The 

Miracle League, Golden Heart Ranch, 

Camp Paivika, and US Adaptive Recreation 

Center. Special Children’s League 

(SCL), South Bay Committee was 

founded in 1957 when a group of 

women in Palos Verdes rallied around a 

friend whose child was born with cerebral 

palsy. They formed an alliance with 

UCPLA, a strong partnership that has 

continued for over 50 years. Today, 

these dedicated women share a common 

goal: to lift the lives and spirits of 

those affected by disabilities, through education 

in the local community and as a 

team member of UCPLA. Some members 

have been with SCL for over twenty 

years and some have children with disabilities. 

Those who have children with 

disabilities help create a better understanding 

and appreciation of the needs 

of affected individuals and their families.Their 

annual benefit will be on November 

18 at the Palos Verdes Golf 

Club. It is the primary fundraiser and 

gives SCL an opportunity to educate and 

inspire guests and members while touching 

their hearts with amazing personal 

stories. PEN 

Outgoing President Janice 

Robinson and incoming President 

Joyce Komatsu. 


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Kitchen & Bathrooms Specialist. 

3968 Pacific Coast Hwy., Torrance • (310) 373-7781 • www.simplytiles.com

Peninsula People August 2016

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