Peninsula People Sept 2017

September 2017 • Peninsula 3

THINKING OF MOVING TO THE PENINSULA? 

We affectionately call it The Hill 

Let me conduct a tour of the Palos Verdes 

Peninsula, consisting of four incorporated 

cities, two unincorporated areas, one annexed 

area. Building requirements 

consider lot coverage, air space, views, 

privacy, and neighborhood compatibility. 

We call it “The Terraced Land”. 

Let me show you why. 

• “A Village”, parklands, open space, no congested 

cities, traffic, or parking meters 

• Thirteen micro-climates from which to choose 

• Views are common here: Mighty Pacific, City 

Lights, Pastoral, Ocean Cliffs and Coves, 

Canyons, LA Harbor and most are without 

power lines! 

• Public schools are rated Top 10 - website: 

www.pvpusd.k12.ca.us 

• Three High Schools, Three Intermediate Schools, 

11 neighborhood Elementary Schools, transitional 

Kindergarten. Highly rated Private Schools 

• Two nearby beaches off the beaten track, tide pools 

• Four Golf Courses, Tennis Clubs, Athletic Clubs 

• Active Peninsula Senior Center, Three beautiful 

Public Libraries 

• Horseback Riding Stables, Ice Skating Rink, 

Sports Parks (soccer, baseball), Toddler Parks, 

Dog Park, countless Hiking/Walking Trails 

• Norris Theatre for Palos Verdes Performing Arts, 

Palos Verdes Art Center 

• Regal 13 Cinema, plenty of easy parking, seating 

• 45 minutes to LAX (in traffic) 

• Three major hospitals within a 15-minute drive 

• HOMES IN EVERY PRICE RANGE AND LOCATION 

Interested yet? Let me show you around. Resident 

since 1977 and a Certified Palos Verdes Specialist 

P.S. Neighbors, any additions to brag about? 

Just email me. 

LINDA CAVETTE, Realtor Lic. 01294734 

Coldwell Banker Palos Verdes and Beach Cities 

(310) 544-8455 LKCavette@aol.com 

www.LindaCavette.com 

PENINSULA 

Volume XXII, Issue 2 

September 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 

Jumpstart CEO David Lord. 

Photo by David Fairchild 

PROFILES 

20 

Lord of Jumpstart 

by David Mendez David Lord’s computer games are 

designed to do more than entertain and now have over five 

million monthly users. Next up, China. 

26 Produced and then published 

by Bondo Wyszpolski Peninsula novelist Jennifer Irwin’s 

controversial, but unpublished novel is soon to be a major 

motion picture. 

32 Peninsula paradiso 

by Stephanie Cartozian Jean and Charles Shriver made 

an offer for an Italian villa that wasn’t for sale. Four years later 

the owners responded to their offer. 

58 

San Pedro soul food 

by Richard Foss Chef Dustin Trani’s family’s restaurants 

have nourished the soul of San Pedro for nearly a century. 

62 Schwartz’s baby 

by Esther Kang Over the past three decades, Dr. Jerry 

Schwartz has led the ongoing technological innovations at Torrance 

Memorial’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. 

65 

De-stress the start of school 

by Dr. Greg Allen The start of a new school year can lead to 

stress for both kids and parents. Talking about it helps. 

HIGHLIGHTS 

8 Stormstock Woodstock revival 

12 Jester & Pharley 

16 Harbor Interfaith 

DEPARTMENTS 

39 Peninsula calendar 

66 Peninsula health guide 

68 Around and about 

73 Home services 

STAFF 

EDITOR 

Mark McDermott 

PUBLISHER 

Stephanie Cartozian 

PUBLISHER EMERITUS 

Mary Jane Schoenheider 

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER 

Richard Budman 

DISPLAY SALES 

Tamar Gillotti, 

Amy Berg, 

Shelley Crawford 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Teri Marin 

ADVERTISING 

DIRECTOR 

Richard Budman 

ADVERTISING 

COORDINATOR 

Teri Marin 

GRAPHIC DESIGNER 

Tim Teebken 

FRONT DESK 

Judy Rae 

DIRECTOR OF 

DIGITAL MEDIA 

Daniel Sofer (Hermosawave.net) 

CONTACT 

MAILING ADDRESS 

P.O. Box 745 

Hermosa Beach, CA 

90254-0745 

PHONE 

(310) 372-4611 

FAX 

(424) 212-6780 

WEBSITE 

www.easyreadernews.com 

EDITORIAL 

PenPeople@ 

easyreadernews.com 

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displayads@ 

easyreadernews.com 

Please see the Classified Ad 

Section for info. 

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STATEMENTS (DBA’S) 

can be filed at the 

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business hours. 

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Peninsula is a supplemental 

publication of Easy Reader, 2200 

Pacific Cst. Hwy. #101, PO Box 427, 

Hermosa Beach, CA. 90254-0427. 

SUBSCRIPTIONS 

Yearly domestic mail subscriptions 

to Peninsula are $80, foreign $100 

payable in advance. The entire 

contents of Peninsula are copyrighted 

2017 by Peninsula People, 

Inc. 

6 Peninsula • September 2017

TUESDAY 

August 29th @ 6:30 pm 

5 Sauces You 

Need to Know 

VisitCustomDesign.com 

for a complete list of our 

Complimentary 

Remodeling Seminars 

TUESDAY 

September 12th @ 6:30 pm 

The Source Café 

TUESDAY 

October 24th @ 6:30 pm 

Build a Better 

Pasta Dinner

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

Stormstock 

A Woodstock Revival 

The Peninsula Committee Los Angeles Philharmonic held its newest 

fundraiser Stormstock, a Woodstock Revival, on a sprawling grass 

lawn in Rolling Hills, generously hosted by Claudia and Tom Grzywacz. 

The 240 guests dressed in bell bottoms, miniskirts with crazy flowered 

prints, long-haired wigs and tie-dyed T-shirts. Psychedelic art beckoned 

guests to a “selfie station.” The entertainment highlight of the evening 

was Andy and Renee and the Hard Rain Band with a little help from 

Chef Michael Shafer of Depot Restaurant. Andy and Renee took guests 

down memory lane with a sing along and dancing under the stars. The 

Peninsula Committee supports the LA Philharmonic and youth music 

education in the South Bay. 

PHOTOS BY PAT ZELT AND PROVIDED BY PCLAP 

1. David and Kei Benoit, Cheryl Graue 

and Lisa Zagha. 

2. Chef Michael Schafer singing along 

with the band. 

3. Elizabeth Burns and Dominique 

Claessens. 

4. Joellen Alflen and John McBeth. 

5. Greg and Natasha Finn. 

6. Dave Jones, Marian Hall, Tammy 

and Mark Tucker. 

7. Karen and Jeff Hogue. 

8. Chip and Pat Zelt, Dave and Debra 

Schinnerer. 

9. Sisters Claudia Grzywacz and 

Elizabeth Storm McGovern. 

10. Brian Higa, Tammy Tucker, 

Marian Hall and Dali Higa. 

11. Marian Duntley, Lu Takeuchi, 

Jane Beseda, Lisa Sierveld and Jann 

Feldman. 

12. Claudia Grzywacz, Daniela Garcia 

and Tom Grzywacz. 

13. Paula DiFiore (seated), Vivien 

Murtha and Sharon Guthrie. 

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4 5 6 

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11 12 13 



Jester and Pharley 

Create Joyful Phundraiser 

or the last 22 years, The Jester Has Lost His Jingle has given me strength 

“Fand courage,” said Jesse Hernandez. Now 27, Jesse told his story at The 

Jester & Pharley Phund Taste of the South Bay Soiree. “That book changed my 

life. You read the book to me when I was 5 at Miller Children’s Hospital in Long 

Beach,” he told Barbara Saltzman, mother of the late Palos Verdes author-artist 

David Saltzman. “Thank you for giving me hope then– and now.” The Phund’s 

founder read her late son’s book to Jesse shortly after its release in late October 

1995 and hadn’t seen him since. Hernandez’s mother Joann had been told her son 

wouldn’t live to be 8. The “Phundraiser” on July 21 at Alta Vista Park in Redondo 

Beach included the 5th Annual Jester Benefit Doubles Tennis Tournament and 

Food and Wine festival, sponsored by Big 5 Sporting Goods, Premier Bank of Palos 

Verdes and the Original Red Onion. Visit www.thejester.org for more information. 

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE JESTER AND PHARLEY PHUND 

1. Barbara Saltzman with Jesse 

Hernandez and Madison Radlein. 

2. Adam Jonas MD with wife 

Julie Noble MD. 

3. Joe Saltzman and Norman 

Panitch MD. 

4. Nickie Lennertz and son 

Harrison Lennertz. 

5. Susan Dalton, Denise Vega 

and Jennie Speciale. 

6. Richard Gridley, Brandon 

Stokes and Aime Claire Lager. 

7. Chair Heidi Grimm presents 

trophies to Janice Bittker and 

Michael Lopez. 

8. 1st Place Winners-Addie 

Soltani and Lanana Goldstein. 

9. 2nd Place Winners-Lou Stokes 

and Rebecca Clites. 

10. Aime Claire Lager swing. 

11. Heidi Grimm, Bob Oster, 

Larry Styza, Yaz Nakamoto and 

Deborah Ford. 

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Harbor Interfaith Services 

Amuse and news 

The South Bay Auxiliary of Harbor Interfaith Services 

produced its third annual Comedy and Magic Night 

fundraiser, netting over $80,000. The evening included 

comedians and magicians, food, drink, a silent auction 

and a raffle. Auction items included a 5 night stay in a 

Maui oceanfront vacation home and four VIP suite tickets 

to Clippers and Kings games at Staples Center. In an 

emotionally moving talk, a Harbor Interfaith client recalled 

how the agency helped her family. 

1 

2 

PHOTOS BY ALEX DEVIN 

1. Sheri Nikolakopulos, Kathy Siegel and Alex Nikolakopulos. 

2. Ann De Briere and Rev. Sunny Kang. 

3. John Hodge and Nanci Browning. 

4. Claudia Storm Grzywacz, Beth Burns, Teri Hogan and 

Margarita Schweisberger. 

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JumpStart CEO 

David Lord cuts 

loose in his 

Torrance office, 

with help from 

his JumpStart 

characters. 

Photo by 

David Fairchild

Lord goodGameS 

of 

For many years, David Lord’s morning routine was to walk from his 

Terranea condo to the trail along the ocean bluff and walk several miles 

listening to Boston sports radio over headphones. 

“Boston sports radio,” the New England native said after a moment, 

laughing in spite of himself. “I liked to get clarity on the sports scene, and 

I wouldn’t be able to check in all day,” said the Boston native and CEO of 

Torrance-based, education software developer JumpStart. 

The past season belonged to Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas, 

the 5-foot-8 basketball superstar who seemingly scored at will against much 

larger competition. 

“He’s a fighter, and that’s Boston at its core – just a bunch of dopey, working-class 

people. I’m the same way,” Lord said. “There are no blue bloods 

in our family.” 

Lord cashed in on a tech startup at the height of the late 1990s dot-com 

bubble, helped build a major ticket reseller, and most recently, helped lead 

JumpStart through a six-month-long acquisition negotiation with Chinabased 

game developer NetDragon. 

Lord is no longer living at Terranea, the sale to NetDragon closed this 

month and the youngest of his three daughters has moved out. But he isn’t 

slowing down. 

“I’m still hungry,” Lord said. 

Lord is the son of a factory worker. He spent his youth playing football 

and Lord graduated from Northeastern University with a B.S. in accounting. 

Through there, he found his way into tech. 

“After college, I went with a reengineering group, doing tech accounting,” 

Lord said. “The first eight to 10 years of my career led up to when the dotcoms 

were starting.” 

After a year of incubating the idea, Lord helped to found Toysmart, an e- 

commerce company that specialized in developing educational, or what 

Lord calls “good” toys, as opposed to Barbies and Hot Wheels. To keep 

prices down they marketed directly to consumers, rather than through retailers. 

But they had a problem. 

“I was there at the beginning, when you couldn’t convince investors that 

people would buy online,” Lord said. 

Fortunately for Lord, concerns that consumers wanted to touch what they 

bought and wouldn’t wait for a product to be shipped, passed. 

“It got to the point where we had term sheets (investment agreements) 

rolling in, each one with a $10 million higher valuation of the company 

than the one before it,” Lord said. “All the biggest leaders in [venture capitalism], 

everyone wanted to invest. It was an unbelievable time.” 

Those were the Wild West days of the web, when companies such as 

About.com, Yahoo and Pets.com were booming. New initial public offerings 

for companies were hitting the stock market every day, starting at $15 a 

share and increasing in value by 2,000 percent by day’s end. 

In August 1999, Disney bought a majority stake in Toysmart for $45 million. 

In May 2000, eight months after the acquisition, Toysmart shut its 

doors. The company lagged behind its contemporaries, eToys and Toys- 

RUs.com. Lord left Toysmart in August 2000. 

He worked for three years at Intel as the President/CEO of its New Business 

Ventures department. But the transition, he said, was rough. 

“Going from a start-up back to corporate…that was a punch in the nose, 

after working at a dot-com,” Lord said. 

In 2004, Lord began re-exploring the world of startups, and found an opportunity 

with Razorgator, a then-minor player in the nascent world of online 

ticket reselling. 

He began as a consultant while still working on the East Coast. At the 

time, the secondary ticket market was illegal in Massachusetts. 

“There were plenty of scalpers, but you couldn’t do it online and get away 

with it,” Lord said. “No one cared, but it wasn’t legal, so a corporation 

wasn’t going to work.” 

by David Mendez 

David Lord conquered the educational software markets in North and South America and Europe. Now he’s targeting China. 

Investors were eager to work with the company though. Razorgator drew 

interest from major venture capital firms, such as Kleiner Perkins Caufield 

& Byers, and Oak Investment Partners. 

“When you get a blue-chipper like that [backing you], you have to go for 

it,” Lord said. He and his family moved to Agoura Hills. Within four years, 

the annual sales hit $150 million and it became the official ticket reseller 

for the NCAA. 

“Our first big event was the Rose Bowl — and it happened to be the USC 

vs. Texas Rose Bowl,” Lord said. 

The game was an instant classic, a 41-38 shootout between star quarterbacks 

Matt Leinart, of USC, and Vince Young, of the University of Texas. 

The game’s final scoring play, with 19 seconds left on the clock, sealed a 

three-point victory for Texas at one of college football’s most historic venues. 

And though the loss was hard for the newly-minted Californians, Razorgator 

was thrilled with the association. 

But Lord was unhappy. He and Razorgator’s investors had irreconcilable 

difference of opinion over the company’s future. Time with his family over 

the holidays in 2007 led him to move on. 

“I hate seeing you so miserable – why’re you doing this?” Lord recalled 

his father saying. “You should consider other things.” 

Four months later, in April 2008, Lord joined JumpStart. 

It was a natural fit for Lord. He was able to apply lessons learned and relationships 

developed with Toysmart. He brought his team from Razorgator 

along with him. 

“It goes back to those days at Toysmart — we called it ‘good toys,’ and it 

felt like we did something worth doing,” Lord said. 

He and his team were focused on making learning fun for kids, building 

on their Knowledge Adventure, JumpStart and Neopets brands. 

Jumpstart now has over five million monthly users in North and South 

America, Europe, Oceania and Asia. 

Key to the company’s success was building a partnership with Dreamworks, 

that allowed JumpStart to build the “School of Dragons” series 

around Dreamworks’ “How to Train Your Dragon” franchise. 

The demographics served by “School of Dragons” are unusual: Ages 7-13 

make up 50 to 55 percent of the player base. The rest is made up by players 

aged 13-25. 

“People get associated with a brand at age 10 and they stay loyal to it,” 

Lord said. “It’s an interesting phenomenon.” 

Just as interesting is getting feedback on the way kids interact with their 

games. The “Dragons” games are based on the scientific method: pose a hypothesis, 

test it, interpret the results and duplicate the results. 

“We got the perfect review: a kid wrote ‘I was having so much fun, until 

I realized I was learning.’” Lord recalled. “We checked, and the kid had been 

playing for six months. It just clicked.” 

New owner NetDragon focuses on mobile application development and 

online multiplayer gaming. The company offers JumpStart the opportunity 

to move from selling solely to consumers to working with schools. 

JumpStart, he said, has the opportunity to become the biggest educational 

brand in China, where education providers must be approved by the government. 

“No one is doing what we’re doing over there,” Lord said. “The gaming 

market is unbelievable and NetDragon has an incredible portfolio.” 

Lord is staying on as CEO of JumpStart, where his daughter who just 

moved out will be joining him and her older sisters. 

Having kids, Lord said, is the perfect training for being a CEO. “You’re 

always sleeping with one eye open,” he explained. 

Though still hungry, his goals have changed. 

“I’m in a different place than I was five years ago. I like mentoring. Watching 

them be successful is awesome,” Lord said. “I don’t base success on revenue 

and losses anymore. But people, that’s what matters.” PEN 

September Month Year 2017 • Peninsula • Peninsula People 21

Sexand the 

Singular 

Girl 

Jennifer Irwin. Photo by Bondo Wyszpolski 

by Bondo Wyszpolski 

Jennifer Irwin wrote about a sex addict, and her novel will soon be a film 

The road to becoming a published author has changed dramatically in 

just one or two decades. The Internet now provides endless opportunities 

for anyone with chutzpah to get their manuscript noted, increasing 

the chances of seeing it into print. With a unique angle or storyline, 

and a gift for self-promotion, writers can draw attention to themselves and, 

if truly fortunate, their book-to-be will generate a buzz before it’s even 

boxed up and shipped out. 

Jennifer Irwin has navigated herself into that enviable position. The film 

rights to her novel, “A Dress the Color of the Sky,” have been bought for 

$250,000, despite the book still in its final edits. 

As the saying goes, Timing is everything. The Palos Verdes resident 

showed her manuscript to an agent who also lives locally. As Irwin recounted 

it, he told her, “Your book is very of-the-moment because it has a 

flawed female character who does bad things but you can root for her.” 

What sort of bad things? Book Reader Magazine, an online publication, 

ran a brief Q&A with a synopsis, the gist of the latter being like this: “Prudence 

Aldrich, wife and mother, pulls up her jeans in the miniscule bathroom 

after yet another random sexual encounter… After several dangerous 

liaisons, Prue’s therapist advises her to get serious help. Her diagnosis: sex 

addict.” 

It’s an attention-getter, all right. Prudence checks herself into the Serenity 

Hills rehab center for a five-week stay, her contract stipulating that she is 

to abstain from all sexual relations, and she is even forbidden to have or 

perhaps to nurture sexual thoughts (yeah, good luck with that). Five weeks? 

I’m reminded of Wing-Foot’s comment on fasting in Jorge Amado’s “Shepherds 

of the Night”: “Without food, drink, and a woman, nobody could live. 

True, there were men who could go for a month without a woman; he had 

heard tell of them.” 

The novel has an elegant and poignant title, and the story edges back and 

forth between Prue’s stint in rehab and her life as a child and young 

woman, which will gradually lead the reader into an understanding of who 

Prudence is and how she ended up where she does. 

And, by the way, the book is about more than sexual addiction and abuse, 

but we’ll get to that later. 

I mentioned timing. Another factor that has helped propel the story is 

the resurgent interest in books and films about empowered women. Of particular 

note is Reese Witherspoon and her Hello Sunshine production company. 

Witherspoon was behind “Gone Girl” and “Wild” (both box office 

hits). Among other women-penned novels that Witherspoon has scooped 

up for potential films we find “Luckiest Girl Alive,” “Eleanor Oliphant is 

Completely Fine,” and “Something in the Water.” 

Although there is always the risk of market oversaturation, the people 

and the company who have acquired “A Dress the Color of the Sky” are 

banking on the continued viability of this genre, niche or trend. Now, if 

you’ve noticed me skirting around proper names and identities that’s because 

it’s all hush-hush for another month or so. The cat isn’t being let out 


of the bag just yet. But let’s take a 

step back and look at how Jennifer 

Irwin reached the point where she 

is today. 

Read it and rate it 

Something or Other Publishing 

holds an annual contest. “My book 

was the most voted on book in the 

history of this publishing contest,” 

Irwin said. What’s involved, however, 

is more than just a high vote 

tally. Contestants also have homework 

to complete. “Part of the 

homework was they taught you the 

importance of marketing and the 

importance of the author being extremely 

involved in promoting the 

book. Even if you publish with a big 

five publisher, they expect you to 

put the money they give you up 

front for the book and invest that in 

marketing. They taught me how to 

utilize and market on Twitter, they 

taught me how to get the right audience 

following you, and I found the 

author community on Twitter extremely 

supportive.” 

One may ask, supportive of what? 

since none of them have seen the 

book. What they’ve seen is a brief 

synopsis and excerpts of the reviews. 

Reviews? But how can that 

be? Irwin explained: 

“Early on I went to friends and 

people I knew who were big readers, 

and I asked them to read the 

manuscript, even in its earliest 

stages. And I was able to get reviews. 

On my website I have all 

these reviews that are just amazing. 

I would take snippets of the reviews 

on Twitter and use them for posts.” 

These reviews are also posted on 

Instagram and on Irwin’s Facebook 

page. 

“People see the review, or they see 

just a sentence, and they’re intrigued; 

and they want to know 

more about the book.” 

“A Dress the Color of the Sky” is 

being published by Glass Spider in 

the fall. 

“I have a list of bloggers and reviewers 

who have asked for advance 

copies, and they’re 

committed to [submitting] their reviews 

within 30 days because my 

book goes to pre-order in October. 

So, in September the reviews will 

come out from these really prominent 

book bloggers. That’s kind of a 

really important time for me.” Furthermore, 

Irwin noted, there are 

“hundreds of thousands of readers 

following these different bloggers.” 

She also pointed out that she’s 

been “marketing the book for two 

years,” which on the one hand can 

be seen as diligent and savvy, but 

more like hype on the other since 

there is no product, only a synopsis. 

But, as I said, the road to publishing 

(and being noticed) has drastically 

changed. New age, new tactics. 

Sex cells 

Irwin was raised in New York and 

attended Denison University where 

she earned a BA in Cinema. Actor 

Steve Carell was a classmate; Jennifer 

Garner and Hal Holbrook are 

alumni. While in college, Irwin 

wrote a screenplay. After graduation 

she worked in advertising and later 

married. Over the course of a 20- 

year marriage she and her husband 

had three sons, moved to Lunada 

Bay in about 2000 (all three children 

attended Palos Verdes High School), 

and eventually divorced. Irwin has 

been with her attorney boyfriend 

for six years now, in one of the 

winding housing tracts that overlooks 

Trump National Golf Club. 

Irwin retired from fulltime work 

after her third son was born, and a 

couple of years later became a Pilates 

instructor. “That was,” she said, 

“a good job for me to do and still be 

a mom. 

“Teaching private Pilates is like 

being a hairdresser; you hear a lot of 

stories. You share with them and 

they share with you, and I had all 

kinds of clients, not just PV moms. 

It got me interested in women and 

how they think and how they fall in 

love, and how some women choose 

the right man and some women 

don’t. Is that luck? Or does that 

have to do with your childhood or 

having a good father figure?” 

Irwin ceased writing after she 

married and began a family. But 

after her divorce she returned to 

some former ideas, “and a little bit 

is part of the screenplay that I wrote 

back in college. The story just got 

bigger and bigger and [began] taking 

on a life of its own. Whereas I’d 

started to write it to heal from my 

own pain and my own relationship, 

all of a sudden I was letting people 

read it and they were really encouraging 

me that there was something 

big there and that I should keep 

going with it.” 

Film rights to the book were sold 

“almost immediately” after Irwin 

won the publishing contest. One 

can again point to Reese Witherspoon 

because, after Irwin opened 

her Instagram account to the public, 

Witherspoon’s book club began following 

her online. It was around 


this time that the agent (the one who 

told Irwin, “Your book is very of-themoment”) 

informed her that Witherspoon’s 

production company “was 

looking for meaty roles of flawed female 

characters, whether likeable or 

not,” and snatching up the film rights. 

The stars must have been aligned, 

as they say, because Irwin then gave 

her manuscript to what in Hollywood 

is known as a private money investor, 

someone (or some group) with deep 

pockets who puts their money behind 

potential film projects. Presumably 

aware of the trend towards projects 

with strong or singular women at 

their center, this producer liked the 

gist of what she read and acted on her 

gut instincts. 

Irwin initially thought that what the 

private money investor wanted to purchase 

was merely an option on “A 

Dress the Color of the Sky.” Many 

books are optioned for film, and many 

books sit on shelves for a couple of 

years until the option runs out. Some 

of course do get made into films, just 

as some baby turtles do make it to the 

shoreline and into the water. 

“She said No, I don’t mean option, I 

mean purchase,” Irwin recalled. “I 

want to buy this manuscript for a feature 

film whether or not your book is 

ever published. I want the story.” 

Not to demean the novel in any 

way, but at that point it was the subject, 

the concept, the themes, that 

were the basis for the sale. 

Irwin was given a good faith deposit, 

which she invested in a writing 

coach. The manuscript evolved from 

having flashbacks to being linear, to 

again toggling between events past 

and present. 

“After I finished working with my 

writing coach I landed an agent in 

New York,” Irwin said, “which is 

every author’s dream.” Agent Karen 

Gantz also represents Alec Baldwin, 

who recently published his memoirs. 

Now, because the film rights have 

been sold, and because Irwin already 

has a following on social media, Gantz 

encouraged Irwin to go with a small 

publisher, ostensibly because the author 

would have more control over 

when the book would go to print. One 

Irwin cont. on page 60 

The cover of “A Dress the Color of the Sky,” forthcoming from author Jennifer Irwin, and 

soon to be made into a feature film. 


1 A N A C A PA 

ROLLING HILLS ESTATES - THE VANTAGE POINTE 

WWW.1ANACAPA.COM 

4 BEDS | 3.5 BATHS | 3286 SQ FT | 21,874 SQ FT LOT 

Ease into elegance in this unique French-country inspired home. Step into the 

stately dining area with impressive ceiling medallion and convenient wine room. 

The kitchen is pure decadence with modern appliances, granite countertops and 

upgraded backsplash. The comfortable family room and inviting living room boast 

rich hardwood floors and other artful details. Welcome your guests outdoors with 

a refreshing saltwater pool and outdoor living room with fireplace. This is living at 

a whole new level. 

Asking $3,100,000 

9 S A I L V I E W 


WWW.9SAILVIEW.COM 

4 BEDS | 2.5 BATHS | 3,660 SQ FT | 17,100 SQ FT LOT 

Fabulous one level graceful home welcomes you with generous hospitality. The formal 

living room’s high vaulted ceilings, custom fireplace and beautiful crown moldings 

lend a comfortable elegance situated next to the formal dining room. The 

kitchen boasts a spacious center island with granite counters, walk-in pantry, butler’s 

pantry and breakfast nook. Relax by the fireplace in the family room before leading 

your guests out to the ultimate entertaining patio with iridescent pool surrounded 

by a large grassy yard, outdoor barbecue and stone patio. Settle into the extremely 

large master suite with sitting area, walk-in closet and luxurious bath. Welcome 

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Asking $2,299,000 

GAYLEPROBST 

Re/Max Estate Properties 

310-977-9711 

CalBRE# 01137236 

A TRUSTED ADVISOR. 

CLOSE AT HAND 

“Preparation, turn-key real estate advice, 

September 2017 • Peninsula and the personal touch you expect.” 29

Peninsula paradiso 

The rear of the Shriver residence shows architraves or moulding around the windows characteristic of Italianate design. 

by Stephanie Cartozian 

Back in the early 1930s Frank Vanderlip’s 

attorney E.D. Levinson walked on these 

now worn paver stones leading to the front 

yard gardens and courtyard. 

The Italian villa wasn’t for sale. The Shrivers made an offer, anyway, with fortunate results. 

Charles and Jean Shriver waited four years to hear from a sealed bid 

they submitted in 1980 for a sprawling, Portuguese Bend compound. 

They came across the property on a class tour for new appraisers. 

The house was not for sale. The class was there to learn how to appraise. 

A friend of Jean’s had invited her to join the class for the day, so she could 

see the secluded home. Neither she nor her husband were in real estate. 

Jean was a Manhattan Beach librarian and Charles an engineer. They were 

living on Paseo Del Mar in Lunada Bay. 

Four years after the tour, the property owner, Seymour “Skip” Warner 

and his wife Virginia unexpectedly accepted the Shriver’s offer. The time 

was serendipitous. The Shrivers were about to begin a remodel of their 

residence. Instead, they moved into what Jean describes as her “dream 

family farmstead.” 

The Italianate residence was built for E. Douglas Levinson, the attorney 

for Peninsula founder Frank Vanderlip. Levinson’s wife never visited the 

property because it required taking a train from Los Angeles, then the Red 

Car to Redondo Beach and then a mule over the hill to the residence. 

In 1931, Levinson hired architect Gordon Kaufmann who, at the time, 

was also working on the Hoover Dam. Kaufmann’s other notable works 

include the Doheny Greystone Mansion, the Los Angeles Times building, 

Scripps College and the Santa Anita Park Clubhouse. 

Charles and Jean met in the late 1940s when he attended the then all 

male Princeton and she attended the then all female Vassar. Albert Einstein 

Photos by Tony LaBruno 

Jean and Charles Shriver in the home 

they’ve owned for over three decades. 


One of the two living rooms with a wood burning fireplace and original furnishings passed down from both sides of the Shriver family. 

The cornerstone of the home with the 

initials of the first owner, E.D. Levinson, 

dating back to 1931. 

lived in Jean’s neighborhood, where he attended the Institute of Advanced 

Studies, along with Robert Oppenheimer, the “Father of the Atomic Bomb.” 

Einstein planned to return to Germany but it was wartime, and his summer 

home had been taken over by the Nazis, so he stayed in the United States. 

“Einstein was a regular figure amongst us,” Jean said. “But I never spoke 

to him because what do you say to someone of such a grandiose, mathematical 

mind?” The town of Princeton was small at the time, with only 

about 10,000 residents. “Everybody knew each other,” said Jean, who authored 

a book about her famous neighbor, ”The Einstein Solution.” She 

also wrote a novel, “Mayflower Man,” about a teenage boy’s efforts to save 

the family farm. 

The Shrivers’ two story, 4,900 square foot, sprawling, Italian farmstead 

has seven bedrooms, two kitchens, two offices, two living rooms, four bathrooms, 

an attic and a basement. As you travel up the private, gravel road 

you hear the shrill screams of peacocks and the neighs of horses. The 

sweeping courtyard is flanked by Roman columns. During the holiday season, 

the courtyard is the venue for the annual Portuguese Bend Arty Party, 

which attracts hundreds of residents for wine and cheese and to enjoy local 

artisans’ wares. Horse stalls line the back of the courtyard. The Shrivers’ 

son Steve, an accomplished artist, recalled that during the filming of 

“Rumor Has It,” starring Kevin Costner and Jennifer Aniston, ”The set 

painters had so many tricks up their sleeves that they were able to transform 

objects in an instant to create a point in time.” They worked with 

A old crank pencil sharpener in Charles’s 

office, next to a 1930s photograph of the 

peninsula, in which the Shriver home 

is pictured. 


The courtyard entry to the Shriver home is flanked by columns. Projected eaves along 

the roofline are supported by corbels, common in Italianate architecture. 

Steve Shriver with a self portrait in his studio. 

paint and muddled graphite over conduit to make the bars in the stable appear 

rusted. During the filming of “A Walk in the Clouds,” starring Keanu 

Reeves and Debra Messing, Jean said, “The set designers spent 10 days 

preparing the property, including installing a pool in the courtyard and only 

seven days doing the actual filming. “We were thrilled. Anthony Quinn was 

here. He was old and funny.” 

Although it was exciting having celebrities on their property, “none of the 

movies were any good,” Jean said, candidly. 

Both Jean and Charles keep offices by the stables, each with an exterior 

entrance. Jean’s office has floor to ceiling shelves, teeming with books of 

every genre. Above her desk is a trap door leading to an attic with old, fabric 

and leather bound books, some with gold leaf letters. 

The family’s furnishings have been passed down from both sides of the 

families. Jean said that they have purchased maybe two pieces of furniture. 

Everything else is an heirloom with a provenance. A bathroom has the original, 

small teal tiles from the 1930s. There is a nod to history everywhere, 

including old photographs of the Peninsula, classic automobiles, renaissance 

style art of a medallion with the the Virgin Mary and Jesus (original to the 

exterior of the house) and even an old crank pencil sharpener affixed to the 

wall in Charles’ office. 

But not everything evokes the past. 

In Steve’s studio there is a large oil on canvas self portrait. “It’s not a typical 

self portrait,” he said. The portrait shows him under a freeway overpass, 

juggling eggs, naked. PEN 


The shaded path along the side of the home leads you to gardens and an idyllic natural pond. 


$23,450,000

PRICE 

REDUCTION 

QUEEN'S 

NECKLACE 

VIEWS 

NEW 

LISTING 

550 Silver Spur Rd. Suite 240, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90275

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. 

Saturday, August 26 

Annual Rummage Sale 

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Lots of garage, yard and estate sale items. 

Held in the “Family Life Center” room and upper patio area, directly opposite 

the parking lot. 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. 301 Avenue D, Redondo Beach. There is 

a parking lot opposite the church on Avenue D. For more information go to: 

sntandrews.org. 

Bee knowledgeable 

Join Nicole Palladino, Founder, Beequilibrium to celebrate National Honeybee 

Day. She will explain the importance of bees to the food chain. 11 a.m. 

at White Point Nature Education Center and Preserve. 1600 W. Paseo del 

Mar in San Pedro. Free. RSVP to (310) 541-7613 or go to: pvplc.org: Events 

& Activities/Whitepoint Presentations. 

Medicare 101 

Do you have questions about Part A, B, C, D, enrollment windows, cost sharing 

or “Extra Help”, the difference between Original Medicare, Medicare 

Advantage and Supplement Plans? Carol Clement, (CA License 0H80524) 

will answer all your questions. Sponsored by Palos Verdes Library District, this 

informational seminar is free and open to the public. 3 p.m. at the Peninsula 

Center Library Community Room. 701 Silver Spur Rd., Rolling Hills Estates. 

Questions? Please contact Mary Cohen at mcohen@pvld.org or 310-921- 

7519. Palos Verdes Library District, (310) 377-9584, pvld.org. 

Summer Music Series at Nelson’s 

Enjoy fantastic food, 

drinks, entertainment and 

scenery at Nelson’s Sunset 

Bluff every Saturday and 

Sunday throughout the 

summer. The culinary 

team will be offering po’ 

boy and beer pairings, as 

well as specialty Bluff 

cocktails. Gelato, 

smoothie, and nitro coffee 

available on Sundays. 

Saturdays 6 -10 p.m. Sundays 

1 - 5 p.m. For more information call (310) 265-2836 or go to: terranea.com/events. 

Sunday, August 27 

FRAMfest 

FRAM is the only competitive soccer club in Palos Verdes and has 50 competitive 

youth soccer teams with over 750 kids ranging in ages 7-18. This all 

day event will feature team booths, a coaches game, silent auction, dunk 

tanks and much much more! Nansen Field, 15 Hidden Valley Road, Rolling 

Hills Estates. For more information call (310) 418-3708 or email: 

admin@framsoccer.com. 

Garden Concert Series 

St. Luke’s third free Garden Concert features The Firebird Quintet and their 

repertoire that ranges from traditional Russian, Ukrainian and Eastern European 

songs, to well-known classics and original compositions. Come early to 

picnic in the lovely garden. During intermission, dessert and coffee are hosted 

by St. Luke’s. 5 - 7 p.m at 26825 Rolling Hills Road, Rolling Hills Estates. For 

more information call (310) 377-2825 M-F, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m or go to: stlukespres.com. 



eventcalendar 

Monday & Tuesday, August 28 & 29 

Calling All Singers 

Allan Robert Petker, Director of the Los Cancioneros Master Chorale, is holding 

auditions for the 2017 - 2018 season starting at 6 p.m. at Hope United 

Methodist Church, 3405 Artesia Blvd., Torrance. To make an appointment, 

contact Lorraine Pickus at (310) 377-4978 or email: auditions@lcmasterchorale.com. 

For more information go to: lcmasterchorale.com. 

Friday, September 1 

Seaside Beaders 

A special interest group of the Embroiderers' Guild of America. This meeting 

continues work on a miniature bead embroidered chair that is a pincushion 

and needle keep. Visitors are welcome. You can always bring your own project 

to work on. 9:30 a.m. St. Francis Episcopal Church, 2200 Via Rosa, Palos 

Verdes Estates. For more information, please call Idele (310) 540-6104 or 

visit www.azureverdeega.com. 

Saturday, September 2 

Coffee & Cars 

All Senior (55+) car hobbyists & enthusiasts - Bring your Hot Rod, Custom, 

Muscle Car, Sports Car, Antique, Classic, Exotic, or other Special Interest Car 

or Truck, or just yourself to this free event in the parking area between Starbucks 

and Burger King of the Peninsula Shopping Center. Meet and socialize 

with Peninsula Seniors members and guests, and other enthusiasts. First Saturday 

of every month from 7:30 to 9 a.m. 

Monthly Beach Clean-Up Day 

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium monthly Beach Clean-Up Day. Learn about coastal 

habitat, the growing amount of marine debris within it, and the benefits of 

protecting this ecosystem. Volunteers of all ages and abilities are welcome. 8 

to 10 a.m. 3720 Stephen M. White Drive, San Pedro. For additional information, 

group reservations, or to receive a calendar of events, call (310) 548- 

7562 or visit cabrillomarineaquarium.org. 

First Saturday Family Hike 

Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy at George F Canyon, 27305 Palos 

Verdes Dr. E, Rolling Hills Estates, 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. For more information, 

contact (310) 547-0862 or RSVP at: www.pvplc.org, Events & Activities. 

Outdoor Volunteer Day 

At Portuguese Bend Reserve, Ishibashi Trail, RPV., 9 a.m. – noon Help restore 

important wildlife habitat while looking out at a beautiful view! Sign up at 

pvplc.volunteerhub.com. 

Sea Salt Workshops at Terranea 

Explore Terranea by Land and Sea with an experience highlighting the resort’s 

farm-to-Terranea philosophy. Sea Salt Workshop attendees enjoy an intimate 

workshop, salt pairing, wine and learn about the resort’s salt harvesting 

process with Terranea’s award-winning chefs. The first Saturday of each month 

at 10 a.m. $70 per person, per workshop. The Sea Salt Conservatory is located 

adjacent to the Palos Verdes Ballroom Terrace. Ages 21 and up. Advance 

reservations required. For more information please call (310) 265-2885 

or go to: terranea.com/events. 

Bill Engvall at The Norris 

Palos Verdes Performing Arts opens the season with one of the country’s most 

popular comedians. Bill Engvall makes a stop at the Norris Theatre on his “Just 

Sell Him for Parts” tour. 8 p.m. 27570 Norris Center Drive, Rolling Hills Estates. 

Tickets $165 - $185. To purchase tickets, call the box office at (310) 

544-0403 or go to: palosverdesperformingarts.com. 


DAVID FAIRCHILD PHOTOGRAPHY 

"Its Like You’re There All Over Again" 

310-316-5547 WWW.DAVIDFAIRCHILDSTUDIO.COM 

eventcalendar 

Sunday, September 3 

Full Moon Hike 

At George F Canyon 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, 27305 Palos Verdes Drive East, Rolling Hills Estates. 

Ages 9 and up. $12 per person. For reservations (required) and time: 

pvplc.org, Events & Activities. 

Monday, September 4 

Labor Day Concert 

Enjoy the sounds in the beautiful South Coast Botanic Garden. The Palos 

Verdes Symphonic Band consists of about sixty musicians, including school 

music teachers, engineers, physicians, homemakers, as well as current and 

former professional and amateur instrumentalists. Concert starts at 5 p.m. Tickets 

available at the entrance. 26300 Crenshaw Blvd., Palos Verdes Peninsula. 

For more information call (310) 377-2442 or go to: pvsband.org. 

Wednesday, September 6 

Pen Seniors lecture series 

Local author Christopher J. Lynch talks about what he considers to be the 

“Greatest Adventures” of his life, the challenges, the perceptions and finally, 

the shattering of the word “dis-abilities”. Ongoing Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. 

Hesse Park, 29301 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes. For more information 

call (310) 377-3003 or go to: pvseniors.org. 

Full Moon Yoga 

In celebration of the full moon, yoga 

enthusiasts of all levels are invited to 

practice yoga under the warm summer 

night sky while the bright full 

moon shines above. Please bring 

your yoga mat and a $20 charitable 

donation. Starts at 7:30 p.m. 100 

Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes. 

Space is limited, and reservations 

must be made by calling The Spa at 

(310) 265-2740. 


Classical Crossroads 

Joanna Lee on violin, Tanner Menees 

viola, Bingxia Lu cello and Sung 

Chang on piano, performing Robert 

Schumann’s Romantic-era masterpiece 

Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, 

Op. 47. Starts at 12:15 p.m. with a 

complimentary reception to follow. 

First Lutheran Church and School, 

2900 W. Carson Street, Torrance. 

Admission is free. For more information 

call (310) 316-5574 or go to: 

palosverdes.com/ClassicalCrossroads/FirstFridays.htm. 

At Play in Creation 

This retreat will focus on the period 

of Thomas Merton’s life when he encountered 

Sophia, Holy Wisdom, in 

the depths of his heart. This led him 

to an intense study of the Russian 

mystical writers. This in turn formed 


eventcalendar 

the backdrop of his remarkable prose poem Hagia Sophia. Learn to appreciate 

what Merton has to say in this profound work as well as in related works 

from this fruitful time in his life as he discovers Wisdom at play in creation. 7 

p.m. Mary & Joseph Retreat Center, 5300 Crest Road, Rancho Palos Verdes. 

Call Marlene Velazquez at 310.377.4867 x234 for reservations or information. 

Online Registration is available at www.maryjoseph.org. 

Ricky Nelson remembered 

In a unique, multi-media entertainment event, twin brothers Matthew and Gunnar 

Nelson perform the hits of their legendary father, Ricky Nelson - the Rock 

n’ Roll Hall of Famer who shook up music charts. The retrospective is heartfelt 

and full of laughter. 8 p.m. Norris Theatre, 27570 Norris Center Drive, Rolling 

Hills Estates. Tickets $70 - $80. To purchase tickets, call the box office at (310) 

544-0403 or go to: palosverdesperformingarts.com. 


Preschool open house 

Come check out Ascension Lutheran’s innovative preschool and transitional 

kindergarten programs. Spaces still available for children ages 2 thru 5 years 

Morning or full day sessions 26231 Silver Spur Road, RPV, (310) 373- 

3083;www. ALCPreschool.Org 

Channel Islands adventure 

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (CMA) is offering a Channel Island Adventure to 

Santa Rosa Island. Meet at 7:30 a.m. in Ventura and board a high speed 

catamaran for an early morning crossing of the Santa Barbara Channel returning 

at approximately 7 p.m. The fee is $82 adults, $74 seniors, $65 children 

($70 Friends members) and pre-registration is required. On the island, 

participants will follow along on a naturalist-led hike to learn about past human 

occupation and observe the diverse coastal habitats, amazing geologic formations 

and panoramic views that this unique island has to offer. Please note: 

Island activities are very strenuous. For more information, reservations or to 

receive a calendar of events, please call (310) 548-7562 or visit cabrillomarineaquarium.org 

Team Leader training 

Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy Team Leaders provide support and 

oversight during Outdoor Volunteer Days. Learn more about native plants, 

habitat restoration and growing plants in the nursery through exclusive training 

workshops held throughout the year. 9 a.m. – noon Ages 16 and up. RSVP 

to: www.pvplc.volunteerhub.com. 

Stories, Songs and More 

Families can share the joy of storytelling and nature with retired Children’s Librarian 

Carla Sedlacek. All ages are welcome. Free. Reservations appreciated 

but not required. Wear comfortable shoes and bring sun protection. 10 a.m. 

White Point Nature Education Center, 1600 W. Paseo del Mar, San Pedro. 

R.S.V.P. to: pvplc.org, Events and Activities. 

Make and Take: Fairy Garden 

Flap your fairy wings and sprinkle some magic dust to join a wonderful day 

in the Gift Shop where you will make your very own garden fairy habitat. All 

materials provided, including a pot, soil, plants, top dressing, and an enchanted 

ornamental inclusion to help dress up your habitat. Upgraded pots 

and décor will also be offered. Walk-ins are welcome but registration is encouraged. 

South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd., Palos Verdes 

Peninsula. Noon - 1:30 p.m. Visit are website: southcoastbotanicgarden.org/ 

or (310) 544-1948. 

Guided walk 

Hike while admiring picturesque ocean views and restored seaside buckwheatcovered 

bluff tops that support the recovery of the rare El Segundo blue butterfly. 

This is a moderate walk. Free and open to the public. 3 p.m. Pelican 

Cove, 31300 Palos Verdes Dr. S, Rancho Palos Verdes. For more information, 

contact (310) 541-7613 ext. 201 or sign up at www.pvplc.org/_events/NatureWalkRSVP.asp. 

September 30, 2017 


eventcalendar 

AAUW / PVP 

Fall Fling is the American Association of University Women, Palos Verdes 

Peninsula’s festive and fun event to start off the year. Reconnect with friends 

after the summer and hear about the variety of activities planned for the coming 

year. It is the one time when all of the projects and interest groups and are 

gathered in one room and the full scope of branch activity is on view. Members, 

prospective members, and guests are all welcome. 1-3 p.m. Hesse Park, 

29301 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes. $15 for members. Prospective 

members and guests are free. Reservations are required. For information and 

reservations, call 310-377-5252 or go to palosverdes-ca.aauw.net. 

Sunday, Sept. 10 

White Point Home Tour 

Unforgettable homes reveal unique 

stories and designs at the White 

Point Home Tour. Lovers of art, architecture 

and nature will relish in the 

opportunity to tour six homes on the 

Palos Verdes Peninsula, which feature 

a range of architectural, landscaping 

and design styles. Enjoy the 

self-guided tour before relaxing at a 

private Reception and Silent Auction 

at Brouwerij West in San Pedro. Tickets 

are $65 in advance or $75 the 

day of the event. Self-guided tour 

from 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. Registration 

begins at 11 a.m. at White Point 

Nature Preserve, 1600 W. Paseo 

del Mar, San Pedro. Reception and 

silent auction from 4:30 p.m. - 7 

p.m. For more information call (310) 

541-7613 or go to: pvplc.org. 

Rock, Paper, 

Masterpieces! 

Join an artistic game of row-shambow 

at this month’s Kids Club, where 

families will explore the intersection 

of nature and art together. Grab a 

paint brush, paint a rock and set 

your imagination free as you hide 

them in the Garden for future visitors 

to find. Capture the beauty of the 

Garden alongside master plein air 

artists with your own pastel painting, 

and help create a group masterpiece 

using your own nature paint. 

1-4 p.m. Free with Garden admission. 

South Coast Botanic Garden, 

26300 Crenshaw Blvd., Palos 

Verdes Peninsula; southcoastbotanicgarden.org 

or (310) 544-1948. 

Spiritual Eco-action 

Is God the ultimate environmentalist? 

Spend an afternoon considering 

God’s creation in a new light and 

identify your impact on it. Enjoy nature, 

moments of silence, experiential 

activities, and group discussion. You 

may wish to bring a journal. 1- 4 

p.m. $10. Part 1 of a 3 Part Series 

exploring issues critical to our community. 

Mary & Joseph Retreat Cen- 

MATTUCCI 

Plumbing 

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 

w w w . m a t t u c c i p l u m b i n g . c o m 

Since 1990 • License # 770059, C-36 C-34 C-42 

Vote! 

SUMMER SPECIALS 

$ 9 8 0 

Residential Water Heater 

40 gal. installed! ($1080 - 50 gal. also available) 

Includes hot & cold water supply lines 

Expires September 30, 2017 

CONCERT OF THE CENTURY 

Torrance High School Centennial Celebration 

David Pack 

former lead vocalist 

Ambrosia 

FULL SERVICE PLUMBING 

SEWER VIDEO INSPECTION 

ROOTER SERVICE 

COPPER REPIPES 

Sings his #1 Classic Hits 

including How Much I Feel, 

Biggest Part of Me and others. 

BEATO BAND 

Featuring David Pack, Fred Beato, 

and Tom Croucier 

Sept. 9, 2017 @ 7pm 

2200 W Carson St, Torrance High Auditorium 

Tickets $30 @ TorranceHighCentennial.com 

310-533-4396 x8031 

• Friday Football 7pm 

• Saturday Tartar Family Reunion 10am-3pm 

• Saturday Concert of the Century 7pm 

$ 7 5 

Rooter Service - Main Line 

Must have clean-out access. Some restrictions may apply. 

Expires September 30, 2017 

F R E E 

E S T I M A T E S 

M e n t i o n t h i s a d w h e n 

s e t t i n g u p a p p o i n t m e n t . 

3 1 0 . 5 4 3 . 2 0 0 1 

Thank You 

For Your 

ON CALL 

24 HOURS 

7 DAYS 

September 2017 • Peninsula 45 

PLUS 

2013

eventcalendar 

ter, 5300 Crest Road, Rancho Palos Verdes. Call Marlene Velazquez at 

310.377.4867 x234 for reservations or information. Online Registration is 

available at www.maryjoseph.org. 

Second Sundays concert 

Catherine Gregory on flute and David Kaplan on piano. Starts at 2 p.m. 

sharp! Rolling Hills United Methodist Church, 26438 Crenshaw Blvd., Rolling 

Hills Estates. Admission is free. For more information call (310) 316-5574 or 

go to: rhumc.org/concerts-at-rolling-hills/. 

An Enchanted Evening at Villa Narcissa 

Join the Peninsula Friends of the Library at the historic Villa Narcissa, 5:30 to 

8 p.m. Enjoy food and drinks, with the music of Gershwin and Porter. Watch 

the sunset from the Villa patio and imagine the early days of the Palos Verdes 

Peninsula when Villa Narcissa was created. Attire from the 1920s is welcome 

but not required. Valet parking. Reservations $150. For more information or 

to make a reservation, please call (310) 921-7505, or (310) 921-7503. 

Tuesday, September 12 

Advance Care Planning for Smarties 

5-part series to help you gain a better understanding of the people, process 

and paperwork involved in successful advance care planning. Presenters Edward 

Long, JD and Ellen Gorbunoff, RN (board members of Caring House), 

have years of practical experience with both successful and failed advance 

care planning. Free and open to the public. Join one or all sessions. No RSVP 

necessary. 1 - 2:30 p.m. at the Peninsula Center Library Community Room, 

701 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates. Questions? Please contact Deb 

Ripley at dripley@pvld.org or (310) 377-9584 x217. 

September 2017 • Peninsula People 47

48 Peninsula People • September 2017

eventcalendar 



Brett Arena, archivist for the A.F. Gilmore Company, owner of the original 

Farmers Market, manages an eclectic collection of artifacts, photographs and 

documents. “Welcome to Gilmore Island” is an overview of the long history 

and varied activities of a family-owned enterprise that continues to leave an 

impression on generations of locals and visitors from around the world. 10:30 

a.m. Hesse Park, 29301 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes. For more 

information call (310) 377-3003 or go to: pvseniors.org. 


RHUMC concert 

Accomplished concert soloist, recitalist and opera singer Jessie Tisdale, will 

perform. 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of Rolling Hills United Methodist Church, 

26438 Crenshaw Blvd, Rolling Hills Estates. Admission is free & donations 

are welcome. For more information call (310) 377-6771 or go to: 

rhumc.org.music.asp. 


Coastal Clean-Up at Abalone Cove 

Join the Los Serenos docents and the community for the annual International 

Coastal Cleanup Day. Bring friends and family to clean up Abalone Cove 9 

a.m. to noon. Gloves and trash bags provided, or bring your favorite trash 

bucket and trash picker! Trail to the beach is moderate to strenuous. Please 

wear sturdy shoes; part of the walk will be on cobblestones. Parking fees 

waived up to 45 minutes prior to the event and 30 minutes after. Postponed if 

there is rain. (310) 377-5370 or visit losserenos.org. 

Outdoor Volunteer Day 

At Alta Vicente Reserve, 9 a.m. – noon. Help restore this unique canyon habitat, 

home to many threatened and endangered wildlife species. 30940 

Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes, Sign up at 

www.pvplc.volunteerhub.com. 

Malaga Cove Lawn Show 

Last weekend for the summer art show, Saturday and Sunday. Over 30 talented 

artists from the seven art groups affiliated with Palos Verdes Art Center 

gather on the lawn in Malaga Cove Plaza, 10 a.m to 5 p.m. The Plaza offers 

plenty of free parking. With 

the support of Palos Verdes 

Art Center and the City of 

Palos Verdes Estates, the 

shows have been a tradition 

in the community for over 60 

years. The artists have created 

a variety of original artwork 

including paintings, 

ceramics, jewelry and photography 

and are happy to 

chat about their work and its 

creation. 

ArtWalk Experiment 

The San Pedro Historic Waterfront Business Development District in collaboration 

with San Pedro Waterfront Arts District announce an experimental Third 

Saturday ArtWalk. Explore galleries and artist lofts, dine in unique eateries 

and stay for a show or listen to music at local bars and restaurants. Free 

guided ArtWalk tours will be offered at 2:30 and 4:30 p.m., leaving from 

Sirens Java and Tea, 357 West 7th Street. For more information and an Art- 

Walk Guide contact: Joe Pielago jpielago@sanpedrobid.com, (310) 832- 

2183, Linda Grimes, lgrimes@ix.netcom.com. SanPedroWaterfrontArts 

District.com. Facebook: San Pedro Waterfront Arts District. 


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eventcalendar 

Make it a Habit 

Little Sisters of the Poor Auxiliary’s annual fundraiser benefits the Jeanne Jugan 

Residence. 5:30 p.m. no host cocktail reception; 7 p.m. dinner followed by 

live auction. DoubleTree by Hilton Torrance, 21333 Hawthorne Blvd.,Torrance. 

For more information (310) 548-0625 or www.lspsocal.org. 

Benefit Concert 

Richard Sherman Trio with Bili 

Redd. Tickets are $25, tax deductible 

and benefit the Seaside 

Church. 7 p.m. James Armstrong 

Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Dr., 

Torrance. For more info: Richard 

Sherman (310) 378-5813, Shermanpianoman.com. 


Peninsula Seniors Homes Tour 

This Capital Campaign fundraiser features three private estates, never before 

open to the public, each valued at more than $6,000,000! 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

$100 includes a gourmet luncheon. Get your tickets before Thursday, Sept. 

14! No tickets will be sold at the door. Call (310) 377-3003 or mail your 

check to Peninsula Seniors, 30928 Hawthorne Blvd. Rancho Palos Verdes, 

CA 90275. 

A Fall Fete 

Enjoy cocktails in the garden, a silent auction, entertainment, an elegant dinner, 

and stunning sunset views from a historic Peninsula home overlooking the 

ocean. 4:30 p.m. Reception in the Garden and Silent Auction. 5:45 Musical 

Theatrics by ETC Theatre Company. 7 p.m. dinner. Please reply by September 



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eventcalendar 

6 - Reservations limited. Outdoor elegant, bring a wrap for nightfall, no heels 

for lawns and uneven paving. “The Cottage”, 99 Vanderlip Drive, Rancho 

Palos Verdes. Information: (310) 202-6234 , (310) 210-0523, 

ETC.Theatre.Company@gmail.com or www.ETCtheatre.org. 

Grand Annex concert 

Award-winning South Bay rockers, Andy & Renee return to the Grand Annex, 

434 6th Street, San Pedro, for a riveting tribute to The Band’s legendary Last 

Waltz concert. 7:30 p.m. www.grandvision.org/grand-annex/events.asp. 

Tuesday, September 19 

Advance Care Planning for Smarties 

This 5-part series will help you gain a better understanding of the people, 

process and paperwork involved in successful advance care planning. Presenters 

Edward Long, JD and Ellen Gorbunoff, RN (board members of Caring 

House), have years of practical experience with both successful and failed advance 

care planning. Free and open to the public. Join one or all sessions. 

No RSVP necessary. 1 - 2:30 p.m. at the Peninsula Center Library Community 

Room, 701 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates. Questions? Please contact 

Deb Ripley at dripley@pvld.org or (310) 377-9584 x217. 


Wild Birds Walk 

Wild Birds Unlimited leads a special guided bird walk at White Point Nature 

Preserve. Explore the birds now making a home in the restored habitat at the 

preserve. On 3rd Wednesdays starting 8:30 a.m. The program is free and 

open to the public. All ages are welcome. Binoculars are available. Reservations 

appreciated but not required. Wear comfortable shoes and bring sun 

protection. 1600 W. Paseo del Mar, San Pedro. RSVP to: 

pvplc.volunteerhub.com. For more information got to: pvplc.org. 


Back by popular demand! Anthropologist Dr. Roberto Frisancho is returning 

with “Grandmothers’ and Grandparents’ Role in Human Evolution”. The 

award-winning doctor was named the Arthur A. Thurnau Professor of Anthropology 

in 1999 for his distinguished teaching record. 10:30 a.m. Hesse Park, 

29301 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes. For more information call 

(310) 377-3003 or go to: pvseniors.org. 

PVP 4-H CLUB Community Meeting 

4-H is an organization for youth ages 7-19, that promotes hands-on learning 

and is based on parent and volunteer participation. 4-H welcomes all youth 

(and adult volunteers) from all backgrounds. 4-H offers such a wide range of 

projects, programs and activities that every member can benefit from involvement. 

Monthly meetings held at Rolling Hills Estates City Hall Council Chambers, 

4045 Palos Verdes Drive North Rolling Hills Estates, 7 - 8 p.m. For more 

information about the 4-H Club; please visit local website 

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eventcalendar 

www.PVP4HCLUB.com or call Dee Keese at (310) 377-9773 or Peter Michel 

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Thursday, September 21 

Farm and Vine at Mar’Sel 

Enjoy rare vintages from premier wineries at Terranea’s signature restaurant, 

Mar’Sel. Each intimate dinner features exclusive wine pairings with a fivecourse 

specialty tasting menu from an iconic California farm. $195+ per person. 

6 - 9 p.m., 100 Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes. For more 

information call (310) 265-2836. 

South Coast Rose Society 

September meeting begins at 7 p.m. with refreshments. Society members, 

Sharon Van Enoo and Gloria Leinbach, speak about the Heritage Rose Foundation, 

a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving old roses. South 

Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Boulevard, Palos Verdes Peninsula. 


Beauty of Nature film series 

Based on a New Yorker essay by novelist Jonathan Franzen, Emptying the 

Skies exposes the rampant poaching of migratory songbirds in southern Europe. 

Songbird populations have been drastically declining for decades, with 

a number of species facing imminent extinction. This poignant documentary 

follows the intrepid squad of pan-European bird-lovers waging a war against 

poachers to disrupt illegal trapping. $10. Starts at 3:30 p.m. at the Peninsula 

Center Library, 701 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates. For more information 

go to: pvplc.org/_events/filmseries.asp. 

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eventcalendar 

Saturday & Sunday, September 23 & 24 

Celebration of Food and Wine 

The grandest yet, this year’s event at Terranea Resort features multiple daytime 

and evening events, including a Taste at Twilight reception to kick off festivities, 

Farm-to-Terranea Dinner, Breakfast at the Cove, two tasting menu lunches complete 

with wine pairings from California’s Central Coast, an after-party, and 

more. For more information or to purchase tickets go to: terranea.com/california-food-wine-festival. 

100 Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes. 


Guided Nature Walk 

At the White Point Nature Preserve, 9 a.m. Visit White Point Nature Preserve 

and attend a naturalist-guided hike. Enjoy coastal views and learn more about 

the plants, animals, restoration area and more! White Point Nature Preserve 

located at 1600 W. Paseo del Mar in San Pedro. Meet at the information 

kiosk between parking lot and Nature Center. For more information call (310) 

541-7613 or RSVP at: www.pvplc.org, Events & Activities. 

Attack of the Killer Algae 

Presentation and book signing with author Eric Noel Munoz about an exciting 

success story against invasive algae in our oceans. Free. 11 a.m. White Point 

Nature Education Center & Preserve, 1600 W. Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro. 

RSVP to: www.pvplc.org: Events & Activities/Whitepoint Presentations or call 

(310) 541-7613. 

Native Plant Sale 

Plants sold on first-come, first-serve basis. Noon-2 p.m. White Point Nature 

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eventcalendar 

Eff You En 

Tony Award-winning musical comedy “The 25th Annual Putnam County 

Spelling Bee”. Runs through October 1. This hysterically funny tale will have 

you rooting for the unlikeliest of heroes. 2 p.m. 27570 Norris Center Drive, 

Rolling Hills Estates. Tickets prices are $30 - $70. To purchase tickets, call the 

box office at (310) 544-0403 or go to: palosverdesperformingarts.com. 

Grand Annex concert 

An annual Annex sell-out! All-star ensemble of top LA musicians, celebrating 

the memory of the Father of Cuban Salsa, Arsenio Rodriguez. Co-sponsored 

by KXLU’s Alma Del Barrio radio show. 8 p.m. 434 W. 6th Street, San Pedro. 

www.grandvision.org/grand-annex/events.asp. 

At the Table 

Experience an elegant dining experience with fine wines and education on 

pairing them to the perfect foods. Join in multiple silent auctions and opportunity 

drawing for a beautiful, handmade quilt. 5-10 p.m. Cost: $125 per person 

if purchased before Sept. 1; $150 per person after. Buy a table ~ bring 

your friends! Mary & Joseph Retreat Center, 5300 Crest Road, Rancho Palos 

Verdes. Call Marlene Velazquez at 310-377-4867 x234 for reservations or 

information. Online Registration available at www.maryjoseph.org. 


Music On the Meadow 

Join the Corelli Ensemble on the Upper Meadow for an enjoyable afternoon 

of Baroque music. 3 - 4:30 p.m. Free with admission. South Coast Botanic 

Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd., Palos Verdes Peninsula. southcoastbotanicgarden.org 

or (310) 544-1948. PEN 


A unity of themes 

Chef Dustin Trani’s family has operated local restaurant for nearly a century. 

Still, even J Trani’s traditional fare has a modern flair 

by Richard Foss 

One of the modern memes in restaurant design is the deliberately inappropriate 

space. Trendy Italian in a warehouse, Korean food in a 

British pub, Southern traditional in an austere space reminiscent of 

a hospital, they’re all a thing in greater LA. It’s ironic humor expressed in 

architecture, and when done well it can mess with your expectations in an 

amusing way. 

I generally prefer harmony of décor and dinner, environments that seamlessly 

put me in another world or perhaps another era. On days like that, 

I’m likely to end up at J. Trani’s, a San Pedro classic. I admit a level of nostalgia 

here. My parents took me here as a child when it was Peppy’s steak 

and seafood house. When the Trani family took the place over in 1989 they 

converted a charming but relatively conventional place into a retro mountain 

lodge with English baronial touches. If you’re the kind of person who 

grooves on architecture you can wander around and notice details like the 

spokes radiating around the ceiling of the bar. If you aren’t, you can just 

luxuriate in the atmosphere of vintage cool. 

It’s pretty clear which camp I’m in. On a recent visit I spent quite a while 

viewing the place from all angles while waiting to be seated. Once ensconced 

at a table in a corner by the bar we spent some quality time with 

a pair of cocktails while examining the menu. The Sunken City (a renamed 

Gold Rush) was well-made, but the Black Tie Affair was more innovative 

and better. The mix of dry vermouth, chartreuse, Aperol, and chamomileinfused 

brandy had harmonious spicy and herbal flavors. San Pedro is short 

on craft bars, but these drinks make the case for Trani’s as the local leader 

in the field. 

With regard to the food, Chef Dustin Trani could be forgiven if he served 

nothing but steaks, seafood, and pastas as dated as the architecture. His 

family has operated local restaurants for over 90 years. However, even the 

traditional offerings have a modern flair. A case in point is the cold smoked 

swordfish carpaccio, which is tossed with olive oil and lemon and served 

on a board alongside a basket of toast. It’s a classic smoked fish appetizer, 

but the sprinkling of smoked red onion and radish sprouts adds a spicy tang 

to the old favorite. 

On another evening I tried their “new style” calamari. It’s tossed with 

greens, Thai-spiced aioli, a dash of balsamic vinegar, and a sprinkle of black 

sesame seeds. The greens and sesame add flavor and varied textures to an 

item that is often just an excuse to eat crunchy batter. I would certainly 

order this again. 

After the “new style” calamari, we considered ordering the “old fashioned” 

navy bean soup, but decided on the Trani’s salad instead. It’s just 

greens with fresh mushrooms, red onion and feta with an herb-mustard 

vinaigrette, but sometimes you just want simple flavors minimally accented. 

The only flaw was the bread that came with it, which was dense and characterless. 

It was fine toasted with the fish carpaccio, but with all the good 

Italian bakeries in town that can deliver good crusty bread there isn’t a reason 

to serve this. 

For main courses, we decided on swordfish milanese and a sausagestuffed 

pork chop with roasted root vegetables. Milanese on a menu usually 

means a thick breading on something pan-fried – a schnitzel by another 

name. It was breaded fish, but with a light crust of herbs and panko crumbs, 

and it suited the meaty, mild fish nicely. The filet had been topped with 

fresh green, yellow, and red cherry tomatoes and a bit of balsamic and olive 


Experience Handcrafted 

Fine Mexican Cuisine 

Filippo Trani, founder of the four generation restaurant family, left the island of 

Ischia for San Pedro, where he opened the Majestic Cafe in 1929. Photo by Brad 

Jacobson (CivicCouch.com) 

oil, and served over mashed potatoes with asparagus, making a pretty 

and varied plate. 

The stuffing on the pork was a thin layer that seemed to be more 

breading than actual sausage, but that didn’t detract from our enjoyment 

of that item. It was a good quality and very large piece of meat that had 

been rubbed with a slightly salty herb mix before being grilled, and it 

usually arrives topped with a rosemary demi-glace. I asked for this on 

the side because my wife sometimes finds these heavy, and I liked it 

both with and without it. The medley of carrots and parsnips sweetened 

when roasted and were a good companion. Along with the mashed potatoes 

it made a fine meal. 

We had been seated in the bar rather than the main dining room and 

as we ate we realized what a gathering place for the community this is. 

Just about everybody there had a greeting, hug, or handshake for Marco 

the bartender, and there was a lot of table-hopping. This isn’t surprising 

given J. Trani’s long history, but it’s nice to know that places like this 

still exist. 

I had enjoyed the tiramisu on a previous visit but on this day we were 

too full for dessert. So after I finished the last of the glass of Chianti I 

had ordered with dinner we made our exit. Dinner for two with two 

cocktails and one glass of wine ran $128. It was money well spent. J. 

Trani’s is a slice of history. The bust of the founder in the lobby looks 

on approvingly as his legacy continues in high style. 

J. Trani’s is at 584 West 9th Street, San Pedro. Open Mon. 5:30 p.m. – 9 

p.m., Tues. - Wed. 4 p.m. – 9 p.m., Thur. 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m., Fri. 11:30 

a.m. – 9:30 p.m., Sat. 5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m – 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. 

– 9 p.m., Parking lot, full bar. Some vegetarian items. Wheelchair access 

okay. Banquet room. Menu at JTrani.com. (310) 832-1220. PEN 

And Enjoy! 

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RPV Residents 

Funded by 

Do you change your automobile oil and filter? If you 

do, call EDCO your trash/recycling hauler and 

arrange for a free pickup. Then, place your used oil 

in a tightly sealed container and your filter in a sealed 

ziplock bag. EDCO will pick them up and drop off a 

free oil recycling kit that contains a 15-quart drip pan, 

empty 1-gallon container, funnel, shop rag, cardboard 

floor mat and information on used oil and filter 

recycling. Call EDCO at 310-540-2977 or go to 

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Irwin cont. from page 28 

might think, Why not try for Pantheon or Scribner? Glass Spider, which 

bills itself as “A Boutique Editing and Publishing Service,” seems like a minnow 

in an ocean of giants. When asked why them, Irwin replied, “I chose 

Glass Spider for a variety of reasons, the main one being trust.” 

Arousing finale 

We should circle back to why it is that “A Dress the Color of the Sky” 

seems to have grabbed people’s attention and fueled their curiosity. Irwin 

tells me about an interview she did with a book publicist in which “fifteen-hundred 

people tried to call in and talk with me… And why? Because 

people are interested in knowing the story of this person who’s a sex addict 

and what happened.” 

Is it partly autobiographical? 

“No.” 

Not at all? 

“No.” 

It’s all made up?” 

“Yes.” Irwin paused. “All writers write about what they know. Can I write 

about a marriage crumbling? Yes. Can I write about what it’s like to be 

married to the wrong person or to date the wrong guy? Yes. I did a lot of 

research for the book, obviously on addiction and recovery. I went to a lot 

of meetings and talked to a lot of addicts, and my dad was an alcoholic 

and a recovered drug addict, so I know what that’s like.” 

Also, as mentioned, there were many contemporary issues that Irwin 

wanted to explore, one of these concerning the reports of date rapes on 

and off campus. “I had to put this into my book because, as a mother of 

boys, I wonder where we’re going wrong. I don’t know about the girls because 

I don’t have a daughter, and I don’t know about raising a girl.” She 

added that she’s spoken to her sons about this subject. “I tried to have them 

understand women and how to respect women. I’m sure my kids aren’t 

perfect, but it was really important to me.” 

This is, in a way, related to the title of the book, which is taken from a 

late 17th century fairy tale by Charles Perrault called “Donkeyskin.” The 

fairy tale hints at sexual abuse and incest. The donkey skin, Irwin said, “is 

what we cover ourselves in to have people not really know who we are. 

It’s our protective shell.” 

The novel gives a full account of the fairy tale. 

“There isn’t a lot of gratuitous sex in my book,” Irwin continued, “but 

there is some sex and there’s also discussion of sex and abuse. So, it’s not 

for the faint of heart, but at the same time it’s not graphic. It’s not a ‘Fifty 

Shades of Grey’ or anything like that.” 

One of Irwin’s sons is in his late teens, the others in their early 20s. 

When she was writing the book was she thinking what their reactions 

might be when they read it? 

“Yeah. That was a little hard,” she admited, “and as a matter of fact my 

youngest son has been embarrassed about the subject matter of the book. 

I definitely did think about that and I definitely was worried about that.” 

However, “He’s a big advocate of me being a writer and me writing this 

book.” She laughed. “But he doesn’t want to read it.” 

Writing “A Dress the Color of the Sky” has, after all, pulled Jennifer Irwin 

out of her comfort zone, and she’s aware that not everyone’s going to sing 

its praises once it’s published. In some ways she’s steeling herself for that. 

That said, she’s had quite a bit of help and support along the way, from 

book publishing veteran Edward Young, whom Irwin refers to as a writing 

mentor, to her publisher Vince Font, her boyfriend and her sons, her agent 

and her many readers, and now the producer and director of the film, 

which is scheduled to go into pre-production in January. That’s quite a 

backup team, and we can be certain there are others. 

And afterwards? Is this the end of the line for sex addict Prudence 

Aldrich? 

“I’m going to be starting my second book soon,” Irwin said. “At the end 

of the book there’s a place where you can go, Oh my god. Now I need to 

see what happens next.” PEN 


Dr. 

Delivery 

Dr. Jerry Schwartz, head of Torrance Memorial’s neonatology department. Photo by Esther Kang 

Torrance Memorial neonatology director Dr. Jerry Schwartz brings multidisciplinary 

teams and newest technology into the delivery room 

by Esther Kang 

Inside his quiet office on the fifth floor of Torrance Memorial’s Neonatal 

Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Jerry Schwartz recalled in a soft voice a delivery 

last Christmas Eve that was unprecedented in his 29-year career as the 

department’s medical director. 

Schwartz, who is Jewish, works a 24-hour shift every Christmas. On this 

particular evening, a mother began experiencing the acute onset of severe 

fetal distress. The fetus’ heart rate was dropping to dangerously low levels. 

As nurses wheeled the mother into the operating room for an emergency 

C-section, he learned the situation was more dire than usual. The mother 

was having an amniotic fluid embolism, a rare condition during childbirth 

when the amniotic fluid enters the mother’s bloodstream. The result can 

be multiple organ failures. 

Within moments of entering the operating room, the mother went into 

full cardiac arrest. While the code blue team began performing CPR on one 

side of the table, Schwartz and his labor and delivery staff performed a C- 

section on the other side. There were about 18 people in the operating 

room. It was like a ballet, Schwartz said. 

“The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Not a word was spoken." 

The baby was born without a heartbeat and required a full resuscitation. 

The mother, after being closed up, was wheeled into intensive care. 

“Both survived,” he said. “I’d never seen this in 29 years, a full maternal 

arrest leading to fetal distress.” 

Schwartz prides himself on the efficacy of his multi-specialized neonatal 

team. The team includes six board-certified neonatologists, approximately 

50 labor and delivery nurses and several in-house obstetrician-anesthesiologists. 

During his nearly three decades at the helm of the department, the 

Palos Verdes resident has bolstered the unit’s resources to include advanced 

technologies not commonly found in community hospitals. These include 

high-frequency ventilators, non-invasive nasal mechanical ventilation 

equipment, inhaled nitric oxide therapy and therapeutic hypothermia. 

These resources enable the team to treat most high-risk newborns. 

Soon, Torrance Memorial’s neonatal unit will move to the newly completed, 

$450 million Melanie and Richard Lundquist Tower. The tower’s 

new neonatal unit includes 23 private rooms with around the clock ameni- 


ties for entire families and rooms designed for sick newborns. Proceeds 

from the 31st annual "Honda Evening Under the Stars” Wine Festival on 

Saturday, August 26 will help underwrite the new neonatal unit. 

Schwartz, 60, was born in Philadelphia. His father, a Navy Air Force engineer, 

and his mother, a junior high school teacher, raised him to be a doctor, 

he said. He graduated first in his pre med class at La Salle University 

and went onto the University of Maryland’s medical school. In 1989, following 

his pediatric residency at Saint Christopher’s Hospital for Children 

in Philadelphia, he moved to Southern California to accept a combined fellowship 

in neonatology and pediatric pulmonology at the Children’s Hospital 

of Los Angeles. 

“After the fellowship, I stayed in Southern California,” he said. “It’s a 

hard place to leave.” 

Following a brief stint at Tanzania Regional Medical Center, Schwartz 

answered an ad seeking a medical director for neonatology at Torrance 

Memorial. He was just 31 years old when he was offered the job. Under 

his direction, the hospital has received about 10,000 babies in the Neonatal 

Intensive Care Unit. 

“Our hospital invests a lot of money in making sure our babies get what 

they need,” Schwartz said. “And that’s based on what we tell them, using 

evidence-based research. I was always passionate and aggressive in bringing 

state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care. That’s why they hired me.” 

“One thing about being a neonatologist is that every time our in-house 

phone rings, it could be an ordinary call or it could be the start of something 

extremely intense,” Schwartz said. 

Schwartz moved to Palos Verdes in 1989. He has three daughters, ages 

26, 20 and 17. The youngest is a senior at Palos Verdes High School. 

“I felt Palos Verdes had the best schools in the country,” he said. “It was 

beautiful, low crime, great sense of community. I went there for all the 

usual reasons people move to PV.” 

Schwartz is a supporter of the Palos Verdes Education Foundation and 

the Palos Verdes Junior Women’s League, where he volunteers his piano 

chops at some of their events. He was an auction item a few years ago for 

a Christmas party. His primary instrument, he said, was the trumpet, 

which he began playing in second grade. He played with local jazz quintets 

and the Philadelphia Jazz Band, but when he received his fellowship in his 

late 20s, he gave up the instrument due to lack of time. 

In October, some 300 people will gather for the annual NICU staff and 

grad reunion. 

“We get to see the children grow up,” he said. “There are a lot of families 

that were not critical, but there are also families who had extremely premature 

twins or triplets and you just see them running around the room.” 

Schwartz said the celebration is his favorite night of the year. 

The 31st annual “Honda Evening Under the Stars” Gourmet Food and Wine 

Festival takes place Saturday, Aug. 26 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the American 

Honda campus in Torrance. Saxophonist Kenny G. will perform. Tickets are 

$200 per person, or $300 per pair. For more information, visit facebook.com/ 

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Illustration by Tim Teebken 

Easing back to school stress 

by Dr. Greg Allen 

Many kids and parents experience anxiety over going back to school 

from the morning rush, the homework, and the quicker pace of 

life. While this doesn’t mean we don’t like school, the changes 

‘back to school’ time brings (new teachers, new classmates, new material) 

can lead to increased stress. Here’s what young adult novelist Elizabeth 

Scott and I recommend parents can do for their kids and themselves to relieve 

back to school stress. 

Get enough sleep 

Over the summer, most families take their cues from the sun and and 

stay up late. With the start of school, adjust bedtime schedules and try to 

have everyone eat on a regular schedule. This advice isn’t just for little 

kids. Teens and adults need quality sleep for proper functioning, as well. 

Be ready 

Set aside a specific study area for your child, even for kindergarteners, 

most of whom have homework these days. Preparing that area can be a 

shared project. You may also want to get your routines ready ahead of time, 

such as having your kids lay out their clothes the night before and keeping 

their shoes by the door so they can find them in the morning. 

Talk 

One of the best ways to relieve back to school anxiety is simply to talk 

to your child about what he or she may be feeling. Let your child tell you 

what’s exciting about school as well as what may be anxiety-provoking. If 

your child expresses negativity about school, don’t discount his or her concerns. 

Instead, focus on validating their feelings. Then help find solutions 

to whatever is challenging to them. It may be another student, a teacher 

or coach, a subject, peers or even how they feel about themselves. 

Seek to understand what the main challenges are. It will be different for 

each kid and for each school year. Add in some more positive focus, like 

seeing friends, covering exciting new material, and growing up. These conversation 

times can also be a time to discuss important topics like how to 

handle bullies and peer pressure. Letting your child know you’ll be available 

for support. Open discussions can be a crucial to your relationship, 

as well as to your child’s success in school. 

Balance responsibilities 

Managing school is a shared task. While you don’t want to take away responsibility 

from your child or teen for managing their schedules, your 

support and guidance can be a positive motivator to your family functioning. 

Dr. Greg Allen, LMFT is a therapist with a group practice in Palos Verdes 

Estates and Hermosa Beach (drgregallen.com). He is the founder and director 

of Freedom4U, a non-profit organization focused on creative arts, life skills, 

leadership and service. (freedomcommunity.com). He may be reached at 

greg@freedomcommunity.com PEN 


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Whether you’re looking for Independent Living, Assisted Living, or Skilled Nursing 

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at The Canterbury. As part of Episcopal Communities & Services, its not-for-profit 

philosophy guides Canterbury’s mission to serve people of all faiths and backgrounds. 

The beautiful Life Plan community in Rancho Palos Verdes offers a lifestyle 

filled with boundless opportunities for enrichment through Creative Living. Come 

and see for yourself why The Canterbury is a great place to live life to the fullest. 

Canterbury’s A- Fitch rating, the highest rating for a Life Plan community in California, 

makes it a superior choice for retirement living with comfort, care and financial 

security. 

The Canterbury 

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Keep life comfortable, dignified 

At Comfort Keepers, nothing is more important than helping people live 

full, independent and dignified lives within the comfort of their own homes. 

Comfort Keepers is dedicated to providing in-home care that enriches people’s 

lives and helps them maintain the highest possible level of independent 

living and dignity. Comfort Keepers’ in-home assistance includes 

companionship, meal preparation, transportation to doctor appointments 

and other commitments. It may also include personal care such as bathing, 

dressing and mobility. Families choose Comfort Keepers for both extensive 

and short term care. 

Comfort Keepers 

25124 Narbonne Avenue, Suite 101, Lomita 

310-325-6500 

Care for women by women 

From its online patient portal to fireplaces and chocolates on every pillow, 

you, your time, and your health are Complete Women Care’s priorities. 

Personalized care is provided by all-female, highly experienced physicians 

at multiple convenient locations that offer the latest technology and one 

goal – your optimal health. Patients enjoy 24/7 emergency care provided 

at their GYN Emergent Care Center with a spa-like GYN specialized Sur- 


DHEALTHCARE 

PROVIDERS 

gical Institute on site. Complete Women Care serves over 40,000 patients 

in the area, has performed more than 50,000 GYN surgeries, helped 

deliver over 15,000 babies and is trusted by more than 2,000 primary 

care providers. 

Complete Women Care 

550 Deep Valley Drive Suite 279, Rolling Hills Estates 

562-634-8812 

www.completewomencare.com 

Hearing Health 

Dr. William Lee Parker of Hermosa Beach, was born into a family with 

deaf parents, although he could hear. 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 business 

after years of study. Josh is now in charge with offices in Torrance 

and San Pedro. 

20% of the American population has hearing loss but only 20% of those 

with hearing loss seek hearing help. The remainder struggle to cope. Modern 

digital aids are invisible and adaptive to noisy environments. Josh 

prides himself on professional and empathetic care. 

Parker Hearing Institute has helped over 40,000 people achieve greater 

hearing health. 

Parker Hearing Institute 

4201 Torrance Blvd, suite 140, Torrance 

310-540-4327 

www.ParkerHearing.com 

DERMATOLOGY & SKIN SURGERY 

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Juvederm & Sculptra • Botox and Dysport Injections 

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• Ultraviolet B & PUVA • Pediatric Dermatology 

310-798-1515 

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around&about 

Residents urge support for PVE Police 

n Residents who support keeping an independent Palos Verdes Estates Police Department 

are urging fellow residents to send letters of support for the police to cityclerk@pvestates.org. 

Last March, residents voted down Measure D, which would have extended the 

Palos Verdes Estates Fire and Paramedic Services Parcel Tax. As a result, the city 

is facing a nearly $5 million budget deficit. A study about how to fund the police 

department will be presented to the city council in September. 

Moana at the South Coast Botanic Garden 

Globe’s PV Hill gets local 

n The South Coast Botanic 

Garden hosted a summer family 

movie night July 28 to a 

sold out crowd. Hundreds of 

ticketholders began arriving at 

3 p.m. for a big screen show 

of Moana that started at 8 

p.m. with festivities beforehand 

that included Polynesian 

dancers, food trucks and craft 

beers. The gardens were in full 

bloom and picnicking families 

enjoyed an adventurous 

evening watching the Disney 

sensational film underneath the 

stars. Visit www.southcoastbotanicgarden. 

org for more information 

about upcoming 

family events. 

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 

Globe CEO Matt Hill and Globe riders and staff celebrated the August 

11 opening of the Australian surf, skate and snowboard company’s first 

U.S. retail store, in Hermosa Beach. 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 Globe’s U.S. operations. Photo by Kevin Cody 


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. 

around&about 

Olde Time Barbershop Quartets Host Ice Cream Social 

n The South Bay Coastliners, The Westminster Chorus and guest quartets hosted 

an afternoon ice cream fundraiser at the First Methodist Church in Torrance. Guests 

were able to take a step back in time and enjoy music of a bygone era while taking 

a break from the summer heatwave. The Coastliners perform a weekly chorus 

rehearsal at the Redondo Beach Salvation Army Community Center, 125 W. Beryl 

Street, Redondo Beach from 7:30 to 9:45 p.m. Visit www.coastliners.org for 

dates and more information. 

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. 

Mike Siditsky, Rick Llewelyn, Jack Reid, Barry Waite, Tim Hasselman, 

John Saffery, Frank Olivadoti, Peter Neushul (Director), Denny 

Lawrence, Bruce Beyne, Tim Bixler, Jim Gallagher, Damian Curran, Dan 

Ullfig, Michael Borrett, Scott Suwabe. Photo courtesy of The Coastliners 

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 


around&about 

Concours continues tradition of elegance & speed 

n The 1964 Ford Fairlane 427 “Thunderbolt” Drag Racer, one of 100 ever produced, 

will represent Motor City’s Glory Days at Palos Verdes Concours Sunday, 

Oct. 1 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Louis Zamperini Field in Torrance. This stock, builtfor-speed 

Fairlane is owned by John Karelius of Dove Canyon, California, and 

boasts its original engine, body, and chassis. This marks the first time for this “Thunderbolt’s” 

appearance in the Concours. The car was originally delivered to Max 

Larson Ford in Coldwater, Michigan, on Dec. 26, 1963, and resold to Jack Mefford 

Ford in Springfield, Ohio, on April 21, 1963, where it campaigned throughout 

the Ohio Valley. Jack Lindeman of Jack Mefford Ford reported to Lee Iacocca 

every Monday morning about the T-Bolt’s weekend victories and sometimes losses. 

Originally produced with an automatic transmission, this car was quickly converted 

to a Ford “Toploader” four-speed. This common conversion to the “Thunderbolt” 

model created a very competitive car in the Super Stock classification. 

The pair, Iacocca and Lindeman, it is said, battled constantly about switching over 

to a manual transmission. The many successes that followed confirmed that swapping 

the automatic transmission for the “Toploader” four-speed was the right decision. 

This year’s show will feature the marques of Packard and Porsche. In addition, 

there will be a total of 19 classes of automobiles representing the finest in craftsmanship 

from all over the world and for the first time there will be historic aircrafts 

on display as well. Ticket holders will be able to tour the Western Museum of 

Flight located at Zamperini Field at no additional charge. Proceeds will benefit 

the Boys and Girls Clubs of Los Angeles Harbor and the Western Museum of 

Flight. For more information visit www.pvconcours.org or contact Kimberly Locke 

at 310-961-8834 and Kimberly.pvconcours@gmail.com. 

Shortest 

Run to 

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Southern California’s Newest Marina 

Fleet Week, Sept. 1-4 

Boat Show, Sept. 28 - Oct. 1 

Guest Slips Available! 

Marina Amenities 

• SLIPS from 28’ to 130’ 

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John Karelius’1964 Ford Fairlane 427 “Thunderbolt” Drag Racer, one of 

100 ever produced. Photo by John Karelius 

V ilicich 

Watch & Clock 

Established 1947 

Celebrating 

Our 

70 th 

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714 S. Weymouth Avenue 

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around&about 

Portuguese Bend Horse Show Poster Contest 

In anticipation of the 60th Annual Portuguese Bend National Horse Show September 

8-10 at Ernie Howlett Park, high school students across the Peninsula were 

invited to participate in a photography contest showcasing the heart-rending relationships 

between horses and people. The winner would receive a monetary 

award as well as the honor of having his/her photo piece used for the show’s 

promotional posters. The contest was sponsored by Lisa and Chuck Noski of Palos 

Verdes and the Art Department of Peninsula High School received a $1500 prize 

as did the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles in honor of Peninsula High School’s 

1st Place Winner, Chloe Green’s winning submission. 

Poster contest winners: First Place-Chloe Green, Second Place-Krystina 

Lukacova, Third Place-Katherine Kemps, Fourth Place-Chloe Green 

(poster held by James Stiles) and Fifth Place-Emmy Rener, (poster held by 

Anne Farrell). Photo by Flora Fairchild 

Classifieds 424-269-2830 

ELECTRICAL 

LYNCH 

ELECTRIC & 

General 

Building 

Contractors 

• Residential 

Troubleshooting 

• Remodel Specialist 

Scott K. Lynch 

P.V. Native 

Licensed & Insured 

Cell 

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Office & Fax 

310-325-1292 

www.LynchElectric.us 

Lic 701001 

FLOORING 

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 

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Interior • Exterior 

• Venetian Plastering 

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POOLS & SPAS 

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New Construction 

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Excellent References 

Horusicky Construction 

310-544-9384 

www.Horusicky.com 

Credit cards accepted 

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ROOFING 

Classifieds 424-269-2830 

QUIXTAR 

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Remodeling 

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Pub Date: Sept 15 

Deadline: 

Sept 30 

Call direct 

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(424) 

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Charles Clarke 

Local Owner/General Contractor 

Ph: (310) 791-4150 

Cell: (310) 293-9796 

Fax (310) 791-0452 

“Since 1990” Lic. No. 810499 

CONSTRUCTION 

Call us to Discuss the 

ENDLESS POSSIBILITES 

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Hillside Specialist 

Foundation Repair Experts 

Grading & Drainage 

Retaining Walls, 

Fences & Decks 

310-212-1234 

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GARAGE DOORS 

HANDYMAN 

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PLUMBING 

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FREE ESTIMATES 

310.543.2001 

CALIFORNIA 

Lic. #770059 

C-36 C-20 A 

2013

Peninsula People Sept 2017

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