Beach magazine Dec 2017

December 7, 2017 

Volume 48, Issue 18 

Kinder wonder 

Dina Moll 

Truffle hunter Billy’s Bells Swimming with jellies 

QB Alexander Surf Fry All 50 

2017 Beach Gift Guide

2 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • December 7, 2017

26th Annual 

Saturday 

December 9th 

Vera Jimenez 

Grand Marshal 

KTLA5 Meteorologist 

“California Christmas” 

2017 

2:00 pm Pier Holiday Concert 

4:30 pm SUP/Paddle Craft 

5:30 pm Boats 

Main Channel of King Harbor 

Redondo Beach 

Best Parade Viewing Locations 

- Free Bleacher Seating in King Harbor Marina 

- Sea wall by the Sportfishing Pier 

- Portofino Hotel and Marina sea wall 

- Seaside Lagoon sea wall 

- Come early for best viewing 

Enjoy dinner at one of the many harbor and marina view restaurants including 

BaleenKitchen, Joe’s Crab Shack, The Portofino Hotel Lobby Bar, R10 Social House, 

Ruby’s, Samba or Sea Level at Shade Hotel. Stroll the harbor, boardwalk, and pier 

shops and view the Holiday Harbor Lights along harbor residence balconies. Family 

fun arcade, boat rides, cocktails, live music, seafood & more! 

Gift cards make great holiday stocking stuffers or business gifts! 

Book your holiday parties or order catering now! 

/visitkingharbor.com 

For more information and details about the event, visit khyc.org 

Ad generously donated by King Harbor Association 

visitkingharbor.com

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For information on upcoming seminars and events:

December 7, 2017 

Volume 48, Issue 18 

BEACH PEOPLE 

12 Sounds from the sea by Kevin Cody 

Billy Meistrell converts outdated scuba tanks into memorial bells. 

16 Grounded in Kindergarten by Mark McDermott 

Grand View Teacher of the Year DIna Moll views kindergarten 

as education’s foundation. 

24 Bay bomber by Scott Tapley 

Former Junior Lifeguard and Rolling Hills High swimmer Amy Gubser 

fights cold and jellies while swimming across Monterey Bay. Next up – 

the Santa Monica Bay. 

28 Handoff from dad by Randy Angel 

Quarterback Jack Alexander’s stellar season at Redondo might not have 

happened if his dad hadn’t stepped up to save local youth football when 

his son was seven years old. 

32 50 states without a plan by Tony Cordi 

The first lesson of traveling is to be open to a change of plans, a Hermosa 

Beach family learns after visiting all 50 states. 

34 Truffle hunter by Richard Foss 

Chef Michael Mazzotta and his dog Capo train to hunt for one of the 

culinary art’s most valued ingredients. 

36 Fry the surfer by Ryan McDonald 

Alex Fry leads perennial surf powerhouse Mira Costa into the new era. 

And it’s not all in the water. 

8 Calendar 

10 Manhattan Beach Tree Lighting 

BEACH LIFE 

ON THE COVER 

Grand View Teach of the Year 

Dina Moll. 

Photo by 

Brad Jacobson 

(CivicCouch.com) 

14 Mama Liz Thanksgiving Dinner 

20 Holiday Gift Guide 

STAFF 

PUBLISHER Kevin Cody, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Richard Budman, EDITORS Mark McDermott, Randy Angel, David 

Mendez, and Ryan McDonald, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Bondo Wyszpolski, DINING EDITOR Richard Foss, 

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Ray Vidal and Brad Jacobson, CALENDAR Judy Rae, DISPLAY SALES Tamar Gillotti and 

Amy Berg, CLASSIFIEDS Teri Marin, DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA Hermosawave.net, GRAPHIC DESIGNER Tim Teebken, 

DESIGN CONSULTANT Bob Staake, BobStaake.com, FRONT DESK Judy Rae 

EASY READER (ISSN 0194-6412) is published weekly by EASY READER, 2200 Pacific Cst. Hwy., #101, P.O. Box 427, Hermosa 

Beach, CA 90254-0427. Yearly domestic mail subscription $150.00; foreign, $200.00 payable in advance. POSTMASTER: Send 

address changes to EASY READER, P.O. Box 427, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. The entire contents of the EASY READER newspaper 

is Copyright 2017 by EASY READER, Inc. www.easyreadernews.com. The Easy Reader/Redondo Beach Hometown News 

is a legally adjudicated newspaper and the official newspaper for the cities of Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach. Easy Reader 

/ Redondo Beach Hometown News is also distributed to homes and on newsstands in Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Torrance, 

and Palos Verdes. 

CONTACT 

n Mailing Address P.O. Box 427, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 Phone (310) 372-4611 Fax (424) 212-6780 

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n Fictitious Name Statements (DBA's) can be filed at the office during regular business hours. Phone 310.372.4611 x101. 


December 7, 2017 • Easy Reader / Beach magazine 7

S O U T H B AY 

CAL ENDAR 

Saturday, December 9 

Build me a sandman 

The South Bay may not have 

snow but there’s sand…How 

about building a sand snowman? 

Arrive early to claim a 

prime site. Registration starts 

at 8:45 a.m. north of the Hermosa 

Pier at shoreline and 

building commences at 9 a.m. 

Prizes awarded. Judging begins 

at 11:15 a.m. For more information, 

contact Community 

Resources Department at (310) 

318-0280 or hermosabch.org. 

Christmas car show 

The Christmas edition of 

Cruise at the Beach. Stroll 

among some of the finest examples 

of Southern California 

car culture. Judging begins at 9 

a.m. with the trophy presentation 

at 2 p.m. In keeping with 

the spirit of the season, please 

bring an unwrapped toy to 

benefit Cheer for Children 

Christmas Toy Drive. Ruby’s 

Diner, 245 North Harbor 

Drive, Redondo Beach. If you 

wish to display a car or require 

more information, contact 

Larry Neville at (310) 962- 

7438. Registration is $20. 

Dickens’ holiday 

Enter Fezziwig’s warehouse 

replete with Victorian decorations 

and several Dickens’ 

characters. Fagin and the Artful 

Dodger from Oliver Twist 

will teach how to pick pockets. 

Come dressed in Victorian 

style! 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The International 

Printing Museum, 

315 W. Torrance Blvd., Carson. 

$25 per guest, $80 groups of 4. 

(310) 515-7166 or visit printmuseum.org. 

Yoga on the Pier 

Free yoga on the Redondo 

Beach Pier. Everyone is welcome 

to take part in this all 

level yoga class. Meet at the 

Octagon, where the Pier meets 

the International Boardwalk. 

10 - 11 a.m. 100 Fisherman’s 

Wharf, Redondo Beach. redondopier.com. 

Holiday concert 

Free holiday concert and 

Santa on the Redondo Pier presented 

by Redondo Pier Association. 

Take a selfie with 

surfing Santa. Free holiday 

parking. Free holiday activity 

book for the first 150 kids. 

Bring a new unwrapped toy 

valued at $5 or more for a 

chance to win pier prizes. 2 - 4 

p.m. 100 Fishermans Wharf, 

Redondo Beach (west end of 

The Pier behind Tony’s). Redondopier.com. 

Christmas Faire 

Annual Christmas Faire at 

Alpine Village. Santa photos, 

strolling Christmas carolers, 

festive music, wine tasting, 

live entertainment, food samples, 

holiday gift vendors, and 

Alpine Express Train rides. 3 - 

8 p.m. Alpine Village, 833 W. 

Torrance Blvd., Torrance. For 

questions call (310) 327-4384. 

Boat Parade 

Brightly decorated boats and 

paddle-craft parade through 

the marina trying to capture 

one of the event trophies. 4:30 

- 10 p.m. King Harbor Yacht 

Club, 280 Yacht Club Way, Redondo 

Beach. For more information 

contact Denise (Dede) 

Harkins (310) 892-7475 or 

Tracey McMartin (310) 962- 

0227. kingharbor.com/holidayboat-parade. 

Concert for Sandy 

The Manhattan Beach Rotary 

Club and Mira Costa High 

School Interact Club present 

classical guitarist Felix Kellaway 

with the MBMS Madrigal 

Singers and Joel Ruben. 

Sandy Casey, a special education 

teacher at Manhattan 

Beach Middle School, was 

among the victims of the 

Route 91 Harvest Festival 

tragedy. Proceeds provide a 

scholarship to a student with a 

demonstrated interest in teaching 

children with special 

needs. 7 p.m. Mira Costa High 

School Theater, 1401 Artesia 

Blvd., Manhattan Beach. Tickets 

$20 at benefit.mbrotary.org. 

Candy Cane Lane 

The 1200 block of East Acacia 

Avenue in El Segundo has 

magically transformed into 

Candy Cane Lane every holiday 

season since 1919. The 

homes are festooned with 

lights and decorations and 

Santa’s sleigh stops for a visit 

on certain nights through December 

23. The street will be 

closed to thru-traffic through 

Christmas night, and most 

houses still have lights up 

through New Year’s. From 

sunset until about 10 p.m. 

Sunday, December 10 

Polar Express 

The community is invited 

for a special reading of The 

Polar Express and photos with 

Santa. Face painters, balloon 

animals, crafts, hot chocolate, 

cookies and tours of the museum. 

Noon - 4 p.m. $15 per 

family and includes everything. 

Tickets are available online 

at lomita-rr.org or at the 

door the day of the event. The 

Lomita Railroad Museum, 

2137 W. 250th Street, Lomita. 

For additional information and 

ticket purchase, visit lomitarr.org/calendar. 

Let it snow 

Green Hills Let it Snow Holiday 

Festival & Memorial Tree 

Lighting. Free. Santa photos, 

snow sledding, sleigh rides, 

arts & crafts, and holiday 

music. 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. Green 

Hills, 27501 S. Western Ave., 

Rancho Palos Verdes. For questions 

call (310) 521-4460. 

Holiday parade 

The El Segundo Chamber of 

Commerce and Chevron presents 

the annual Holiday Parade 

beginning at 1 p.m. and is 

expected to end about 3 p.m. 

The route begins on Main 

Street at Imperial Avenue and 

proceeds south to El Segundo 

Boulevard. Grandstands will 

be located at Main Street and 

Holly Avenue. Floats will be 

theme decorated and Saint 

Nick will make his appearance 

at the end of the procession. 

e l s e g u n d o c h a m b e r. c o m / 

events-and-news. 

Holiday fireworks 

Manhattan Beach’s signature 

holiday event gets underway 

at 4 p.m. with a concert 

by the Hyperion Outfall Serenaders 

followed by award-winning 

Mira Costa Jazz Ensemble 

at 5 p.m. and local favorite, 

Joe’s Band, at 6 p.m. Lou Giovannetti 

will be Master of Ceremonies. 

Skechers’ Snow Park 

will be open from 4 - 6:30 p.m. 

with five 50 sled runs, two 

snow play areas and snowmen 

available for family photos. A 

donation of canned goods, 

cash or a new, unwrapped toy 

is requested for admission to 

the Snow Park. The Bounce 

Park will have two huge slides 

and the Fire Dog bounce for 

smaller children. Fireworks 

start at 7 p.m. and will be synchronized 

to holiday music 

with an extended grand finale 

sponsored by Belkin. This is a 

hugely popular event so be 

sure to arrive early to nab 

prime seating. Bring your own 

beach chairs and blankets. For 

additional information, visit 

mbfireworks.com. 

Christmas Pageant 

Since 1953 Neighborhood 

On Dec. 9, bring family and friends, shovels, scarves and 

mittens because in Hermosa Beach where you can’t make 

snowmen, you have to make SANDMEN. Registration 

starts at 8:45 a.m. north of the Hermosa Pier at shoreline 

and building commences at 9 a.m. Lara, Tyler and Tristan 

Shea won Most Traditional award at the 2016 Hermosa 

Beach Sand Snowman Contest. Photo by Beverly Baird 

Church presents its Christmas 

Pageant as a free gift to the 

community. Two shows: 5:30 

& 7:30 p.m. Arrive early (5:15 

or 7:15 p.m.) to enjoy the prepageant 

music by the church 

bell choir in the Sanctuary. Appropriate 

for all ages. 415 

Paseo Del Mar, Palos Verdes 

Estates. (310) 378-9353 or 

neighborhoodchurchpve.org. 

Tuesday, December 12 

Parent+child = fun 

A morning of fun and learning 

with your babies and toddlers. 

Talk to experts on early 

childhood literacy, development, 

and health while kids 

learn through play and art. For 

ages 0-3 years and their caregivers. 

10:30 - 11:45 a.m. Hermosa 

Beach Library, 550 Pier 

Ave. Registration required: 

(310) 379-8475 or kwantuch 

@library.lacounty.gov. 

Support Group 

Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support 

Group is an open gathering 

of people who come 

together to share their feelings, 

thoughts and experiences in a 

safe environment. Attendees 

learn ways to better cope with 

and manage the challenges of 

dementia. (323) 930-6256 to 

RSVP. 3 - 5 p.m. Miller Children’s 

& Women’s Hospital 

Long Beach Conference Room 

A1/A2, 2801 Atlantic Ave., 

Long Beach. For more Senior 

Plus events, visit Memorial- 

Care.org/SeniorPlusEvents. 

Thursday, Dec.14 

The votes are in 

Pages’ Publisher Reps from 

Penguin, Random House, and 

Simon & Schuster will talk 

about their favorite books for 

the holidays. Reception begins 

at 6:30 p.m., presentations at 7 

p.m. Books and prizes will be 

raffled off. Refreshments. 

rsvp@pagesabookstore.com or 

(310) 318-0900. 904 Manhattan 

Ave., Manhattan Beach. 

Friday, December 15 

Cozy stories, crafts 

Snuggle up for a family storytime 

celebrating warm feelings 

and winter. Then create a 

seasonal card to share good 

wishes. Parents: food will be 

served. 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Hermosa 

Beach Library, 550 Pier 

Ave. Contact Kay Wantuch for 

questions at (310) 374-0746 or 

email: kwantuch@library.lacounty.gov. 

Saturday, Dec.16 

The Nutcracker 

The magic returns! 37th Anniversary 

Nutcracker directed 

by Uta Graf-Apostol. One 

weekend only Sat. Dec. 16 at 7 

p.m. and Sun. Dec. 17 at 1 

p.m. & 5 p.m. $35 for adults, 

$25 for children. Norris Theatre, 

27570 Norris Center Dr., 

Rolling Hills Estates. (310) 544- 

0403 x221 or palosverdesperformingarts.com. 

B 



each holidays 

MANHATTAN BEACH PIER LIGHTING 

PHOTOS BY MARK MCDERMOTT 

1. Santa Claus shares a 

moment with a friend in his 

sleigh, which was parked at 

Metlox Plaza. 

2. Cindy Grutzik and Lenora 

Marouani hang out outside the 

latter’s shop, The Souk, with her 

kids Sura and Pash. 

3. Sonia Davis brought her 2- 

year-old elf Mackenzie to see the 

pier lighting. 

4. Monika Crook and her kids 

Nathan and Aviele. 

5. The Manhattan Beach Middle 

School Madrigal Singers. 

6. The Yoga Loft crew and its 

merry elves. 

7. The Hyperion Outfall 

Serenaders performed along 

Manhattan Beach Boulevard. 

8. Aspiring bakers apply the 

finishing touches to cookies at 

Becker’s Bakery. 

9. Anna Iantuono sings lead 

with the Dietz Brothers Band. 

10. The Harmony Carolers 

sang up and down Manhattan 

Beach Boulevard. 

1 

2 

3 4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 10 


each people 

Billy’s 

bells 

Billy Meistrell with a retired scuba tank he made into a bell. Photo by Kevin Cody 

A member of a pioneering diving family recycles retired scuba tanks 

by Kevin Cody 

As the early ‘50s era Dive N’ Surf shop remodel 

was being completed in 2014, Billy 

Meistrell hit upon the idea of converting 

one of his dad Bill’s and uncle Bob’s discarded 

scuba tanks into a memorial bell. The twins’ dive 

shop was among the first in the nation and remains 

the nation’s oldest. 

Billy sawed off the bottom of the old gray tank 

and inside, for a clapper, suspended a chrome 

ball from a trailer hitch. Then he replaced the 

regulator valve at the top of the tank with a sailboat 

shackle and hung the bell in front of the one 

remaining cinder block wall from the original 

store. 

The sound from the nearly quarter-inch thick, 

steel tank has the low, long traveling ring of an 

offshore weather buoy. 

“During tours of the store, I tell people to ring 

the bell twice to say hi to Bill and Bob ‘up top’,” 

Meistrell said. 

12 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • December 7, 2017 

Shortly after the store reopened, resident Al 

Walsh brought in a scuba tank with a mermaid 

on it that had belonged to his wife’s dad Dudley 

Wheeler. He asked Meistrell to make it into a 

bell, like he had with his dad’s and uncle’s. Requests 

for dozens of other memorial dive tank 

bells followed. 

“Instead of scraping the tanks, now they will 

last for generations,” Meistrell said. 

“Divers’ families and friends want the tanks 

left dinged up so everyone knows the person 

being remembered was a real diver. But now 

non-divers are asking for ornamental bells. One 

lady asked for a bell to hang from a tree in her 

yard, where she had buried her dog. She gave me 

the dog’s leash for a pull rope,” Meistrell said. 

“‘This is much nicer than a tombstone,’ she told 

me when she picked it up.” 

“Bells are rich in symbolism and each one has 

a unique ring. I made a pink bell for a breast cancer 

fundraiser and a purple bell for a pancreatic 

cancer fundraiser. Hawaiian artist Brad ‘Tiki 

Shark’ Parker applied his tiki artwork to one of 

the dive tanks and sold it through a Hawaiian 

gallery for $1,500,” he said. 

New scuba tanks costs $200 to $400 and their 

diving lifespan is limited by law. To prevent the 

costly, solidly made and aesthetically appealing 

tanks from going to a landfill, Meistrell is constantly 

inventing new uses for them. 

Some of the uses include wine chillers, table 

legs, planters, serving dishes and phone charger 

stations. For the holidays he painted three bells 

red, white and green and hung them side by side 

in front of the Dive N’ Surf store. When the wind 

blows they ring like church bells. 

Scuba tank bells are available at Dive N’ Surf, 

504 N. Broadway. Meistrell can be reached at bgbstrell@aol.com. 

B

each people 

COMMUNITY GATHERS FOR 

Mama Liz Thanksgiving dinner 

O 

ver 50 cooked turkeys and even more pies 

were delivered to the Hermosa Beach Kiwanis 

and Rotary halls Thanksgiving morning. 

The donated fixings were just enough to serve the 

more than 400 guests who attended the 34th Annual 

Absolutely Free Mama Liz Thanksgiving Dinner. The 

dinner is organized each year by Berkshire Hathaway 

Realtor Donna Dawick and the Easy Reader staff. 

Readers donate cooked turkeys. Sandpipers donates 

the pies. Real Estate West Realtor Jonathan Coleman, 

of the band Abrakadabra, organizes local musicians 

who perform throughout the day. Dennis “Balloon 

Man” Forel and Vince “Bubbles” Ray entertains the 

kids. Hermosa Celebrations’ Sandy and Michael decorate 

the Kiwanis Hall with brightly colored, helium 

balloons. This year’s chefs were Enrique and Ava 

Ramirez and rolls were donated by Panera Bread. 

Hermosa Kiwanis made their hall available for the 

diners and the neighboring Hermosa Rotary Club donated 

use of its kitchen for carving the turkeys. 

1 

2 

3 4 

PHOTOS BY KEVIN CODY 

1. Donna Dawick and 

Ethan Hamilton. 

2. Ellen Jenkins of the 

Redondo Chamber 

delivers a turkey to the 

carving crew — Marc 

Hamilton, Neil Boyer 

and Jessi Aispuro. 

3. The morning crew's 

Ben Morse with sons 

Henry and Jack. 

4. Jerry "The Piano 

Man" Rothschild has 

been performing for 

the Mama Liz Dinner 

for over 20 years. 

5. Chefs Ava and 

Enrique Ramirez. 

6. Phoebe Benya, Teri 

Contreras, Donna 

Dawick and Alicia. 

7. Jessica and 

Jennifer Pusateri. 

8. The Harrow family 

Michael, Corey, Talia 

and Avigal. 

9. Humble Harry sings 

"A Boy named Sue" 

with Johnnie Pal on 

slide guitar. 

10. Music director 

Jonathan Coleman. 

11. Server Jessie Kay. 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 11 


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each people 

Where 

education 

begins 

by Mark McDermott 

Grand View Elementary Teacher of the Year Dina Moll in her kindergarten classroom. Photos by Brad Jacobson (CivicCouch.com) 

Early on a Thursday afternoon in November, 

a chorus of “ehs” were echoing in Room 12 

at Grand View Elementary School. 

Twenty-five kindergartners sat in a semi-circle 

around teacher Dina Moll, who was making a 

game out of a lesson regarding the pronunciation 

and drawing of the letter “e.” This was the 59th 

day of the school year; the students were on their 

second time through the alphabet. 

“E is one of those letters that is tricky,” Ms. 

Moll told the class, as she demonstrated how to 

draw a small “e” starting with the line in the middle. 

“Draw the diving board, then jump up, and 

around!” 

An overhead projector illuminated a series of 

slides featuring a barnyard full of animals, including 

a cheerful elephant and some chickens with 

eggs. As if it were a game show, Ms. Moll called 

up different kids to identify the right letter to use. 

The large projector screen was a touch screen, so 

the kids could drag each appropriate “e” to a 

bucket in the bottom corner to win. 

“I have an ‘e’ before a ‘y’ in my name,” said one 

girl. 

“That is why you are an ‘e’ professional,” said 

Ms. Moll. 

Every child in the classroom was paying full attention, 

which for a group of two dozen five-yearolds 

only two months into their educational lives 

counted as no minor miracle. When an elf appeared 

on the screen, Ms. Moll reminded the 

class of the elf who’d appeared in their classroom 

not so long ago. 

“This is what I was for Halloween,” she said. 

“An elf!” 

Welcome to the magical kingdom that is Ms. 

Moll’s classroom, where learning is joyful and 

the ringleader of 25 buzzing little beings is the 

most energetic of all. A class never goes by in 

which Ms. Moll has not made direct eye contact 

and interacted with each and every child in the 

room. Ms. Moll compares her role in the classroom 

to that of an actor, because she can’t take a 

single moment off — she has an audience glued 

to her every movement. But it’s hardly a passive 

audience. The students are ready to model their 

teacher’s every behavior, and she never forgets 

it. Her mood is always buoyant. 

“Whatever is going on in your personal life 

doesn’t matter when you walk through that 

door,” Ms. Moll said. “I feel like I am on stage performing...At 

this age, they are sponges. They pick 

up on everything I say and everything I do. If I’m 

excited about a project, they are going to be excited. 

If I am not into a project, they are not going 

to care about it.” 

“You are on every second of every day. There 

is no down time. You don’t get to pass out a test 

and say, ‘I’ll be here at my desk.’” 

Ms. Moll was named Grand View’s Teacher of 

the Year last June in part because her colleagues 

recognized the depth of her dedication, something 

reflected not only in her ebullient, attentive 

classroom presence but in the hours of painstaking 

preparation that make her lessons fun, riveting, 

and effective for kindergartners. 

Grand View Principal Nancy Doyle said that 

Ms. Moll is usually the first person at the school, 

arriving at 7 a.m. each morning. The work she 

puts into planning, Doyle said, makes her teaching 

appear almost effortless. But a lot of effort 

goes into the structure of each day. 

“First of all, it’s the smile that is on her face, so 

welcoming to each child as they walk in that 

door, and you just know in your heart they are 

going to have a happy and productive day,” Doyle 

said. “Once inside the room, she is carefully organized. 

She fastidiously plans her lessons….Each 


is designed to engage, designed to keep the kids active. Little sound bites 

happen throughout the day; five-year-olds’ attention spans wax and wane.” 

Kindergarten instruction is foundational. Ms. Moll’s classroom is brightly 

adorned, but with specific purpose. “There are so many beautiful reasons 

to be happy,” says a sign above her desk. Between her desk and the chalkboard 

a polka dotted tarp hangs with the words to “The Silly Squirrel” song 

pasted on via green construction paper squares. 

The song is part of a poetry series used to emphasize tracking when reading, 

sight word practice, grammar, punctuation, and how to change your 

voice to match the contours of the lyrics. Ms. Moll uses songs to help teach 

many lessons. There’s a clean-up song, a sit down song, and a goodbye 

song. 

“Most songs are used to help with transitions, or times when children 

are moving from one activity to another,” she said. “It keeps them focused 

and on task.” 

Nearby, a “sharing schedule” was written on a marker board with each 

student’s name assigned with others for each day of the week. The students’ 

desks are shared, two-foot high tables encircling a rainbow-colored 

carpet, where the kids sit when Ms. Moll gathers them for group instruction 

intermittently throughout each day. Behind her desk, laying peacefully 

in a cage, was a kindly-eyed golden labrador named Quinta. Ms. Moll volunteers 

for a non-profit that trains service dogs, and though Quinta will 

only be in the classroom for a month, the kids are happy to be part of the 

dog’s socialization. 

“When you are creating a foundation, the first thing is you have to get 

kids to want to come to school,” said Doyle. “She fills her classroom with 

a sense of community, and the students’ days with a myriad set of activities. 

So the day is super varied. They experience everything they need to 

experience in their little developing minds. The way she does it seems so 

seamless, but I know she is working super hard.” 

“That service dog, too, really shows she is an example to the kids, of selflessness, 

of being responsible, and that really sets a tone,” Doyle said. 

“Everything is intentional, but it looks effortless. Whether it’s life lessons 

about being respectful, or learning an academic lesson on the meaning of 

four plus four, they are doing it effortlessly but extremely intentional under 

her direction.” 

The “e” lesson wasn’t on the day’s schedule, but the kids had finished 

an art project 20 minutes earlier than planned. Ms. Moll, attuned to the 

mercurial nature of her students, always has alternative plans built into 

the school day. In fact, part of the reason she loves students at this age is 

their inherent spontaneity. No two days are alike. 

“They are so funny, to me,” she said. “I just can’t predict what they will 

say, and what they will do.” 

The art projects each student put together were made out of eight different 

pieces of colored construction paper cut to form the sun and the sky 

above two green trees and the ocean, with the inscription, “I am thankful 

for the blue water” at the bottom. 

“Ms. Moll, I want to take this home today,” said one curly-haired little 

blonde girl. 

Dina Moll teaches a group lesson to her students at Grand View. 


Students from Dina Moll's first class at Grand View Elementary, as a pre-k 

teacher in 2004, returned just before graduating high school last spring. 

Photo courtesy Grand View Elementary 

“You are taking this home today,” Ms. Moll said, leaning down near the 

girl, smiling. The little girl did three celebratory leaps with another girl. “I 

am so excited!” she exclaimed. 

Ms. Moll is in her 14th year teaching at Grand View. She graduated from 

Loyola Marymount in 2003. She was a psychology major before focusing 

her aspirations on teaching. 

“I knew I wanted some type of job that helped others,” she said. “I spent 

a lot of time thinking about how impactful certain teachers were in my 

life. I knew I needed work that made me feel I was doing some good for 

the world. Teaching was that for me, the fit.” 

She briefly taught at an inner-city elementary school in L.A. A teacher 

friend told her about Grand View, describing it as “the Disneyland of 

schools.” She was hired first as a pre-kindergarten teacher and then as a 

kindergarten teacher. It was a grade level she had never aspired to teach. 

“I didn’t really choose it,” she recalled. “I thought I preferred older kids. 

But after that first year at Grand View, I just fell in love with the innocence 

of the children of this age group. Looking out into a classroom and seeing 

how totally new they are to education, and how their bodies and faces 

transform into awe and wonder — it’s probably the greatest feeling as an 

adult that you can have. They are so excited by the little things. Sometimes 

you are the first person to explain to them why we have rain, how rain 

falls from a cloud — you don’t necessarily think about that as something 

cool, but then you sit and talk about it with the kids and see them begin 

to understand. It’s like a physical shift, how it lights them up. There are 

things I am the first person to tell them, about how the world works and 

how to be a good person in that world — it’s fun and exciting for me, so 

much energy, so much to talk about, so much to learn.” 

Ms. Moll’s students practiced their “e” skills on worksheets, trying out 

big E’s and small e’s and identifying cartoon animals whose names begin 

in “e.” She inspected each student’s work, applying a rubber stamp seal of 

approval that shows an apple with a bite out of it and the word “Terrific!” 

She gave a high five to one little boy wearing a T-shirt that said, “Class of 

2030.” The kids ended their day singing the goodbye song to each other, 

and to their teacher, who sang along. 

“I love what I do, and I feel that it matters,” Ms. Moll said after her students 

gleefully departed at the song’s end. “I am teaching kids how to be 

responsible, kind human beings. Obviously parenting plays the biggest part 

in that, but I feel that this is the foundation of how they are going to feel 

about school for the rest of their schooling.” 

The reality of this sentiment was brought specially to life last year. A 

group from the first class Ms. Moll taught at Grand View, back in 2004, 

returned to celebrate their high school graduation with their very first 

teacher. A dozen of her former students came, celebrating their graduation 

into the larger world back where their education began. 

“It is Disneyland,” Ms. Moll said of Grand View. “I come to work every 

day thinking, ‘I can’t believe I get to work here.” B 



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With encouragement from a Junior Lifeguard instructor and a fellow Junior Lifeguard she married, 

Amy Appelhans Gubser has completed over a dozen marathon swims in just two years 

Seeptember 22, 2017 8:19 PM, Santa Cruz, CA: It’s a quiet night. 

The beaches are empty and the ocean is calm. The sky is clear and 

the air feels cold on bare skin, reminding us it’s the first day of fall. 

Amy Appelhans Gubser, 49, stands beside a rock jetty, near the 

Santa Cruz boardwalk, wearing a swimsuit, cap and goggles. She takes a 

deep breath and wades into the chilly Monterey Bay and starts swimming. 

The Monterey Bay, between Santa Cruz and Pacific Grove, is 25 miles 

wide, nearly five miles wider than the English and Catalina channels. The 

Bay plunges to a depth of 2,600 feet and the water temperature hovers 

around 55 degrees. Afternoons are windy so swims are attempted at night. 

There are more than 1,000 species of jellies in Monterey Bay. Of these, the 

biggest threat to swimmers is the Pacific Sea Nettle. Their 24 tentacles grow 

to 15 feet in length and they reproduce quickly into massive armies, over a 

mile wide. 

There had been just 11 previous attempts and only three recognized, successful 

attempts to swim across the Monterey Bay. The first successful attempt 

was in 1980, by Los Angeles County Lifeguard Cindy Cleveland, of 

Palos Verdes. Cleveland finished the swim in 15 hours, 20 minutes. The second 

successful Monterey Bay swim wasn’t until 2014, when Patti Bauernfeind, 

of Dublin, completed the swim on her fourth attempt in exactly 13 

hours. She was followed that same year by Kim Rutherford of Capitola, 

who finished in 22 hours 6 minutes. Only one man has swum across the 

Monterey Bay and he did it in a wetsuit. 

Monterey Bay Swimming Association rules, like those governing Catalina 

and English Channel swims, prohibit wetsuits. Swimmers must depart from 

land and finish on land under their own power, wearing only a swimsuit, 

a single swim cap and goggles. 

A promising Junior Lifeguard 

Amy Appelhans moved with her family to Playa Del Rey from Illinois in 

1978, when she was 10. Her mother, a swimmer in her youth in Wheaton 

Illinois, encouraged her daughter to swim at the Westchester YMCA. But 

Amy preferred bicycling to Toes Beach, where longtime Toes lifeguard Mike 

Maurry introduced her to surfing and convinced her to join Junior Lifeguards. 

That year, she tried out as a swimmer for the local JG team that 

was going to the Nationals Championships. After the swim, the 10 year-old 

asked if she had made the team. You won the race, her JG instructor told 

her. 

In 1981, her family moved to Palos Verdes, where she swam for Peninsula 

Aquatics, the San Pedro/Peninsula YMCA and Rolling Hills High School. 

“Our high school team had only five swimmers and one diver. But we all 

advanced to the finals and our team placed second in CIF,” Gubser said. 

Ten years after qualifying for the Junior Lifeguard Nationals team, she 

qualified to become a Los Angeles County Lifeguard. Her first Lifeguard 

boss was legendary ocean swimmer Cindy Cleveland. In 1976, Cleveland 

swam the Catalina Channel, from the island to the mainland. The following 

year, she swam from the mainland to Catalina and back to the mainland. 

Two years later, one month prior to her precedent setting Monterey Bay 

Swim, Cleveland circumnavigated Catalina Island, swimming non stop for 

34 hours, 24 minutes, a distance of 46.4 miles. 

“Cindy would workout for hours on her days off. I was in awe of her discipline, 

both mental and physical. She was always encouraging me to swim 

events like the International Surf Festival Pier to Pier Swim and the La Jolla 

10 Mile Swim,” Gubser said. 

One day, while lifeguarding at Hermosa Beach, Gubser rescued a young 


Former South Bay beach lifeguard 

Amy Gubser swims across Monterrey 

Bay. Her husband Greg, also a 

former South Bay beach lifeguard, 

drives her escort boat. Photo by 

John Chapman 

boy with assistance from a fellow 

lifeguard named Greg Gubser, 

whom she remembered from her 

first year in Junior Lifeguards. 

While lifeguarding a few days later, 

she saw a paddler coming ashore 

in her swim area. “I ran down to 

scold him and was surprised to see 

it was Greg. He had been fishing 

and caught a huge halibut. He invited 

me to dinner. That was our 

first date and two years later we 

were married.” 

In 1993, one year after the couple 

married, Greg joined the U.S 

Coast Guard and they moved to 

the San Francisco area, where he 

was stationed. Eventually, they settled 

in Pacifica, a small beach town 

just south of San Francico. The 

area had no Junior Lifeguard program, 

so Amy and Greg started 

Surf Camp Pacifica. Amy also 

worked in a Pediatric Intensive 

Care Unit as a neonatal nurse. 

Work and raising children Justin 

and Holly left little time for swimming. 

But in 2014, with her kids 

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having finished high school, Gubser 

accepted a friend’s challenge to 

swim in the San Francisco Bay. It 

was in February and it had been 

nearly two decades since she had 

swum competitively. 

“I tried every excuse to get out of 

it,” she recalled. “And when I 

jumped in I lost my breath. I cried 

and had a panic attack. Finally, I 

relaxed. Every cell in my body suddenly 

felt alive. I loved it.” 

She began swimming year-round 

in the San Francisco Bay in preparation 

for marathon swims. 

In April 2015, she swam the 10- 

mile-wide Strait of Gibraltar, from 

Spain to Morocco. Four months 

later, in July, she swam the 21.3 

mile length of icy Lake Tahoe. And 

a month after that, she and five fellow 

members of the Nadadores 

Locos completed a 59.4 mile, relay 

swim from the Golden Gate Bridge 

to the shark infested Farallon Islands 

and back. 

Then in 2016, Gubser swam the 

Catalina Channel. She finished in 

just under 15 hours, well off her 

regular pace. After reaching shore 

she was rushed to the hospital. She 

had spent the last six miles struggling 

to breath because of an anaphylactic 

reaction to an algae 

Pacific Sea Nettle jellies blanketed Monterey Bay during Amy Gubser’s swim across the bay on the first day of fall. 


Monterey Bay swimmers Amy Gubser, Kim Rutherford and Patty Bauernfeind, 

signal with their hands the order in which they swam across the bay. 

Rutherford is also holding up one finger for Cindy Cleveland of Palos 

Verdes, who was the first person to swim across the bay. 

bloom in the water. 

“I only finished because I didn’t 

want to have to do it again. A finish 

is a finish,” she said afterwards. 

The adverse reaction aside, Gubser 

felt she hadn’t trained hard 

enough for the channel swim. So in 

preparation for the even longer and 

colder Monterey Bay swim she embarked 

on what she calls “no recovery 

training.” Each morning in the 

dark, she began a three hour workout 

in the San Francisco Bay, where 

water temperatures range from 48 

to 60 degrees. Then she worked her 

12 hour nursing shift. 

“If you can’t find the time you 

make it,” she said. In the six months 

prior to her Monterey Bay swim, 

she made time to swim across four 

Arizona lakes in four days, and 

Gubser cont. on page 39 

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each sports 

Jack Alexander Sr. 

rescued local 

youth football, 

paving the path for 

his son to lead the 

Redondo High 

Sea Hawks 

Redondo quarterback Jack Alexander completed 

his two-year varsity career averaging 162.2 

passing yards per game while recording 3,731 

yards and 38 touchdowns. Photo by Ray Vidal 

by Randy Angel 

When an email was sent to 

families informing them 

that the 2008 fall flag 

football season had been cancelled, 

eight-year-old Jack Alexander was 

devastated. He put his uniform on 

and, clutching his football, stayed 

in bed the rest of the day sobbing. 

Alexander loved playing sports, 

beginning with T-ball at the age of 

four, in the old North Redondo Little 

League. It was then that he became 

good friends with John 

Jackson III whose father, a former 

standout wide receiver at USC 

known as JJ, was the coach. 

In 2007, Jackson suggested to 

Jack Sr. that their sons play flag 

football in the Redondo Pacific 

Coast Conference. Their team 

went undefeated and then played 

in the newly-formed South Bay 

Youth Sports league in the spring, 

which they also won. 

So, the following year, when 

South Bay Sports cancelled its fall 

season two days before opening 

day, Jack Sr. decided to take matters 

into his own hands. 

He called dads and coaches vowing 

to save the season. The day before 

the season was scheduled to 

start, he went to Mira Costa High 

School at 7 a.m. to ask permission 

to use the football field. He was 

told he would need permission 

from both the the Manhattan 

Beach Unified School District and 

Manhattan Beach Athletic Foundation 

(MBX). 

Alexander wrote a check to the 

foundation for approximately 

$15,000, bought insurance for all 

233 kids and, with the help of 

foundation President Gary Wayland, 

got the MBUSD to sign off. 


At 6:10 that evening, he put the word out that the Beach Cities Youth Flag 

Football League season was on. 

“I had to do something not just to help my son, JJ3, and the other kids 

in our neighborhood on our team, but for all of the kids in the beach cities,” 

said Jack Sr. who became first president of the new league. “It was a wild 

ride and helped change the culture of youth sports in our community, so I 

am very proud of stepping up to start the BCS.” 

BCS players, Jack Alexander among them, also helped change the trajectory 

of Redondo Union High football. Alexander recently finished his 

senior season at Redondo, after leading the Sea Hawks to the CIF-Southern 

Section Division 4 playoffs. 

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound signal caller was a dual threat for Redondo, possessing 

a strong arm and quick feet. 

In 11 games, he averaged 196.2 yards passing per game, throwing for 

2,138 yards and 18 touchdowns, with only six interceptions. He also ran 

the ball 110 times for 724 yards (6.5 average) and nine touchdowns. 

Alexander finished his prep career wearing the same No. 7 he wore since 

he began playing football at the age of seven. 

Alexander did not play quarterback until his first year of tackle football, 

when he joined the Redondo Pop Warner team as an 8th grader. 

Though originally slated to play wide receiver, he made an impression 

on coach Tom Coate who told Jack’s father after the team’s first practice 

he would need his own football because he was the new quarterback. 

“It was during that season that I really fell in love with the game,” Alexander 

said. “I knew I wanted a career in football and someday become a 

coach. The passion and intensity in tackle football is extreme. You only 

play 10 games a season. There is no other sport like it.” 

Coate, the current head coach at Chadwick in Palos Verdes, saw something 

special in Alexander. 

“He was tall, athletic, and had a fierce competitive spirit,” Coate recalled. 

“Once I saw Jack throw a football, I thought he was the ideal fit for a great 

quarterback. He had an incredibly high football I.Q., was very coachable, 

and was a leader. I knew then that he was not only going to be our quarterback, 

I knew Jack was going to be a great quarterback for all his future 

teams. 

“What makes Jack special is that he is a humble and hungry warrior. 

Jack always gives his best effort, is competitive and makes others around 

him better – a leader in every sense. One of my greatest memories is coaching 

this wonderful young man.” 

In only his second year playing tackle football, Alexander was named 

MVP of Redondo’s freshman team after throwing for 2,500 yards and 24 

touchdowns with only one interception. 

But Alexander wanted more. As a member of a devout Catholic family, 

he had attended St. James Elementary School in Torrance and decided to 

transfer to St. John Bosco as a sophomore. 

“I wanted an opportunity to play with the best,” Alexander said. “Bosco 

had recently won a national championship (2013). I carpooled with some 

guys in the area. It was a year of learning and game experience against 

high-quality opponents.” 

But the carpool to the Bellflower campus was falling through and the 

long, grueling days of getting up early and arriving home late took its toll. 

Alexander decided to return to Redondo. 

“I have no regrets about the decision,” Alexander said. “It was nothing 

but football and academics. I wanted to fully enjoy the high school experience 

and I really missed my friends. The Redondo community is great 

and the school’s football program is strong with a lot of history.” 

Alexander began his junior season as the Sea Hawks starting quarterback 

and led the team to a share of the Bay League title. The team reached the 

second round of the CIF-SS Division 4 playoffs, losing a heartbreaker to 

top-seeded Sierra Canyon 41-34 in triple overtime. 

Yet it was the season opener that Alexander considers the most memorable 

moment of his career. 

“It was my first varsity start and we beat a very good Rancho Verde team 

28-22 in double overtime,” Alexander said. “It was among the top five 

games I’ve played. I was anxious and nervous. It was breathtaking to take 

the field as the starting quarterback for the first time. It’s those kind of 

emotions that make football such a special game.” 

Alexander led a late drive to tie the score then connected with Julian 

Woodard on a 25-yard screen pass to win the game. It was one of only two 

games Rancho Verde lost that season 

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Jack Alexander celebrates Senior Night in Sea Hawk Bowl with parents 

Jack and Vicki. Photo courtesy of the Alexander family 

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30 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • December 7, 2017 

Another highlight of his career 

came in this year’s regular-season 

finale when he played with a severe 

ankle sprain. 

“I’m all about winning and there 

was no better feeling than beating 

Mira Costa on their turf this year,” 

Alexander exclaimed. “Coming 

from behind and connecting with 

Pierre Dawson for the winning 

score was so exciting and I’m proud 

to have beaten Costa in my junior 

and senior years.” 

The Alexander-Pierre connection 

went deeper than on the field. Dawson, 

a Canadian who wanted to 

play American football, has lived 

with the Alexander family since August. 

Alexander has worked hard to 

reach the level he is at, having 

worked with former USC head 

coaches Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian, 

former NFL quarterback Billy 

Joe Hobert and a number of high 

school and college coaches, including 

Matthew Hatchette (LB Poly), 

Ryan Campbell (Westlake), Chad 

Johnson (St John Bosco), Seth Oseransky 

(College of the Canyons) and 

Eric Wilson (RUHS alumni who 

played for the University of Washington). 

Along with Coate, and of course 

his father, Alexander considers John 

Aponte (current RUHS offensive coordinator) 

and private instructor 

Danny Hernandez (Team Dime/Premium 

Sports) as the major influences 

in his career. 

“I appreciate Coach Aponte for 

letting me showcase all my skills,” 

Alexander said. “I really enjoyed 

working with him.” 

Aponte resigned as Banning’s 

head coach after the 2016 season to 

join Matt Ballard’s staff at Redondo. 

“Jack is an amazing kid. I've 

watched him go through ups and 

downs and I've loved the way he 

fights through it,” Hernandez said. 

“This last year he lost two of his 

best offensive weapons (running 

back Jermar Jefferson and receiver 

Julian Woodard), who decided to 

transfer to Narbonne. He didn't cry 

about it. He just got to work and understood 

he was going to have to 

shoulder the load. Jack is a playmaker 

but I think I admire his mental 

toughness the most. I know he's 

undecided but the (college) team 

that lands him will be happy because 

they are getting a good one.” 

Alexander sets very high goals for 

himself and considers his ability to 

extend plays to be the strength of 

his game. 

“I’m extremely competitive and 

emotional, even when I’m just playing 

video games like Madden,” 

Alexander said. “I’m very proud of 

some of my performances but numbers 

never mean much to me – I 

just want to win.” 

Alexander’s high football IQ has 

Alexander cont. on page 39

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each travel 

Isabella Cordi embarks on a swim in Bingham Lake in Minnesota on the final day of her tour of all 50 states. Photo by Tony Cordi 

by Tony Cordi 

A Hermosa Beach family sets off on a tour of all 50 states, 

leaving behind the careful planning that governs life at home 

Ican’t recall how it all started. It may have been just a passing suggestion 

from our then eight-year old daughter Isabella. It sounded daunting, but 

for whatever reason, we relented and embarked on a journey that would 

take us to all 50 states. Had we thought through just what this would entail, 

we probably would have backed out. But, we broke from our habit of overplanning, 

creating enough of a shift in our behavior to make room to thoroughly 

engage in all of the magical moments we would encounter along 

the way. 

Over an 18 month period, beginning in December 2014, we made it to 

all of the states we hadn’t been to before. It took seven separate trips and 

by the time we finished, we had logged over 13,000 miles by car and close 

to 30,000 in the air. We would see over 30 major colleges and universities, 

25 state capitals, and several National Forests, Parks and Monuments. Our 

only rule for the visit to count was we needed to spend the night or have a 

full meal. We spent a total of two months away from our Hermosa Beach 

home. 

It began with leaving Hermosa Beach for a road trip to several southwestern 

states. We knew where we wanted to be and when we wanted to be 

there. We even mapped out our food and researched restaurants in advance. 

But as we would soon learn, over planning inhibited us from embracing 

the adventures as they unfolded. 

Our first epiphany on the benefits of unscripted travel hit us in Saguaro 

National Park. The Arizona valley is surrounded by thousands of tall 

saguaro cacti standing sentry to the majesty of the desert. We were struck 

by the stillness, something we don’t experience often at the beach. It would 

be a recurring experience in the Southwest in places like White Sands Na- 


tional Monument and the Arches 

and Canyonlands National Parks. 

To interrupt Isabella’s increasing 

dependency on her iPad during the 

trips, we began to make random 

stops. These respites paid off. In 

White Sands National Monument 

she rolled down the glistening hills 

while laughing hysterically. The 

same thing happened on the slopes 

of Vail and sledding down Y 

Mountain in Provo. 

We committed to eating local 

food and witnessing the culture as 

much as possible. We couldn’t get 

enough of Southwestern cuisine, 

especially in New Mexico. Santa Fe 

had fantastic food and offered opportunities 

to visit enchanting 

places like the pueblos of Nambe 

and Taos and to shop at the Native 

American vendors at the Palace of 

the Governors. The uniqueness of 

El Paso, Denver and Las Vegas 

would add to the mix. 

In the spring of 2015, we set out 

to visit family and friends in the 

Gulf States before venturing off to 

several adjacent states. Experiencing 

unfamiliar places with people 

we enjoy who happen to know the 

area greatly enhanced our travel. 

Ruby Falls, outside Chattanooga, 

is a 145-foot high, underground 

waterfall, every bit worth the effort 

of getting to it. Likewise, we will 

never forget digging for diamonds 

at Crater of Diamonds State Park 

outside Murfreesboro, Arkansas. It 

is the world’s only diamond-producing 

site where the public can 

do this. We spent hours, mostly in 

mud, not even caring if we made a 

discovery. 

We were also able to enjoy excellent 

Southern-style cuisine in Alabama 

and Florida in addition to old 

school ribs in Memphis. Of course, 

we had to try gumbo, jambalaya 

and beignets in New Orleans. 

We thought it would be fun to go 

to the District of Columbia and 

Philadelphia over Memorial Day 

weekend and it turned out to be a 

great decision. We didn’t need an 

iPad for Isabella at all on this trip. 

Because of timing issues, we had to 

consolidate the D.C. trip and opted 

to take a bus tour, which worked 

out perfectly. We covered many 

monuments and had the opportunity 

to walk around most of them. 

It was fun for our daughter to see 

the White House and I had a 

chance to meet up with a former 

college classmate. 

We had great food in Reading 

Terminal Market in Philadelphia, 

but missed out on seeing Liberty 

Bell Center because the line was 

300 people deep. We grabbed 

Philly cheesesteaks to go instead 

before meeting up with friends for 

dinner in Cape May, New Jersey. 

Our shortest stay in a state was in 

Delaware with a stop for cheesecake 

and we would only spend a 

couple of hours in Harper’s Ferry 

in West Virginia. Baltimore offered 

fantastic soft-shell crabs, cannoli in 

Little Italy, and a chance to burn it 

off paddle-boating in the Inner 

Harbor. 

Later in the summer after Isabella 

turned nine, we visited the 

Pacific Northwest and brought our 

travel to another level. We had an 

exceptional trip to Idaho, 

Wyoming, Montana, Washington 

and Alaska. Everything about these 

states made it easier and more enjoyable 

to be spontaneous. We had 

a blast, swimming in a sinkhole off 

the Snake River by Shoshone Falls, 

watching the Jackson Hole Rodeo 

in Wyoming, and swimming in the 

West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake. 

It helped that we had warm 

weather and got to see bison roaming 

up close, eruptions from Old 

Faithful Geyser, and the beauty of 

Big Sky while hiking. 

Stops in Coeur D’Alene, Spokane 

and Seattle all added to the adventure. 

We got our Idaho potato fix 

in, and a fantastic ferry ride at 

night to view Seattle. 

I could write volumes about our 

time in Alaska with friends. We 

went dog-sledding with Iditarod 

competitors, rafting in a Glacier 

river, toured Denali National Park, 

ate incredible salmon, and stayed 

on military bases. The signature 

moment occurred on the way back 

from a dinner cruise to Fox Island 

in the Kenai Fjords. We stopped in 

Emerald Cove and were blown 

away by the sight of countless 

moon jellyfish, sea lions trying to 

scramble up a tiny island to escape 

four approaching orcas, eagles on 

the side of a bluff not far from 

common murres, cormorants, 

puffins, and a random mountain 

goat. Definitely not something we 

see every day. 

Over Labor Day, we flew round 

trip to Boston to witness the 

pageantry of the change of seasons 

and see all of New England. An 

Tony, Isabella, and Janeth in South Dakota, celebrating the completion of 

their 50-state tour. Photo courtesy of the Cordi Family 

hour drive can change everything 

there. We went to Pemaquid Point 

Light to scramble on the cliffs and 

tour the lighthouse before eating 

lobster rolls in Boothbay Harbor. 

Having Italian food was a must in 

Boston before spending the night 

in Cape Cod. Swimming at the 

beaches of Nantucket Island and 

just walking around the island left 

an indelible impression. 

Isabella had a chance to scope 

out Harvard and Brown on this trip 

and to see my childhood home in 

upstate New York. We swam in 

Lake George and enjoyed the company 

of one set of friends in 

Burlington and another set in Montreal. 

It wouldn’t be until spring break 

2016 before we made our next 

trip – to Michigan, three of the 

Great Lakes, the Rock and Roll 

Museum, and Notre Dame. This 

trip marked another turning point. 

Isabella became far more proactive 

in planning our activities. 

She had us visit the incredible 

Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, 

an indoor water park in Sandusky, 

the musical “Matilda” in Chicago, 

the Wizard of Oz Museum in 

Wamego, Kansas, and later the Little 

House on the Prairie site in Independence. 

She even managed to 

get a horse ride in when we were 

in Lincoln, Nebraska. We were encouraged 

to visit Woolaroc, where 

the free-roaming wildlife and the 

extensive museum captivated all of 

us. 

Food was a big part of this trip, 

as well. We had brats with friends 

in Milwaukee, baked goods in the 

Czech Village outside Cedar 

Rapids, and steaks in Omaha. We 

even enjoyed a dinner in Tulsa and 

great Thai food in Dallas. 

On our last night, we pampered 

ourselves at the Westin Galleria, 

which gave Isabella an opportunity 

to swim in the morning and ice 

skate later in the mall. 

This left us with three states to 

visit. We flew into Minneapolis just 

before Isabella’s 10th birthday and 

enjoyed the city before checking 

out the expansive Mall of America. 

Not surprisingly, Isabella loved 

Nickelodeon Universe and we 

would make it back a couple more 

times. We ventured off to Fargo 

and then spent the night in Bismarck. 

The next day we achieved 

our goal of hitting our 50th and 

final state when we made it to Ludlow, 

South Dakota, without any 

signs of civilization in sight. 

South Dakota proved to be another 

big surprise, with Mt. Rushmore, 

Jewel Cave National 

Monument, Crazy Horse Monument 

and later Badlands and Sioux 

Falls. We would punctuate the last 

night of our last trip on this journey 

with a spontaneous stop at 

Bingham Lake in Minnesota for a 

swim. 

Our quest had come to an end. 

When asked what her favorite 

places are, Isabella offers New 

York City and the big island of 

Hawaii. She has vivid memories 

from both areas. Our travels have 

been an incredible blessing thanks 

to making the shift from a heavilyscripted 

approach to a mindset of 

just embracing the opportunities as 

they come. B 


Chef Michael Mazzotta and his 

Lagotto Romagnolo, Capo, on the 

hunt for truffles. 

Photos by Brad Jacobson 

(CivicCouch.com) 


y Richard Foss 

NoSe 

A Basq Kitchen chef Michael Mazzotta and his dog Capo train for one of the 

culinary arts’ most prestigious competitions 

Chef Michael Mazzotta and Capo relax at A Basque Kitchen. 

If you hang around Redondo Beach you may have seen a mustachioed 

man on a bicycle being towed down The Eslpanade by a small dog 

with curly brown and white fur. At one end of that leash is Redondo’s 

next media sensation, but it is not yet clear which end. 

Meet Michael Mazzotta, chef at A Basq Kitchen, and Capo, a bouncy, 

friendly dog of an unusual Italian breed called Lagotto Romagnolo. The 

two will soon be competing at an Oregon event where they hunt one of 

the prizes of the culinary world, a musky, pungent fungus prized by gourmets. 

Truffles are related to mushrooms and grow on underground tree roots. 

They are one of the few plants that humans have been unable to domesticate. 

Top quality specimens sell for over $5,000 a pound. 

As Mazzotta explained, “Truffles have the allure of being something humans 

can’t create or control. It’s a foraged product that grows in unpredictable 

places, so that humans can only find them with the assistance of 

partner animals. They used to use pigs, but recently switched to Lagotto 

Romagnolo dogs, originally bred as retrievers trained to hunt birds on the 

lakes in Italy. At one time the lakes dried up, and the breed almost went 

extinct until they found a new use for them. Truffles saved this breed.” 

The use of these dogs to hunt fungi instead of avians only goes back a 

few decades. The fact that humans bond with dogs better than pigs is a 

major advantage, said Mazzotta. 

“Pigs have an acute sense of smell and are good hunters, but they’ll 

happily eat the truffles, so if you find it and he eats it you’re back at 

square one. Dogs are better for the job, and it’s not just that he doesn’t 

eat what we’re looking for. Capo wants to please, and we have a strong 

bond. The way he reacts to the scents blows my mind. The look in his 

eyes – he’s experiencing something no human can ever understand. There 

are levels and levels of scents that he has access to. With his mind and 

his nose, and his desire to excel at this, it’s incomparable to what a pig 

could do.” 

Though he had dogs as a child Mazzotta had never trained one before. 

But after buying Capo as a three month old puppy he started burying 

truffles and challenging the dog to find them. 

“Training him was easy. They’re such smart animals that he understood 

immediately that this was the game, to use his amazing sense of smell 

and instinct to dig to unearth these gems. I just bonded with him, and it’s 

just us reading each other. Without words we communicate back and 

forth like that.” 

on the prize 

Experienced dogs learn to ignore immature truffles and only dig up 

those that are ripe. This is one of the skills that will be graded at the North 

American Truffle Dog Championship, which will be held in Eugene, Oregon 

in late January. Oregon forests are home to both a native truffle and 

colonies of transplanted European truffles that now grow wild. This year’s 

competition is the third annual test of dogs and their partner humans. It 

will be the first competition for Mazzotta and Capo, and they’ll be up 

against both two and four legged pros. The challenges come in two stages, 

only the first of which is open to the public. 

“The first round is indoors, and there’s a set circuit where the truffles 

have been hidden. After that you’re out in the woods, foraging for the 

natural truffles. We’re going up early so we can do some foraging before 

the competition, really putting him to the test in a real world situation. 

It’s really exciting to be able to do that without flying to Europe.” 

There are plans to document the trip with a video, and Mazzotta has 

started a GoFundMe page, offering dinners using the truffles Capo finds 

as an incentive. Those dinners will be held shortly after their triumphant 

return, because the prized fungi deteriorate soon after being unearthed. 

“The shelf life of a first-rate truffle is very short. Use it within a week 

of it being found if you want to experience what it really has to offer. You 

only get them fresh during a short period, which differs depending on 

the variety and where you are. There are summer truffles and winter truffles 

in Italy, and in Oregon they’re best from December through March. 

The rest of the year you have to use truffle oils, which is the only way of 

preserving the flavor.” 

When asked whether there is any substitute for this temperamental and 

elusive plant, Mazzotta was emphatic. “There’s no way to recreate the flavor 

using any combination of other ingredients. It is such a unique product… 

For some reason when you add a truffle to a dish it elevates the 

other ingredients. You can’t pinpoint exactly what that is, it’s magic.” 

Man and dog will be put to the test on January 25, and will come back 

with stories, a video, and some funky, musky, luggage containing some 

of the most prized plants on Earth. Until then, Capo will get his exercise 

practicing his scenting skills and riding down the Esplanade towing 

Michael’s bicycle. 

To find the contribution page go GoFundMe.com/capo-the-puppy B 


each sports 

Wave of passion 

Alex Fry putting it on rail during an NSSA contest in October. Photo by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com) 

Mira Costa’s Alex Fry relies on internal drive as a rising South Bay surf star 

by Ryan McDonald 

or a good portion of last year, Alex Fry ate breakfast in the car. 

The Mira Costa High School junior did not have a problem with his snooze button. 

In fact, he had already been up for some time. He was in the water, squeezing 

in a surf before school. Fry is a top competitor on the school’s championship 

surf team, but unlike many of his fellow surfers, he was playing another sport, 

tennis, on top of it. Participants on the surf team usually hit the beach in the 

morning and start the day late, filling out the remainder of their schedule in 

periods two through six. Fry’s place on the tennis team meant that he did not 

have an extra period to spare, and so he crammed in time and meals where he 

could. 

This year he has put tennis aside, making it Fry’s first year in which surfing 

will be his sole athletic focus. But he retains the spirit of an athlete willing to 

do whatever it takes to succeed. 

Along with his contributions to Costa’s perennial powerhouse team, Fry has 

racked up impressive performances in National Scholastic Surfing Association 

events, including a third-place finish in his division at last year’s West Coast 

FChampionships. 


Though not a fan of aerials, Alex Fry proves he can break loose his fins, if he wants to. Photo by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com) 

His path to success reveals how much surfing has come to resemble other, 

more established sports. Fry has little in common with the loose-limbed 

slackers that formed part of the sport’s identity. Those who know him say 

that he stands out for the intensity of his focus. 

Leo Schleyer is Fry’s teammate on the Costa team, and also his neighbor. 

He typically catches a ride with Fry when the two are on their way to a 

meet. 

“He’s a super competitive person, probably the most competitive person 

I know. Sometimes before contests, we’ll be driving there, and you can tell 

he’s thinking about it. He’s sitting there, just super focused,” Schleyer said. 

Schleyer said that Fry’s passion tends to make those around him better. 

Tracy Geller, head coach of the Costa surf team, described him as “a born 

leader.” The team has begun working out with a fitness trainer, and splits 

into groups for smaller sessions. But the groups were uneven: the one immediately 

after school was crowded to the point of chaos, while the later 

one was sparsely attended. Fry, Geller recalled, took it upon himself to talk 

to teammates about their schedules and help balance attendance at the 

workouts. 

Despite the changes surfing is undergoing, it remains unavoidably different 

from other sports. (Whether it even is a sport has been the subject of 

dozens of magazine stories, from “Surfer” to “The Atlantic.”) Even when a 

wave is reduced to a decimal-pointed average, good surfing still requires 

liveliness and unpredictability. And at a time when more and more of the 

kids Fry faces in contests are approaching competitive surfing with a kind 

of parent-assisted monasticism, Fry lives a pretty typical life. He usually 

forgoes afternoon surfs to focus on homework. He still gets in the water 

every day, but does so in the frequently closed-out waves of the South Bay. 

When I asked if he thought growing up here was an asset or a liability as 

a surfer, I half-expected him to reply with some bromide about learning to 

get to your feet quickly. What he offered instead revealed an understanding 

of surfing, as well as the world outside it. 

“It’s an asset. Compared to kids that live in the inner city, where I live is 

a dream. But compared to the kids I compete against almost every weekend, 

the waves I surf are nowhere near what they have. And most of them are 

homeschooled,” Fry said. 

His voice carried no hint of bitterness or excuse, just recognition of the 

facts. 

Climbing the ladder 

Fry’s dad Kurt introduced him to surfing when he was about six, but 

there was no thought of world-tour domination in those early tours through 


Fry with his mom Nicole and dad Kurt. Photo by Ryan McDonald 

the whitewater. 

“I never thought I would be doing what I am now. It was just kind of like 

a hobby, for whenever I wasn’t playing other sports. It was just fun,” Fry 

said. 

Fry is a natural athlete with springy legs, erect carriage, and a surprisingly 

strong grip. He embodies what Geller has identified as a key transformation 

in the sport: the increasing acceptance of surfing as a competitive endeavor, 

and the ensuing willingness of sport-inclined parents to commit their children 

to it. (Along with tennis, Fry played club soccer, and baseball when 

he was younger.) Competitive surfing is now being suffused with a talent 

pool that a generation ago might have thought of it as just, well, fun. 

Fry entered his first surf contest, with the local South Bay Boardriders, 

in fifth grade. The joy his initial successes brought revealed to him how 

much he enjoyed competition, and winning. He gradually expanded his 

sights, entering contests in the Western Surfing Association, and now describes 

himself as committed to the NSSA. 

Attending these contests gave Fry his first taste of the challenges a South 

Bay surfer faces. The closest contest location is Huntington Beach. Others 

can require driving more than two hours, and he is thankful that his parents 

were willing to help him get there. 

“We’ve always been supportive of him and his surfing. It’s fun to go watch 

him, even though he has a driver’s license now. You just hope he makes it 

out of first heat. It’s a bit of a bummer to go one-and-a-half hours for a 15- 

minute heat,” dad Kurt said. 

These early experiences also revealed another obstacle: many of his competitors 

are reared on pointbreaks or cobblestone reefs, which tend to provide 

longer rides and more open wave faces than South Bay beach breaks, 

and allow for more opportunities to practice maneuvers. 

It can be hard to discern any such disadvantage from watching Fry surf. 

He is attuned to the tiniest shifts in the ocean. Once to his feet, he moves 

with the taut precision of a running back, goal in sight, but constantly adjusting 

to things trying to knock him down. His carves and hacks land with 

such force that they seem to come from some place beyond his still-growing 

frame. 

The only maneuvers Fry does not do are airs, even though many young 

surfers increasingly define themselves with their aerial repertoire. 

“I’m not sure if it’s a decision I made, or something that just kind of happened. 

I definitely think that my rail work sets me apart from a lot of kids 

who are doing airs. I don’t even know how to do airs, but I can still get 

pretty far in contests sticking to my guns,” Fry said. 

Geller has encouraged Fry to explore airs, less as something required to 

win heats than as a way to inject excitement into his approach. 

“Kids like Alex, they know exactly how to do the turn and the time to hit 

the lip to get the score. But it’s just a little bit controlled or safe. I’ve been 

encouraging him to just send it. Don’t throw away the wave at the end, just 

send it. If you’re going to fall, fall trying something new,” Geller said. 

With another season of competition, Fry said improving his wave selection 

will be key to going further in contests. But this will hardly be the only 

thing on his mind. Along with his team and his family, there is a full schedule 

of classes to occupy him. Fittingly for someone who embraces challenge, 

Fry’s favorite subject is history, one he has struggled with at times, but 

nonetheless finds fascinating. 

“We’ve always wanted Alex to be well-rounded. We want him to focus 

on school, and get good grades. Surfing is an important part of life, but it’s 

not the only part,” said Fry’s mom Nicole. B 


Gubser cont. from page 27 

swim across the Santa Barbara 

Channel, from Santa Barbara to 

Anacapa Island. 

When fall approached, the 49- 

year-old said, she felt like she was 

in the best shape of her life. 

September 22, 2017 8:24 PM, 

Santa Cruz: A sliver of moon slips 

behind the mountains, revealing a 

thick blanket of stars. Gubser’s 

team waits offshore in two small 

boats and a kayak. Her husband 

Greg, retired from the Coast Guard 

and now the Deputy Harbormaster 

for San Mateo Harbor, was driving 

one of the two escort boats. 

The team sees the waterproof 

light on the back of her goggles as 

she enters the water. To monitor her 

pace, they listens to the rhythm of 

her hands. Slap, slap, slap. 70 

strokes per minute. The bright lights 

of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk fade 

slowly into the background. Gubser 

stops every 30 minutes for liquid 

carbohydrates and the occasional 

sports gel. At every stop, she shares 

a smile and a joke or a silly song. It’s 

not long before she reports her first 

jellyfish sting. The water temperature 

is 54. The night air is two degrees 

colder and she is swimming 

against the current. The crew is 

bundled in heavy coats and hats, 

but Gubser appears unaffected by 

the elements. When dawn arrives, 

the crew sees what Gubser has 

been swimming through most of 

the night. Pacific Sea Nettles are just 

below the surface, in every direction. 

As she nears the Monterey 

Peninsula the wind picks up, the 

current threatens to push her off 

course, and every stroke is paid for 

with another sting. Finally, she 

reaches the protected cove outside 

Monterey Harbor and works her 

way through clumps of kelp until 

her feet can touch the bottom. Seventeen 

hours, 49 minutes after leaving 

Santa Cruz she becomes only 

the fourth person to have swum 

solo across the Monterey Bay. Family, 

friends and beachgoers all cheer 

as she walks ashore, unassisted. 

“I felt amazing, physically and 

emotionally. It was a big swim,” she 

said. 

On June 7, her 50th birthday, 

Gubser plans to return to the South 

Bay to swim across the Santa Monica 

Bay. To date, only two people 

have completed the 26 mile swim. 

On March 16, 2013 marathon 

swimmers Jen Shumaker and Forrest 

Nelson departed together from 

Point Dume in Malibu and finished 

together at Lunada Bay in Palos 

Verdes in 13 hours, 10 minutes, 35 

seconds. 

For more information about Amy 

Gubser’s Monterey Bay swim, visit 

SwimMontereyBay.org. B 

Alexander cont. from page 30 

transferred to the field from the 

classroom where he holds a 4.2 

GPA. 

“I like math and English and 

enjoy writing,” Alexander said. 

“But my favorite class is government 

taught by (RUHS girls volleyball 

coach) Tommy Chaffins. He 

makes the class so enjoyable.” 

Alexander wants to play football 

as long as he can and is looking for 

a university that has a strong combination 

of athletic and academic 

programs. 

“I want to play in college and get 

a free education with a scholarship,” 

Alexander said. “I’ll see 

where the game takes me. I am so 

passionate about football and I 

hope to coach one day, passing my 

knowledge on to young players as 

others have done for me.” 

Alexander is considering the 

University of San Diego and Azusa 

Pacific and has been contacted by 

Benedictine University (Chicago), 

Arizona State, and Washington 

State, as well as USC offensive coordinator 

Tee Martin. 

He plans to major in business 

with a focus on business management 

and would like to follow in 

his father’s footsteps by running 

his own business. 

When not on the gridiron, 

Alexander enjoys playing video 

games and pickup basketball 

games. 

“I also enjoy hanging out at the 

beach with friends whom I consider 

part of my family,” Alexander 

said. “I want to spend as much 

time with them before we all go 

away to college. But I keep things 

in check and keep my name on the 

positive side.” B 

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F R E E 

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

Thank You 

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ON CALL 

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December 7, 2017 • Easy Reader / Beach magazine 39 

2013

Michael Burstein is a probate and estate planning 

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Beach magazine Dec 2017

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