Beach September 2017

September 14, 2017
Volume 48, Issue 6
Sworn virgin Dive N‘ Mermaid Venetian spice
South Bay Health and Home and Garden guides

Thursday
September 14 th @ 6 pm
Move or Remodel?
Saturday
September 23 th @ 10 am
Architectural Design
& Remodeling

September 14, 2017
Volume 48, Issue 6
ON THE COVER
Surf and volleyball enthusiast
Chris Brown.
Michael Burstein is a probate and estate planning
attorney. A graduate of the University of California,
Hastings College of the Law in 1987, he is admitted
to the California, Kansas and Oklahoma Bars and
is a member of the Order of Distinguished Attorneys
of the Beverly Hills Bar Association.
As an estate and probate lawyer, Michael has prepared
approximately 3,000 living trusts and more
than 4,000 wills.
An Estate Planning,
Estate Administration,
and Probate Attorney
l Living Trusts
l Wills
l Powers of Attorney
l Asset Protection
l Veterans Benefits
l Pet Trusts
l Advance Health
Care Directives
l Insurance Trusts
l Probate
l Conservatorships
l And Much More!
Call us to schedule an appointment or for our
FREE Guide:
Selecting the Best Estate Planning Strategies
111 North Sepulveda Boulevard, Suite 250
Manhattan Beach, California 90266
310-545-7878
BEACH PEOPLE
12 Sworn virgin by Kevin Cody
Kristopher Dukes discusses parallels between modern women and the
tradition of “sworn virgins” at the center of her novel, set in early
20th century Albania.
18 Borne by the Beach by Randy Angel
Hermosa Beach native Chris Brown finds a career in sharing his
enthusiasm for surfing and volleyball.
26 Politics, according to Bobko by Robb Fulcher
Former Hermosa Beach councilman Kit Bobko writes an insider’s book on
local politics for aspiring politicians.
32 Mermaid magic by Robb Fulcher
Swimmer and diver Linden Wolbert partners with Redondo Beach’s Body
Glove to bring the magic of mermaids to the young and old.
38 Venetian spice by Richard Foss
Venetian chef Angelo Calderan’s Hostaria Piave offers richer, more robust
flavors than what’s found on more familiar Southern Italian menus.
BEACH LIFE
6 Calendar
8 Hermosa Kiwanis Taste at the Beach
10 Globe flagship opens in
Hermosa Beach
16 Catalina Classic a classic challenge
22 17th Street Labor Day
Volleyball Tournament
STAFF
PUBLISHER Kevin Cody, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Richard Budman, EDITORS Mark McDermott, Randy Angel,
David Mendez, and Ryan McDonald, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Bondo Wyszpolski, DINING EDITOR Richard
Foss, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Ray Vidal and Brad Jacobson, CALENDAR Judy Rae, DISPLAY SALES Tamar Gillotti,
Amy Berg and Shelley Crawford, CLASSIFIEDS Teri Marin, DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA Hermosawave.net,
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Tim Teebken, FRONT DESK Judy Rae
EASY READER (ISSN 0194-6412) is published weekly by EASY READER, 2200 Pacific Cst. Hwy., #101, P.O. Box 427, Hermosa
Beach, CA 90254-0427. Yearly domestic mail subscription $150.00; foreign, $200.00 payable in advance. POSTMASTER: Send
address changes to EASY READER, P.O. Box 427, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. The entire contents of the EASY READER newspaper
is Copyright 2017 by EASY READER, Inc. www.easyreadernews.com. The Easy Reader/Redondo Beach Hometown News
is a legally adjudicated newspaper and the official newspaper for the cities of Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach. Easy Reader
/ Redondo Beach Hometown News is also distributed to homes and on newsstands in Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Torrance,
and Palos Verdes.
CONTACT
Photo by
Brad Jacobson
29 Health and Fitness Guide
36 Manhattan Chamber Bite at the Beach
40 Surfboards as canvases at “Resin.”
42 Home improvement guide
45 Home services
n Mailing Address P.O. Box 427, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 Phone (310) 372-4611 Fax (424) 212-6780
n Website www.easyreadernews.com Email news@easyreadernews.com
n Classified Advertising see the Classified Ad Section. Phone 310.372.4611 x102. Email displayads@easyreadernews.com
n Fictitious Name Statements (DBA's) can be filed at the office during regular business hours. Phone 310.372.4611 x101.
4 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

Stocking Dealer
South Bay’s oldest lumber yard
• Trim
• Doors
• Siding
• Decking
• Lumber
• Windows
• Hardware
• Referrals
Free parking in our 6th Street lot
635 Pacific Coast Highway - Hermosa Beach
310-374-3406
Call Our Dexperts

S O U T H B AY
CAL ENDAR
Thursday, September 14
Film series
Palos Verdes Library District’s Ciné-
Monde features notable films and documentaries
from around the globe. A
film screening of Nine Queens at 5:30
p.m. in the Peninsula Center Library
Community Room, 701 Silver Spur
Road, Rolling Hills Estates. Free and
open to the public. Seating is first
come, first seated and not guaranteed.
For information contact Joshua at (310)
921-7514 or jpeck@pvld.org.
Friday, September 15
Row, row ...for a reason
Body One Fitness presents the third
annual “Row for a Reason” event to
raise funds for Cancer Support Community
Redondo Beach (CSCRB). Fri.
from 4 - 10 p.m.; Sat. 7 a.m. - noon.
Gym owner and founder of Row for a
Reason Lou Sidella will dedicate all
row machines to the fundraiser for the
duration of the event. Participants can
sign up for half-hour time slots for a
$50 donation and encouraged to invite
friends to share rowing with them.
Body One Fitness, 201 Herondo Street,
Redondo Beach. To register, visit rowforareason.org.
For more information
email info@rowforareason.org or call
(310) 379-5425.
Dinner time solution
The Knights of Columbus’s monthly
fund-raising dinner from 5 - 7:30 p.m.
Knight of Columbus Hall, 214 Avenue
I, Redondo Beach. This month a delicious
beef stew dinner will be served
with rice, vegetables and bread. Come
enjoy a great dinner, at a great price,
an evening out with friends and family,
and support a worthy cause. Desserts,
juice, iced tea, lemonade, and coffee as
well as a fully stocked cash bar.
$10/person (no tax or tip necessary).
Children under 12 are $5/each. Proceeds
help KoC charities such as Seminarians,
House of Yahweh, Pregnancy
Help Center, Star House as well as others.
Questions? Contact Nick Tesi at
(310) 717-2937.
Saturday, September 16
Folk fest
Family-friendly, foot stomping festival
has something for everyone and in
addition to the great music: Pie Eating
Contest, Kids Area with Crafts, Music,
Games, the “Instrument Petting Zoo”,
Craft Brews and Gourmet Food Trucks,
Beard & Mustache Contest, Open Bluegrass
Jam, Deering Banjo Contest and
more. Rainbow Lagoon Park, 400
Shoreline Village Dr, Long Beach.
Ticket $30 online; $40 at the door, general
admission. VIP admission $75.
Children 12 & under as well as Seniors
75 & older are free. To purchase tickets
visit folkrevivalfestival.com/tickets/.
Book sale
Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library
used book sale. Most hardback
and paperback books are $1 and under.
9 a.m. - noon 1309 Bard Street, Hermosa
Beach. For more sale information
visit hbfol.org, call (310) 379-8475,
email: folhb16@gmail.com.
A celebration of Iris
Western Museum of Flight in partnership
with Long Beach-South Bay
Ninety-Nines present This is Your Life:
Iris Critchell, a female pioneer in aviation.
At 96 years old, Iris Critchell continues
to have a productive career as a
pilot, educator, and mentor. She is a
founding member of the Long Beach-
South Bay Chapter of International
Ninety-Nines. At 11 a.m. hear Iris’s
lecture, From a South Bay Start to the
Privilege of a Lifetime in Aviation.
Tickets are $10. From 6-9 p.m. enjoy
an intimate evening to honor Iris. Tickets
for the evening fete are $100 and
include admission as well as wine and
festive foods. Tickets are $100 and can
be purchased at wmof.com/tickets.
html or by calling (310) 326-9544. Proceeds
support the Western Museum of
Flight. For questions, contact development@wmof.com.
Free parking. 3315
Airport Drive, Torrance.
Experience wire sculpture
Art as Experience is a free, hands-on
program for families with children
ages 5 and up. Developed in correlation
with exhibitions on display at the
Manhattan Beach Art Center, held the
first and third Saturday of the month
2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Today's workshop:
Wire Sculpture. Advanced registration
required. Studio B at the Art Center
(check in at the front desk), 1560 Manhattan
Beach Blvd. (310) 802-5440.
Boots and Brews
Switzer Learning Center hosts Boots,
Brews & BBQ’s Fundraiser with Brewery
Competition, Western fun, and
dancing to the Blue Breeze Band. All
96 year-old aviatrix
Iris Critchell will be
celebrated at
Torrance’s Western
Museum of Flight
Saturday, Sept. 16.
Still flying and teaching,
she will lecture
at 11 a.m. (tickets
$10) followed by an
evening soiree
(tickets $100)
beginning at 6 p.m.
wmof.org.
Eating bugs has never
been quite so delicious
(unless you were at last
year’s Lobster Festival)!
Hosted by the Redondo
Beach Chamber of
Commerce, the event
takes place Friday,
Sept. 22 through
Sunday, Sept. 24 at
Seaside Lagoon,
200 Portofino Way,
Redondo Beach.
lobsterfestival.com.
proceeds benefit Switzer Learning Center,
a nonprofit nonpublic special education
school serving students in 5th
grade through age 22 with moderate to
severe learning, social, emotional, and
developmental disabilities. 6 - 11 p.m.
2201 Amapola Ct., Torrance. Tickets
$150 per person. Call Danielle Wagner
Manhattan Beach historian
Jan Dennis and
grandson Luke Jelimini,
who assisted in researching
“A Thread in the Tapestry,”
a history of
Sepulveda Boulevard in
Manhattan Beach.
Nathan will discuss her
book on Sunday, Sept.
17 at Pages bookstore.
events@pagesabookstore.com
or (310) 318-
0900. Photo courtesy of
Daniel Segura, Beach Reporter
at (310) 328-3611 x333 or visit switzercenter.org.
Sunday, September 17
Salt Marsh Open House
Step out into nature and discover
the hidden world of the Salinas de San
Pedro Salt Marsh. Cabrillo Marine
Aquarium educators and Coastal Park
Naturalists uncover the world of mud
and water. Bring binoculars, camera,
sketch pad, journal or just your curiosity.
2:30 - 4:30 p.m. 3720 Stephen M.
White Drive, San Pedro. For reservations,
further information, call (310)
548-7562 or visit cabrillomarineaquarium.org.
Peek o’ Sepulveda
A late afternoon talk with local historian
Jan Dennis, promoting her new
book, A Thread in the Tapestry, a history
of Sepulveda Blvd. in Manhattan
Beach. If you ever wondered what
Manhattan Beach was like and how it
has transformed into what it is today,
5 p.m. {pages} bookstore, 904 Manhattan
Ave., Manhattan Beach. RSVP
Calendar cont. on page 41
6 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

each food
HERMOSA KIWANIS
Taste of the Beach
Over two dozen local restaurants, breweries and
wineries participated in the ninth annual Taste of the
Beach, presented by the Hermosa Beach Kiwanis
Club on the Community Center patio on Sunday, August
20. The Brian Sisson Trio performed. The Kiwanis’
motto is "Serving the children of the world, one
child, one community at a time." Individuals interested
in joining the club are encouraged to visit HermosaKiwanis.org.
1
2
PHOTOS BY KEVIN CODY
1. Java Man’s Daniel Nava and daughter Yocelyn
with Dency Nelson.
2. Martha Diaz, Bob McEachen and Julie Chertow.
3. Alice Villalobos, Yvonne Amarillas and Cathy
McCurdy.
4. Richard Chertow and Adrienne Slaughter.
5. Chef Rafael Solorzano, owner of Salsa Verdes in
Palos Verdes.
6. Silvio’s Brazilian BBQ’s Doug Howarth.
7. Laurel Tavern’s Sage Adkins and chef Roger
Hayot.
8. North End’s Servando and Cecilio Villigana.
9. Greenbelt’s Casey Keohane.
10. Rabano’s Fernando Chong.
11. Laurel Tavern’s Lee Farrell and Hermosa
Chamber CEO Kimberlee MacMullan.
3 4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11

each business
GLOBE CELEBRATES
store in Hermosa
Globe CEO Matt Hill and Globe team riders,
artists and staff celebrated the opening of the Australian
surf, skate and snowboard company’s first
U.S. retail store in Hermosa Beach on Friday, August
11. Among the guests was legendary street skater
Rodney Mullen. Hill, a Palos Verdes resident, and
brothers Steve and Peter founded the now global
lifestyle company in 1994. Hill came to the U.S. in
1995 to attend USC film school but soon took charge
of the family’s U.S. operations.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GLOBE
1
2
1. Artists Dave Gitlin, Herb George, Mirko Antich
and Teague Muir.
2. David Trujillo, Aaron Brown, Sammy Montano,
Matt Hill, Mark Appleyard, Noah Wilson and Paul
Hart.
3. Sherwood and staff.
4. Aaron Brown, Rodney Mullen, David Gonzalez,
Paul Hart, Mark Appleyard and Sammy Montano.
5. Denny Bales.
6. Tyler Stouff.
7. Mirko Antich, Teague Muir, Dave Gitlin and
Leona Richeda.
8. David Trujillo and Talia Shor.
9. Anna Kenney, Sherwood and Austin Ware.
10. Madeline and Val Spiwak.
11. Sean Tully and Jake Sutter.
12. Vanessa Villarreal, Gary Valentine, Carol
Schad and Nai.
3 4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12
10 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

September 14, 2017 • Easy Reader / Beach magazine 11

ooks
Author Kristopher Dukes
in Kyoto, Japan.
Photo by Matt Jacobson
12 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

Sworn Virgin
Manhattan Beach novelist Kristopher Dukes finds inspiration for
contemporary women in the tradition of Albanian women given men’s rights
by Kevin Cody
Nine years ago, Kris Dukes read a New York Times article about
sworn virgins in the mountainous region outside the city of Shkodra,
in northwestern Albania.
The Kanun of Lekë Dukagjini, the code that rules the region, is hard on
men.
“A man who has been dishonored is considered dead.”
And harder on women.
“A woman is a sack, made to endure.”
But the code makes an exception for women who take a vow of chastity.
Sworn virgins may dress as men, serve as heads of households, do men’s
work, carry a gun, smoke, drink alcohol and socialize with men — all things
women are otherwise forbidden to do.
The tradition, once common in Eastern Europe, continues to this day in
the mountainous regions of northern Albania.
Dukes saw in sworn virgins the full spectrum of male/female tensions in
contemporary culture, from the glass ceiling to transgenders.
“In our culture, women also must suppress their sexuality to be treated
equal to men. If we were gender blind, would there have been any question
in the last presidential election about which candidate was the most qualified?”
Dukes asked during a recent interview in her Manhattan Beach
home. She is married to Manhattan Beach native Matt Jacobson.
Last year, Dukes self published “A Sworn Virgin: Broken Promises.” Last
month, in response to the large number of positive reviews the book received
on social media, an expanded version of the novel was released by
William Morrow, of New York publisher HarperCollins.
The release is being backed by a social marketing blitzkrieg, which includes
Facebook, Instagram, targeted email, and online book clubs and
book bloggers.
“Sworn Virgin” begins with Eleanora, the 18-year-old protagonist, finding
her father shot to death in the street during a visit to Shkodra. The trip to
the city from their mountain town was to have arranged for the gifted
Eleanora to travel to art school in Venice, which had a large Albanian population
in 1918, the novel’s time setting. Instead, the grieving Eleanora returns
to her mountain village, having vowed to return to find her father’s
murderer.
Like the father in last year’s documentary “Eagle Huntress,” about a 13-
year-old daughter raised in the male tradition of Mongolian falconeers,
Eleanora’s father defied local custom by raising his daughter as he would
a son. But absent the protection of her father, Eleanora is promised in marriage
to an unpleasant, but wealthy man by Eleanora’s well intended, but
destitute stepmother. Eleanora’s only escape from the arranged marriage
to become a sworn virgin.
Becoming a sworn virgin has the added benefit of allowing Eleanora to
September 14, 2017 • Easy Reader / Beach magazine 13

travel unchallenged with her father’s
treasured rifle when she returns
to Shkodra and kills the man
who killed her father.
Then she escapes back to her village,
where a plot quickening complication
enters her life. She falls in
love with the brother of the man
she killed, who has tracked his
brother’s unknown killer to her village,
to avenge his brother’s death.
Dukes said she was intrigued
with the idea that a force that
brings people together can also tear
them apart.
The plot is not as contrived as the
s u m m a r y
sounds, even
were it set in
today’s times.
Before her father’s
death,
Eleanora asks
him why their
people were forever
embroiled
in fratricidal
feuds.
“Because it
has always been
that way,” he
tells her.
Dukes said
she knew from
age 8, that she
wanted to be a
The Sworn Virgin by Kristopher Dukes.
Published by William Morrow/Harper-
Collins
writer. She
wrote for her
Woodland Hills
high school
paper and majored
in English
literature at
M a r y m o u n t
Manhattan College in New York.
But her subsequent writing was
limited to occasional freelance magazine
assignments and for her interior
design blog. Sworn Virgin is her
first novel.
She said she let germinate the
idea of what would happen if a
sworn virgin fell in love, until about
five years ago, when she began researching
the subject. Her research
began with reading High Albania,
written in 1909 by English anthropologist
Edith Durham and then
reading Peaks of Shala, about the
northern Albania highlands, written
in 1923 by American magazine
writer Rose Wilder.
Dukes deliberately did not read
Albanian writer Elvira Dones’contemporary
novel about sworn virgins,
nor view the Italian movie
based on Dones’ novel.
Dukes said her most valuable resource
was Albania expert Robert
Elsie, whose books include Historical
Dictionary of Albania and
Balkan Beauty, Balkan Blood.
“Elsie helped me with names and
dress and basic details like whether
Eleanora would have worked with
oils or pastels.”
Elsie reassured her that an 18-
year-old having an affair with a
man old enough to have loved her
mother, a central theme of the
book, would not have been unusual
in early 20th Century Albania,
when a 13-year-old girl might wed
a 60-year-old widower.
The historical research extended
beyond the physical details to include
family rel
a t i o n s h i p s
among the Albanian
mountain
people.
“Her father
had taught her
to knee a man in
the groin, and
had her carry a
curved knife in
her belt when
they traveled, in
case she was
stolen for someone’s
potential
wife. He had
taught her how
to thrust the
blade to the best
effect but he had
never shown her
how to shoot.
No woman
knew,” Dukes
writes in des
c r i b i n g
Eleanora’s transition
from “sack” to sworn virgin.
Sworn Virgin fits neatly into historical
fiction and contemporary
chick lit genres. But it also holds
promise of transcending those genres
with its contemporary themes
and writing that exhibits confident
patience with what is on the the
first level, a historical murder mystery.
A popular controversy in contemporary
literary journals concerns
the appropriateness of First World
writers mining third world cultures.
Dukes said her book has yet to
become embroiled in that controversy.
“People have such limited knowledge
about Albania, that the Albanians
who’ve talked to me about
the book, including an Albanian
cellist in New York, where there is
a large Albanian population, are excited
by the fact that someone
wrote about their country in a positive
light,” Dukes said. B
14 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

PRICE
REDUCTION
QUEEN'S
NECKLACE
VIEWS
NEW
LISTING
550 Silver Spur Rd. Suite 240, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90275

each sports
1
TWO THREE-TIMERS
in Catalina Classic
Los Angeles County Lifeguard Max First, 27, of Manhattan Beach, lived up to his
family name with a third first place finish in the Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race
on Sunday, August 27. First finished the 32 mile race, from Two Harbors on Catalina
Island to the Manhattan Beach pier, in 5:55. His time was half an hour slower than
his winning time last year and nearly an hour slower than his winning time of 5:07
in 2014.
“This was one of the toughest years I’ve ever seen,” First said at the finish. The
101 paddlers were working against a headwind and strong southerly current.
Katie Hazelrigg, 26, of El Segundo, a recurrent (part time) Los Angeles County Lifeguard,
won the women’s division in 7:20, racing a stock board. (Carlsbad lifeguard
Marisa Kuiken, 30, finished in 7:15. But because she was the only woman racing an
unlimited board, she did not medal. The rules require a minimum of five racers for
a division to be recognized.)
For the third consecutive year Lachie Lansdown, 21, of Noosa, Australia, won the
men’s stock division.
Paddleboard builder Joe Back completed the race for a record 35 consecutive years.
For complete results visit catalinaclassicpaddleboardrace.org.
PHOTOS BY CHRIS AGUILAR (FIN FILM COMPANY)
1. Steve Schlens, of Santa Barbara,
(on the white stock board) paces South
Bay Donkeys Doug Weems, Matt
Walls, John Ward, Jason Weber and
Mike Jaxon.
2. Lifeguard Max First, of Manhattan
Beach on his way to his third unlimited
Classic victory in four years.
3. Australian Lachie Lansdown claiming
his third consecutive stock Classic
victory.
4. Lifeguard Katie Hazelrigg, of El Segundo
took first in the women’s stock
division.
5. Joe Bark completes his 35th consecutive
Catalina Classic.
6. Second place finisher DJ O’Brien
and first place finisher Katie Hazelrigg
with race directors Francziska Steagall
and Buddy Bohn.
7. Donkeys enjoying a pre-raced dinner
at Doug’s Harbor Reef (clockwise)
Bobby Mckeegan, Dave, Ethan Ward,
John Ward, Kurt Fry, Kevin Cody, Evan,
Scott Rusher, Hugh Kretschmer, Cole
Horton, Tom Horton, Eric Earhart (hidden),
Mike, Brian and Ed McKeegan.
2 3 4
5
6 7
16 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

September 14, 2017 • Easy Reader / Beach magazine 17

each sports
BA life at the
each
Chris Brown’s passion for the beach lifestyle has not wavered since his youth. Photo by Brad Jacobson (CivicCouch.com)
by Randy Angel
Hermosa Beach native Chris Brown has turned his passion for the beach into a career
helping adults and kids learn surfing and beach volleyball
My parents Kyle and Sue were beach people,” Chris Brown said.
“One of my earliest memories is of bodysurfing on my dad’s back.
When I was young, I was obsessed with being at the beach.”
The obsession never left him. Instead, he made a profession of it.
From bodysurfing with his dad, he graduated to boogie boarding and at
age 9 to surfing with his buddies at 21st Street.
He built a career around sharing that obsession with others, both kids
and adults. He also played traditional youth sports, including baseball, basketball
and soccer while attending North School and Hermosa Middle
School. But at Mira Costa High School, he focused on volleyball. And when
he went to USC, where his father had played baseball, he joined the surfing
team.
Shortly after graduating, he and former Mira Costa classmate Jimmy
Miller, who had just graduated from Cal Berkeley, gave themselves a graduation
present.
“We went on a surfing trip to Indonesia. We found an insane spot by accident,
with no one else around. I didn’t know waves could get that good,”
he recalled.
They were taking a boat trip from island to island when the motor broke,
forcing the boat to drop anchor off a small island.
“We looked over and saw this spot with great shaped waves that kept getting
bigger and bigger,” Brown said. “We were in the right place at the right
time. When we returned two weeks later, the waves were just as good.”
Over the ensuing years, Brown would surf in South Africa, Australia, New
Zealand, Micronesia, Mexico and Hawaii. But Indonesia remains his favorite
spot.
“It has 14,000 islands, nice weather and powerful swells,” he said.
“Traveling has been an education for me almost as important as going to
school,” he added.
In 1997, Miller decided teaching surfing would be a good way to finance
future surf trips.
CampSurf, which began as a seasonal surf camp with private lessons and
corporate events, celebrated it’s 20th anniversary this summer.
After Miller died in 2004, following a battle with mental illness, the Miller
family asked Brown to continue running the program.
In addition to managing the camp, Brown serves on the Board of Directors
of the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation, whose Ocean Therapy program
uses surfing to provide occupational and recreational therapy. The
program has proven effective in assisting people with Post Traumatic Stress
Disorders (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries, and other emotional, mental
and medical conditions.
“The foundation has grown beyond what we ever dreamed of,” Brown
said.
Ocean therapy, Brown said, is just one of the aspects of surfing that has
helped the sport move past the stereotype of the surfer/beach bum made
famous by Sean Penn’s role as Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
18 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

(The movie was based on screenwriter Cameron Crowe’s time spent undercover
at Redondo Union High. The Ridgemont mascot, like Redondo’s,
was the Sea Hawks.)
“The sport has become more mainstreamed and the pros have become
clean-cut, elite athletes,” he said.
Hitting the sand
When the surf was flat beach volleyball provided an opportunity for
Brown and his buddies to continue hanging out at the beach.
Brown began playing in local tournaments in his teens, including those
run by the California Beach Volleyball Association (CBVA).
The CBVA was founded in 1962 to unite local beach volleyball communities
and to coordinate local tournament schedules.
In 2017, nearly 1,000 CBVA tournaments were held at 23 beaches. There
are 11 skill or age divisions and approximately 8,000 members.
“I won at every level on the CBVA and have great memories of battles on
the court,” Brown said.
One summer, Brown became friends with the CBVA tournament director
at Playa del Rey and asked him why there weren’t more tournaments in
his hometown.
“Hermosa Beach had fallen off the map at the time, so I badgered him
about going to Hermosa,” Brown recalled. “He asked me ‘Why don’t you
do it?’ Finally, after two years of considering the offer, I learned the ins and
outs of being a tournament director and began running Hermosa tourna-
Chris Brown pulling in last February in Redondo Beach. Photo by Brad Jacobson (CivicCouch.com)

ments in 1999.
“I love the organization. It’s a whole machine run by great people. We’ve
brought Hermosa Beach back into prominence on the volleyball circuit.
It’s thriving with adults whose life goal is to earn an A or B rating.”
“When players come up to me after a tournament, shake my hand and
say thanks, it makes it all worthwhile,” Brown said.
In 2005, Brown became president of the CBVA, a position he continues
to hold. He also sits on the Nominating and Governance Committee of
USA Volleyball, the governing body for U.S. Olympic volleyball.
As president of CBVA, Brown has striven to keep the tournaments affordable
and to bring the organization into the digital age.
“In 2005 we didn’t have online registration,” Brown said. “On Friday
nights, I’d listen to phone messages and chicken scratch on a piece of paper
the names of players who called wanting to play in that weekend’s tournaments.
Now we’re on the cutting edge with our website.”
Manhattan Beach native Kevin Cleary has known Brown for many years.
Cleary became the first president of the Association of Volleyball Professionals
(AVP) in 1983 and was inducted into the CBVA Beach Volleyball
Hall of Fame in 2010.
He serves on the CBVA Board of Directors and helps organize the CBVA
Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame induction ceremony each November at the
Hermosa Beach Community Center. The CBVA museum is located in the
Hermosa Beach Historical Society Museum.
“Chris is the ultimate old schooler and totally committed to the beach
lifestyle,” Cleary said. “He’s a surfer first but loves his volleyball, too. He
has excellent people skills and has been invaluable to both CBVA and the
Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame committee. His work and recreation run
hand in hand. The man is a lifestyle technician.”
Brown believes the biggest change in beach volleyball came after 2000
when rally scoring was adopted to accommodate television schedules.
“The change was not for the best, but the sport is so great it survived,”
Brown said. “I would like to see the game go back to side-out scoring
(where teams need to be serving to score a point). Champions really earned
their titles after a grueling tournament with longer matches.”
Brown feels the AVP took a big step forward this year by returning to
Hermosa Beach, increasing the prize money and implementing the point
freeze rule. The new rule calls for side-out scoring when match-point is
reached. Let serves (when a serve touches the net on its way over) are not
be allowed during that period and the server gets one re-serve.
“The introduction of NCAA women’s beach volleyball was also a game
changer,” Brown said. “I’m astounded by the high level of play girls have
at a young age.”
Brown said his most memorable experience as a player came during his
second summer of competition.
“I made the finals of a CBVA tournament beating three pro teams in a
row,” Brown said. “Scott Ayakatubby was an idol of mine and we played
him and Brian Lewis. I blocked Ack a couple of times and to have a chance
to play against him, let alone beat him, was a big thrill.”
Believer in tradition
Brown returns to the sands of Hermosa Beach each 4th of July for the
annual Ironman contest, which he has won five times.
The event requires participants to run one mile, paddle one mile, then
chug a 6-pack of beer. The first to finish without vomiting wins.
“I love competing and it’s just crazy exertion,” Brown said. “There was
a time when some people in Hermosa Beach wanted to shut it down, but
calmer heads prevailed. It draws a large group of people, most of them
friends, who have a good time without hurting anyone.”
Brown has also competed in the 32-mile Catalina Classic Paddleboard
Race three times, from 1990-92.
“I had a lot of friends who paddled in the race and it had been a goal of
mine since I was young,” Brown said. “The first year when I got to the
Manhattan Beach Pier, I was euphoric. There have been countless times
when I have leaned on that experience to help me face obstacles in my
daily life.”
Brown will begin a new adventure this month when he marries Laura
Sikora on September 29.
“I’m 48 years old and had never been engaged. But I reached a point in
my life where I felt I had matured enough for the responsibilities of being
a husband and father. I so happy she came into my life, Brown said. B
20 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

Chris Brown competing in the Hermosa Beach Fourth of July Ironman in 2004, which he won in 1994 and again in 2011. The Ironman requires running and
paddling a mile and chugging a six-pack of beer. Photo by Patrick Fallon
September 14, 2017 • Easy Reader / Beach magazine 21

each sports
FOUNDERS REMEMBERED, YOUNGSTER
takes over Labor Day four-man
The 60th annual 17th Street Hermosa Beach Labor Day Weekend Invitational Four-man Volleyball
tournament was dedicated with a moment of silence in memory of former 1tth Street
player Sean Smith, who passed away, at age 52, in April, at his home in Hawaii after surfing in
the morning and playing volleyball in the afternoon.
Then tournament founders Bob Courtney, Norm Green, Hal Ormondroyd, Sam Tattu and
Jim Graham were introduced. In the finals, a team led by 21-year-old, 6-foot-7 Devon Burki,
backed by MVP Mike Derouin, Shane Taugner and James Chops, faced a team led by AVP veteran
Jason Raney. At the side change, Burki’s team was down 8-1. Then Burki’s young legs and
7-foot wingspan took charge. His team surged to win 15-12.
On Monday, 16th Street women players hosted the 18th annual Bikini Four-Woman Tournament.
USC beach volleyball player Emily Young used her powerful swing to lead teammates
Elaine Dodson, Shannon Sneed and Bridget Lambert to the finals. But a better balanced team,
led by former UC Riverside outside hitter Val Bueno (and veterinarian at VCA Coast Animal
Hospital in Hermosa), with backup from Shelly Norman, Katrina Zawojski and Netty Polk, prevailed
to win the tournament.
1. Devon Burki unloads against
Jeff Urth in the semifinals.
2. Jeff Urth clears Devon Burki’s
block.
3. 60th Annual 17th Street
Labor Day Weekend Volleyball
champions James Chops, Shane
Taugner, Devon Burki, MVP Mike
Derouin and team owner Bobby
Jones.
4. Bob Courtney recalls the
tournaments founding in 1957,
flanked by Kevin Campbell (son
of tournament co-founder Lee
Campbell) and co-founders Hal
Ormondroyd, Jim Graham, Sam
PHOTOS BY KEVIN CODY
Tattu and Norm Green.
5. Falyn Fonoimoana duels at
the net.
6. 18th Labor Day Weekend
Bikini Volleyball Tournament
champions Shelly Norman, Val
Bueno, Katrina Zawojski and
Netty Polk.
7. Annie Welch goes up against
Audrey Titus.
8. Volleyball photographer and
17th Street veteran Robi Hutas.
9. Jon Hackett meets Jason
Raney in the semi-finals.
1
2 3
4 5
6
8
7 9
22 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

24 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

September 14, 2017 • Easy Reader / Beach magazine 25

each books
Politics,
Hermosa style
Then Hermosa Beach Mayor Kit Bobko introduces legendary surfers Mike Doyle and John Joseph during the April 2013 Hermosa Beach Surfer Walk of
Fame inductions. Photo by Mike Balzer
26 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017
Former Hermosa Beach councilman Kit Bobko writes about oil and
other controversial issues in his insider’s guide to local politics
Nine Secrets for Getting Elected,” 258 pages,
is available through Amazon.
by Robb Fulcher
Former Hermosa Councilman Kit Bobko has turned his experience inside City Hall into an entertaining
and information-rich book about the triumphs and vicissitudes of big time politics in small
town America.
“Nine Secrets for Getting Elected” is partly a how-to book for prospective office seekers, and partly
a memoir of a tumultuous and transformative period in Hermosa Beach’s recent history.
Bobko captures the long and short of political life in the Beach Cities from the multimillion-dollar
matter of potential city bankruptcy, to the jittery importance of opening the Little League season with
the ceremonial first pitch.
The book’s how-to lessons are woven into the memoir’s anecdotal flow, revealing the strategies and
tactics of electoral politics without slowing down the narrative. Along the way Bobko, an Air Force veteran
and self-described Reagan Republican, makes the case that even small-town government can be
too big, and too free to impose its will where it’s not needed.
Bobko, who served on the Hermosa Beach City Council from 2006 to
2013, describes fighting what he saw as too much business regulation, and
environmentalism run amok. He describes the slings and arrows of his
doomed push to privatize the police department’s parking patrol and ani-

mal control functions.
Bobko writes about crossing potent constituencies such as the police and
firefighter unions, and fending off a false allegation that he did not actually
live in Hermosa while he sat on the council. He recounts fighting a surprise
move to formally censure him, which was leveled from across the council
dais.
He recalls how he was called a “carpetbagger” when he first ran for office
as a short-time resident. He responded that his military service caused him
to keep moving from place to place, a defense previously used by U.S. Sen.
John McCain.
Bobko, a municipal attorney by trade, digs into the details of his role in
the settlement of a decades-long, potentially bankrupting lawsuit against
the city, and how in his view, doing the right thing destroyed his chances
for a third term in office.
The people of Hermosa had a decades-long history of alternately courting
and rejecting oil drilling projects within the city. Over time, opposition to
such projects solidified, and in 1995 voters banned oil drilling anywhere
in Hermosa. However, the City Council had already signed a drilling contract
with an oil company. Faced with the will of the people, the council
tore up the contract, claiming the drilling project was unsafe.
The oil company responded with a $750 million breach-of-contract lawsuit.
The action wound its way up and down the court system for a decade
and a half, and finally stood poised for a hearing on the amount of the
award to the oil company. Bobko, who was not on the council when the
key oil decisions were made, believed previous council members had simply
kicked the oil can down the road, putting off any final reckoning until
their tenures were over.
Bobko and council ally Michael DiVirgilio (who is as Democratic as
Bobko is Republican) defied expectations by spearheading a complex,
three-party settlement. It called for Hermosa voters to 1. approve the
drilling project after all, with a cut of the royalties going to the city, or 2.
reject the project at the ballot box again, for good, and pay $17.5 million,
over time, as part of the settlement.
For perspective, the annual city budget was about $26 million.
Bobko and DiVirgilio thought they had spared the city financial disaster.
But oil opponents were livid that the two had opened the door once again
to a possible drilling project.
In an interview, Bobko said a chief regret from his time in office is that
he did not make a more forceful, sustained defense of the oil settlement,
which was approved by the full council.
In his book, he writes about a mediation at which a retired bankruptcy
judge held out grim prospects for the city, and worse, a mock trial that did
not go well.
Bobko cont. on page 41
Callow Councilman Kit Bobko opens the Little League season with the ceremonial
first pitch. 'Whatever you do, don't bounce it in,' they said. Photo by
Kevin Cody
September 14, 2017 • Easy Reader / Beach magazine 27

28 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

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Thursday, September 14
Needed NED
Join Long Beach Memorial for a screening of NED (No Evidence of Disease),
a documentary detailing the journey of six surgeons who use music
to fight and raise awareness of gynecologic cancer. The screening will feature
two gynecologic cancer survivors sharing their stories, and a Q&A
held by Teresa Longoria, M.D., gynecologic oncologist, Long Beach Memorial.
Light snacks and refreshments provided courtesy of Genentech.
Free. 3 p.m. Todd Cancer Pavilion, Treatment planning room, 3rd floor.
RSVP by calling (562) 933-7815.
2810 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach.
Friday, September 15
Medicine, Munchies and Movies
Join the MemorialCare Senior Plus Program at Long Beach Memorial’s
free “Medicine, Munchies and Movies” health education lecture. Katy
Hyman, program coordinator, Palliative Care, will host a 45-minute lecture
on aging with positivity and a 15-minute Q&A session, followed by a
screening of “Hidden Figures.” Free lunch provided. Noon. Miller Children’s
& Women’s Hospital. Call (562) 933-1650 to register. For more Senior
Plus events, visit MemorialCare.org/SeniorPlusEvents.
2801 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach
Beating Sugar Blues
Cancer Support Community Redondo Beach (CSCRB) hosts Amanda
Broomell, Certified Holistic Health Counselor, presenting methods to gain
Health Calendar cont. on page 30
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Visit MemorialCare.org/Long_Beach, like us on Facebook.com/LongBeach-
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Parker Hearing Institute
Dr. William Lee Parker of Hermosa Beach, was born into a family with deaf parents,
although he could hear. As a result, he understands the challenges of the
hearing impaired. He founded Parker Hearing Institute in Torrance in 1975. His
children Josh and Andrea followed him into the audiology profession and have
offices in Torrance and San Pedro offices.
Over 20 percent of the American population has hearing loss but only 20 percent
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September 14, 2017 • Easy Reader / Beach magazine 29

Health Calendar cont. from page 29
control over cravings without willpower or deprivation. Mounting evidence
points to the relationship between sugar and cancer. Learn how to create
balance by putting sweet cravings to rest, creating an optimal environment
for the body to thrive. 1 - 2:30 p.m. A healthy lunch will be provided by
The Spot Restaurant in Hermosa Beach from 12:30 - 1 p.m. Advance registration
required. (310) 376-3550 or visit the website at cancersupportredondobeach.org.
109 West Torrance Blvd., Redondo Beach.
Saturday, September 16
Frankly Speaking About Lung Cancer
Cancer Support Community Redondo Beach (CSCRB) hosts Ronald Natale,
MD, Medical Director of the Clinical Lung Cancer Research Program,
Cedar-Sinai Medical Center. This workshop will cover the latest treatments
for lung cancer, side effects, and tools to overcome the social and emotional
challenges of the diagnosis, and manage the disease more successfully. Advance
registration required. 10 a.m. - noon. Advance registration required.
Call (310) 376-3550 or visit cancersupportredondobeach.org.
109 West Torrance Blvd., Redondo Beach.
Tuesday, September 19
Diabetes and you
Do you have prediabetes? Learn to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.
Join Long Beach Memorial for a prediabetes education class led by certified
diabetes instructors and physical therapists who will discuss sustaining
good eating habits, exercise and the relationship between obesity and insulin
resistance. Friends and family are welcome. Light refreshments will
be served. To RSVP or for more information, call (562) 933-5043. 5:30 – 8
p.m. Conference Room A2, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long
Beach.
2801 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach.
Hanna Somatic Movement Therapy
Cancer Support Community Redondo Beach (CSCRB) will host Farzaneh
Jafari, PhD, yoga therapist, and Hanna Somatic educator. In this active participation
workshop, Jafari will teach restorative exercises using Somatic
Movement Therapy to increase flexibility, reduce pain levels, and address
ineffective body movement patterns. 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Advance registration
required. Call (310) 376-3550 or visit cancersupportredondobeach.org.
109 West Torrance Blvd., Redondo Beach.
Wednesday, September 20
Health & Wellness Fair
The Normandale Recreation Center invites adults age 55 years and older
to attend a free Health & Wellness Fair for the Los Angeles community.
The event is sponsored by Humana, a leading health and well-being company,
which aims to help people achieve lifelong well-being and has had a
presence in California since 1984. 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Normandale Recreation
Center. For questions and information call (213) 485-8744.
22400 S. Halldale Ave., Torrance.
Prostate Cancer Workshop: Integrated Care
Redondo Beach (CSCRB) will host an integrated team of specialists from
the Cedar-Sinai Urologic Oncology Program. A team of specialists from
different medical and scientific disciplines will share ground-breaking research
in the area of prostate cancer. Timothy Daskivich, MD, Edwin
Posadas, MD and Mitchell Kamrava, MD will be providing information
across the spectrum from active surveillance to the newest drugs for advanced
prostate cancers. 5 - 6:30 p.m. Advance registration is required.
Call (310) 376-3550 or visit cancersupportredondobeach.org.
109 West Torrance Blvd, Redondo Beach.
Parenting in a digital world
What apps are on your child’s phone? What social media are they using?
What age should a child have a smart phone? Digital technology is an excellent
tool to make and enhance social relationships, however, it can also
expose users to risk. Join South Bay Families Connected for this free parenting
event 6:30 - 8 p.m in the Hermosa Valley School MPR. Adults only.
1645 Valley Dr Hermosa Beach. B
30 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

Mermaid Linden in the Bahamas. Photo by Matthew Addison
Pioneering professional mermaid Linden Wolbert looks to the future, with Body Glove in tow
The waters of Loch Lomond dipped to a hypothermic 47 degrees as
the world’s foremost professional mermaid glided into view, sporting
an elegant, 50-pound silicone tail, and little else. Waiting on the shore
in happy anticipation was a seriously ill, 9-year-old Scottish girl, who had
drawn the golden-haired mermaid from the congenial waters of her Southern
California home.
The visit, arranged to fulfill a dear wish of the Scottish girl, marked one
of many interactions between “Mermaid Linden” Wolbert and the two central
loves that propel her, the ocean and children.
Wolbert pioneered professional-quality mermaid performances in the
early part of the millennium, parlaying her deep-diving athleticism, a fishrealistic
tail with a monofin inside, and copious personal charm into a
wildly successful business.
For more than a decade her schedule has overflowed with performances
at fancy rooftop parties, baby showers, weddings, corporate events and
trade shows as she cavorts in aquariums, the ocean, various bodies of freshwater,
cramped, rented water tanks, and of course people’s swimming
pools, where she frequently tows children in her wake.
This Saturday, Wolbert will swim and pose for photos with kids in the
pool at Dive N’ Surf.
Throughout, her course remains set upon educating kids, in fun, bite size
bits, about the ocean’s wonders. She blends this education into her appearances,
and spreads it further with “Mermaid Minute” YouTube videos that
collectively, have been viewed more than 40 million times.
“My focus is ocean education for children,” Wolbert said. “I’m not in the
entertainment business, I’m in the edu-tainment business.”
“Kids who are 7 or under believe in fairy tales, they believe in magic,”
Wolbert said. “Interacting with kids, especially in the water, is just amazing.”
Her work with organizations such as Make-A-Wish Foundation and Rays
of Sunshine Children’s Charity brought her to Lauren in Scotland, where it
was originally planned that she would swim in a tank.
“I looked out the window at Loch Lomond and I thought, wouldn’t a mermaid
come straight out of the loch? Wouldn’t that be more magical? And
the tank would have been cold anyway, so I just thought, cold is cold,” Wolbert
said.
“I came around from behind the dock, and it felt like a million knives
had stabbed my abdomen,” she said. After about 20 minutes in the glaciallyfed
loch, “Lauren looked down at me and she said, in her cute Scottish accent,
‘Are you alright Mermaid Linden? You have goose bumps all over and
you’re chattering.’
“That broke the spell and I could feel again. I just said ‘Well, it’s warmer
in California where I’m from.’ My internal thermostat was thrown off for
long time after that,” Wolbert said.
Wolbert also has played in the ocean, tail attached, with Caribbean reef
sharks that had to be attracted with bait to get them close enough to be
photographed near her. Otherwise, the sharks were afraid of this large,
unidentifiable half-human, half-fish.
32 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

“They’re really sweet as far as sharks go,” she said. “In fact they are scared
of me. With my tail, I’m about eight feet long. These sharks go on a hierarchy
of size.”
Along the way, Wolbert teamed with South Bay wetsuit maker Body
Glove to create a mermaid-themed line of children’s swim products, including
a monofin (one swim fin that both feet fit into), and a lightweight mermaid
tail that pairs with the monofins.
Mermaid-ing is not without its hardships. In the water, she smiles, chats
and interacts while making her tail-work look effortless, with the help of
her iron abs. She braves infections of the sinuses and ears, and bears the
sting of salts and chlorine on her ever-open eyes. If her feet cramp, she cannot
reach them, and she must soldier on smiling.
“Many things about mermaid-ing are extremely uncomfortable. Number
one is the eyes,” she said with a laugh. “Sometimes it’s the variety of water.
I’ve gone from a pool, to the ocean, to a freshwater cave in the same day.”
Wolbert has a gift for taking her work seriously, without taking herself
seriously. She peppers her speech with a “mer-nacular” of mermaid themed
words like mer-chandise and mer-media. She counts her money in sand
dollars.
Her watery way
Wolbert grew up in landlocked Pennsylvania, swimming in pools and pretending
to be Disney’s “Little Mermaid.” She read books about the oceans,
and watched TV specials featuring famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau.
She competed on her high school swim team.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in film and environmental science from
Emerson College in Boston, and climbed into scuba gear to film underwater
in the oceans that she was drawn to like, well, a mermaid.
She began her transformation into a fully formed mermaid in 2005, while
at Grand Cayman filming competitive freediving.
Wolbert’s personal bests included a 115-foot deep dive on one breath,
and a five-minute stretch of holding her breath underwater.
“It’s an extreme sport, but it’s a Zen extreme sport,” she said. “It involves
relaxing and understanding one’s body.”
“This shoot in the Caymans marked the first time I had seen freediving
in the ocean. I was fascinated at seeing people use monofins and moving
so gracefully in the water, and so ‘e-fish-ently.’ I was in SCUBA gear, and
here were these beautiful freedivers with monofins.”
Wolbert couldn’t resist asking world champion Mandy-Rae Cruickshank
for a loan of her gear.
“I said, when you’re done setting your world record can I try out your
monofin?” Wolbert recalled. “Fortunately, she said yes. I went off the back
of the boat and it was so fast, it felt so good. When I came up I looked and
– wow, the boat is way back there. I felt like a mermaid.”
“I loved it, and I knew there was something in this, that I could parlay
this into a way to educate children about the ocean. Coming back from that
trip, I knew I had to make a [mermaid’s] tail around a monofin.”
There was no clear path to this goal.
“There weren’t any tutorial videos about how to make a mermaid tail,”
Wolbert said. She considered using hand-sewn fabric or specially painted
wetsuit material, but those options didn’t hold water.
“I wanted it to look real,” she said. “When I want to do something, I don’t
just dip my fins in, I dive in all the way.”
It was then that serendipity struck.
A friend introduced Wolbert to a man who wanted to make an underwater
music video. The man turned out to be Hollywood special effects artist
Allan Holt, who wound up helping her put together the elusive tail.
“I’m charmed,” she said. “When I have ideas, the sea stars seem to align
for me.”
“Over about seven months, we built my first prosthetic silicone mermaid
tail. It’s still with me, although it’s mostly retired.” Holt made a fiberglass
mold that Wolbert still uses to make new silicon tails when an old one gets
worn. She strives for verisimilitude in her tails, employing careful biomimicry,
from color to fluke design.
“I had been saving up my sand dollars, and I quit my job [as a residence
director for the Emerson College intern program]. That was full time, with
health benefits and housing, but I quit and moved back home to start a
mermaid business.”
“As soon as we got my tail done I started doing live performances, and
the word got out through Hollywood, LA, San Diego.”
The mer-media loved her right away.
“I’ve been on 20/20, the Today Show, Good Morning America, People
magazine. I’ve never sought any of it out, it always found me,” Wolbert
said. “I listen to my heart, I’m enthusiastic, and I tend to be in the right
place at the right time.”
A fit like a Glove
Wolbert teamed up with Body Glove after meeting company president
Mermaid Linden swims with a child wearing her signature Mix N' Match mermaid tail and monofin set. Photo by Reuben E. Reynoso

310-376-0521
AAA Travel 700 S. Aviation Blvd.
Manhattan Beach, CA. 90266
Mermaid Linden at Dean's Blue Hole, the world's second deepest sinkhole,
at 663 feet. This is the site of Linden's 115 feet (35 meters) free dive. Photo
by Greg Browning
Russ Lesser, a fellow board member with the ocean-protecting Reef
Check Foundation.
“I had watched her career, and saw how passionate she is about educating
kids about our environment and the ocean,” Lesser said. “We were talking
one day, and I said, you’re really becoming popular — she had huge
hits on YouTube and on her website — and we ought to think about developing
some products around you.”
The children’s monofin, with a special mermaid-tail look, was designed
and made. The product took off.
“Now there are hundreds of thousands of pairs sold each year. They’re
not just toys, they’re trainers. Have you seen [Wolbert’s] abs?” Lesser said.
“A couple of years ago we were at the Manhattan Country Club, filming
something. There was this 25-year-old macho swim instructor, and I said
hey, do you think you can beat the Mermaid in a race? He laughed, he
seemed to think it was a waste of his time, and then she beat him by a
third of the pool. He’s a little more humble now.”
Body Glove followed the monofin with the full, lightweight Lycra mermaid
tail for kids.
Kids wearing the monofin “still looked like they had legs,” Lesser said.
“Linden and I designed a Lycra tail. It took about a year to make it durable.
We worked with the L.A. factory so that’s great, they’re made domestically.”
“I sent some to a friend who has daughters. He said they’ve basically
ceased to use their legs in the way we’re used to them,” Lesser laughed.
Throughout Wolbert’s mermaid career, the industry has mushroomed
around her.
“When I started, there were some mermaid shows, with choreographed
routines, but nobody was doing education for kids with their shows,” she
said. “Now there are tons of amateur mermaids and mermen. There are
performance companies. The trend has exploded. There are tail manufacturers.
The underwater landscape has changed a great deal.”
Meanwhile, Wolbert’s 37-year-old eyes gaze to the horizon.
“There’s a shelf life on mermaid-ing. You can’t swim around forever in
a 50-pound tail. I’ve been doing this for over a decade,” she said.
Wolbert has begun work to expand her ocean videos into a 30-minute
children’s education show that she hopes to make available soon on an online
platform, showing “the magical creatures of our ocean, the beauty
below the waves that most people never get to see, firsthand.”
And she continues to work on the mer-chandise with Body Glove.
“We have monofins and tails for adults coming out next year, which
makes it more inclusive. I get emails from women and men asking for this.
We’re perfecting the designs, making them mer-fect for aspiring mermaids
and mermen."
Lesser said adults should be flipping their fins and flicking their tails by
April.
Linden Wolbert’s website is mermaidsinmotion.com; her YouTube channel is
mermaidsinmotion. B
34 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

September 14, 2017 • Easy Reader / Beach magazine 35

each food
TASTING AND TIPPLING
at Bite at the Beach
The Manhattan Chamber breathed new life into tasting and tippling
events three years ago by emphasizing craft beers rather than wine at
its annual Bite at the Beach. This year’s Bite at the Beach was held August
19 on the streets of New York at the MBS Media Campus. It helped
that the South Bay is home to a dozen of the country’s best craft breweries.
Participating breweries included HopSaint, King Harbor, Strand,
The Dudes, Zymurgy Brew Works and newcomer Los Angeles Ale
Works. Food pairings were offered by local restaurants, who included
Baran’s 2239, Sausal, Zinc at the Shade, Second Story at Belamar, I-Naba,
Fresh Brothers Pizza and Playa Hermosa.
1. Bartender Jeff Perperas and brewmaster
Brian Brewer, HopSaint.
2. Kristie Bjorklund and Laura Valley, King
Harbor Brewing.
3. Calvin Segovia and Henry Gonzalez, Fresh
Brothers Pizza.
4. Brian Herbertson, Simmzy's.
5. Shun Hosoi, I-Naba, Manhattan Beach.
6. Mark Lipps, Manhattan Chamber CEO.
PHOTOS BY KEVIN CODY
7. David Bulzkowski, So. Cal Gas VP of Gas
Engineering and Major Projects.
8. Chef Tyler Gugliotta, Baran's 2239.
9. Sheena Mariano, Second Story, Belamar
Hotel.
10. Bruna Franke, Lido di Manhattan.
11. Barry and Kathy Fisher, Grow.
12. Steve Roberts, HopSaint and Clarity
Mackay and Billy Lansing, Playa Hermosa.
1
2 3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11
12
36 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

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23001 Hawthorne Bl., Suite 205, Torrance, CA 90505

food
Hostaria Piave owner and chef Angelo Calderan.
Photo by Brad Jacobson (CivicCouch.com)
The subtle Venetian
by Richard Foss
Hostaria Piave’s
Venetian finesse is a
welcome contrast
to southern Italy’s
more brazen flavors
If you look at a map of Italy you see Venice at the very eastern edge. Any
Venetian knows that it was once at the center. In the sixteenth century when
the rest of Italy was a patchwork of warring states, Venice was the second
largest city in Europe and by far the richest. The government known as the
Serene Republic ruled their domain shrewdly, planted colonies all over the
Eastern Mediterranean, and controlled the spice trade for most of Europe.
If you give cooks a few hundred years of access to the world’s spices and a
public that can afford them, they get pretty good at subtle seasoning, and it is
that characteristic that Venetian cooking is most noted for. Cuisines further
down the peninsula use garlic and pepper more enthusiastically. The Venetians
prize finesse.
Italian migration to the U.S. was mostly from the Southern regions, and
Venetian cuisine is relatively little known here. The lone outpost in the
South Bay is Hostaria Piave, a stylish restaurant near the corner of PCH and
Torrance Boulevard. The restaurant was opened by Angelo Calderan, a Venice
native who worked at prestigious restaurants in London and Beverly Hills before
opening in Redondo in 2011.
When I reviewed the restaurant in 2012 I remarked on the understated décor,
38 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

mix of rustic and refined dishes, and the way the menu sometimes uses
fairly obscure terms in the descriptions. None of these have changed substantially,
but improvements in web access on mobile phones have made
it easier to look up obscure terms. Even so we appreciated the fact that
servers here know this cuisine and explain it well.
We started one meal with starters of smoked beef carpaccio with mushrooms
and smoked albacore with salsa verde, a mix of herbs, anchovy,
onion, and olive oil. Pairing the two smoked items turned out to be a great
idea. They were remarkably different despite the similarity in concept.
The thin slices of raw albacore had a wisp of sharp smoke flavor that was
enhanced by the fruity olive oil and a dusting of sea salt, with the salsa occupying
the same niche as the ginger and scallion topping that is used in
sushi. By contrast, smoking the beef slightly and topping it with sautéed
shimeji mushrooms and Parmesan cheese enhanced the richness of the
meat, which used earthy, funky flavors as counterpoint. (And in case you
wonder why shimeji mushrooms are in an Italian restaurant, they’re similar
to an Italian mushroom that doesn’t travel well.) The two dishes
showed how smoke can enhance the main ingredient in different ways,
and I suggest that you repeat the experiment.
We followed those starters with a pair of pastas, a plate of linguini with
pesto, green beans, and potatoes and an order of pasticcio, which is the
Adriatic equivalent of lasagna. Pasticcio is usually seen in Greek restaurants,
but since the Venetians ruled much of Greece at various times it’s
no surprise that there are culinary crossovers. The layers of noodles are
interspersed with béchamel sauce and a mixture of ground beef, pork, and
ham. It’s an interesting variant on the familiar theme.
The pasta with pesto, potato, and green beans was the only item from
this meal that we wouldn’t order again, and it wasn’t bad, just less revelatory
than the others. It’s a fine, simple item, one of several that vegetarians
can enjoy here, but less interesting than the others we tried.
Since we had ordered two starters and pastas we shared one main item,
roasted rabbit legs with house-smoked pancetta in a sauce made with a
touch of veal stock. Rabbit is a low-fat meat that is easy to dry out, and the
moist, rich meat on these plump legs was proof of art in the kitchen. The
plate came with a neat stack of fried zucchini on the side, and we barely
had room for a shared dessert afterward.
That was a lemon-basil tart with a few drops of balsamic vinegar on the
side. It was a thought-provoking item. Basil and lemon are showing up in
cocktails and other non-traditional places lately, but I don’t often see it in
a dessert setting. I’ll be playing with it in different recipes now, because it
certainly worked well here.
If you’re buying wine by the bottle here you have some remarkable
choices, including Brunellos from the early ‘90s, a splendid list of California
Cabernets, and a Champagne list that made me wish for an expense account
and a chauffeur. The wine by-the-glass list is less spectacular but
has some relatively obscure items alongside old favorites. I particularly
liked a minerally, fruity Lugana that ran eleven bucks for a generous pour.
Trust your server and ask for tastes and you can discover something new
here.
As pleasant as my midweek dinner at Hostaria Piave was, the best day
to show up here is Sunday, when they offer a five course meal for only
$40 plus tax and tip. At a recent Sunday supper this included antipasti,
braised baby octopus in paprika sauce, red beet raviolis in poppy seed butter,
grilled sausage and pork ribs with rosemary and garlic, and gelato for
dessert. This is the great dining deal of the South Bay and if you are omnivorous
you should stop in and be surprised. All others can check that
week’s menu, which is posted on their website a few days in advance. I
enjoyed everything at that meal, and will be watchful for those beet ravioli
on the specials list because they were sensational.
Dinner at Hostaria Piave is moderately priced for the area – pastas run
from $13 to $21, grills and mains from $25 to $33, and a dinner for two
with a glass or two of wine will typically run about $130. For the experience
of an unjustly obscure region of Italy, cooked by a master, it’s well
worth it.
Hostaria Piave is at 231 South PCH in Redondo. Open Mon. - Thurs. 4 –
9 p.m., Fri. - Sat. 4 –10 p.m., Sun 5 – 9 p.m. Parking lot, patio dining. Wheelchair
access good, wine and beer served, corkage $20. Menu at
hostariapiave.com. (310) 374-1000. B
September 14, 2017 • Easy Reader / Beach magazine 39

each art
SURFBOARDS AS CANVASES
at HB Artists Collective
Rafael McMaster curated an end of summer show at Hermosa Design featuring
over 50 artists, most of them members of the HB Artist Collective. “Resin: at the intersection
of art and surf” tilted toward surf art, with surfboards as a popular canvas.
For more about the collective visit HBArtistCollective.org.
1. Jeff Ferger.
2. Grayson Daley.
3. Andre Snyman.
4. Board shaper Tyler Hatzikian and
photographer Brent Broza.
PHOTOS BY KEVIN CODY
5. Paul Roustan.
6. Curator Rafael McMaster and Paul
Rostan with Roustan’s art.
7. Emily Brantley.
1 2 3
4 5
6 7
40 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

S O U T H B AY
CAL ENDAR cont. from page 6
to events@pagesabookstore.com or call
(310) 318-0900.
Monday, September 18
Calling young artists
Beginning drawing class for teens
and adults with Ray Patrick. Free. 6 - 8
p.m. Manhattan Beach Library, 1320
Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach. Call
Melissa McCollum for information at
(310) 545-8595 or visit colapublib.org.
Wednesday, September 20
A leisurely bird walk
Wild Birds Unlimited leads a special
bird walk. Free. All ages are welcome.
Binoculars available. Reservations appreciated
but not required. 8:30 a.m.
White Point Nature Preserve, 1600 W.
Paseo del Mar, San Pedro. For more information
visit: pvplc.org.
Erev Rosh Hashanah
High Holy Day at Temple Emet with
Rabbi-Cantor Didi Thomas. 7:30 p.m.
2051 W. 236th St., Torrance. For questions
call (310) 316-3355 or visit templeemet.org.
Saturday, September 23
Community Yoga
Enjoy free community yoga at Prana,
at The Point. All ages and skill levels.
9 - 10 a.m. 850 S. Sepulveda Blvd., El
Segundo. For more details call (310)
469-7765 or visit the website thepointsb.com.
B
Bobko cont. from page 27
“The most sobering and unexpected thing we learned from the mock
trial was that many jurors wanted to punish the city for what it had done,”
Bobko wrote. “Yes, ‘punish.’ The jurors used that word.”
Bobko revealed some highlights of the mock trial as he delivered Hermosa’s
annual State of the City address, but he said that single high-profile
speech was not enough.
“I wish [DiVirgilio] and I had gone on a traveling roadshow through our
district to educate our constituency” about the ins and outs of the settlement,
he wrote, instead of finding themselves at the mercy of someone
else’s narrative.
“Half the job is doing your job, the other half is telling people what
you’ve done.”
He said a separate book could be written about his political alliance with
DiVirgilio, a former aide to Democratic Representative Jane Harman.
“He’s a California Democrat through and through. He lives it. He’s been
a vegan as long as I’ve known him, he has no TV in his home, his wife
runs a yoga studio, he rides a bus to work, he’s had a Prius for 15 years,
and I’m a conservative guy who was in government to have less of it,”
Bobko said.
“Michael is a decent guy and I trust him,” Bobko said. “Whatever he was
doing, there was always a principle behind it.”
Bobko’s greatest success by acclaim, the spearheading of a $4.3 million
reconstruction of iconic Pier Avenue into a decorative, pedestrian-friendly
street, did not make it into his
book. He said the capital project
did not serve to illustrate the
book’s main themes.
“I had some mentions of it in the
first draft, but there wasn’t a readily
extractable lesson from that…
even though it was transformative
to the city and, I think, sparked a
lot of changes in some of the businesses,”
he said.
Since publication of “Nine Secrets,”
Bobko finds himself fielding
questions about another run for a
City Council seat.
“I have no immediate plans to
run again,” he said. “If the opportunity
arises, and it’s the right
thing to do, I would be open to it.
People have asked, and it’s flattering,
but it’s probably not something
I’ll do again.”
Nine Secrets for Getting
Elected,” 258 pages, is available
through Amazon. B
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2013

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HOME &
GARDEN GUIDE
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4203 Spencer St., Torrance, CA 90503
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Appointment Recommended
Showroom Hours: Monday Thru Friday 10-5
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42 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

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HOME &
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44 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • September 14, 2017

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September 14, 2017 • Easy Reader / Beach magazine 45