Volume XXII, Issue 1
August 2017 • Peninsula 3
PENINSULA
Volume XXII, Issue 1
August 2017
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
ON THE COVER
Watercolor by Katrina Vanderlip
depicting a sculpture of her grandfather
as a boy with his favorite
dog. The sculpture is by Rudolf
Evans, whose other work includes
the Jefferson Memorial in
Washington D.C.
PROFILES
10
Chester Bennington remembered
by Kevin Cody Chester Bennington enjoyed rockstar status.
But it didn’t calm his personal demons. As he wrote in his last
single release, “Heavy,” I keep draggin’ around/What’s bringin’
me down/Why is everything so heavy?
18 Rising ballerina
by Esther Kang Peninsula School of Performing Arts
ballerina Lauren Hunter performs on the international stage,
enroute to London’s Royal Ballet School.
22 America’s banker
by Bondo Wyszpolski Peninsula writer Vicki Mack
recounts the story of Frank Vanderlip, whom the New York
Times called “the banker who changed America.”
26 Palos Verdes’ first family
by Bondo Wyszpolski Both figuratively and literally the
Vanderlips have been the first family of Palos Verdes since
financier Frank Vanderlip bought 16,000 acres on the peninsula
over 100 years ago.
52
Truxtons Bistro’s family fare
by Richard Foss The newly opened Truxtons Bistro raises
the bar for family restaurants on the Peninsula.
HIGHLIGHTS
14 Whiskey and Wine with PV Performing Arts
34 Encore Group luncheon at Villa Narcissa
50 PV Arts at Catalina View Gardens
54 Peninsula Family Businesses
56 Palos Verdes Assembly Ball
58 Affinity Volunteers luncheon
60 Music on the Meadows at Terranea Resort
62 Celebrate Wellness at the Botanic Garden
64 Caring House’s Evening of Appreciation
DEPARTMENTS
40 Peninsula calendar
48 Around and About
69 Home services
STAFF
EDITOR
Mark McDermott
PUBLISHER
Stephanie Cartozian
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FRONT DESK
Judy Rae
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Daniel Sofer (Hermosawave.net)
CONTACT
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6 Peninsula • August 2017
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August 2017 • Peninsula 9
Music couldn’t save
Bennington
Chester Bennington wrote music to ‘numb’ his
personal demons. It wasn’t enough.
by Kevin Cody
In March 2016, Chester Bennington told Peninsula parents who filled the Norris
Theater, “The schools here are so great because the parents are so involved in
their kids’ lives.”
Bennington’s praise came during a break in the music at the From Classic to Rock
concert, organized by Marten Andersson, of the band Lizzy Borden. The concert
raised over $50,000 for Peninsula school music programs. Bennington and his wife
Talinda had several children in Peninsula schools.
Bennington’s band Linkin Park had won multiple Grammys. Their 2001, breakthrough
album “Hybrid Theory” sold over 10 million copies. During From Classic
to Rock, Bennington and Andersson performed with fellow South Bay music stars
Stone Temple Pilots, Gary Wright (“Dream Weaver”) , Chas West (Bonham and Foreigner),
Monte Pittman (Madonna), LA Philharmonic violinist Yutong and Long
Beach Symphony cellist Stan Sharp
The evening closed with the musicians singing Bob Dylan’s elegiac “Knockin’ on
Heaven’s Door.” The Peninsula High School choir sang backup.
On Thursday, June 20, while his family was vacationing in Arizona, Bennington
was found dead in his Palos Verdes Estates home, of an apparent suicide. He was
41.
Bennington struggled with mental demons throughout his life. He traced them to
having been sexually abused in his youth.
“I have been able to tap into all the negative things that can happen to me by
numbing myself to the pain, so to speak, and kind of being able to vent it through
my music,” he said in a 2009 interview with the website Noisecreep.
That year he declared himself free of drugs. But if his music offers any insight, he
was not free of his demons. His last single “Heavy,” released in February, includes
the lyrics:
You say that I’m paranoid
But I’m pretty sure the world is out to get me
It’s not like I make the choice
To let my mind stay so f….ing messy
Following his death, Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified Superintendent Don Austin
told the Daily Breeze, “All day I’ve been receiving calls and texts from people expressing
their sadness for the loss of someone whom, anyone who knows him,
would describe as a great guy, and our interactions together were the same. It was
very clear that being a dad was more important to him than anything else. Our
thoughts are with his family.” PEN
2016 From Classic to Rock performers
and organizers (left to right) 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. Photo by Cynthia Halverson
(CynthiaHalverson.com)
Chester Bennington performing with Stone Temple Pilots at the 2016
From Classic to Rock concert at the Norris Theater. Photo by Cynthia
Halverson (CynthiaHalverson.com)
10 Peninsula • August 2017
S P O T L I G H T O N T H E H I L L
Performing Arts Conservatory
A Night to Celebrate Whiskey and Wine
Peanie and Alex Wang hosted Whiskey, Wine and Dads on June 16 in
the courtyard of their Tuscan style estate. This was the first
fundraiser organized by Backstage, the new leadership team of parents
for the Palos Verdes Performing Arts Conservatory (PVAC). More than
60 guests were in attendance to support dance performances and plays
while immersing themselves in the nuances of whiskey through J.P.
Cordero, the spirits sommelier, who served up rare, high-end whiskeys.
The spread of delectables was prepared by Jean Cordero of Entertaining
Friends Catering and included lobster bisque, beef and seafood sliders,
salads, pasta bar and individual desserts. For more information visit
PalosVerdesPerformingArts.com.
1. Peanie and Alex Wang.
PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE CARTOZIAN
2. Justine Roe Lee, Peanie Wang,
Marta Rhodes, Tanya Mann, Cindy
Boger and Maki Bara.
3. Tanya and Paul Mann and Dave
and Cindy Boger.
4. Alex Wang, Marc Saalberg, Paul
Mann, Michael Warner, David Boger
and Hank Parker.
5. Chris Gilbert, Maki Bara and
J.P. Cordero.
6. Maura Mizuguchi, Amy Firmani,
Allison Holcher and Joanne Saalberg.
7. Marta Rhodes, Cindy Boger, Kimberly
Wood, Deborah North, Justine
Roe Lee Azadeh Khatibi, Lisa Berry
and Lynn Collins.
8. Dessert and drink.
9. Carrie Yamato, Devyn Park and Kathleen Warner.
1
2 3
4 5
6
7
8
9
14 Peninsula • August 2017
August 2017 • Peninsula 15
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Peninsula School of Performing Arts dancer Lauren Hunter competing at Prix de Lausanne International Ballet Competition in Switzerland this past February.
Photos by Gregory Bartardon
15-year-old Lauren Hunter earns a place on the international ballet stage
by Esther Kang
Fifteen-year-old ballerina Lauren Hunter walks, talks and dances with
a poise beyond her years. Her journey as a ballerina began at the
Peninsula School of Performing Arts only three years ago, but Hunter
has already ascended to some of the most prestigious stages in the world.
This past February, she was one of six Americans selected to compete at
Prix de Lausanne International Ballet Competition in Switzerland. As the
youngest contestant, she placed fifth and took home the coveted prize -- a
full tuition scholarship to Royal Ballet School in London for a three-year
course beginning this fall.
Upon returning home, Hunter has continued her streak. In May, she won
the Spotlight Awards for Classical Dance at the Los Angeles Music Center,
earning a $5,000 scholarship and a performance at the Walt Disney Concert
Hall. She then traveled to New York to compete in the Youth America
Grand Prix finals, placing third and earning a bronze medal in the senior
women’s level.
Hunter was born outside Seoul, South Korea, to an American father and
Korean mother. The family moved to Texas when she was 2. The intuition
of her mother prompted Hunter to begin taking dance classes at age 6, splitting
her time between jazz and ballet. She says the main incentive for dancing
was fun and exercise in these early years.
“Everyone always says, ‘Oh I’ve been in love with ballet since I was 2
years old’ … not me,” she said, laughing. “I didn’t like it that much at all.
The older I got, the more I understood it. When I was younger, I was like,
‘I’m just in pain! Why am I doing this?’"
At age 10, she and her family moved to Palos Verdes.
As she got older, Hunter found herself appreciating ballet over other styles
of dancing. At 13, she began private instruction with Marina and Alex Kalinina
at the Peninsula School of Performing Arts, as well as with teachers
Roberto Almaguer and Vera Ninkovic. Under their mentorship, Hunter
began to understand ballet as an art form beyond the visceral technicalities
of dance.
“I’ve always liked to draw and paint,” she said. “And I realized I can draw
and paint while dancing on stage.”
Upon entering Palos Verdes High School, Hunter was faced with a decision
between joining a team or continue dancing ballet. She followed her
intuition and decided to continue dedicating her energy to pursuing dance.
Hunter described this period as a very difficult time; she struggled to balance
school with pursuing a professional career in ballet. She traveled to
New York, Salt Lake City and Orlando, Florida, placing in each of these
competitions.
“What’s cool about ballet is that you’re an actress as well as a dancer,”
Hunter said. “One part of artistry is being able to show different emotions
— sadness, anger, happiness — in one ballet. You have to be able to do that
18 Peninsula • August 2017
and connect with the audience, but
there’s also artistry in how we
move.”
In the spring of that year, just a
year into private training, 14-yearold
Hunter landed her first lead
role in a show when a Royal Ballet
dancer, due to visa issues, was unable
to perform the role of Aurora
in the Peninsula School of Performing
Arts production of Sleeping
Beauty.
“It was really new to do that big
of a role,” she said. “It was a big
step for me. After every performance
you grow, and when you
come back in the studio, you’re
like, ‘Wow, I can do this so much
better than I used to,’” she said.
“It’s a big opportunity and experience
every time you’re on stage.”
Homeschooling, which she
began last year, has freed Hunter
to pursue her passion. On a typical
day, she spends at least five hours
practicing her craft. She begins her
morning with homeschool, followed
by an hour and a half of private
instruction with her current
mentor Alla Khaniashvili. That’s
followed by stretch class, pilates or
swimming, then a conservatory
class at Marat Daukayev School of
Ballet in LA, near Marina Del Rey,
where her family now lives. After
that, she attends another class at
the Peninsula School of Performing
Arts.
The international recognition
Hunter has garnered has not
slowed her down. Her fierce work
ethic, paired with natural ability,
makes her insatiable as a young
artist pursuing perfection.
“There’s always something for
me to work on,” she said. “Some
people plateau or think they’ve
achieved the best they can. That’s
when it gets boring. But it could
never get boring really if you think
about it. You can always be cleaner
when you’re dancing, or jump
higher. There should be no opportunity
to get bored.”
Earlier this month, Hunter spent
two weeks participating in an intensive
program at the Royal Ballet
School in London, where she will
return as a student this fall. She
hopes to take the stage as the Royal
Ballet’s prima dancer in the near
future.
“There’s so many other schools I
can try to put my mind to,” Hunter
said. “But the Royal Ballet is my
dream company, so this school is
the best way to lead into that.” PEN
August 2017 • Peninsula 19
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Spirit of the Peninsula
Peninsula founder Frank Vanderlip
lived in Vicki Mack’s downstairs office,
and very likely he’s still there
Photo of Vicki Mack by Bondo Wyszpolski. Inset: Frank and Narcissa Vanderlip. Photo courtesy of Vicki Mack
by Bondo Wyszpolski
Vicki Mack has put so much heart and soul into her book about Frank
Arthur Vanderlip that her husband thought she was going to leave
him for Vanderlip, despite the fact the patriarch of the Peninsula died
in 1937.
The couple had lived in The Cottage, which was built in 1916 and was
originally part of the vast Vanderlip Estate.
Vicki is a noted author and photographer (her resume includes photo
shoots with six U.S. presidents, among countless celebrities) who lives in
Palos Verdes Estates. She had never intended to write about the elder Vanderlip
until one day at a luncheon she met Don Christy, the stepson of Vanderlip’s
brother John.
At the luncheon, which took place at The Cottage and had as its agenda
the Palos Verdes Historical Homes Tour, she overheard someone say to Don
that he should write a book since he knew so much local history. He replied,
“I always wanted to, but I don’t know how.” Perhaps emboldened by her
second glass of wine, Vicki interjected, “Well, you know, I could help you
with that.” The result was a book they co-authored called “Up Around the
Bend.”
Later, Don told Vicki, “You need to write a book on Frank Vanderlip.” (In
1913, Frank Vanderlip, a New York banker at the time, purchased the entire
Palos Verdes Peninsula, 16,000 acres, and naturally had big plans for it, although
very few of them were ever realized on account of the 1929 financial
crisis.)
Vicki replied that writing a book about Frank Vanderlip was the family’s
job, not hers, but Don told her that no one was doing it. “So that’s when he
gave me his copy of the autobiography,” Vicki says. “As I read his book, I
started getting a sense of who he was.” She hadn’t known he had helped
found the Federal Reserve and had consorted with prominent public figures
in New York and Washington, D.C.
Narcissa Vanderlip, Frank Vanderlip’s granddaughter, asked Vicki how
long she thought the writing would take. “I said, ‘Oh, probably three
months.’ And she goes, ‘Vicki, there’s no way you can write a book on Frank
in three months.’”
Narcissa was right. “Nine months later I finished the first round, and
Kelvin (the elder Vanderlip’s grandson) said, ‘You know, Vicki, this is only
your first edition.’ And I said, Naaaah, this is it. And he said, ‘No, you’re
going to learn so much more after it gets published.’”
Kelvin was right. The book, “Frank A. Vanderlip: The Banker Who
Changed America,” was published in 2013, but Vicki has indeed discovered
new material since, and is seriously thinking of another edition. “What I’d
like to do this time is a little more scholarly because I have so much more
information now, particularly on the founding of the Federal Reserve. I
think I’ve put some things together in ways that other people haven’t because
of the background knowledge I have on Frank.” This would include
financing related to World War I and Japanese immigration in the 1920s.
“He was quite strong on the fact that he didn’t like the way the Japanese
people were being treated.”
Vicki Mack can entertain you for hours about Frank Vanderlip, whom
she began calling “Frank” because Vanderlip had complained that no one
ever used his first name but always addressed him as “Mr. Vanderlip” or
“Mr. Van.” This led to an amusing incident.
Each morning at 9 a.m. Vicki would head downstairs to her office to work
on the manuscript. Her husband David would ask her where she was going.
“I’d reply, ‘Well, we’re off to the Spanish American War,’ or, ‘We’re dealing
with his time in Washington, or whatever.’”
One day, as she’d picked up her coffee cup and was headed to her office,
she told him, “I’m off to bury Frank.”
“And he said, ‘I knew it! I knew it was going to happen!’ And I said, ‘Well,
you know I’ve come to the end; it’s going to happen sometime.’”
“He thought what I’d said was, ‘I’m off to marry Frank.’”
She then adds, “To me he’s just Frank, and I joked that he lives in my office.
He died in 1937 but he’s really alive and well in my office.
“So that’s kind of how it all came to be.”
Now, in the works is a documentary about Frank Vanderlip that was first
shown at the Norris Theatre in Rolling Hills Estates in 2015 but is being reedited.
“We need to do some different things to get it sold for TV,” she adds.
Vicki Mack was adamant in noting that “none of this would have happened
if it weren’t for Don Christy.” Husband David was supportive throughout
the process, but Don pushed her until it was completed.
Frank A. Vanderlip: The Banker Who Changed America, by Vicki
A. Mack, is available from Pinale Press, P.O. Box 293, Palos Verdes Estates, CA
90274. More information is at vickimack.com. PEN
22 Peninsula • August 2017
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August 2017 • Peninsula 23
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Narcissa Vanderlip (Frank Vanderlip’s granddaughter) and her
husband Parmer Fuller in the living room of Villa Narcissa. They
are the co-founders of the ETC Theatre Company.
Photo by David Fairchild
26 Peninsula • August 2017
FRANK ARTHUR VANDERLIP
Through the ages with the Peninsula’s “First Family”
by Bondo Wyszpolski
Photo by David Fairchild
In the beginning was
Reached only by a narrow and winding tree-lined country road, Villa
Narcissa sits high above the Portuguese Bend Club and Wayfarers
Chapel. If we stand on the home’s quiet terrace and face west, we
can pretty much say this is where it all started, this is the story that became
Palos Verdes.
Just over 100 years ago, Frank Arthur Vanderlip, then president of National
City Bank of New York, brought his family from the East Coast to
see the 16,000 acres he’d purchased. Vanderlip had bought the entire Palos
Verdes peninsula, sight unseen, for about $1.5 million.
The “internationally known financier,” as the New York Times would
write in his obituary, had a grand vision for Palos Verdes. Imagine several
estates the size and grandeur of the Getty Villa or the Huntington Library,
all perched above the cliffs, as spacious and expansive as Italian seaside villas.
That could have happened, and the beginnings of it indeed did. But history,
that mishmash of zig-zags and cul-de-sacs, intervened in the form of
the 1929 stock market crash and the Great Depression that trailed in its
wake. Details about this can be gleaned from Vicki Mack’s exhaustively researched
2013 biography, “Frank A. Vanderlip: The Banker Who Changed
America.”
Bit by bit, parcels of land were peeled away. Today, the Vanderlip estate,
that which remains in the family, is just over 11.5 acres. And although Villa
Narcissa (named in honor of Vanderlip’s wife) is an impressive and solidly
built home, one must keep in mind that it was never conceived as the chief
residence, but rather as a guest house, originally referred to as the Italian
Renaissance Villetta. So where is or was the main domicile?
In 1924, Vanderlip commissioned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead,
Jr., whose father designed New York’s Central Park, to draw up plans
for a villa (to be called Villa Palos Verdes), based on the 16th century Villa
Papa Giulia in Rome. “It was to be large enough,” Mack writes, “to rival
San Simeon, the northern California hilltop mansion of William Randolph
Hearst.” The villa, she adds, “was to be a regal Italian estate. There would
be groves of fruit trees and formal gardens, a magnificent arched loggia,
enough rooms for even an explorer to get lost in, and every comfort one
could ask for.”
The market crash put an end to that plan, although years after after Vanderlip
died in 1937 building material, columns, stones, roof tiles, remained
on the property.
Second generation
Frank Vanderlip had six children. Kelvin, one of the sons, took possession
of the estate and improved what remained of the property. However, Frank
Vanderlip’s true descendent wasn’t a blood relative, but rather a person just
as savvy and hardworking as he had been. This person was Elin Brekke, a
Norwegian Kelvin married in 1946.
Again, in a story filled with what-ifs and could-have-beens, Kelvin died
young, in 1956 at the age of 44 (he’d been born the day the Titanic sank,
April 15, 1912). What Vicki Mack wrote about formal gardens and enough
rooms to get lost in, while never to be realized by way of Villa Palos Verdes,
August 2017 • Peninsula 27
A hilltop view down the grand cypress allee from the Temple to the front door of Villa Narcissa. Photo by Bondo Wyszpolski.
were carried out as if to the letter by Elin Vanderlip over the half-century
that she ruled the roost, no exaggeration, and elevated Villa Narcissa into
something truly grand.
The marriage had yielded four children, Kelvin, Jr., Narcissa, Katrina and
Henrik, all of them born between 1947 and 1952, and thus still very young
in 1956. Within two years their coming of age in such a pristine environment
was interrupted in yet another way.
“When my husband died, I took my whole family and the help to Switzerland,”
Elin Vanderlip told me in 1997. “Other people would hang around
and moan and put everybody in public school. Not me.” As her eldest
daughter Narcissa wrote in the eulogy she delivered for her mother, who
passed away in 2009 at the age of 90, “For us she became, as she said, our
‘mother and father,’ setting off for Switzerland to find us top schools, learning
French, and making a life for us over there.”
That was the end of one phase in the children’s lives, and of course the
beginning of another. Henrik and Katrina, forever “the twins,” were just six
at the time, with Kelvin and Narcissa not much older.
The hiatus lasted eight years, beginning in 1958, with the family returning
to the Villa for good in 1966. Much had changed. As Kelvin Jr. recalls in a
recent email, “The Villetta had become the Villa Narcissa, the Casetta (“a
three-bay garage with two apartments above to house workers and mechanics,”
Mack writes) had been sold, and the Cottage (a prefab structure, although
nonetheless one with style, where the family was first installed) was
no longer a shared family home. Portuguese Bend had grown from a dozen
houses to about 50, the Palos Verdes landslide was in full descent, Abalone
Cove went from a small private club to a county beach, and the Hill was
growing roads and new homes.”
Frank Vanderlip had built a duck pond below the Cottage, and the
grounds housed an aviary large enough to contain over 100 varieties of birds
(including, ahem, peacocks that later ran wild), but I’m not sure how developed
the acreage was with regard to vegetation. There was the grand cypress
allee that still descends at least 250 steps from a “temple” with Doric
columns, virtually to the front door of Villa Narcissa (at one point, it is said,
continuing down to Narcissa Drive). What I do know is that, whatever landscaping
was there before her, Elin Vanderlip added to it immeasurably, and
would do so up until the very last years of her life.
“My accomplishments are my gardens,” she told me. “I’m very proud of
that because twice it was totally burnt.” When the film producer Lee Katz
was in Italy filming “Man of La Mancha,” Elin Vanderlip “toured every Italian
garden I could get into. When I came back I planted nothing but olives
and cypresses and got Italian terracotta sculptures.”
(Lee Katz, described as her “eternal fiancé,” was sometimes referred to
by Elin Vanderlip as “my companion of 30 years” or simply as “Mr. Katz,”
which always made me think of “The King of Cats,” which is what the
painter Balthus called himself.)
A landscape in bloom
“The Villa Narcissa gardens were my mother’s passion,” Katrina says
today, “and although I remember hating planting annuals for her when I
was a teenager, she took me to every garden we could find in Italy, in
France, and wherever else we went, so her passion for gardens has become
mine as well.”
Elin Vanderlip was an imposing woman, at times “difficult, demanding
and challenging” as Narcissa put it in her eulogy. So I was astonished then,
as I remain today, that one topic that at least momentarily brought us closer
was the godfather of punk rock, Iggy Pop, who’d himself scaled the cypress
allee and also, barechested and seated upon one of the railway ties that
serves as a stair, was filmed strumming a guitar and singing “Candy.” Elin
Vanderlip relished telling me this curious vignette, all the more surprising
in retrospect since this was the same woman who, in the latter 1960s, had
founded Club Bagatelle, a gathering place for well-mannered teens that existed
for maybe two years at the Golden Cove shopping center. If it didn’t
exactly take off, just remember that this was the era of The Byrds, Buffalo
Springfield, and The Doors. Well-mannered teens were on the wane.
Iggy Pop wasn’t the only celebrity to be filmed or photographed against
the backdrop of the grand allee or the gardens. There were shoots for
“Vogue” and Elizabeth Arden and many others. But although most of the
growing up and the living took place indoors, “A garden connected to a
house can be a second home more real to its inhabitants,” in the words of
Robert Harbison, author of “Eccentric Spaces.” “We need these two homes,
a green one and a brown one, a grown one and a built one, two worlds in
tension.”
My mother had a childhood friend who owned a house near a lake in the
woods, a few miles from Paris, where the three of us spent an afternoon.
28 Peninsula • August 2017
The woman, rather stout with a
manly voice, reminded me of
Rodin’s statue of Balzac, a figure
with gravitas, wrapped in a cloak.
But what intrigued me then, and intrigues
me still over 30 years later,
was that I never was sure where her
garden ended and where the inside
of the house began. There was an intertidal
zone, if you will, comprised
of flora, fauna, and furniture. Before
we step inside Villa Narcissa itself,
let’s recall a passage from Henry
Miller’s “The Air-Conditioned Nightmare.”
Miller wrote that “to speak in
architectural language of a house
which is as organically alive, sensuous,
and mellow as a giant tree is to
kill its charm.”
Which is to say that thanks to Elin
Vanderlip’s penchant for growing
more rooms, the way one of her trees
grows another branch, we cannot or should not write about the home in
conventional terms of square feet and number of bedrooms and baths. And
that, let me say, is a woman after my own heart. The house, staid and sturdy
in some parts, survives as a living ancestor. Perhaps Bernard Rudofsky says
it better: “I believe that in the arts and in architecture, the sensual pleasure
should come before the intellectual ones.”
Do I hear any naysayers? I thought not.
Books, and lost love letters
The throughline with all this, in case you’re wondering, is the family’s
abiding passion for the arts (it extends to the youngest or “fourth generation”),
beginning with Frank Vanderlip’s fondness for education (he founded
a school on the East Coast) and his
love for books. Elin Vanderlip, herself,
was a voracious reader and
much of her personal library, and
that of her father-in-law’s, remains
intact.
On the first floor of Villa Narcissa
is a library, the kind with built-in
shelves, all of them neatly lined with
old, elegant books, the likes of which
are hard to come by, except perhaps
at an estate sale where the family has
run out of steam after 37 generations.
I’m reminded of a sentence in Gert
Hofmann’s “Lichtenberg and the Little
Flower Girl” that says “There was
a smell in the library of book dust
and erudition.” Book dust, I don’t
know, but all venerable libraries
The library with rare books from the collection of the patriarch, Frank A. have that scent of learning and erudition.
One of the key volumes, and
Vanderlip. Photo by David Fairchild.
Narcissa takes it from the shelf, is a
well-thumbed, complete works of Shakespeare, which, she says, “I like to
think is the one my grandfather carried in his overalls as a teenager trudging
the six miles to work in the tool shop every day. And that helped him get
into the University of Chicago.” After all, and one can read about this in
Vicki Mack’s biography, Frank Vanderlip really does stand out as an example
of someone who pulled himself up by his bootstraps.
On the other side of the house, and it’s quite a stroll, actually, is a dark
passageway, nearly a tunnel, that is lined with books, at the end of which
one turns left, then right, before entering yet another large room, one wall
of which is overflowing with books on gardening and architecture. There’s
that sense of having entered a treasure vault.
However, it’s the older part of the Villa, before these various wings and
maze-like hallways were added, that retains the charm and character of the
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August 2017 • Peninsula 29
estate’s glorious past. I’m referring
to the living room and a dining
room that seem to have been in suspended
animation, for decades. This
is the part of the residence where
one is reminded most of Frank Vanderlip’s
legacy. The furnishings are
splendid, tasteful, the colors mostly
somber but soothing, and the walls
graced with portraits of family
members long since or recently deceased.
“I love the living room in the old
part of the house,” says Eric deCarbonnel,
the son of Katrina Vanderlip,
who spent three years there as
a boy, “especially the rug and sofas.”
But also, he adds, casting a vote on
both sides of the equation, “I love
the new kitchen/dining room in the
new part of the house with its bright
colors and unique design.” As mentioned,
the house is a living thing, and perhaps still growing.
The upstairs rooms are also joined by a warren of passageways. Narcissa
leads us into and through each chamber, describing which sibling or relative
had which room. Kelvin’s seems to have been the least appealing, with just
one window, fronting the hill, whereas “My bedroom was the best in the
house,” Katrina claims. “It is the only one with two windows with views of
the ocean and one overlooking the fish pond garden.” It’s hard to disagree.
But it’s not only that. “The walls of the Villa are thick and literally full of
history,” she continues. “There are inside wood shutters, and behind the
shutters are storage closets with three shelves each, and also built-in storage
chests under the windows. The ones in the living room held memories: old
rolled-up plans, Daddy’s collection of records, glass slides of 3-D pictures,
Japanese lacquer tea sets (her grandfather
visited Japan in 1920), games,
and silver wrapped in felt.
“The window closets in my old
room were forgotten by all,” Katrina
adds, “and I could even leave love letters
there undisturbed. I found some
two years ago, nearly 50 years later!”
It was after I’d half-joked to Narcissa
that there could well be undiscovered
rooms in the house that she
led me to the basement, not something
one routinely finds in California
homes, although they are plentiful in
the Northeast, and so the idea of including
one here must not have
struck Frank Vanderlip as being the
least bit odd.
The one at Villa Narcissa is not vast
The elegant dining room of Villa Narcissa. Blue was Elin Vanderlip’s favorite but perhaps in decades long gone,
color. Photo by David Fairchild.
when lavish parties were frequently
given, there were many more bottles
of wine. As with most cellars, it eventually became cluttered with odds and
ends, old children’s skis, for example. Narcissa says she’d spent some time
cleaning out an accumulation of rubble.
After the death of Elin Vanderlip, Kelvin and his wife Michele took up
residence in the home. “My wife and I, mainly my wife,” he says, “did quite
a bit of hands-on work restoring the house and its 10 surrounding rental
cottages.”
That may be an understatement. Narcissa calls it a “herculean task that
Kelvin and Michele accomplished over six years,” and points out that they
not only handled major repairs, including plumbing and electrical work,
but also took upon themselves “rehauling the infrastructure of the main
house, organizing, accounting, painting rooms, and property management.”
30 Peninsula • August 2017
Oh, and let’s not forget the 11.5 acres with their cottages and gardens that
were and are always are in need of care and fire abatement work. The surrounding
hills, dry in summer, now belong to the Palos Verdes Land Conservancy.
There are also security cameras above and below the property.
A climb to the top
The rental cottages were added to the property many years ago by Elin
Vanderlip as a means of securing additional income for maintaining the
house and its gardens. One of these was occupied by the writer and actor
Sterling Hayden, a handsome man who was one of Elin’s many suitors.
“There are 10 rentals now,” Narcissa says as we begin the steep climb to
the top of the estate. “There were 13 at one point.” They were built without
permits because, as Narcissa recalls her mother saying, “We were here before
the City; who are they to tell me what to do on my property?”
But after Elin Vanderlip’s death the City intervened with rules and regulations,
and the upshot is that one cottage was demolished and two others
now have different functions. The best of the remaining cottages are, not
surprisingly, ideal for artists of whatever persuasion.
Instead of walking straight up the grand cypress allee, we make our way
along the north side of the estate, where we pass the remnants of a maze,
concentric circles of oleander, that didn’t fare so well during the drought,
and we come to a level rectangular area that Elin Vanderlip dubbed “My
blue heaven,” blue being her favorite color, and which was planted with
rosemary and jacaranda. The drought wasn’t so kind with this area either,
although Katrina has been helping to restore it to its former grandeur.
In one remote area is a tall, leafy circle of pine trees, which Narcissa
likens to a bohemian grove, This is where Narcissa’s daughter Lili was
married this past May to Joe Sofranko, who, like Lili, is involved in film
and theater. Much of their comedy TV mini-series, “Complete Works,” having
to do with actors wanting to excel at performing Shakespeare’s characters,
was filmed on the estate. And, notably, this connects Lili with her
great-grandfather, who would surely have applauded her interest in the
Bard.
Lili says she grew up spending Christmas holidays at Villa Narcissa, and
so to be wedded here, as her aunt Katrina had been, “felt historic in a way,”
she says. “I really felt the sense of time, the generations, and a gratitude
for what my great-grandfather and great-grandmother did, and my grandfather
and my grandmother. It’s truly a special, magical place, and I feel
so lucky to have gotten married there.”
And then there’s that focal point, like a high-backed throne, that looks
down upon the domain.
“I love the fantastic view from the Temple, after climbing the 276 stairs
to the top,” Eric deCarbonnel says. “Need to check that number; it has
been a long time since I counted.”
“Climbing up to the Temple and sitting down to catch my breath and
look at the Pacific is the best therapy for thinking out any problem,” Katrina
says. “When we were little my older sister Narcissa created fairy
worlds up in the hills, tying candies to trees and making me firmly believe
in fairies. She even made me believe they moved to Switzerland with us.”
Like his twin Katrina, Henrik looks back fondly on his youthful days at
the Villa.
“It is so rare in these days of constant mobility to have a childhood home
to return to,” he says. “We are fortunate to still be able to share a family
home with such a rich history. It is wonderful to see the next generation
taking an interest in the house as well.”
Also at the top of the estate is a small amphitheater where plays and
other events have taken place. It’s not large by any stretch of the imagination
despite being outlined by freestanding Roman-style columns, but it
does have an unsurpassed view and serves as a reminder that over the past
60 years the Villa has hosted performances and soirees, and continues to
support the community by being available for various activities. In April,
the Villa hosted a luncheon for Friends of the Palos Verdes Library donors,
and in June for Palos Verdes Performing Arts Center donors. Among others
scheduled is a fundraiser for the small non-profit ETC Theatre Company,
which was co-founded in 2000 by Narcissa and her husband Parmer Fuller.
Narcissa hopes that ETC will present musical and theatrical performances
at the house or in the gardens. Over the years, the company has created
37 shows, garnered five Ovation Award nominations, and received
the Ovation Award for Best Score of a New Musical. That’s not bad, considering
the depth and range of professional theater across Los Angeles.
August 2017 • Peninsula 31
As pointed out earlier, the
throughline for the Vanderlips has
been their love for the arts. The
pinnacle of this passion must be
Elin Vanderlip and the Friends of
French Art foundation that she
kept going for over 20 years, resulting
in nearly two dozen group excursions.
Participants donated
$6,000 before embarking on the
adventure, which I’m sure it always
was with Elin Vanderlip at
the helm. The foundation raised
hundreds of thousands of dollars
that went towards restoring objects
of cultural significance in France,
ranging from tapestries and ceiling
paintings to the outer staircase of
the Château de Blois along the
River Loire (which didn’t go unnoticed
in France itself. Vanderlip
was presented with the Commander
of the Order of Arts and
Letters, among other honors).
“I went on five of those Friends
of French Art trips,” Narcissa says,
“and you’d be in these châteaus
that had been in the family for six
generations, or a thousand years.”
Palettes in paradise
“It is pure bliss to paint in the
garden, always finding a different
vista and time of day,” Katrina
says. “We have the very best sunsets
in California, especially when
the Santa Ana blows the dust particles
out to sea.”
All of which brings us to the upcoming
Villa Narcissa Painting
Week, a plein air master workshop,
with oil painter Daniel
Pinkham and watercolorist Katrina
Vanderlip, to be held from August
21 to 26.
Pinkham and his wife, Vicki,
have resided for a good 20 years in
what is known as the Gate House,
situated at the based of Narcissa
Drive, and which was built in
1925. Not only does the Gate
House serve as the home of the
Portuguese Bend Artist Colony and
the non-profit Pinkham Foundation
for the Arts, it remains,
Pinkham says, “a reflection of the
spark in the eye of Frank Vanderlip’s
original vision. All about the
home and studio one can see artifacts,
antiques, and pieces of the
Italian furniture from the Vanderlip
family.”
Regarding the plein air workshop,
he points out, “The surroundings
and spirit of Villa
Narcissa offer artists a rare opportunity
to address their artistic and
aesthetic ideals and principles
while working in an almost retreatlike
Italian atmosphere.”
Katrina trained as an art conservator
at Harvard and in Italy. She’s
also worked retouching paintings at
the Getty, the Louvre, and the
Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
“Plein air watercolor painting has
a huge advantage in that you can
complete the painting in a short period
of time and catch the feeling
and moment,” she says. “Each day
I will teach different techniques of
bleeding or layering colors that you
can use to create effects, such as in
clouds, shrubbery, or the velvety
feel of flower petals. We will set
ourselves up in different areas of
the garden and paint, paint, paint!”
“I can think of no finer location,”
Pinkham adds. “Plein air painting,
like all the arts, helps elevate and
edify life itself. That is why a workshop
like this is so important.”
Little more evidence is needed
that the Vanderlip family, which
was here from the very beginning,
continues to be a presence on the
Peninsula. Their story, with its
twists and turns, is still unfolding.
For information on Villa Narcissa
Painting Week email katrinavanderlip@yahoo.com.
PEN
VILLA NARCISSA PAINTING WEEK
Monday, August 21 to Saturday, August 26
Plein air master workshop with Daniel Pinkham (oil painting) and
Katrina Vanderlip (watercolors). Vanderlip will give a tour of the
house and share some of the history throughout the week. To
participate, email three pictures of your paintings. Selected participants
are asked to make a non refundable deposit of $600. The total cost of
the week is $1,200. The fee includes instruction, coffee and tea on arrival,
a gourmet buffet lunch on the terrace and wine with critique at
the end of the day.
For more information email katrinavanderlip@yahoo.com or visit
facebook.com/Painting-at-Villa-Narcissa-1511447065612521/.
32 Peninsula • August 2017
S P O T L I G H T O N T H E H I L L
PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE CARTOZIAN
Villa Narcissa luncheon
Arts Salon
The Villa Narcissa in Portuguese Bend, originally belonging to Frank
Vanderlip, was the venue for the Encore Group’s Benefactor Appreciation
Luncheon. Narcissa Vanderlip, granddaughter of the famed New
York financier who is often referred to as the Father of Palos Verdes, gave
tours of the 100-year-old, Norwegian styled villa and its expansive
grounds. Following the luncheon prepared by Lisa’s Bon-Appetit, the Lunada
Bay author Vicki Mack talked about her biography of Frank Vanderlip
and shared interesting facts about the history of Palos Verdes and its
first family.
1. Narcissa Vanderlip leading the
tour of the Villa’s park-like grounds.
2. The venue at Villa Narcissa.
3. The grand stairs leading up to the
“temple.”
4. Terracotta garden.
5. Ann and David Buxton.
6. Narcissa Vanderlip and Parmer
Fuller.
7. Aaron and Maude Landon.
8. Allen and Dottie Lay.
9. Jim and Nancy Welsh.
10. Parmer Fuller, Abby Douglass
and Bria Biesman-Simons.
11. Maude Landon, Narcissa
Vanderlip and Abby Douglass.
12. Vicki Mack, Art Friedman and
Don Christie.
13. (Standing) Jim Hill and Sue
Andrews.(Seated) Melody and Sal
Intagliata and Larry Andrews.
14. Thea Bower, Dick Moe, Pam
Barrett Hill, Marilyn Klaus and
Alberta Samuelson.
14. Vicki Mack, Art Friedman and
Don Christy.
1
2 3 4
5 6
7
8
9
10
11 12 13
14
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eventcalendar
CALENDAR OF COMMUNITY EVENTS
Compiled by Teri Marin
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
Native Plant Nursery Volunteer Days
Monday – Friday, 9am. Enjoy nurturing seedlings and help shrubs grow for
habitat restoration projects. Must RSVP 48 hours in advance. Sign up at
www.pvplc.volunteerhub.com
Rapid Response Team
Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Work alongside Conservancy staff
protecting important wildlife habitat by closing unauthorized trails! Task include
trail maintenance, building fence, installing signage and more! We
work at various locations around the Preserve where work is most needed.
Directions to sites emailed upon sign up. No experience needed. 15 and up.
http://pvplc.volunteerhub.com
Saturday, July 29
Bestselling Author
The Palos Verdes Library District is proud to host New York Times Bestselling
Author Mary Alice Monroe at Malaga Cove Library Garden. Mary will be
promoting the latest in her Beach House series: Beach House for Rent, which
explores the interconnection between two strangers and the natural world
along with the South Carolina seashore on the Isle of Palms. Monroe is an
active conservationist and lives in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. 2-4 p.m.
2400 Via Campesina, Palos Verdes Estates. www.pvld.org.
Friday, August 4
The Seaside Beaders
A special interest group of the Embroiderers' Guild of America meets at 9:30
a.m. This meeting continues teaching a peyote stitched miniature teapot. Visitors
are welcome. You can always bring your own project to work on. St.
Francis Episcopal Church, 2200 Via Rosa, Palos Verdes Estates. For more information,
please call Idele (310)540-6104 or visit the web page:
www.azureverdeega.com/bead_ projects.com.
Saturday and Sunday, August 5 and 6
Bromeliad Show and Sale
South Bay Bromeliad Associates show and sale. Free admission and parking.
This is a judged show and all Bromeliad growers are welcome to enter. The
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40 Peninsula • August 2017
eventcalendar
show will feature many species, hybrids, and cultivars not commonly seen.
Many plants will be offered for sale from commercial vendors and SBBA members’
private collections. Show times: Saturday noon-4:30 p.m.; Sunday 10
a.m.-4:30 p.m. Plant sale both days, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Rainforest Flora
Nursery, 19121 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance. SBBA members and Rainforest’s
employees will be available to answer any questions you may have. Direct Inquiries:Bryan
Chan, bcbrome@aol.com or (818)366-1858.
Saturday, August 5
First Saturday Family Hike
Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy First Saturday Family Hike at
George F Canyon, 9 a.m. Bring your family and join a naturalist guide to discover
habitat, wildlife and more on an easy hike up the canyon with amazing
views of the city. Free. All ages welcome. 27305 Palos Verdes Dr. East, Rolling
Hills Estates. For more information, contact (310) 547-0862 or RSVP
at:www.pvplc.org, Events & Activities.
Outdoor Volunteer Day
At Portuguese Bend Reserve, 9 a.m. – noon. Help restore important wildlife
habitat while looking out at a beautiful view! Sign up at http://pvplc.volunteerhub.com.
Sunday, August 6
Full Moon Hike
At George F Canyon, 27305 Palos Verdes Dr. East, Rolling Hills Estates,with
the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy. Explore nocturnal sights with
an expert naturalist under a full moon at the George F Canyon Nature Preserve.
Must be age 9 and up. $12 per person. Reservations required at
www.pvplc.org, Events & Activities.
Thursday, August 10
Needle Artists by the Sea
Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild will hold its monthly meeting at
10 a.m. Create small, round animal/pet ornaments. Ports O’Call Restaurant,
1200 Nagoya Way, San Pedro. We will be Call 310-379-2921 for further
information.
August 2017 • Peninsula 41
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eventcalendar
Saturday, August 12
Los Serenos tour
Enjoy a guided hike lead by the Los Serenos docents along the Vicente Bluff
Reserve and the Point Vicente Lighthouse, at 10 a.m. Tour the Point Vicente Interpretive
Center museum, the native plant garden, and walk along the spectacular
bluff top at the Vicente Bluff Reserve. There will also be a guided tour
of the Point Vicente Lighthouse hosted by the Coast Guard Auxiliary. The hike
is free and the public is welcome! The hiking difficulty is easy. Parking and
meet up will be at the Point Vicente Interpretive Center. Hike will be canceled
if there is rain. 31501 Palos Verdes Dr. W, Rancho Palos Verdes. For more information,
please call (310) 377-5370 or visit our website at
www.losserenos.org.
Trail Crew Training
Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, 9 a.m. – noon. Join this indoor
intro class to learn more about how to help improve Peninsula trails while enjoying
nature and getting a healthy workout! Must be 18 years or older. Training,
tools and work shirt provided.PVP Land Conservancy Office, 916 Silver
Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates. RSVP: www.pvplc.volunteerhub.com.
Guided Nature Walk
By Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy at George F Canyon, 9 a.m.
Wander along a willow-filled canyon stream with coastal sage scrub restored
habitat. Look down on the Peninsula’s rare Catalina Schist from one of the few
places you can see the rock exposed. An easy to moderate walk. 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.
Outdoor Volunteer Day
At White Point Nature Preserve, 1600 Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, 9 a.m. –
noon. Help beautify the native demonstration garden and surrounding habitat.
Sign up at www.pvplc.volunteerhub.com.
Stories, Songs and More for All
At the White Point Nature Education Center, 10 a.m. Share the joy of storytelling
with your children and introduce them to the beauty of the natural surroundings.
Your family will enjoy spending time with retired Children’s
Librarian Carla Sedlacek for stories and activities featuring nature themes, exciting
props and songs. Free. 1600 W. Paseo del Mar in San Pedro. RSVP at:
www.pvplc.org, Events & Activities.
Sunday, August 16
Seaside Concert with
Webster’s Big Band
Free family-friendly concert hosted
by the Neighborhood Church featuring
local favorite swing and jazz
specialists, Webster’s Big Band!
They bring nostalgic sounds from big
band music, to swing, rock and roll
and more! Led by Bill Webster, longtime
Palos Verdes resident, they have
been performing in the South Bay
and beyond for over 30 years! BYO
picnic begins at 6 p.m., concert at 7
p.m. No tickets or reservations required,
seating is provided. 415
Paseo del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates.
Birding with Wild Birds
Unlimited
At White Point Nature Preserve,
8:30 a.m. Explore the birds making
a home in the restored habitat at this
42 Peninsula • August 2017
eautiful preserve. Binoculars supplied for beginners. The program is free. All
ages welcome. White Point Nature Preserve is located at 1600 W. Paseo del
Mar in San Pedro. RSVP at: www.pvplc.org, Events & Activities.
Saturday, August 19
Banning Birthday Concert
Friends of Banning Museum will celebrate the birthday of the “Father of the
Los Angeles Port” Phineas Banning with a special evening of music and dancing
with JB and the Big Circle Riders. 5 - 8 p.m. General admission guests
bring their own dinner and beverage, blanket/low chair and enjoy the concert,
line dance instruction and dancing on the front lawn of the mansion: $10
general admission, free for Friends of Banning Museum members and children
11 and under. In the spirit of the Rancho-period of the Banning property, in
addition to the Western-themed evening of music and dancing VIP guests will
be treated to a good old fashioned barbecue buffet by The Outdoor Grill complete
with birthday cupcake, reserved seating and gated parking: VIP -$45.
Country Western attire is admired but not required. Guests are welcome to
bring their own wine or beverage. Reservations required for all guests. 401
East “M” Street, Wilmington. For more information or to reserve your ticket,
call 310-548-2005.
Outdoor Volunteer Day
At Alta Vicente Reserve, 30940 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes, 9
a.m. – noon. Help restore this unique canyon habitat home to many threatened
and endangered wildlife species. Sign up at www.pvplc.volunteerhub.com.
Wednesday, August 23
Birding with Wild Birds Unlimited
At George F Canyon presented by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy.
8:30 a.m. Explore the birds in nesting season making a home in the
canyon. The program is free and all ages welcome. 27305 Palos Verdes Drive
East, Rolling Hills Estates. RSVP at: www.pvplc.org, Events & Activities.
Thursday, August 24
Azure Verde embroiderers
Meeting at 9:30 a.m. No program this month, just bring your unfinished projects
to work on. Visitors are welcome.
St. Francis Episcopal Church,
2200 Via Rosa, Palos Verdes Estates.
For more information, please
call (310) 540-6104 or visit our web
page at www.azureverdeega.com/
calendar.
Saturday, August 26
Guided Nature Walk
Attend a naturalist-guided hike beginning
at 9 a.m. Enjoy coastal
views and learn more about the
plants, animals, restoration area and
more! Meet at the information kiosk
between parking lot and Nature
Center. White Point Nature Preserve,
1600 W. Paseo del Mar, San Pedro.
For more information call (310) 541-
7613 or RSVP at: www.pvplc.org,
Events & Activities.
Calendar cont. on page 46
eventcalendar
MATTUCCI
Plumbing
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After practicing law in the
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over 28 years I'm pleased to announce the
relocation of my offices to Palos Verdes.
Please call for a free consultation.
F R E E
E S T I M A T E S
MARGARET A. JONES
Attorney At Law
655 Deep Valley Drive, Suite 125
Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274
(310) 544-2255
Majoneslaw.com
D E P E N D A B L E • P R O F E S S I O N A L • A F F O R D A B L E
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SEWER VIDEO INSPECTION
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$ 7 5
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s e t t i n g u p a p p o i n t m e n t .
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For Your
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August 2017 • Peninsula 43
2013
Calendar cont. from page 44
eventcalendar
Outdoor Volunteer Day
At Native Plant Nursery, 9 a.m. –
noon. Nurture seedlings and grow
shrubs for habitat restoration projects
all around the Peninsula. Reservations
required by Wednesday, August 23.
Sign up at www.pvplc.volunteerhub.
com.
Blooming Begonia Show
The Palos Verdes Begonia Society’s
26th annual Begonia show at the
South Coast Botanic Garden (SCBG)
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come see beautiful
and unusual Begonias exhibited
by society members. Parking is free
and show is free with paid garden
entry: adults $9, seniors and students
with ID $6, children 5- 12 $4, and
under 5 free. Entry to the gardens is
free for SCBG Foundation members.
26300 So. Crenshaw Blvd. For information
contact Carol Knight at 310-833-3466.
Amazing Honeybees
A begonia arrangement
'Campfire' by Jackie Johnson.
The South Coast Begonia
Society will hold its annual
show Saturday, August 26,
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the South
Coast Botanic Garden.
Photo by Ted Johnson
Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy Presentation, 11 a.m. at White
Point Nature Education Center & Preserve, 1600 Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro.
Join Nicole Palladino, Founder, Beequilibrium to celebrate National Honey
Bee Day who will explain the importance of bees to the food chain. Free.
RSVP to: www.pvplc.org: Events & Activities/Whitepoint Presentations or call
(310) 541-7613.
Native Plant Sale
At White Point Nature Preserve, noon – 2 p.m. Plants sold on first-come, firstserve
basis. 1600 W. Paseo del Mar, San Pedro. For more information call
(310) 541-7613.
Gourmet evening
American Honda presents “Honda Evening Under the Stars” Gourmet Food
& Wine Festival, benefiting Vistas for Children, Inc. and Torrance Memorial
Pediatrics. The event takes place 6 to 9:30 p.m. on the grounds of Honda
Headquarters in Torrance, 700 Van Ness Ave. It features a performance by
saxophonist Kenny G, along with samplings of the best in South Bay cuisine
and more than 80 varieties of wine. For more information or to purchase tickets,
please visit www.facebook.com/eveningunderthestars.
“Mr. Australia”
New Zealand and Fiji Too!
Your So. Bay Expert for Amazing, Customized,
Independent Travel Packages “Down-under.”
For a conference or appointment:
Rick Stone, “Mr. Australia”
310-793-6013
mraustralia@verizon.net
www.MrAustralia.net
Proudly Affiliated with
Beach Travel, Hermosa Beach
46 Peninsula • August 2017
calendar
Sunday, August 27
Garden Concert Series
St. Luke's third free Garden Concert
for 2017 features The Firebird Quintet
performing on traditional Russian
instruments: the domra, a string instrument
with a thin, fretted neck and
round body first appearing in written
records at the end of the 15th century;
the balalaika, a triangular-bodied
Russian instrument well known to
Western audiences from the film
Doctor Zhivago; and the bayan, a
member of the accordion family popular
in Russia and Ukraine. Their
repertoire ranges from traditional
Russian, Ukrainian, and Eastern European
songs to well-known classics
and original compositions. The Firebird
Quintet is a winner of the
2016/17 Beverly Hills National Auditions.
Everyone is invited to come
early to picnic in the lovely garden.
5-7 p.m. During intermission, dessert
and coffee are hosted by St. Luke's,
located at 26825 Rolling Hills Road,
Rolling Hills Estates. For more information
call (310) 377-2825 M-F, 9
am - 1 pm. www.stlukespres.com
Monday, August 28
Calling all Singers!
Los Cancioneros Master Chorale auditions
for the 2017-18 season.
LCMC, under director Allan Robert
Petker, is a mixed chorus that performs
in the South Bay region of Los
Angeles County. Its repertoire ranges
from classical to modern. The
Chorale gives four performances a
year, Just Desserts, Holiday, Classical
(usually at the end of March),
and Spring (usually in June) at the
Armstrong Theater in Torrance California.
To make an appointment,
contact Lorraine Pickus at (310) 377-
4978. lcmasterchorale.com.
Wed., August 30
Mac Users Meeting
AllMac/iPad/iPhone users and potential
users are welcome. Admission
is free. 6:30 p.m., Beginners Q & A,
followed at 8 p.m. with a presentation
on a subject of interest to Mac
users. See the website sbamug.com
for more info, or call 310-644-
3315. email: info@sbamug.com.
PEN
Robert T. Downs, Sharon A. Bryan* ** + ++, Christopher M. Moore* ** + ++, Rebecca L.T. Schroff** + ++, Jan T. Inoue*
* Certified Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization;
** Certified Trusts & Estates Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization;
+ Chosen to 2016 Super Lawyers; ++ Chosen to 2015, 2016 and 2017 editions of Best Lawyers of America ©
Honored by our peers for our professional excellence,
Moore, Bryan, Schroff & Inoue LLP
2016 Super Lawyers
Certified Family Law and Trusts & Estates Specialists
Complex Property • Custody • Support Issues
Personal Service • Exceptional Results
Cost Effective • Timely Resolutions
(310) 540-8855
21515 Hawthorne Blvd, Suite 490, Torrance
www.mbsllp.com | mail@mbsllp.com
DAVID FAIRCHILD PHOTOGRAPHY
"Its Like You’re There All Over Again"
310-316-5547 WWW.DAVIDFAIRCHILDSTUDIO.COM
August 2017 • Peninsula People 47
Highest Quality at a Fair Price
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• Driveways
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• Patios
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48 Peninsula People • August 2017
S P O T L I G H T O N T H E H I L L
Afternoon in the Vineyard
Chefs and Cellars
On July 16, The Associates to Benefit the Palos Verdes
Art Center and the Beverly G. Alpay Center for Arts
Education, held a fun-filled event at the hilltop property
of Catalina View Gardens, generously hosted by Jim and
Kathy York. Guests savored and sipped curated wines
from Boisset, spirits such as Tito's Handmade Vodka and
craft beers from Stone Brewing Co. Guests dined on chef
selected hors d’oeuvres from restaurants including Bettolino
Kitchen, P.V. Grill and Rebel Republic Social House.
The soiree was set amongst vineyards where establishments
like Terranea Resort are purchasing their wines,
and included a frontage panoramic view of the Pacific and
Catalina Island, which gives the venue its name.
1
2
PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE CARTOZIAN
3 4
1. Ron and Billie Johnson and Kathy York.
2. June Treherne, Sharon Ryan and Derek Treherne.
3. Lynn Doran, Madan Syal and Rori Roje.
4. Alex Quintana and Diane Barber.
5. Susan and Mike Grimshaw and Mohini Syal.
6. Danae Lester, C.J. Chiappinelli, Jimmy Banayot and
Teresa Gordon.
5
6
7. Jacqueline Glass and Maureen Takahashi.
8. Roni Kershaw, Candi Gershuni, Sandra Olsson and
Marvin Harris.
9. David and Ann Buxton, Maude and Aaron Landon.
10. Marlene Smyth, Michelle Wake and Chuck Smyth.
7
8
9
10
50 Peninsula • August 2017
August 2017 • Peninsula 51
Oz Valle serves up Truxton’s Coca-Cola braised ribs. Photo by Brad Jacobson (CivicCouch.org)
Better than fair family fare
Truxton’s American Bistro raises the bar for family fare on the Peninsula
by Richard Foss
The primary characteristics of a French
bistro are casual, small, and cheap. The
word is Russian for “quickly.” After
Napoleon surrendered and Paris was occupied,
impatient Cossack soldiers reportedly shouted
“Bistro!” at restaurant workers so often that small,
cheap places that could make a fast meal put out
signs with that word. This was probably welcomed
by restaurants because impatient shouting
foreigners now all went somewhere else.
The staples of French bistros are country classics
such as steak frites, onion soup, and coq au
vin. What, though, might an American bistro be?
Our sense of flavor is much wider than the traditional
bistro favorites.
At Truxton’s American Bistro, the space in Hillside
Village that was Restaurant Christine for almost
two decades, the category has a quite
different meaning. This offshoot of a popular
Westchester restaurant is medium size, has an
unusually large and wide ranging menu, and
though it’s inexpensive for the neighborhood, it’s
not a bargain basement. The place has a casual,
bustling energy that attracts a range of people,
and it’s the highest profile family restaurant in
the area to open in years.
I have visited three times and each time had
trouble deciding because there are so many options.
The starters I’ve tried were the ancho
honey shrimp, a Caesar salad, brisket taquitos,
and the charred broccoli. The shrimp are the
kind of thing that everyone has put on menus
since our inexhaustible appetite for things that
are crispy, sweet, and spicy was discovered. The
element that raised this a few notches was the
gently spicy pepita cole slaw they were served
with. Truxton’s has many different sides, some of
which outshine the items in the spotlight.
The Caesar dressing had just a hint of anchovy
and garlic, and I might ask for a little extra next
time because it was a bit tame. I liked the taquitos
more, though I would like to have the chipotle
crema on the side rather than pre-drizzled. The
slow-cooked brisket in these has enough flavor to
be enjoyed on its own, or with just the good guacamole
that is also provided. I get that the presentation
is prettier, but sometimes it’s good to
give the diners the choice to adulterate their food,
at will.
The only starter that disappointed was the
charred broccoli. Lightly cooking vegetables and
then char-finishing them to get extra smokiness
and texture is a sound idea, but the kitchen did
this with pieces that had huge stems, and the
base of these was very fibrous. If the broccoli
stem had been trimmed, this would have been a
winner. As it was, we ate the best parts with a
dab of Dijon mayo and left the rest.
The four mains we tried were wild mushroom
linguine, Turkish spiced chicken, fish and chips,
and a monthly special of Coca-Cola braised ribs.
Odd as that last item might sound, braising meat
in cola is actually a common practice. It’s usually
done with cheap and tough cuts of meat because
the acidity of the soft drink tenderizes the meat,
while also infusing sugars that caramelize nicely
when the meat hits the grill. The sweetness has
to be balanced with pepper, ginger, chili, or other
sharp spices not to be cloying. Truxton’s version
falters here. The sweet barbecue sauce that was
slathered on before serving didn’t have that bal-
52 Peninsula • August 2017
ance, and there was a lot of it. It would be better with a spicier sauce, or
no sauce at all to cover up the interesting effect of the marinade. The ribs
came with grilled corn and tangy cilantro coleslaw that was a good companion
to barbecue.
The Turkish spiced chicken was a more successful experiment, and a
somewhat daring thing to put on the menu because most Americans have
no idea what Turkish food is like. The chicken had been rubbed with savory
but not hot spices before being grilled, and then topped with an intense
herbal sauce. It was accompanied by an Israeli-style, large grain
couscous with crisp garbanzo beans and barberries, a tart, tangy dried fruit.
The flavors were spot on. It was easily the best item I had here.
The fish and chips and mushroom linguine were traditional items competently
made, and if that sounds like faint praise it isn’t. Getting the fish
moist and the batter crisp takes talent, and they nailed it. As for the pasta,
the parmesan garlic cream sauce complemented the peas, mushrooms, and
other vegetables in the sauce and completed the fresh and natural flavors.
It tasted like good home cooking, and that’s a compliment.
The wine and beer program here is decent though wines are slightly
overpriced, and the bar is curiously lacking in high-end spirits. This is definitely
a food destination that serves drinks rather than a wine or craft bar,
but they cover the basics. They should perhaps reconsider their dessert offerings,
which are all sweet and heavy. The meals here are substantial, and
some people like something light and fresh to finish. I had asked our server
about the apple tart, but she said that it was very sweet and topped with
caramel sauce, and that killed that.
Truxton’s is open for brunch on weekends, and we were lucky enough
to get in just before the rush. The place was half full when we arrived but
had a line out the door as we left. Conventional eggy things were offered
but we decided on a Vietnamese-style pork breakfast burrito and an order
of salmon hash. The pork burrito had a mix of spicy harissa and fruity Chinese
hoisin sauces, an idea I hadn’t seen before. It worked nicely with the
eggs, pork, green onions, and avocado. My wife had ordered the hash in
spite of it including kale, an item she doesn’t always like, but the combination
of greens with onion, potato, and roasted salmon won her over.
Truxton’s owners made a smart move when they decided to open here,
because there is a shortage of family-friendly American restaurants on the
hill. They deserve to succeed because they’re doing something that needed
to be done, and generally doing it well.
Truxton’s is at 24530 Hawthorne Boulevard in Torrance. Open Mon-Fri 11
a.m. – 10 p.m., Sat - Sun 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. Parking lot. Wheelchair access good.
Full bar, corkage $15. Menu at truxtonsamericanbistro.com. 310-373-8790. PEN
310.539.6685 310.884.1870
310.326.9528
866.BEYOND.5
310.534.9560
310.539.2993
310.530.3079
310.997.1900
www.cflu.org
CUT * COLOR * STYLE
310.539.2191
310.326.3354
310.530.4888 310.534.0220
310.326.4477
©
310.530.5443
New Smiles Dentistry
Stephen P. Tassone, DDS
310.791.2041
310.517.0324
310.530.0566
310.517.9366
310.326.8530
424.347.7188
310.530.3268
TORRANCE
TOWNE BEAUTY
CENTER
310.325.2960 310.891.2237
310.539.1808
310.539.3526
310.530.8411
WineShoppe
310.539.1055
Truxton’s mushroom pasta (top) and Turkish Chicken. Photo by Richard Foss
Northwest Corner of
Crenshaw Blvd. & Pacific Coast Hwy. in Torrance
~ For Information, Call 310.534.0411
A LA CAZE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY PROJECT
August 2017 • Peninsula 53
Quality Seafood
100 S. International Boardwalk Redondo Beach • (310) 372-6408 • www.qualityseafood.net
uality Seafood was founded in it remains one of the largest and
Q1953 by Nick Dragich and his finest seafood markets on the West
son Peter Dragich Sr. After years of
fishing from Alaska to South America,
they decided to open a market
Coast. The market continues to be
family run, with Pete Dragich Jr. and
Ann Belson at the helms. And recently
and bring the freshest possible
the 4th generation of
seafood from the boats directly
into Redondo Beach. Prior to the
redevelopment of the pier, the
Dragich family owned four separate
seafood markets in Redondo.
In 1968 the family combined those
Dragich family members came
aboard to help keep things running
smoothly for years to come. As
Cassie (Dragich) and her husband
Jeff Jones recently relocated back
to the South Bay, together, they
markets into Quality Seafood Inc., foresee continuing the family
and opened its current location on
the International Boardwalk, where
legacy of providing a truly unique
experience and fresh seafood to all.
M
ary 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 21
wonderful years of "hands on"
working experience in dispensing
to become a Professional
Dispensing Optician and an
Award Winning Eyewear Consult-
ant.
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
26 years at Schatan and loved as
a "daughter" and Brittany Mine,
an 11 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.
We moved! Come see us in the
Hillside Village across from Misto
Cafe. We will open your eyes to
the most wonderful eyewear
you have ever seen!
M-F 10-6
SCHATAN OPTICAL GALLERY
New Location! 24580 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, CA 90505 • (310) 378-3936
The Neighborhood Meeting Place” is not just a slogan, but states the truth about
Hennessey’s Tavern - all 10 of them! Now it their 41st 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 an additional concept in Las Vegas, 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 15 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
over 40 years!
Hennessey’s Tavern
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
54 Peninsula • August 2017
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, the family
opened Rabano in Hermosa Beach this past February.
No doubt, a new dynasty in Asian/Fusion cooking was started
right here in the South Bay.
Rabano
Ws China Bistro 1410 S. PCH, Redondo Beach (310) 792-1600 • www.wschinabistro.com
Rabano 2516 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach CA, 90254 (310) 318-1998 • www.rabano.com
August 2017 • Peninsula 55
S P O T L I G H T O N T H E H I L L
PV Assembly
Presentation Ball
S
ince 1964, Peninsula youth
have participated in the Presentation
Ball at the legendary
Crystal Ballroom of the Millennium
Biltmore Hotel. This year’s
ball was May 8. The evening recognizes
the students for their philanthropic,
academic and athletic
achievements. Over the past four
years they have provided more
than 8,000 hours of service, supporting
a wide range of causes,
from the environment to homelessness.
Under the tutelage of
Dance Masters Bobby Burgess
and Carol Thomas they have
learned ballroom dancing as well
as manners and etiquette. After
the medallion presentation members
danced the mother/son and
father/daughter Viennese Waltz.
To learn more about the presentation
ball, visit PVAsembly.com.
PHOTO BY BRIAN MCCONVILLE
Palos Verdes Assembly Class of 2017: Front row (left to right) Nicole Suppelsa, Lauren Alimento, Kathryn Dodge, Siobhan
Ortolano, Lindsey Yoshiyama, Sophie Jacobs, Saeko Kubo, Erin Kawakami, Emma Manis, Sabrina Lee. (Second row) Kastur
Koul, McKenna Howard, Andrew Arrieta, Leslie Salcedo, Blake Pickman, Julianna Yonis, Conrad Boothe, Kathryn Kelliny,
Bryce Kitagawa, Brittany Whang, Krislyn Jobes. (Third row) Cameron Hosmer, Sarah Aoyagi, John Matson, Allison King,
Joshua Magid, Grace Addleman, David Willigrod, Sarah Taghavi, Kyle Beachboard, Kaitlyn DeRudder, Remo Ventura. (Top
row) Mark McHugh, Frederic Doub, Ryan Chase, John Addleman, Randy Shaw, Gregory Osborne, Harrison Mitsanas, Mike
Koyama and Joseph Polack.
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 three 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 40 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 47 years while upstairs bartender Manny Jimenez
just hit his 38 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
56 Peninsula • August 2017
ickedler.com
85 LAUREL DRIVE RANCHO PALOS VERDES $5,249,000-JUST REDUCED
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$1,499,999
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$679,000
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$1,679,000-JUST REDUCED
100 TERRANEA WAY #32-401
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$2,350,000
RICK EDLER
RICK@VISTASIR.COM
310.872.4333
CALBRE#01113145
KITTY EDLER
KITTY@VISTASIR.COM
310.283.8790
CALBRE#00800837
S P O T L I G H T O N T H E H I L L
Affinity Volunteer Luncheon
Honors service
The Hill was alive with the sound of music on June 21 when Jeralyn
Glass kept the luncheon crowd at the Palos Verdes Golf Club mesmerized
with her performance of Broadway show tunes. It was the annual event
of the Affinity Group of the Volunteer Center honoring three noteworthy
women, Jean Adelsman, Joyce Kochanowski and Ann Buxton for their volunteering.
Proceeds from the event went to support the Center’s Operation
Teddy Bear, which annually provides 5,700 backpacks filled with educational
materials to underserved first graders. Ann Buxton has been a key
supporter of the Palos Verdes Art Center and its support group, The Circle.
Joyce Kochanowski is the president of Las Vecinas, support group of the Assistance
League.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY
AFFINITY COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS
1. Honoree Ann Buxton, David Buxton,
daughter Christie Vogt and
grandson Brook Vogt.
2. De De Hicks and Honoree Jean
Adelsman.
3. Honoree Joyce Kochanowski
(center) and sons Doug and Paul.
4. Honorees Jean Adelsman, Ann
Buxton and Joyce Kochanowski.
5. Honoree Jean Adelsman and
friends Ellen Kircher, Katherine
Joiner and Pam Popovich.
6. Jen Ryan, Sharon Ryan, and
Cherri Olson.
7. Jeralyn Glass and mother
Jacqueline Glass.
8. Laura Lamping, Ann Buxton
Honoree, Betty Wing and Nancy
Howell.
9. Lynne Neuman, Steve Kovary
and Kelly Curtis Intagliata.
10. Steve Kovary, Shirley Starke-
Wallace, Roberto Reid and Silia
Sofko.
1
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4 5
6 7
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58 Peninsula • August 2017
30 Year Anniversary
The Palos Verdes Flower Talking Clock donated by
Michel Medawar and his family, celebrated its 30th
Year on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
BEST VALUE • HUGE LOT • GREAT LOCATION
OPEN
SAT/SUN
1-4
TRULY
A BARGAIN!
26922 EASTVALE RD. PALOS VERDES PENINSULA
$1,649,000
Set in the prestigious community of Westfield in the Palos Verdes Peninsula…
more that two thirds of an acre on 4 graded flat pads with wide views. It is not
only the ultimate horse property, the house boasts 3 large bedrooms and 2 1/2
baths (one with a whirlpool spa tub). The charming remodeled kitchen features
convenient built-ins, wood cabinets and shiny granite countertops. Cozy fireplace
in living room. Extensive use of travertine and gleaming hardwood and high grade
laminate flooring and granite along with energy efficient dual pane windows
throughout and on sewer system. Circular driveway and large garage allow ample
room for multiple cars. Close to freeways, shopping, schools,
medical facilities, entertainment, parks, tennis court, trails and riding ring.
Armitra Properties Inc. • 310.994.7400 • arun@arjay.net
Your clock reminds you of its presence every
time you wind it. If the accuracy of the clock is
not what it used to be, or the chimes are not as
strong or rhythmic, or maybe it just stops; that means
your clock is talking to you and telling you that its endless
life is in jeopardy.
It is imperative to maintain and service your clock
regularly. Oil gets old and dry forcing the train of gears
to work twice as hard to accomplish their goal. This results
in damage that drastically shortens the life of a
fine timepiece.
Michel Medawar has been extending the lives of
timepieces for over sixty years as his father did sixty
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
Zeeland, Michigan. Call him so that he may come to
your and offer you a free estimate for servicing your
clock. Or bring your wall or mantel clock to out store
to see our showroom and receive the same complementary
diagnosis.
We are located at 810C Silver Spur Rd., in Rolling Hills Estates, Ca.
90274. Or call us at (310) 544-0052
Open 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Tuesday - Saturday
810C Silver Spur Road • Rolling Hills Estates • CA 90274
Call 310.544.0052
August 2017 • Peninsula 59
S P O T L I G H T O N T H E H I L L
Music on the Meadows
The Summer Soundtrack
On Father's Day, Terranea Resort invited guests to celebrate
summer’s start with their fourth annual program
of live music on their sprawling, oceanfront grass
lawn. The meadows of Terranea were bursting at the
seams with hundreds of concert goers, foodies and
oenophiles enjoying the beginnings of a blissful season in
a quintessential California setting. Visitors enjoyed Farmto-Terranea
BBQ inspired dishes, local breweries and signature
cocktails. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, The Blasters and
the eclectic group, Venice performed. Music on the Meadows
is a celebration of life...a hope that each special event
held at Terranea brings a deeper connection between the
resort and the greater Palos Verdes Community,” said marketing
vice president Agnelo Fernandes.
1
2
PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE CARTOZIAN
1. The band Venice.
2. Scott Ramsay and Dan Scala.
3. Ted Lanes and Alysha Del Valle.
4. Bill and Karen Savino, Gage, Kitti and Wally Hammons and
(foreground) Kira Savino and Kira Hammons.
5. Jessica, Louie and Jacob Alvidrez.
6. Kerry and Kelly O’Brien.
7. Kat Bloom, Gavin Steiner and Briana Thomas.
8. Brian and Ali Whitaker.
9. Dana, Paige and Ethan Ireland.
3 4
5
6
7
8
9
60 Peninsula • August 2017
JoAnn DeFlon
SRES, Palos Verdes Specialist
310.508.3581 call/text
joann.deflon@VistaSIR.com
CalBre #01943409
Every resource that is available to me and
Vista Sotheby’s International Realty
will be utilized to present your home in an Extraordinary
and Targeted Manner.
Call me about your current home or
to find your next one.
Each office is independently
Owned and operated
4203 Spencer St., Torrance, CA 90503
(310)214-5049 • www.pevelers.com
Appointment Recommended
Showroom Hours: Monday Thru Friday 10-5
Closed Saturday and Sunday
License #381992
• Serving the South
Bay for over 35 years
• Full Service Contractor
• Complete Installation
• New Construction
• Remodeling
• Second Floors
• Additions
• Cabinets
Visit Our
Kitchen &
Bath
Showroom
Deep Water Conditioning
with Variable Resistance Cuffs
is the only program of its kind and is offered
in the South Bay.
Classes have been on going through all seasons
for the last 25+ years in heated pools at the exclusive
clubs of Palos Verdes Beach and Athletic
Club in Palos Verdes and the Jack Kramer Club in
Rolling Hills Estates.
Great for all around conditioning, cross training,
and rehabilitation. All ages welcome!
Contact Trey Mason 310-809-2818
treyenn@aol.com
August 2017 • Peninsula 61
S P O T L I G H T O N T H E H I L L
Cancer Support Community
Sizzles hot at Celebrate Wellness
The Cancer Support Community commemorated 30 years
of service on June 25 at the South Coast Botanic Garden.
Over 500 guests attended the 21st Annual Celebrate Wellness
fundraiser. Attendees enjoyed sunshine and music as they
sampled fare from over 30 restaurants, wineries and breweries.
The day generated net proceeds of nearly $170,000,
which will help fund over 200 free, monthly support programs
for cancer patients and their loved ones. Adrienne
Nakashima, CEO of South Coast Botanic Garden Foundation
said, “We commend the work they have done to be a powerful
resource for individuals and families affected by cancer.”
1. Hanne Ekberg, Alicia Henderson and
Sandra Frasso.
2. Trump National Golf Club wine.
3. Viviana De La Borda, Chris Garasic and
Harvey Kano.
4. Elise Asch, Adrienne Nakashima, Judith
Opdahl, Thomas Simko MD, Anne Clary and
Dan Hovenstine MD.
5. Natalie and Dave Muckley.
6. Brent Anderson, Andrea Sala, Randy
PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE CARTOZIAN
Bowers, Jim Sala, Mark and Erika Smith.
Smith.
7. Meredith Grenier and De De Hicks.
8. Bryan Chang MD, Phung Huynh MD and
Thyra Endicott MD.
9. Brian and Pauline Harris, Paula and Brad
Moore.
10. John Bucher, Craig Ekberg, Theresa
Plakos, Guido Rietdyk and Kyle Kazan.
11. Sasha Ohara, Randy Bowers and
Judith Opdahl.
1
2 3
4 5 6
8
9
7
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62 Peninsula • August 2017
Southern California’s Newest Marina
Guest Slips Available
Suzy Zimmerman, Agent
Insurance Lic#: OF71296
4010 Palos Verdes Dr N, Suite
103
Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274
Bus: 310-377-9531
www.zimziminsurance.com
That’s when you can count on
State Farm®.
I know life doesn’t come with a schedule.
That’s why at State Farm you can always
count on me for whatever you need –
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GET TO A BETTER STATE.
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1101198.1 State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL
Marina Amenities
• SLIPS from 28’ to 130’
• Dry Storage w/Crane Launching
• New Restrooms w/Showers
• Ice Machines & Laundry
• Pumpout - Public & In-Slip
• Ample FREE Parking
Shortest
Run to
Catalina!
Marina (310) 514-4985 • Dry Storage (310) 521-0200
Cabrillowaymarina@westrec.com • cabrillodb@aol.com
www.westrec.com/marina/cabrillo-way-marina
2293 Miner St., San Pedro, CA 90731
NOW
OPEN!
August 30, 2017
August 2017 • Peninsula 63
S P O T L I G H T O N T H E H I L L
Caring House
New Progress
Caring House recently hosted "An Evening of Appreciation"
for supporters at the Toyota USA Automobile
Museum. Guests viewed the video "A Story of
Three Hearts," which tells the stories of appreciative
Caring House residents. The Torrance facility opened
in February 2016 and is focused on end-of-life care.
Honorary committee members in attendance included
Dr. Ira Byock, Rev. Jonathan Chute, Kathleen Crane,
Esq., Torrance Mayor Patrick Furey, Los Angeles
County Supervisor Janice Hahn, Dr. Lisa Humphreys,
Sr. Terrence Landini, Richard Lundquist, Dr. John Mc-
Namara, Dr. Samuel Nam and Rabbi Didi Thomas.
1
PHOTOS BY DEIDRE DAVIDSON
1. Ed Long, Karen Hlavaty-Pearson, Judy and Craig Leach,
Richard Lundquist, Judy Gassner and Sherry Kramer.
2. Sister Terrence Landini, Jean Cordero, Barbara McAuley
and Pat Simonetti (standing).
3. Pat Baldivia, Robin Camrin, Dr. Thyra Endicott and Rev.
Jonathan Chute.
4. Chris Rogers, Don Van Buren and Bill Duncan.
2
3
4
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Phone: (310)792-2090
64 Peninsula • August 2017
August 2017 • Peninsula 65
PV Juniors distribute compassion
n The Palos Verdes Junior Women’s Club's annual disbursement ceremony was
held recently at the Palos Verdes Golf Club. Through financial assistance and
hands-on care, the organization has
been supporting women and children in
crisis since 1958. Proceeds were raised
from major donors, the annual holiday
luncheon and annual spring fundraiser
were distributed to 12 philanthropies, including
Rainbow Services, Toberman
Neighborhood Center and the Boys &
Girls Clubs of the LA Harbor. Four deserving
students , Ross Kalter, Caroline
Kim, Mariya Naberezhna and Andres
Seawright received scholarship awards.
Congratulations to this year's recipients!
around&about
Eunice Sheng and Sheri
Schrier. Photo by Marcus Hoffman
Experience Handcrafted
Fine Mexican Cuisine
And Enjoy!
Fresh Daily Specials Private Parties Catering
Great Selection of Beer and Wine
Open Tue-Sun at 4PM
Salsa Verdes
Authentic Fine Mexican Cuisine
2325 Palos Verdes Drive West
Palos Verdes Estates
(424) 206-9456
66 Peninsula • August 2017
Special Children’s League celebrates 59th year
n The Special Children’s League’s annual luncheon raised almost $90,000 to
support efforts to aid individuals with developmental disabilities, including cerebral
palsy and autism. The executive board is led by president Joyce Komatsu, along
with Lori Delgado, Michele Dahlerbruch, Paula Boothe, Maria Ballinger, Monique
Caine, Merin Dahlerbruch, Jacqueline Dunton and Mary Lynn Webster.
New PCCH Board Members
n The Peninsula Committee Children’s
Hospital was founded in 1957 to raise
funds for a new recovery unit at Children’s
Hospital Los Angeles. The committee has
grown to more than 170 families who
volunteer throughout the year.. Since its inception,
the committee has raised more
than $14 million for the hospital through
an annual horse show, golf tournament,
and individual contributions.
Photos provided by PCCH
around&about
New PCCH members Holly
Gardner, Jenny Litchfield,
Marnie Gruen.
Incoming board from left to right: Joyce Komatsu, Michele Dahlerbruch,
Kristina Mermelstein, Maria Ballinger, Paula Boothe, Amy Ball, Jacqueline
Dunton and Maria Kroha. Photo courtesy SCL
Alexey Steele unveils “El Rey Trabajador”
n Artist Alexey Steele unveiled the newest addition to his “Love My Neighbor”
series on June 27 at the new Artward Gallery in the Scottsdale neighborhood of
Carson. The 72-inch by 48-inch oil on canvas was made possible by a grant
from the City of Carson Cultural
Arts Commission and
from Wells Fargo Bank.
Steele says the visitors to unveilings
such as this are not
your usual ‘art crowd’. They
were neighbors, civic leaders
of different communities,
gang prevention activists,
local government, sheriffs
and and supporters. Steele
selected one of Carson’s
most beloved residents to be
his subject, a 75-year-old
gardener. “I hope that My
Neighbor series will encourage
visitors to see their own
neighbors from a new perspective
and take the message
of love for one’s
neighbor back to their own
streets,” Steele said.
Alexey Steele with 75-year-old Carson
gardener Cirillo Campos, the model for
Steele’s painting. Photo by Richard Rand
PCCH 2017
Board Karen Governar,
Dawn
Knickerbocker,
Karen Miller, Flora
Fairchild, Anne
Farrell, Meredith
Edwards, Susan
Whelan, Carole
Rowe, Shannon
Cobb, Allyson
Shen, Kim Whitcombe,
Heidi
Sampson,
Heather
Schuchert.
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August 2017 • Peninsula 67
68 Peninsula • August 2017
Woman’s Club scholarships
QUIXTAR
Concrete & Masonry
Residential & Commercial
310-534-9970
G
CONCRETE
Lic. #935981 C8 C29
classifieds
424-269-2830
D
Remodeling
Design
Kitchens
Bathrooms
Room Additions
New Construction
Reserve
your space in the
next
CONSTRUCTION
Pub Date: Aug 26
Deadline:
Aug 11
Call direct
s
(424)
Charles Clarke
Local Owner/General Contractor
Ph: (310) 791-4150
Cell: (310) 293-9796
Fax (310) 791-0452
“Since 1990” Lic. No. 810499
around&about
n The Palos Verdes Woman's Club was established in 1926 as a Sunday school
program at Malaga Cove School. Today, the organization is devoted to community
social programs. Proceeds from the group’s fundraising events are distributed
to local charities and as college scholarships.
Maxwell LaForest, Palos Verdes Peninsula
High School (Long Beach State)
and Bryana Garcia, Rancho del Mar
(El Camino College). Not pictured: Allison
Hsieh, Palos Verdes High School
(Cornell University). Photo courtesy PV
Woman’s Club
Los Angeles Maritime Museum receives federal grant
n The National Park Service has
awarded the Friends of the Los Angeles
Maritime Museum a $40,000 Maritime
Heritage Grant to create an interpretive
master plan for the historic tug “Angels
Gate.” Built in 1944, “Angels Gate” currently
operates on a limited sailing
schedule. The grant will be used to create
opportunities for the public to enjoy
dockside tours. “The award is a tribute
to the efforts of our volunteer crew,” said Angels Gate Tugboat. Photo
Marifrances Trivelli, Director of the museum.
PEN
courtesy Port of Los Angeles
Classifieds 424-269-2830
269-2830
CONSTRUCTION
Call us to Discuss the
ENDLESS POSSIBILITES
Extreme
Hillside Specialist
Foundation Repair Experts
Grading & Drainage
Retaining Walls,
Fences & Decks
310-212-1234
www.LambConBuilds.com
Lic. #906371
Classifieds 424-269-2830
ELECTRICAL
LYNCH
ELECTRIC &
General
Building
Contractors
• Residential
Troubleshooting
• Remodel Specialist
Scott K. Lynch
P.V. Native
Licensed & Insured
Cell
310-930-9421
Office & Fax
310-325-1292
www.LynchElectric.us
Lic 701001
GARAGE DOORS
HANDYMAN
Handyman
Services…
Fix It Right the
First Time
We like small jobs
/ Free estimates
What we do…
Plumbing,
Electrical, Drywall,
Painting & more.
Valente Marin
310-748-8249
Unlic.
MUSIC LESSONS
Vocal Technician
Piano Teacher
Vocalist
Jeannine McDaniel
Rancho Palos Verdes
20 year experience
All Ages
310-544-0879
310-292-6341
Jeannine_mcdaniel2001@yahoo.com
PLASTERING
Patch Master
Plastering
Patch Plastering
Interior • Exterior
• Venetian Plastering
• Ceiling Removal
• Drywall Work
• Acoustic
Ceiling Removal
• Water & Fire Restoration
310-370-5589
Lic. # 687076 • C35-B1
PLUMBING
Thank You South Bay for
50 Years of Patronage!
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Plumbing 24/7 • Heating
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pfplumbing.net
800-354-2705 • 310-831-0737
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Excellent References
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310-544-9384
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2013
August 2017 • Peninsula 69
72 Peninsula People • August 2017
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