“80 for Brady” Features the Fabulous Four: Moreno, Fonda, Tomlin and Field

Posted on February 2, 2023 by Sue

Rita Moreno, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Sally Field star in “80 for Brady.”
Photo: Paramount Pictures

By BERNICE FOX

By now you’ve heard that Tom Brady has retired from football. Again.

But the respected actresses, who star in a movie with his name in the title, seem perfectly happy to continue in their chosen careers. And we’re glad for it.

Palisadian Sally Field and former Palisadian Rita Moreno, who also was an honorary Palisades mayor, star with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in 80 for Brady. Fonda has a strong link to the Palisades because that’s where her brother, Peter, lived.

Sally Field
Photo: Paramount Pictures

Let’s call Field, Moreno, Fonda and Tomlin the Fab 4.

Inspired by a true story, the Fab 4 play close friends and New England Patriot fanatics in 80 for Brady who travel from Massachusetts to Houston to see their favorite quarterback play in the 2017 Super Bowl against the Atlanta Falcons.

The 80 in the title refers to the decade of life of most of these four women. But Field’s character frequently reminds others in the film that she’s in her 70s, not her 80s.

The Super Bowl is the setting and its February 3 release date is timed to this year’s Super Bowl mania. (This year’s Super Bowl is February 12.)

That’s important for Field who said “I’m a sports fan. And I think the world underestimates the huge sports audience that older women are.”

Field and the rest of the Fab 4, said this film is not only about football.

Rita Moreno
Photo: Paramount Pictures

At the film’s premiere Tuesday in Westwood, Moreno said the movie clearly is about friendship. And she relates the feeling to her own friends.

“I have very close friends. And I don’t have a lot of them and that’s deliberate.”

And Moreno added “I treasure female friendship.”

Working closely with the other Fab 4, Moreno lavished praise over Field, Fonda and Tomlin, whom she now counts as her friends.

She said it was “fabulous working with these women. They’re so professional. They’re very funny. They are smart. They are wise. They are everything a girlfriend should be. And we have become friends. And that’s pretty fabulous!”

Field said she has known Fonda and Tomlin for decades. “Lily and Jane, I admire so greatly. Rita, I didn’t know. But her life… I admire her so greatly.”

Field described 80 for Brady as a romp with hi-jinx. There’s even a little dancing. One highlight is to watch Rita Moreno show she still has her dance moves. Moreno was 90 when the movie was filmed last spring.

Back to Brady. Along with appearing in some of the movie’s scenes, he produced 80 for Brady. And you could call him Palisades-adjacent. When he and Gisele Bündchen were together, they lived in Brentwood. Before that, Brady’s girlfriend, Bridget Moynahan and son lived on Radcliffe in the Palisades.

Rita Moreno, Sally Field, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda star with Tom Brady in this new comedy.
Photo: Paramount Pictures

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Paul Revere Robotic Teams Master the Competition, Qualify for State

Posted on February 2, 2023 by Sue

It works! Revere Team C drives its robot.

With the money raised ($10,000) with help from Palisades Honorary Mayor Eugene Levy, the Palisades Rotary had voted to give about $1,500 to fund two VEXIQ competition kits for the newly formed Paul Revere Middle School Robotics team. Founders were awarded a check in October at a Rotary luncheon.

The club’s founder Sarah Wood, and the parent of a Revere seventh grader, updated the club on January 27 about the teams’ success.

Team A.

League finals were held at Fairfax High School on January 23, with 24 teams and 15 schools competing.

“All three of Paul Revere Middle School’s rookie robotics teams qualified for the 2023 Southern California VEX IQ Middle School State Championship while competing in the LAUSD West VEX IQ League,” Wood said.

One Revere team received the Design Award and placed third overall. Team members are Daniel Fridman, Lincoln Fiorello, Oliver O’Donnell and Joshua Cole Wood.

A second team tied for third and members are Nolyn Grey, Eugene Herzog, Taj Khan, Chris Kindle and Matthew Ojeda.

Team B

The final Revere team received the Excellence Award and the Teamwork Challenge Award and placed second overall. Members include Felix Aison, Noah Benharash, Slater Copen, Hunter McKelheer, Alessandro Prilusky and Nicholas Yates.

At a January 29 competition, the three teams faced challenges at a competition at James Monroe High School. There were 33 public and private schools that participated, but “we have a lot of work ahead of us before the state championship tournament in Chatsworth (March 11) or in East LA (March 5),” Wood said.

This was the first year for Revere’s program and in order to qualify, teams had to attend three meets. Money needed to be raised by parents, not only to purchase kits ($649), but also for competition fees.

There was no money to hire coaches, so two parents Danny Moghnie and Joe McKelheer, volunteered to assist Wood.

Mognie has a master’s degree in computer engineering and a master’s degree in software engineering.

“We have this idea that programming in particular and technology is a solo endeavor,” Mognie said. “STEM is a team endeavor and communicating your ideas as well as collaborating with others to achieve a common goal is essential for any meaningful problem in the field. A club where kids are first taught to cooperate, divide tasks and resolve conflicts is an essential skill.”

Revere Team A

Revere Team B with coaches.

Revere Group C

Posted in Schools | 1 Comment

Councilwoman Traci Park Works with Mayor on Homelessness:

Posted on February 2, 2023 by Sue

People camping along the Culver median are being offered help.

Councilwoman Traci Park continues to work with Mayor Karen Bass and the “Safe Initiative” on the Westside to aid the homeless.

There are more than 100 encampments in Park’s district, and Park has partnered with the Mayor in this Los Angeles humanitarian crisis.

On February 1, Park and Bass announced that the Inside Safe Initiative would offer housing and services to the homeless population living on the Culver Boulevard median in Del Rey. There are about 40 people living on the boulevard.

“I’m proud to partner once again with Mayor Bass to bring much-needed resources to the Culver Boulevard area,” Park stated.  “I’ve heard loud and clear how important this was for the local community, and I am so relieved that people living on the streets are going to be offered a safe place indoors.”

Bass has insisted that the Inside Safe program is not meant to be punitive, and that outreach workers will return multiple times if necessary to talk to individuals living on the streets and offer them opportunities to relocate indoors.

There are about 40,000 homeless people in Los Angeles. Although the number helped, so far, seems small, after years of inaction by former Councilman Mike Bonin and Mayor Eric Garcetti, any action is welcomed by neighbors.

Park and Bass previously housed nearly 100 individuals through the “Venice Bridge Home Inside Safe” initiative in January.

“I am optimistic about the direction these initiatives are taking and eagerly anticipate their positive impact on our communities,” said Park.

CYBERATTACK ON LA CITY HOUSING

Park also has requested the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) report on the cyberattack that targeted its systems in December.

The councilwoman wants to know the extent of the data breach, including whether personal information of the 19,000 families that live in HACLA properties were compromised.

HACLA is the largest public housing authority in the City of Los Angeles, serving more than 19,000 families, including at the Mar Vista Gardens in Council District 11.

The agency provides affordable housing for low-income families, veterans, and the elderly.

“I am calling on HACLA to provide a full and transparent report on the extent of the data breach and the steps they are taking to secure their systems moving forward,” Park said.

 

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Audition for a Play at Theatre Palisades

Posted on February 2, 2023 by Sue

Thespians and aspiring thespians are sought for the upcoming Pacific Palisades Community Theater production of “Run for Your Wife,” by playwright Ray Cooney.

The farce involves a taxi driver who gets away with having two wives in different areas of London—until he gets in an accident and contradictory personal information complicates matters.

Auditions will take place Monday and Tuesday, February 6 and 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Road. Sides will be provided, and the farce requires actors to have a British accent.  (Visit: theatrepalisades.org)

Directed by Sherman Wayne, Rehearsals will begin on Monday, February 13, and the play will run Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons from March 31 through May 6.

Actors are sought to play:

John Smith (male, 30 to 50). A taxi driver who is hiding the fact that he has two wives.

Mary Smith (female, 30 to 50). One of John’s wives.

Barbara Smith (female, 30 to 50). John’s other loving wife.

Detective Troughton (male, 20 to 50). Loves his job and will go above and beyond to solve any case.

Detective Porterhouse (male, 30 to 50). Older police detective, more seasoned, bemused.

Stanley Gardner (male, 20 to 50). John’s mooching neighbor and friend who is swept up in keeping John’s secret.

Bobby Franklin (male, 20 to 50). Flamboyant, effeminate dress designer.

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Actor Joe Mantegna Emcees the Legion Reopening Ceremony

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Sue

(Left to right) Commander Jim Cragg, Joe Mantegna, Chaplin Joe Ramierez,  past commander Eric Measles and John Lehne at the grand reopening of the American Legion. Mantegna was the emcee.

“You have a hell of a commander in Jim Cragg,” said actor Joe Mantegna who hosted the grand reopening and naming ceremony at the local American Legion.

“This is a beautiful city in a beautiful state in a beautiful country,” Mantegna told the about 500 people gathered Saturday in front of the remodeled building on La Cruz Drive.

“In 2000, I was doing a film outside of Paris at Roubaix. As I was being driven, there was a French flag and an United States flag flying.” Mantegna asked the driver to stop and “we walked into this tiny little cemetery in France.

“I see the graves of all these Americans who gave up their lives,” Mantegna said, “That’s why I’m here [with the vets], because the tradition goes on and the sacrifice goes on.

“Let me paraphrase a saying,” he said. “Freedom ain’t free and some have to pay a higher price than others.”

CTN spoke to Mantegna after the ceremony. Since 2006, he has co-hosted the National Memorial Day Concert on the Mall in Washington D.C. with actor Gary Sinise. When asked why he agreed to emcee this event, he said, “They asked. The military is my hot button. Why wouldn’t I come if I were asked?”

Mantegna didn’t serve in Vietnam, but that was all about the lottery. Many may remember that all young men were drafted based on numbers drawn corresponding to their birthday.

“I guess I’m not doing that,” Mantegna remembers thinking, when his birthday gave him a high number. He said he and Gary Sinise have spoken about those who had served, and as they got older, felt they should honor them.

“It’s our calling to serve in other ways. Some of my friends didn’t come back from Vietnam,” he said. “I’m doing this for them.”

Mantegna feels strongly that all Americans have a debt to the military. “We live in a country with the freedom to voice our thoughts,” he said, and praised the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and “the military protects our rights. They defend the Constitution.”

He made his acting debut in a 1969 Chicago production of Hair and debuted in Working on Broadway in 1978.

Joe Mantegna

Mantegna started working with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet and earned a Tony Award and a Joseph Jefferson Award for playing Richard Roma in Glengarry Glen Ross.

Mantegna, who has been in more than 45 films, was asked if there was a character or role he preferred and said, “I don’t have a favorite role.”

When asked about working with Mamet, “Anything with Mamet is a favorite,” he said.

His film career includes House of Games (1987) and Things Change (1988), both written by Mamet. He and his Things Change co-star Don Ameche received the Best Actor Award at the Venice Film Festival.

“I feel blessed,” Mantegna said. “I enjoy everything I’ve done.”

From 1991 to present, he has voiced the part of Fat Tony on The Simpsons. In 2007-2020, he starred in the CBS television show Criminal Minds, playing David Rossi.

A revival of Criminal Minds, called Criminal Minds: Evolution, picked up where the first series left off. According to Paramount+, after premiering on Thanksgiving Day in 2022, the series has become one of the streamer’s top five originals and has driven the overall Criminal Minds franchise to an increase of nearly six times in month-over-month viewership.

In 2011, Mantegna received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Mantegna was asked if he ever rides in parades. CTN thought this friendly, intelligent and pleasant person, might be the perfect Grand Marshall for the Palisades 4th of July parade.

“Yes,” the actor said, noting that he had been in the Huntington Beach Parade and that his co-honorary marshal had been a veteran, who had given him the Tuskegee Airmen jacket he was wearing.

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CRIME – Officer Espin Reports January: Homeless Encampment off El Medio

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Sue

The beach detail discovered an encampment in a high fire severity zone.

Pacific Palisades Senior Lead Officer Brian Espin has released the crime report from January.

“Overall part one crime is lower,” he said in a January 26 email. “The only category that experience a rise was residential burglaries. We have had five since the beginning of January.” (Part one crimes include: homicide, rape, robbery, burglary, theft, human trafficking and motor vehicle theft.)

Espin also works with the beach detail.

After residents had reported unusual activity near the El Medio trail, located in a high fire severity zone in the Santa Monica Mountains, beach detail officers investigated yesterday, January 31. Officers, Yunphian, Liam and Margin found an abandoned tent and stove.

The stove was found in the brush.

Pacific Palisades Task Force volunteers Carlos Rodriquez and Bruce Schwartz, aided Sharon Kilbride in cleaning the abandoned camps.

 

BURGLARY THEFT FROM VEHICLE:

January 2, noon to 3 p.m., Los Liones and Tramonto Drives. Suspect used a tool to gain access to victim’s vehicle and removed victim’s backpack.

January 8, 1:20 to 1:40 p.m., at Temescal Canyon Road and Pacific Coast Highway. Suspect smashed vehicle window, removed property and fled.

January 9 to 10, 8 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., in the 1100 block of Fiske Street. The vehicle was broken into, and property taken.

BURGLARY:

January 3, 4:45 p.m., in the 1400 block of Floresta Place. The suspect entered the residence through a dog door, went to the bedroom and office and ransacked victim’s belongings. It was unknown if anything was taken. Suspect fled through the front door. A neighbor provided a Ring video of suspect and suspect’s vehicle. An additional trespass report was taken from the neighbor.

January 11, 5 to 6:30 p.m., in the 1100 block of Cumbre Alta Court. Suspect broke window with unknown object. Suspect entered, ransacked the property and took jewelry and fled. Fingerprints were requested.

January 14, 6:17 p.m., in the 1100 block of Lachman Lane. Suspect shattered victim’s sliding glass door to gain entry. Suspect removed safe from residence and fled. The safe, containing jewelry was valued at $1,137,000. Video surveillance was captured.

January 18, 6:20 p.m., in the 15000 block of Sunset Boulevard. Suspects removed victim’s secured property from a shopping card and fled.

January 18, 6:20 p.m., in the 1000 block of Glenhaven Drive. The victim was in a bedroom, when the bathroom door opened, and a suspect entered. Once the suspect realized someone was in the house, the suspect fled. The victim then checked the bathroom and found there was an open window and the screen had been cut.

GRAND THEFT AUTO:

January 8, 2:09 a.m., in the 17000 block of Sunset Boulevard. The suspect gained entry into the garage and took victim’s motorcycle and fled.

(Attempted) January 8 to 11, 9 to 10 a.m., in the 17000 block of Sunset Boulevard. Suspect gained entry to garage and tried to start vehicle. Suspect was able to move vehicle 10 feet and then left it at that location.

January 19 to 20, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., in the 1800 block of Palisades Drive. A vehicle was taken from the street.

RAPE:

January 15, 2 to 4 p.m., in the 16000 block of Alcima Avenue. The suspect, which was known to the victim, sexually assaulted the victim.

ROBBERY:

January 3, 1:30 p.m., in the 400 block of Sycamore Road. The suspect pried open the victim’s bathroom window with a crowbar, and entered victims’ residence while they were asleep. The suspect woke victim and demanded property (jewelry, credit cards, purse). The victim, fearful, handed items to the suspect. The suspect fled in a waiting vehicle. CCTV possible and latent prints were requested. The suspect dropped a cell phone and that was booked as evidence.

(Editor’s note: about this robbery, Espin wrote that detectives were able to review security cameras from a neighboring residence. Espin suggests that is helpful to have security cameras angled to the street so that incoming and outgoing traffic and people are recorded.)

THEFT:

January 12, 6 to 6:30 p.m. in the 16000 block of Sunset Boulevard. The suspect, seen on victim’s Ring camera, removed keys from front door and fled.

ATTEMPTED GRAND THEFT:

January 18, 1:24 p.m. in the 15200 block of Sunset Boulevard. The suspect approached victim from behind, pushed the victim and attempted to take victim’s phone.

Officer Brian Espin

Contact: Senior Lead Officer Brian Espin (310) 444-0737 or by email 37430@lapd.online.

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Renaming the American Legion to Ronald Reagan Post Was a 15-Year Process

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Sue

(Left to right) Commander Jim Cragg, Joe Mantegna, Chaplin Joe Ramierez, Eric Measles and John Lehrn at the renaming ceremony on January 28.

The renaming ceremony of American Legion Post 283 on La Cruz Drive in Pacific Palisades to the Ronald Reagan Palisades Post 283 was a 15-year process.

The idea came from former Post 283 Commander Eric Measles who served in Pacific Palisades in 1988-1989.

He remembers looking at photos on the walls in the Legion and seeing one of President Ronald Reagan wearing a Legion 283 “cover” hat. Measles thought it was unique that a past president of the United States was a local Legion member.

Measles, who also served as a District Commander before relocating to the northern part of the state, is now the American Legion chairman of the National Veterans Education, Other Benefits & Homelessness Committee.

He asked other legion members, “how come we are not naming this post after the President?”

He said for a time there didn’t seem to be support from members, so the idea of a name change stalled.

But Measles persisted. When new commanders were installed, he would ask them the same question. Finally, with Commanders Scott Wagenseller and Jere Romano, the idea gained traction.

In Romano’s second term, he told Measles to see what it might take to rename the Post.

Before the Reagan name is used, approval must come from the family. Measles reached out to Reagan’s son Mike and his daughter Ashley, who sent him to the Reagan Foundation for approval.

“It was favorable, and I was excited,” Measles said.

The next step was convincing Post 283 to make a name change. Measles wrote a resolution, legionnaires voted on the name change, and it passed overwhelmingly.

After the resolution passed on the Post level, Measles then had to take the name change idea to Department (state) to receive approval. Once that was accomplished, it had to go to the National level.

Although official approval was given by the Reagans, and the State and National American Legion organizations, the naming ceremony was delayed.

“The timing was bad,” Measles said. Covid hit, and then the long-planned renovation of the Post delayed ceremonies.

But yesterday (January 28) at a renaming ceremony, Measles was proud. “The naming had been accomplished – it was overwhelming,” he said. “I was so happy that I was almost at the point of tears.

“It was an outstanding event, and the turnout was incredible,” Measles said. “If I have no other legacy, I’m thrilled that I got this done.”

Bagpipe players welcomed people on the red carpet to the newly renamed American Legion Post.

Posted in Community, News | 2 Comments

Portions of Pacific Palisades Have Suffered Increasing Brownouts: Council Office Halts DWP’s Latest Plans

Posted on January 31, 2023 by Sue

The Pacific Palisades DWP building was built in the 1930s.
Photo: Palisades Historical Society

 

The sole electrical station in Pacific Palisades, built in 1936, was originally intended to service 300 to 500 homes. With an increasing population and electrical needs (larger homes and electrical vehicles), many areas of this community have suffered brownouts, which are well documented by LADWP.

No one disputes a distribution station is needed. Today, Councilmember Traci Park announced that plans to build a distribution center next to Marquez Elementary School in Pacific Palisades have been halted temporarily.

“I listened to the community and took their concerns seriously, which is why I asked the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to halt plans for this project until we have assessed every location,” Park said.

DWP is now looking at options in city-owned land Pacific Palisades. The city owns the park land immediately below the Via bluffs and several empty lots in Castellammare. There is also a lot off Paseo Miramar, and there is city land between the upper Bel-Air Bay Club and Malibu Village.

HISTORY:

In 2010, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, realizing that the original station was approaching capacity started evaluating sites, include a property it had acquired in the Marquez Area in 1970s.

(In 1969, the Los Angeles Times reported that plans for a new distribution center to be located on the Marquez lot were outlined for directors of the Pacific Palisades Homeowners’ Association by H.L. Holland, DWP distribution center manager.

The L.A. Planning Department held a public hearing on the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) sought by DWP in May 1971. Although opponents cited concerns in regard to safety and design, a CUP for the Marquez site, which was one of three sites studied, was approved in June that year.)

Fast forward to 2012 and DWP’s plan to go forward on that site. Marquez residents protested. A committee was formed to evaluate alternate sites. Interestingly, the majority of the committee was from the Marquez area and that committee voted that the land that DWP owned and wanted to build on was the worst choice.

They selected a site by Fire Station 23 owned by the State of California. DWP asked and was told by the state the land was not for sale.

POLE-TOP DISTRIBUTION STATIONS:

If a new distributing station is built, DWP the poles will be removed from Sunset, a scenic highway.

The inability to find a site to build a station, led to the placement of two pole-top stations as a “band-aid” until a station could be built. At the time, DWP said the poles were temporary. They warned if a site was not found, they would have to continue adding pole-tops to the streets of this community.

One pole-top was proposed for Ida and Marquez, but Marquez residents didn’t want it in their neighborhood, which is why it is on Sunset, next to an apartment building.

DWP also planned a second pole-top on El Medio, but those residents banded together to oppose it, which is why it was placed next to Palisades High School.

SAFETY:

This distribution center (DS-29) is surrounded by about 900 residents and is adjacent to the only east-west thoroughfare in Pacific Palisades.

It is now 2023, and Marquez residents, and parents whose children attend Marquez Elementary, do not want a distribution station on the DWP site. They say it’s a matter of safety for the children.

If safety is being considered, what about the children at Palisades Elementary that are actually closer to a station than those students will be at Marquez? Or what about the safety of the nearly 900 people who live within 600 feet of the primary station, which is also located on Sunset, and is the only east-west thoroughfare in Pacific Palisades?

High school students at Palisades High School are impacted every day by the pole-top at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Temescal Canyon Drive.

One of the people who called in to the DWP scoping meeting on January 18, suggested that in lieu of a station more pole-tops be put up because “no one minds them.”

FIRE DANGER:

Those who oppose the station at Marquez say there is a fire danger. The entire Pacific Palisades is in a very high fire  hazard severity zone. If it is fire residents are worried about, there should not be a pole-top at the high school directly across the street from Temescal Gateway Park, which abuts the vast parkland that surrounds the Santa Monica Mountain.

GEOLOGICAL INSTABILITY:

Land below the Via bluffs is owned by the City, but is unstable.

Much of Pacific Palisades has slide issues or is near earthquake faults. The area of Marquez that suffered the most slide damage was at the top of the Canyon, where there was infill. Any plans for a station, which would be built closer to Sunset, would still need a geological survey. But that would be true for any area in Pacific Palisades.

“I appreciate DWP’s willingness to work with our office and the community to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of our neighborhoods,” Park said. “We are committed to finding a solution that benefits everyone.”

Where does the Palisades Community Council stand on this project? There has been no position taken yet, but in the January 26 highlights: “We also passed motions to protect our Scenic Highways and roadways from the City’s experimental digital advertising on kiosks program (IKE); protect our Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (almost all of the Palisades) from smoking on film sets.”

The industrial-looking pole-top stations located on Sunset, a scenic highway, are for some, far more intrusive than a kiosk sign.

DWP was working on the power lines at Sunset Boulevard and Temescal on October 27, the day before the Getty Fire broke out.. This pole is located across from Temescal Gateway Park.

Since Park wants to hear from the Palisades community, CTN assumes she wants to hear not only from Marquez residents, but from those who have experienced outages in Castellammare, the Alphabet Streets, the Via bluffs areas, the Huntingtons, The Highlands, Santa Monica Canyon, Rustic Canyon and the Riviera. Is there an area that the City should investigate? Email councilmember.park@lacity.org or call (213) 473-7011 or (310) 568-8772.

 

 

Posted in Community, Environmental | 2 Comments

Michael Torquato deNicola Art and Surfboards Featured at PaliSkates

Posted on January 31, 2023 by Sue

Michael Torquato deNicola’s art will be showcased at Paliskates February 2.

An art show “Torquato Says, Love is . . .All Around at Paliskates” will feature world-renowned, L.A.-based artist Michael Torquato deNicola. The opening will be held at Paliskates, 1021 Swarthmore, from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, February 2, and is just in time for unique Valentine’s Day gifts.

There will be a DJ and drinks to celebrate the artist, surfer and environmentalist. In a September posting, Michael said, “The sensitivity and responsiveness to the environment that I developed as a surfer is part of being an artist. Because art is about feeling the world around you and trying to convey that emotional state through the artifacts you create.”

Michael  has collaborated with Red Bull, Marie Claire and the Olson Company, traveling to Iceland and the Galapagos Islands for work. He said he has also traveled to remote parts of Indonesia where the natural environment is completely destroyed.

“If you walk on a deserted island, you will see vast amounts of plastic waste accumulated in the sea because of the winds and currents,” he said. “You can see our impact on the environment, and it’s terrifying.

“At the end of the day, the Ocean and Mother Nature are far greater than any of us,” Michael said. “They are a life force of our planet, and we all need to be mindful to protect our natural environment and do our best to keep it healthy, alive, and thriving.”

This new series of mixed media works is a heartfelt nod to the decades of morning coffee with his grandmother, who lived in Pacific Palisades.

Michael wrote in a 2019 story, “I first moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s. My grandpa had passed away and my grandma was living alone in a house at the beach near Topanga. I started out renting a room from her and ended up living there for 23 years.

“Most mornings, we would meet upstairs for coffee, and we’d go through the LA Times. She would start with the Sports section, and I would start with the Entertainment section. We would end up talking about our horoscopes and then she would cut out the ‘Love Is…’ comic.

Artist Michael Torquato deNicola’s paintings and surfboards will be featured at Paliskates.

“It was about 10 years ago that I first took a bunch of the comics and made a collage with them.  I included my Torquato character with hearts and gave it to her for Valentine’s Day, which also happens to be her and my grandfather’s wedding anniversary.”

Michael is best known for large colorful mixed media pieces and his surf boards, often featuring his famously positive “Torquato” character. (visit: iamtorquato.com)

Several of his surfboards will also be included with the art exhibited on Paliskates walls. Art and surfboards will be available for sale until March 18.

Paliskates owner Erica Simpson said, “Michael’s messages of love and acceptance are perfectly aligned with Paliskates’ own mission. Not just a ‘skate’ store, Paliskates has been a cornerstone of the Pali community for almost 25 years, and I’m thrilled Michael has chosen to showcase his art on the walls of my store.”

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Palisades Bookstore on Antioch to Sponsor First Book Signing

Posted on January 31, 2023 by Sue

Author Joel Pollak is seen with his late mother-in-law and activist Rhoda Kadalie.

Author Joel Pollak will speak and sign his new book “Rhoda, a Biography ‘Comrade Kadalie, You Are Out of Order!’” on Thursday, February 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Collection Antiques and Books, at 15326 Antioch.

When Village Books on Swarthmore was in existence, it frequently had authors visit the store. This is a tradition that local bookstore owner Jeff Ridgway is rekindling with Pollak. The community is invited to this free event.

Pollak is a South African-born writer and attorney, who has penned the biography of Rhoda Kadalie, one of the most influential voices in South Africa. She wrote popular columns in the South African press and was among the first to warn about the corruption and mismanagement of the ruling African National Congress.

Born in 1953, Rhoda’s family was forcibly removed from a “white” area in the suburb of Mowbray. Undaunted, she graduated from the University of the Western Cape and received a master’s degree from the International Institute for Social Studies at The Hague, Netherlands.

She served in Nelson Mandela’s administration on the South African Human Rights Commission before resigning to start Impumelelo, an organization that supported replicating successful private-public partnerships for social development.

Rhoda was one of the few pro-Israeli voices in South Africa. She followed U.S. politics and predicted Donald Trump’s victory.

She moved to the United States in 2018 to be closer to her family and died of cancer in April 2022. Her daughter, Julia Pollak (nee Bertelsmann), is married to the author of the new biography.

The story of “Comrade Kadalie” is about this remarkable woman’s life through the dramatic changes in South Africa during and after apartheid. The book, using primary sources, explores Rhoda’s commitment to debate and diversity.

The author, who received his undergraduate degree from Harvard in 1999, returned to South Africa as a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar, and then stayed to work as a freelance journalist. Pollak served as a speechwriter to the Opposition Leader in the South African Parliament from 2002-2006. Pollak returned to the U.S. and graduated from Harvard Law School in 2009.

He is the author of more than a dozen books, including “How Trump Won” and “Red November.”

Posted in Books, businesses/stores | Leave a comment