San Pedro Today - October 2016

OCTOBER 2016

CAPTAIN'S TREASURE CHEST TURNS 30 | SAN PEDRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW | REMEMBERING DALMATIAN WINES

Furniture designer Rahil Taj turns a stint on reality TV into a prospering career

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Few things make me happier than seeing (and listening to) great live music. Last month, I made the pilgrimage south from the friendly confines of San Pedro to beautiful Del Mar to attend the KAABOO Music Festival. For a live music junkie like me, this was heaven.

For three days and nights, in between the $15 margaritas, $10 craft beers, $5 bottled waters and variously priced gourmet food, I had the pleasure of seeing bands/musicians like Aerosmith, Jack Johnson, Fall Out Boy, Cold War Kids, Lenny Kravitz, Hall and Oates, Jimmy Buffett, The Avett Brothers, Goo Goo Dolls, Third Eye Blind… the list goes on. (Yeah, it was an eclectic lineup.)

As much as I go see live music and love concerts, I realized this was the first legit music festival I had been to since San Pedro’s legendary Beach Scene way back in August 1986.

For those unfamiliar (or who have just plain forgot), Beach Scene was held on August 2 and 3, 1986, at Cabrillo Beach. Four stages were set up to accommodate nearly four dozen music acts ranging from popular acts of the day to oldies acts to local bands. My dad’s band, The Wingtips, even played one of the days. KIIS-FM co-sponsored the event that was expected to draw 100,000 people to our neck of town over the weekend.

Most of the acts were a who’s who of ‘80s bands, including: El DeBarge, Belinda Carlisle, Level 42, Missing Persons, Billy Vera and the Beaters, Fishbone, Nu Shooz and Animotion. Even surf music legends, Jan & Dean, got into the act. All the Baby Boomers and Gen Xers who made it to Cabrillo Beach that weekend remember it well.

Even though most people considered the event a success, there were plenty of complaints from locals and various logistical issues, so much so that a second Beach Scene never came to fruition.

Well, I think we need to revisit this idea again here in San Pedro. Maybe not next year, or the year after, but when our waterfront blossoms with the brand new San Pedro Public Market in 2020, and the infrastructure that goes along with it improves, an event like Beach Scene would be amazing along our waterfront.

Los Angeles doesn’t have a proper music festival to call its own. Sure, there’s Coachella and Stagecoach in Indio and Outside Lands in San Francisco, but there’s no real legit music festival in Los Angeles proper. Our new waterfront could be the catalyst for something spectacular in the form of a live music festival.

I know many of our columnists, myself included, have droned on through the years about what’s the “one thing” that can put San Pedro “on the map.” While the answer has yet to reveal itself, there’s something to be said about using music as a catalyst for economic prosperity.

We’re seeing signs of it now, with Councilman Buscaino spearheading the charge to get bigger acts into the Warner Grand. A move that can make a tremendous impact in our downtown district. We’ve already had amazing acts like Band of Horses, comedian Hannibal Buress, and local hero Miguel perform on the Warner Grand stage. The Goo Goo Dolls will be performing there on Nov. 1. As Bob Dylan sang, “the times they are a-changin’.”

My good friend, and renowned touring manager, Leo Rossi, recently told me, “When words fail, music speaks.” He should know, having worked with the likes of Fleetwood Mac, the Beach Boys and a multitude of other legendary rock acts through the decades.

Maybe it’s time to let the music speak. I just hope San Pedro listens. spt Joshua Stecker is publisher/editor-in-chief of San Pedro Today. Letters to the Editor can be emailed to contact@sanpedrotoday.com.

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OCTOBER 2016 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 5

OCTOBER 2016

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joshua J. Stecker

ADVERTISING: General Inquiries: ads@sanpedrotoday.com

ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION Joseph A. Castañeda

Patricia Roberts - San Pedro (562) 964-8166 | patricia@sanpedrotoday.com

AT-LARGE CONTRIBUTORS Jack Baric, Joe Buscaino, Lori Garrett, Valerie Electra-Smith Griffin, Brooke Karli, Ricky Magana, Steve Marconi, Jennifer Marquez, Anthony Pirozzi, Jamaal K. Street, Leonard Trubia, Herb Zimmer

Shana Ghekiere - San Pedro (and outer regions) (310) 753-5176 | shana@sanpedrotoday.com

PHOTOGRAPHER John Mattera Photography CONTACT INFO: PHONE: (424) 224-9063 EMAIL: contact@sanpedrotoday.com

San Pedro Today P.O. Box 1168, San Pedro, CA 90733

VOLUME 8 | NUMBER 9

Empire22 Media LLC OWNER/PUBLISHER Joshua J. Stecker San Pedro Today publishes the last Thursday of every month and is produced monthly by Empire22 Media LLC. No portion of this publication can be reproduced without written permission by Empire22 Media. 25,000 copies are delivered to San Pedro and portions of Rancho Palos Verdes.

San Pedro Today is a product of Empire22 Media LLC. Empire22 Media LLC, their subsidiaries and affiliates are released from all liability that may involve the publication of San Pedro Today.

Copyright 2009-2016, Empire22 Media LLC.

ON THE COVER: Rahil Taj photographed in his San Pedro studio. (photo: John Mattera)

OctoBER 2016 10/7 – 10/15 FRI, SAT, SUN – times vary | SAN PEDRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (SPIFF) returns with feature films, documentaries, short films, a virtual reality panel and demo, visual art, music and more! Tickets, info and festival schedule at SPIFFEST.org.

6 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I OCTOBER 2016

SUN 10/16 – 5pm | INVISIBLE CITIES: Opera company THE INDUSTRY presents a free screening of their 2013 breakthrough production – called by WIRED Magazine “the opera of the future” - plus a major announcement for Fall of 2017, The Industry and San Pedro. Admission is FREE – reservations required at www.icscreeningandannouncement.eventbrite.com SAT 10/29 – 8pm | DISNEY IN CONCERT: A SILLY SYMPHONY CELEBRATION: GOLDEN STATE POPS ORCHESTRA presents a tuneful and colorful on-screen celebration of 75 groundbreaking cartoons produced at the Walt Disney Studios between 1929 and 1939, with original musical scores performed live. Tickets and information at GSPO.com or call 424.703.4776.

Shows, dates, times and performers are subject to change without notice.

The Warner Grand Theatre is a facility of the City of Los Angeles.

Grand Vision Foundation is the Friends Group of the Warner Grand Theatre.

478 W 6th St (at Pacific), San Pedro 90731 | 310.548.2493 For more shows and info visit www.grandvision.org

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OCTOBER Tour the historic PT. FERMIN LIGHTHOUSE, built in 1874 to light the entrance to the Los Angeles Harbor, located in the Pt. Fermin Park (807 Paseo del Mar). Guided tours offered 1-3p Tues thru Sun. Closed Mon and major holidays.

Admission is free; donations accepted.

door. For more info, visit www.needleartistsbythesea.org 1 (Sat) - BOOK SALE at The San Pedro Regional Branch Library (931 South Gaffey Street) 11a-4p. The Friends of San Pedro Library hosts its monthly book sale in the Phil Scott Meeting room. Bargains galore on books, magazines, LPs, CDs, VHS tapes, and more on a variety of subjects. All EVERY WEEK – STRONG PEDRO PROJECT at Plaza Park proceeds benefit the library.

(10th St. & Beacon St.) Tuesday 5p - Run Club with Lauren Maes; Wednesday at 6:45a - TRX circuit is Carla Baccio & 2 (Sun) - CAR SHOW BY THE SEA at Pt. Fermin Park (807 Marianne O'Brien; Friday 4:30p - Youth Crossfit with Eddie W. Paseo del Mar) 10a-4p. Don’t miss out on the renowned McKenna ; Saturday 9am - Glute Camp with Ricky Magana; car show held by the Legends San Pedro Car Club and the Saturday 11:30a - Yoga with Mike Aspinwall. Open to the Lions Club of San Pedro. Free and open to the public. For public. Presented by StrongPedroProject. more info, visit www.CarShowByTheSea.com Every Wed – CHILDREN’S WRITING CLASSES at 6 (Thurs) – FIRST THURSDAY ARTWALK in Downtown the Corner Store (1118 37th St). Seven Golden Secrets of San Pedro. 6-10p Writing with Diana Chapman, Wed 4:30-5:45p. For info, call (310) 626-7906.

8 (Sat) - THE PROS AND CONS OF BALLOT PROPOSITIONS at The San Pedro Library (931 S Gaffey Every Fri – SAN PEDRO FARMERS MARKET (6th St. St.) 2p. Friends of San Pedro Library will present the League between Pacific and Mesa Streets) 9a-2p. of Women Voters in a non-partisan discussion of the November 8 ballot propositions. For more info, visit www.

Every Sat – LAFD HARBOR MUSEUM (639 Harbor Blvd.) friendsspl.org 10a-3p. Experience San Pedro and Wilmington's Fire Protection and Rescue service history with vintage fire 8 (Sat) – CORNER STORE FARMERS MARKET at The apparatus and various displays. The museum is located in Corner Store (1118 W. 37th St.) 10a-12p. Open every second Old Fire Station 36 in the San Pedro City Hall. Admission is Saturday of the month. Grab some coffee and homegrown FREE, donations are accepted. produce and don’t forget to bring your reusable bags!

10 (Mon) - SAN PEDRO SPORTSWALK TO THE WATERFRONT INDUCTION CEREMONY at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (601 S. Palos Verdes St.). 10a. San Pedro’s answer to the Hollywood Walk of Fame will have its next induction ceremony to recognize this year’s great athletic inductees: Jon Arnett, Mike Walsh, Sarah Gascon, Cary, J.C. 1 (Sat) - 50TH CLASS REUNION at Ports O’ Call at the Jr. and Chris Agajanian, Hendi Ancich and Doug Krikorian.

San Pedro Fish Market (1190 Nagoya Way) 6p. Fermin Following the ceremony is a noon luncheon at the Crowne Lasuen High School and Mary Star of the Sea High School Plaza Hotel. Tickets for $55 can be purchased by calling the are celebrating their 50th class reunion. The class of 1966 San Pedro Chamber of Commerce at (310) 832-7272. is celebrating in the 2nd floor banquet room. Cost is $35/ person. Contact Ted Lester for Fermin Lasuen (310) 833- 15 (Sat) - ROYAL AFTERNOON TEA at YWCA Harbor 5929 or contact Rose (Sorrentino) Dworshak for Mary Star & South Bay (437 W 9th St.) 2p-5p. Enjoy an afternoon of the Sea (310) 832-3823. of tea in a vintage setting. Wear your best hat and gloves, and enjoy the ambi-ence of a gentler time. $50 donation. To 1 (Sat) - SHORELINE STITCHERS’ SHOWCASE at South RSVP or for more info, contact 310 547-0831.

Coast Botanic Garden (26300 Crenshaw Blvd, Palos Verdes Peninsula)KH_1-8ad_SPtoday_october16.pdf 10a-4p. Needle Artists by the Sea present a 20 (Thurs) - PALA CASINO DAY by Providence Little 1 9/21/16 10:17 PM judged nee-dlework exhibit and boutique. $8 donation at Company of Mary. 9a-6:30p. Enjoy a day at the Pala

8 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I OCTOBER 2016

Every first and second Sunday – Tour the MULLER HOUSE MUSEUM (1542 Beacon St.) 1-4p. Last tour starts at 3:15p.

Built in 1899, the Muller House is the headquarters of the San Pedro Bay Historical Society. Admission is free, but a donation of $3 is encouraged.

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Casino to help fundraise for the San Pedro Health Career Scholar-ship Fund! $23/person, package includes deluxe transportations, $5 casino play, driver gratuity and chilled bottled water. For more info, contact (310) 832-2164.

23 (Sun) - ANNUAL FASHION SHOW at The Dalmatian American Club (1639 Palos Verdes St.) 11a. Come out and join the Dalmatian American Club Women's Auxiliary for its annual fash-ion show. Enjoy a bake sale and accessory boutique, as well as fashion from White House Black Market, Chico's, "Damian and Drapers” and much more! Tickets are $50.00. For reservations, please contact (310) 832-9512.

25 (Tues) SAN PEDRO GARDEN CLUB at Peck Park Community Room (560 N. Western Ave.) 10a. Ron Barbick, past president of California Rare Fruit Growers, will be discussing the care of fruit trees. Come early for refreshments and treasures from the "opportunity table.”

28 (Fri.) - FRIENDS OF SAN PEDRO LIBRARY ANNUAL DINNER at Ports O' Call Res-taurant (1200 Nagoya Way) 6p. Enjoy a delicious dinner with guest speaker Nancy Webber, San Pedro artist/author, who will present excerpts from her book Life Imitates Art, in which she com-pares faces of ordinary people to those in famous portraits. For more info, visit www.friendsspl.org 29 (Sat) - DISNEY IN CONCERT at the Warner Grand Theatre (478 W. 6th St.) 8p. Walt Dis-ney’s Silly Symphonies return to the big screen to delight audiences of all ages, accompanied by their original musical scores performed live by the Golden State Pops Orchestra under the baton of the shows World Premiere Conductor, Maestro Steven Allen Fox. For tickets or more info, visit www.grandvision.org.

29 (Sat) - SCARY STORIES 14 at Angels Gate Cultural Center (3601 South Gaffey St.) 6:30p. Snuggle up around the campfire and listen to tales of terror read aloud in the dark. $5 general ad-mission. Children 6 and under FREE. No reservations required. Bring your own seating and dress warmly. For more info, visit angelsgateart.org or call the Center at (310) 519-0936.

Email event info to events@sanpedrotoday. com. Deadline for the November issue is Friday, October 14. All locations in San Pedro unless otherwise noted.

30 Years of Making Memories Captain’s Treasure Chest celebrates three decades in business

by SPT Staff Maybe it was the dozens of flower bouquets strewn across the room. Or maybe it was the throngs of people who decided to pack the jewelry store at 10 a.m. for no other reason but to say congratulations. Whatever the case, the overwhelming feeling at Captain’s Treasure Chest that morning was love.

“I’m completely overwhelmed,” said store owner Rosemarie Ganoe. “The support from the community has been amazing.”

The reason so many people were packed inside the jewelry store on Western Ave. on Saturday, September 10, was to celebrate a milestone that is becoming more and more rare around these parts: a celebration of 30 years in business.

According to Ganoe, Captain’s Treasure Chest started as a small boutique store inside the beloved Princess Louise at the Port of Los Angeles in 1986. Two years later, the Ganoe family decided to make the jump to dry land and stuck their claim on Western Avenue in the Harbour Cove shopping center.

“We still have a lot of memorabilia from the ship in the store,” said Ganoe.

Jewelry stores, especially family-owned ones, are not like your traditional businesses.

While they obviously deal with high-end items, the main thing they sell that you can’t put a price tag on are memories. Many San Pedrans, and those across the South Bay, have walked through Captain’s Treasure Chest’s doors to purchase wedding bands, necklaces and earrings that become family heirlooms, or simple pieces that carry with them a kind

Captain's Treasure Chest family: Elena Daser, Rosemarie Ganoe and Erica Mendoza (photo: Lucas Mendoza)

of love and affection you don’t get from most other types of gifts. Maybe that’s why so many people came to express their gratitude that Saturday morning. So many people were literally wearing their memories.

“We have relationships,” Erica Mendoza, Ganoe’s eldest daughter, said. “They start off as customers but they end up being family friends. Many of them came to my wedding!”

“My mom really tries to say involved in the community, too,” said Elena Daser, Ganoe’s youngest daughter. “She’s constantly donating things for charities and gets really involved.

She does a lot for other people.” Ganoe’s charitable contributions earned her a nomination for the Daily Breeze People of Distinction's female volunteer honor in 2011.

That year also saw the sudden passing of family patriarch, Mark Ganoe, who died from cancer in March 2011. Having to take on the responsibility of the shop alone was a challenging time for the Ganoe family, but as this 30-year celebration proves, five years after such a traumatic experience, the family has rebounded back with the generous help of their family and friends.

“After 30 years, I’m still not tired of this,” said Ganoe. “I’m still as enthusiastic walking through the doors now as I was the first time. We’re so lucky to be here after 30 years.

We’ve seen quite a lot. What else can I say? I love this town and I love my job.” spt

The National Watercolor Society International Exhibit Opening Sat. Oct. 22 2:00pm to 5:00pm RSVP (760) 908-3389 95 World Class Water Media Paintings on View Through Dec. 18.

Regular Gallery Hours: Thursday-Sunday 11am-3pm Open First Thursday Nov. 3, 6-9pm

OCTOBER 2016 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 9

VOICES

San Pedro Native Finds His Muse on East Coast

by Steve Marconi I love hearing from readers, especially former San Pedrans who now live thousands of miles away and use the Internet to keep up with their old hometown.

One of those, Martin Rosenberg (San Pedro High, W`62), sent me an email about my recent column on the anniversary of the sinking of the Andrea Doria, but, not surprisingly, it turned out to be much more than that.

“Summer of 1956, I was 12-years-old and sleeping over at my friend Raymond’s house. We stayed up most of the night with the radio on. I can still remember a report coming on in the middle of the night that the Andrea Doria was hit and sinking. I hadn’t thought about that in 60 years.

“I now live on the East Coast but still read your column each month. Tragic event, but thanks for a reminder of a good childhood summer.”

Martin and Raymond (Courtois) lived in the 900 block of 25th Street at the time. A few years later, I was living at 953 W. 25th St., and Martin was living just two doors down the street. Seven years apart, we didn’t know each other, but I can certainly relate to his growing up memories that he shared in subsequent emails.

“When we were kids, we spent a lot of time at the Alma Market buying candy, yo-yos and kites and whatever other stuff they sold. Was Reimer’s malt shop, around 23rd and Alma, still there when you lived there?

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“Spent summers at Cabrillo Beach, Gaffey Street Pool and the Y… I bowled in leagues in high school at SP Bowl. Some of my summer jobs were cutting lawns, selling newspapers Saturday and Sunday outside Vegher’s Market.”

Born in San Pedro, Martin lived in Channel Heights until the family moved to 25th. His father worked at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, and the family attended Temple Beth El, where Martin was Bar Mitzvahed in 1958. He was on the gymnastics team at San Pedro High (“I was terrible”) under Coach John Balen before attending Harbor College, where he took art classes. “I had a wonderful English Lit teacher there by the name of Jean Nichols; she gave me a lifelong love of reading. I’ll never forget her.”

He transferred to Cal State Long Beach, where he majored in fine arts (“In 1966 I earned enough over the summer working at Douglas Aircraft to buy my `57 Chevy”).

Right after graduation, he got a letter from Uncle Sam, and his life changed forever; while stationed in South Korea, he made friends with someone who lived outside of Philadelphia.

When Martin visited him on leave, he was introduced to a girl named Carol, and, as they say, the rest is history. He stayed on the East Coast and is now retired after 38 years as a project manager in the printing industry.

He lives in Blue Bell, about 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia proper, and if that place sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve heard Vin Scully mention it as the hometown of Dodgers pitcher, Ross Stripling.

Since retiring, Martin, when not reading or playing golf, paints in watercolor, but it’s more than a hobby. He shows and sells his work, which has garnered some awards. He credits his mother for his artistic bent (“I remember her doing driftwood sculptures and calligraphy”).

His last visit to San Pedro was in 2002 for his 40th high school reunion. Over the years, I’ve come to know several of Martin’s classmates, such as Jill Keith and Linda (Barnes) Krammes, a subject of a column some years ago on San Pedrans whose fathers were killed in World War II. Two other former classmates were Jim Nobilione and his future wife, Kathy Mardesich, who Martin has kept in touch with; he’s known Kathy since Leland Street Elementary. I’ve known the Nobiliones since our kids attended school together.

No matter how many years and miles separate them, San Pedrans always seem to find a connection. Martin would love to hear from his West Coast friends; his email is martinr4491@gmail.com.

Game, Set, Match Outside of the Marina Sports Clinic, Tim Ursich is known mostly for his work with football and baseball players, from high school to the pros.

Inside the offices on Western Avenue in Rancho Palos Verdes, however, Ursich and his team have built a world famous practice working with tennis players, not strange considering Tim is married to a former tennis pro.

The extent of Ursich's work in tennis was revealed when the Pac-12 Network announced the Men's and Women's Tennis All-Century Teams on the "Pac-12 Sports Report" earlier this year.

Of the 12 men on the roster, two, including Player of the Century Steve Johnson (USC, 2009-12 and Olympian), have been Marina clients. Eight of the 12 women honored have been Marina clients.

Still another client, Kayla Day, won the National Juniors title last month and qualified for the recent U.S. Open. Only 16, Day also played in the U.S. Open Juniors Tournament and won. Altogether, Marina Sports Clinic had five players in this year’s Open.

Pretty impressive showing by a fine group of professionals that knows how to make people feel better physically – whether the pain is caused by swinging a racquet or bouncing up and down all day in a UTR. spt Steve Marconi can be reached at spmarconi@yahoo.com.

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Thank you San Pedro for 30 Years of Support!

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The recent L.A. Fleet Week provided a great glimpse into how cool our downtown can be when it is buzzing, and that’s a good thing because a good buzz is just the tonic that is required to attract the types of people that can, well, really make us buzz – and not just the buzz you might get from an IPA at San Pedro Brewing Co. or a double espresso latte at Sirens.

(Btw, one of my goals with this column is to set a world record for use of the word buzz – I’ve counted six so far. In fact, maybe our more party friendly readers can even turn this column into a drinking game where the word “buzz” can help them…wait for it…well, you know.)

Part of the art of creating a great buzz is the ability to program an area with cool events. It’s why a group of real estate owners, restaurateurs, and artists started First Thursdays nearly two decades ago. The simple act of being able to walk from place to place for a bite to eat, a cocktail to imbibe, art to view, and friends to mingle with is what makes a great world-class town – and First Thursday has played a key role in elevating San Pedro into a more buzz-worthy place – and that buzz will only continue to grow when Greg Morena, the owner of Santa Monica seafood eatery The Albright, opens his stylish new seafood digs in downtown’s old Papadakis Taverna space.

There’s a sort of chicken and egg thing where you need innovators to attract other creative types, so it’s incredibly important to recruit businesses that place a strong emphasis on creativity and great design, which is why Morena’s new restaurant and artisans like this month’s cover subject, Rahil Taj, are so essential. Taj, a local craftsman, who was featured on the Spike-TV show Framework, does amazing woodwork and furniture design. He has a shop in town that does commissioned work for a number of high profile and celebrity clients – just the type of folks that can elevate our buzz factor.

The physical structure that serves as the greatest anchor for downtown is the Warner Grand. The grand old theater provides the best opportunity to program events that can be leveraged into making downtown into one of the most buzzed about areas in Los Angeles.

I applaud Councilman Buscaino’s efforts to bring world-class concerts and other events to the theater, but I believe it must be mixed in with a healthy dose of community-based events that serve to cultivate the types of homegrown creativity that will make us a magnet to attract innovative people.

One example of a great local event is the San Pedro International Film Festival (SPIFF).

Australian transplant, Ziggy Mrkich, a resident of the Pacific Avenue Arts Colony building on 3rd and Pacific, has worked tirelessly for five years to establish SPIFF as a magnet for promoting our downtown as a center of creativity. This year, one of the festival’s centerpiece events will be a panel on virtual reality where innovators from all over Los Angeles will descend on downtown for an evening of discussion and exhibition of VR cinema – the most buzzed about technology in entertainment. Although the festival takes place annually, SPIFF coordinates a series of other events throughout the year. As an example, one of the most important things it does to cultivate local creativity is sponsor workshops and opportunities for young students in San Pedro to make their own short films.

Providing creative opportunities for our young people might be the single best thing we can do to help our town prosper. Quite simply, if the creative talent is here, innovative companies will want to be here. It’s why when Ziggy asked me to put together a panel for the festival, I immediately seized on the idea of discussing how we can both cultivate our town’s youth and attract innovators to transform our downtown into one of the most buzzed about creative corridors of Los Angeles. The panel will include professionals from film, art, technology, rock and roll, design, education and theater (including SPT’s very own Joshua Stecker).

All current and future leaders and big thinkers are highly encouraged to attend SPIFF and to get involved in making San Pedro into a top level creative community. Let’s start the buzz! spt Jack Baric can be reached at jackbaric@hotmail.com. SPIFF runs October 6 to 16.

For more information, please visit siffest.org.

VOICES

LAUSD Early Start Dilemma

14 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I OCTOBER 2016

by Anthony Pirozzi Many parents have settled into the routine of a new school year, but few have forgotten the frustration they felt of starting the school year on August 16, thus cutting off summer early.

Many reasons have been given regarding the early start of the school year, but they don’t seem to make sense to many parents.

For example, school officials believe the early start better coincides with college calendars, but as a parent of a University of California, Irvine student as well as having friends whose kids attend California State Universities, the start dates vary dramatically.

Officials also believe that the early start will improve student academic achievement in part because finals would be taken prior to the winter break, while these subjects are still fresh in the student’s minds. The theory is higher grades on finals taken before the three week winter break would translate into higher GPAs, which improves acceptance rates into colleges. Seems reasonable. The early start also comes into question when neighboring school districts are starting two weeks later than LAUSD and still finish before the winter break. In general, most parents seem to agree with the reasoning for completing the first semester before the winter break, but question having to start the school year so early in August to achieve it.

The early start went district wide in 2013, but in 2010, LAUSD was soliciting feedback from parents on the topic. I wrote an email to a staff member for our school district representative LAUSD School Board Member Dr. Richard Vladovic on this topic and listed potential solutions. Back then, Dr. Vladovic was the lone vote on the school board to keep the start of the school year after Labor Day. Today, he is gaining support from fellow board members to reinstate it. As this topic heats up and will be addressed by the school board soon (maybe by the time this issue is published), it seemed appropriate to share some of the ideas I proposed in my email back then as well as those ideas I have heard from parents and teachers over the years.

First, the goal. Let’s assume the goal still remains to finish the first semester of the school year by the winter break in order to improve student academic achievement. Using the current SPHS school calendar, there are 14 days to eliminate in order to have moved the current start date of August 16 to September 6, the day after Labor Day. Ideas have ranged from non-standard holidays, unassigned days, minimum days, professional development days, and time scheduled for breakfast in class during first period. For example, this year, Admissions Day, the day that California was admitted into the United States, was added to the list of school holidays. Also, there are currently five “unassigned days” listed on the school calendar, two in October and the three days before Thanksgiving. That’s six days to start with.

On professional development days, students are dismissed one-and-a-half hours early and on minimum days dismissed two hours early from school. Since there are eight professional development days and three minimum days on the calendar, these hours translate to about three days of school instructions that could be gained. Lastly, breakfast in class. A small breakfast is served each day during the first ten minutes of first period.

If breakfast in class occurred ten minutes before the first bell then ten minutes of learning could be gained each day throughout the first semester, which equates to two additional days of learning that could be gained.

All of these ideas add up to 11 of the 13 days needed to move the start of the school year after Labor Day. Even if only half of these ideas were credible, it demonstrates that starting the school year later in August is highly possible.

It could be an easy decision for the LAUSD School Board to just vote and switch the school calendar back to starting the school year after Labor Day and have final exams after the winter break. The ideas discussed herein recommend a tougher road to meet the goal. We’ve come too far to go backwards, but not far enough to find a good solution. The answer is there, let’s find it. spt Anthony Pirozzi is a L.os Angeles Harbor Commissioner. He can be contacted at apirozzi@yahoo.com.

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We have been in a relationship for the last nine years and we need to talk. This is not about my children’s school, Dana STEAM Magnet in San Pedro. They are doing a great job, it is not them, it is you.

You are not around much and it is hard to be in a relationship if you are always in an office downtown or in a “meeting” and not at school. I think things would be better between us if you got rid of the district offices and had your desks in the schools. You would be able to help on the campus. (Remember, it was your idea to reduce staff.) Students are the first priority in this relationship, right? Plus, I need your help with all the mice and bugs you brought in with breakfast in the classroom.

You seem to be focusing on all the new, younger schools you have built, what about this old school? I am sorry about my dirty classrooms and stinky library carpet but you have not provided enough staff for that. What about accessibility? Have you forgotten about that, too? Only students and staff who can walk up stairs can attend Dana since there are no ramps or elevators. I pray that my children do not trip and end up on crutches. If that happens, they will be stuck in the office for weeks because they cannot get to their classroom like the other students and it is all your fault. Every time I look at those long stairs all I can see is your face and know you do not care about us, because if you did, you would have fixed this a long time ago. It has only been 40 years since I have been waiting for an ADA compliant school, so no rush.

Dana has a nurse one day a week; we cannot go on like this. You should see her trying to jockey the wheelchair with a student in it down the steep hill outside the campus because you did not put in a ramp. There is a shortage of RNs, why not recruit for LVNs, EMTs or even lifeguards so we can keep the students safe? Why do I always have to think of everything?

I am tired of all your paperwork that has to be filled out by hand in the beginning of the year like it was 1988. I am over it. Even the DMV has online registration, what about us?

Quit asking about my pregnancy and the age my 11-year-old started crawling. Being with you is so much work.

When you call me in your robotic voice over and over again and want to get together for one of your meetings miles away during rush hour traffic, I just cringe. Please broadcast it live on Facebook or YouTube instead. I can even call in on a conference call, it is free and everybody does it. We live in Los Angeles, nobody wants to drive to a meeting or talk on a phone, please text me.

You are probably wondering why I don’t just break up with you. Well, it is because I believe in my children’s school and teachers. You, on the other hand, are bloated, outdated and have money issues, but I think I can help you. My sixth grade son and his classmate at Dana are writing business plans and designing websites solving other real world problems in the community. I am sure they will have time after their coding, robotics, and Ted Talks performances to help with your issues. With all the money you will save listening to your own students instead of consultants maybe my children’s teachers will not have to raise funds to purchase computers for their classrooms. But either way, if you do not work on yourself, I have other options, as you know.

You were always my first district, so this is hard. I hate seeing you not taking care of yourself, but I deserve better.

Sincerely, Parent

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Jennifer Marquez can be reached at jennifertmarquez@yahoo.com

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As I stood watching the Exploration Vessel Nautilus slowly make its way to its new winter home at San Pedro’s AltaSea Marine Research Center on September 12, I was surrounded by a group of very animated Dana Middle School students welcoming the ship by waving little blue flags emblazoned with AltaSea and Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) logos. Though the kids were clearly excited by the arrival of the world-renowned vessel, I’m not sure that they fully realized just how important AltaSea and the OET, operators of the Nautilus, are to their futures and the future of San Pedro.

I know I’ve written several columns touting the importance of AltaSea over the years.

I continue to believe that it is the single most important project for making San Pedro an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable community. By bringing scientists, business people and educators to our waterfront, AltaSea will create a world-class marine science and research facility, whose tentacles, to use a marine-related metaphor, will reach into virtually every corner of San Pedro.

First, it will have a major impact in the area of education. AltaSea’s new tenant, the OET, with its Nautilus, offers internship, hands-on, and in-classroom education programs for K-12, undergraduate and graduate students. Both students and teachers can apply to sail aboard the Nautilus on research voyages around the world while broadcasting all they discover via the Internet to a world-wide audience. “Berthing Nautilus in San Pedro enables us to work with AltaSea to advance the vital cause of educating learners of all ages in science, technology, math and engineering,” said Dr. Robert Ballard, founder and president of the OET. Participation by local students in these programs can lead to great careers in ocean geology, biology, chemistry, engineering, technology and more. And, since many of those jobs will be here in San Pedro, our kids won’t have to leave the area for employment.

Second, as AltaSea develops, it will become a major local economic engine. Its tenant organizations and businesses will bring new people and economic activity to the community. Scientists and technologists from around the world will come to San Pedro to live, work or visit. People and businesses need goods and services. Every area of the economy will benefit. And, as research brings new discoveries, entirely new businesses and industries will be spawned and grow here on our waterfront.

Third, as a coastal city and major port, San Pedro has always depended on the ocean for jobs, food, trade and recreation. The health of that ocean has been, and will continue to be, of major concern to our people and businesses. Seventy percent of the surface of the earth is water. Today, we probably know more about the surface of the moon than we do about what lies below our oceans and the ecosystem that exists there. Some very important questions need answers: Will global warming cause a dramatic rise sea level? If so, how will that affect coastal infrastructure? What effect will change in alkalinity/acidity of ocean water have on our marine food supply? Will changes in weather patterns negatively affect shipping and trade? Questions, questions! Answers to these, and many others, are what AltaSea organizations and companies will be seeking.

I’ve concentrated on the Nautilus and OET in this column. However, AltaSea has two other amazing tenant companies: Boeing, which is developing a fully autonomous unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) for use in both research and commercial applications; and, Catalina Sea Ranch, which is pioneering high tech, underwater shellfish ranching in waters between San Pedro and Catalina. More about those ventures in some future column.

Meanwhile, I’m excited for those Dana Middle School kids who stood on the dock welcoming the E/V Nautilus. A whole new path has opened for them and the community in which they’ll grow up. spt Herb Zimmer owns PriorityOne Printing in downtown San Pedro.

OCTOBER 2016 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 19

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The Case for a Navigation Center

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There is no disagreement that one of the biggest challenges facing our region is the staggering number of homeless individuals in Southern California. There are nearly 40,000 homeless people in Los Angeles County. Few places in our state are immune – San Francisco, Long Beach, Orange County and San Diego all are facing the same issues.

The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) estimates there are 400 homeless people living in San Pedro. Of those, about 200 live on our streets and sidewalks.

Sidewalks cluttered or blocked by homeless people's belongings have sparked a fierce debate about what the city can and should be doing. In the past year, my office launched a partnership between LAPD and a dedicated LAHSA Emergency Response Team to outreach and connect our homeless population to services. We have made noticeable progress, making 2,047 referrals for services, housing 57 people and devoted 84 days to encampment cleanups.

I led an effort to amend city ordinance 56.11, which allows LAPD and the Department of Sanitation to keep our streets and sidewalks clean and accessible while making their actions legally defensible. This ordinance also decreased the 72-hour notice to 24 hours allowing us to clean up encampments faster.

If you compare Plaza Park, Beacon Street and the area near Ante’s Restaurant to how it looked just six months ago, you will see the progress that has been made. In spite of our collective efforts, there is still a lot of work to be done. Too often we still see shopping carts, debris, and small encampments all over town.

A year ago, as part of my 8-point plan to address homelessness, I named a task force of respected residents and stakeholders in our community to help develop long- and shortterm solutions for decreasing the number of homeless individuals on our streets while meeting legal requirements to better clean our sidewalks.

After meeting every month for the past year, they have learned that introducing the concept of a navigation center – a physical space, staffed with LAHSA members who can refer individuals to services – with storage into a community can go a long way toward helping people while cleaning up our streets.

The benefit to San Pedro for hosting a navigation center with storage is that it would allow for the full legal enforcement of 56.11, limiting those living on the street to a single backpack rather than 60 gallons of property they are currently legally entitled to. This will result in fewer shopping carts on our streets. Without storage, the courts have ruled that 56.11 cannot be fully enforced. By offering off-street storage, homeless residents are not burdened with the task of watching their stuff when they need to visit a doctor, or go to a job interview, a job or any of the things required to function in everyday life.

A navigation center in San Pedro would be operated by Chrysalis, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a pathway to self-sufficiency for homeless and low-income individuals by providing the resources and support needed to find and retain employment. Chrysalis offers a hand up, rather than a hand out. While LAHSA will be placing centers city-wide, San Pedro is first in line because of the work of our homelessness task force. If the residents of San Pedro are interested in clean sidewalks, the navigation center model is the path forward. If we don’t accept the navigation center model, then we will continue to see shopping carts, trash and encampments on our streets, and continue to be paralyzed by court-mandated limitations and continued frustrations.

I am only interested in pursuing actions that are supported by and benefit our communities based on our current opportunities. We may not like our current reality, but these problems were not created, nor will they be solved overnight. What we can do, as a community, is use the court-mandated requirements to our collective benefit.

A navigation center with storage would allow law enforcement greater leverage to do their job while most importantly allow our outreach teams and Harbor Interfaith to provide more focused resources. We can accept this reality, and work together to make our situation better, or we can continue to wish it away without taking the necessary steps to make lasting, needed changes. spt The Homelessness Task Force will have a comprehensive public presentation on Tuesday, October 4, 6-8 p.m., at the San Pedro Boys & Girls Club (100 W. 5th St.).

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Rahil Taj photographed in his San Pedro studio

22 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I OCTOBER 2016

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Furniture designer Rahil Taj turns a stint on reality TV into a prospering career by Leonard Trubia

When I think of San Pedro, I think of simple greatness: post-punk music like the Minutemen and Toys That Kill, writers like Charles Bukowski, the iconic DIY Channel Street Skatepark, and longshoremen. None of which are “designer.”

Dominated by a blue collar, no nonsense pragmatism, San Pedro is just fine with this.

But in exposed brick warehouses you’ll find artists and craftsmen tinkering away at what they feel is important. Passionately, they bring their visions to fruition. The landscape of the town center is also taking on a new form. A work in progress.

As of late we have seen hints of a more boutique atmosphere coming to town: a vintage guitar amp shop, a craft brewery, a wine bar, and the plans for the ever so anticipated Ports O’ Call renovation, now called the San Pedro Public Market. It seems as though the doors might finally be opening for a town that is concentrated with talent. Talent that has been struggling to lure art collectors and enthusiasts to the end of the 110 freeway for years. Rahil Taj, owner of RAH: DESIGN, seems young and ambitious enough to wait it out.

A transplant from La Verne, Calif., summoned by his fiancé, Rahil is now a local furniture designer/builder. If you tuned in to the primetime Spike TV show Framework that premiered in January 2015, you may remember the youthful, impeccably dressed contestant a few competitors would say was a little green.

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“I had less than a year of woodworking experience and I beat out hundreds of would be contestants,” says Taj. He is also the same competitor that beat out over half of his competition with his keen lens and determination of a fresh palette, which seemed to serve as his left jab and overhand right. Ironically, these are the same qualities that many of his competitors harassed him about.

If you are unfamiliar with the show, let me give you a brief introduction. Framework is a reality TV show that showcased the nation’s best emerging furniture designers as they competed for a $100,000 prize and the opportunity for their work to be sold by CB2, a modern home décor retailer. The structure is simple. Over a period of ten weeks, thirteen innovative builders put their artistry and skill to the test in a series of challenges.

Competitors were tested on everything they knew about designing and building furniture.

Albeit without ratings there is no show, and producers have a real knack for stirring the pot.

Behind the scenes, the harassment was encouraged for the sake of drama. According to Taj, “They would ask competitors questions about each other,” and the riffs were on. So were the cameras. Such is the “reality” formula.

Taj continues, “It was more about the drama, and I get it.” Reality TV work is the furthest thing from real life. Leave the real world to Werner Herzog. The entertainment industry couldn’t be bothered with the reality of mechanical tool failure and insatiable clients.

With that said, the show was just what Spike intended it to be, entertaining. However, Framework has yet to follow through with a second season. “They ended up airing season one in Denmark,” Taj laughs. Subtitled of course. He adds, “It’s unfortunate because now Ellen DeGeneres’s show (Ellen’s Design Challenge) got picked up. It’s more design, less fabrication.”

When asked if he still keeps in contact with his cast members, Taj responds, “It’s like an alumni. I still work with a couple of the guys.”

National television can’t help but open a couple of doors. You could say his time in the spotlight contributes to a growing brand. Taj has the benefit of working on both sides of the lens. “I worked in casting, set design, I was very involved. Much of my current clientele comes from this work.” Yet Taj left “the business.” He spent his weekends building furniture for his colleagues and he got the bug.

Though Rahil has no formal training in woodworking, he reflects on his experience as a competitor on Framework and what he was able to take from it. Taj says, “I took away experience. They exaggerated our strengths and weaknesses.” One of Taj’s competitors was over twice his age and another a third generation woodworker. He might have had to tread water with them when it came to execution, but he seemed to surface when it came to creativity. Without this, one could never establish a high-end brand.

I had a chance to meet with Taj and find out as of late what he has been getting into. I enter his workshop located just off Gaffey St. and there it is, the Angulus lounge chair that won Rahil the challenge in the outdoor furniture episode, “Braving the Elements.” Given the attention it received on the show, the chair has become one of the signature pieces of his collection.

As we continue to move about the shop, Taj shows me his latest art piece. Inspired by the port, he’s constructed a topographical map littered with shipping containers. Only these are scorched and blackened via torch, stripped of their color.

“LEGOs”, I couldn’t help saying it. Laughter erupts. Our conversation shifts to children’s toy sets, his then unorthodox formations and how he continues to play with them.

Examples of Taj’s work: ANGULUS outdoor lounge chair made on the Framework reality show (top); and a game table made with Christos Prevezanos of Studio Preveza. (photos: courtesy RAH: DESIGN)

Taj (left) on an episode of Framework; one of his latest projects, the DOG HAUS (photos: courtesy RAH: DESIGN)

As a kid, Taj took apart things. He put things back together. He discusses LEGOs both on Framework and in our conversation. His father was a computer engineer. They built computers together. His mother was an artist who works with precious stones. Fast forward to high school. “I took an engineering class. I excelled and became a team leader,” he says. Here Taj took things from concept to realization. For a builder of his age, this is a sign of great potential. “After high school, I studied architecture at the San Francisco Academy of Art and then transferred to Southern California Institute of Architecture.”

We talked more about how the business of furniture making has a stark ebb and flow.

Many of the show’s competitors claimed to have quit their jobs, but according to Taj, they left their jobs temporarily and returned after the show’s end. The $400 a week paycheck from the show was an enticing source of income for some in this competitive field, and Taj is no stranger to this. Sometimes he struggles to make ends meet and adds, “I never say no to work.”

“I’m passionate about what I do. I wake up every morning loving what I do. It’s always burning inside of me. I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Taj plans to complete his architecture degree and turn his furniture brand into a more comprehensive design brand. “Something where I can not only build furniture, but structures, hotel interiors. That’s where I want to go.”

OCTOBER 2016 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 25

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The scope of his furniture line ranges from acrylic ping pong tables, to doghouses, and more traditional household furnishings.

Unlike many in the community, Taj is first generation. “I came down to San Pedro to be with my fiancé Lauryn and I couldn’t be happier. I feel like there is such a sense of community here,” he says. It has been like this for generations. However, some locals are reluctant to trade their sovereignty in exchange for some of the forecasted change.

While San Pedro is indeed feeling the push of gentrification, most are confident that it will not become the Santa Monica promenade. The incoming commerce and development will never surpass the foothold that San Pedro has on individuality. It is precisely this sensibility that will continue to draw people like Rahil Taj to our port town.

Taj’s latest work, the MDK9 Dog Haus is creating quite a buzz. This piece has been featured on several retail websites including www.dog-milk.com, www.tuvie.com, and www.imboldn.com. He is also currently designing/fabricating for the Wilmington location of Hojas Tea House and was commissioned by American Idol alum Adam Lambert to work on his Hollywood home.

Rahil’s complete collection of work can be viewed on his site www.rahdesign-la.com. spt

A Celebration of Art and Innovation in San Pedro The San Pedro International Film Festival milestone year is its biggest yet

26 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I OCTOBER 2016

by Rachel Kaplan San Pedro, a town that is both charming and modern, a community that flourishes while maintaining its quaint atmosphere, is famous for a many reasons. Home of historic landmarks, beloved culture, and the largest port on the west coast — it would seem that the closest the city gets to the glitz of Tinseltown is through its repeated stints as the backdrop of Hollywood movies and television shows.

With the help of a thriving artistic community, a growing hot spot of talent, and a commitment to enriching the creative culture with events like the San Pedro International Film Festival, this coastal town is fast emerging as a real player in the film and media industry. The return of the San Pedro International Film Festival this month is sure to help solidify San Pedro’s growing reputation as a creative hub for the fifth straight year.

The San Pedro International Film Festival is commemorating its 5-year milestone for ten days over two weekends by spotlighting new films and presenting expanded programming on multimedia formats. One of South Bay’s largest film festivals will take over San Pedro’s historic waterfront district from October 6-16 with a unique mix of film screenings, parties, and programs that are expected to deliver the most accomplished festival since its inception.

This year’s festival will focus on a few central themes in the industry. Most notably, it aims to further designate San Pedro as a Creative Hub — a place that influences the film, art, and music industry by cultivating a unique creative community that both enriches artists and shines a much-deserved spotlight on San Pedro in the otherwise crowded “media capital of the world.”

Ziggy Mrkich, the founder of San Pedro Film Festival, has big plans for the event this year. After four successful years, her prime objective for this year’s festival focused on giving filmmakers a bigger platform to shine, as well as giving the town of San Pedro a chance to shine within the local community and encourage beneficial perceptions among neighboring areas, new visitors, and beyond.

“It is important for the community to have a film festival like this because it gives new and local filmmakers a platform to screen their work in their community that supports them.” Ziggy acknowledges.

“On the other hand,” she adds, “we often screen content that might be attractive to people outside San Pedro. People that might not have even stepped foot in San Pedro will come to experience the festival and therefore also see the Warner Grand Theatre and historic waterfront, experience local venues and restaurants, and experience the charm and beauty of San Pedro.”

There is no doubt the festival will impress locals and visitors alike when it kicks off October 6 during San Pedro’s First Thursday Artwalk where an art exhibition will present in conjunction with the documentary Dark Progressivism, directed by Rodrigo Ribera

OCTOBER 2016 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 27

28 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I OCTOBER 2016

d’Ebre. This must-see film encompasses L.A.’s history of murals, tagging, and street art born during the urban upheaval of the ‘80s and ‘90s and will screen October 15 against the elegant backdrop of the historic Warner Grand Theatre.

The film is presented in conjunction with the San Pedro Waterfront Arts District, which is supporting numerous events throughout the festival as well as two films that nicely encapsulate the community’s rich and diverse culture and commitment to enriching the arts.

“The San Pedro Waterfront Arts District is excited to support events like the San Pedro International Film Festival because they highlight some of the best reasons to come to our town,” exclaims Linda Grimes, managing director of the San Pedro Waterfront Arts District. “We decided to support the two films; Dark Progressivism and Playing Lecuona, since they bring to light arts education about two significant subjects – Chicano graffiti and tattoo art and a Cuban composer.”

To further highlight the films’ symbolic focus on arts education, a new art workshop will debut following the screening. The workshop, located at the Machine Studio and led

by Jose ‘Prime’ Reza and Big Sleeps, will give youth a class on how to practice calligraphy, while at the same time educating them about some of the history behind Los Angeles lettering styles and street art.

Wanting to offer some guaranteed crowd-pleasers, the San Pedro Film Festival will also see the return of some of the most loved programs from past events. Back again this year is the popular Lunafest — the festival favorite that quickly sold out in 2015. Lunafest will be revitalized this year with a new heap of multi-faceted short films that are all by, for, and about women.

Of course, there are also many new and leading-edge screenings and programs making their festival debut. Expanding the event to span two weekends over ten days makes room for new programs that provide proof that everything new is another central theme to emerge out of this year’s festival. With new programs that focus on multimedia, the festival aims to nourish the multi-faceted innovators rising out of the intersectionality of art and technology in the ever-changing landscape of today’s media.

San Pedro International Film Festival will present its first tech event dedicated to the latest advances in virtual reality and film. Leading the program is some of today’s top Virtual Reality innovators. This includes Oscar-winning visual effects artist Kevin Mack, who captured the award for his work on What Dreams May Come, and Brett Leonard, an award-winning director of Lawnmower Man, the first feature film to introduce the concept of Virtual Reality way back in 1992.

Founder Ziggy Mrkich is especially excited for these events invested in new technology and virtual reality.

“Everyone is still experimenting to see what we can do with virtual reality,” she says.

“The content possibilities are endless, which I think is why the influence it can have on art and media is immeasurable.”

She further explains, “People want to use Virtual Reality technology for film, for games, for meditation, even for real estate. It is a broad platform so seeing how it develops and what it may offer the film industry will be fascinating.”

The sprawling and action-packed festival will culminate with an event that will combine the focus on creativity with the insurgence of tech to solidify the theme of this year’s festival and help plant the seeds of creativity and innovation in the community long after the ending credits have stopped rolling.

A Gathering of San Pedro’s Creative Tribe will see a collection of professionals from film, technology, industrial design, music, theatre, education, and art come together for a town hall conversation on how to cultivate the creativity of community youth and attract innovative professionals in new technology — all with the goal of developing San Pedro’s Historic downtown into one of the great creative corridors of Los Angeles.

Jack Baric, a San Pedro figurehead and speaker on the panel, describes, “A Gathering of San Pedro’s Creative Tribe is a town-hall gathering of a super eclectic tribe of educators, technology innovators, teachers, media veterans, and artists — all of which are creative, passionate, and want to help cultivate an atmosphere of creativity in San Pedro and continue making it an important aspect of the community.”

The San Pedro Film Festival may have lofty goals. Between the electric and energetic atmosphere of the San Pedro creative community, and the passionate exuberance of emerging technology innovators, the fifth installment of this celebration of art and film is bound to surpass them. spt The San Pedro International Film Festival will take place October 6-16 at various venues in downtown San Pedro. For up-to-date news and info, visit www.spiffest. org.

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Vino Dreams Remembering Dan “Dinko” Petrov and his Dalmatian Wine

30 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I OCTOBER 2016

by Valerie Electra Smith-Griffin Childhood’s portal to the land of enchantment was a top-secret hiding spot, a soothing escape hatch, where daydreams flourished and adults vanished into the ether.

San Pedro wine-makers also had coveted places in the form of basements and musty cellars where their pastime was harvested and shared over mostaccioli and sauerkraut, savory lamb or perhaps all by itself. For the late Dan (also affectionately known “Dinko”) Petrov, his vino passion cumulated in delectable ingredients that spent time napping in a gallon jug labeled Dalmatian Wine, that, when unveiled, skyrocketed to red carpet status.

Dalmatian Wine, whose name was derived from the Dalmatian coast of Yugoslavia, on the island of Dugi Otok (“Long Island”) took center stage in the same era of now retro wines as Mateus Rose, Blue Nun, Tyrolia, Spanada, Andre Cold Duck, and lest we forget that coming-of-age favorite, Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill. Ironically, the first wine I drank was the one I’m writing about, Dalmatian Banquet to be precise. I recall it was a jug, with a handy grasp handle and sporting a graphic of tantalizing, Crayola-colored grapes that beckoned my undivided attention. Granted, it wasn’t enjoyed with gourmet food, but it served as the perfect accompaniment to our desired party hors d’ oeuvres, copious amounts of Pringles potato chips, cocktail weenies and Hostess Ding Dongs.

San Pedro wine-related stories flourish, such as one related by Eleanor Debellis-Carr, 94, who fondly shared: “Dan Petrov was very prominent in town and extremely well-liked.

All European-Americans loved their wine at the dinner table and I remember them saying, ‘The best thing about wine is a fellowship with people.’ We Croatians drank wine just for that, comradery was always a priority in our lives.”

Eleanor’s father, Bernard Carr, owned the commercial fishing vessel, The Paramount, “It had big wine barrels and folks would routinely come to our home and fill their gallon jugs. It was a simple process; a giant barrel and clean feet made the wine! As a very young person, it tasted like arsenic, but to the adults, they couldn’t get enough. Wine and San Pedro went hand-in-hand and that certainly included Dalmatian Wine,” she says.

San Pedran Denise Marovich-Sampson readily tapped into her childhood memories.

“Dalmatian wine was a staple in my Nono’s and Nona Karmela’s house where, as children, we were offered a minuscule amount mixed with a lot of water. We thought we were pretty cool. I distinctly remember the Dalmatian wine bottles and packaging: a white square box with four sections inside. Each section had a green glass jug with a convenient handle. If there’s a Croatian wine saying it would probably be, Yay, wine!

Mention the name Dan “Dinko” Petrov, and for many long-time San Pedrans, his pièce de résistance, Dalmatian Wine, springs to mind as it was presented at every major local event at the Dalmatian-American Club, then known as Yugoslav Hall. Inarguably, he was a major player in the wine industry, and his Dalmatian label took center stage in all the liquor stores and restaurants throughout the Los Angeles area. Post retail, Petrov branched into wholesale distributorship with Western International, an exclusive Import/Export on San Pedro’s Channel Street. A-1 Imported Grocery on 8th and Mesa was just one of many local markets that carried Petrov’s prize.

According to owner Emidio Ungaro: “A minimum of 500 cases of Dalmatian Banquet and 200 cases of White Banquet per month flew off the shelves and even today out-ofstate customers will ask if we’ll ever carry it again.”

The nuts and bolts or, in this case grapes and fermentation of Petrov’s prodigy?

It simply couldn’t be sold fast enough. Bulk Dalmatian Wine was sent to upstate Washington where the Edison, Calif.-based Giumarra Vineyards bottled in excess of 7,000 cases per year, and its California sales mushroomed over 10,000 cases per year. Petrov was indeed a marketing virtuoso and his Dalmatian Wine, along with his family home on the Island of Dugi Otok, were his kindred spirits. Visits to the Maraska Distillery, in the ancient city of Zadar, was a twice yearly visit for him, primarily to ensure that his family was attended to. Petrov brought his brother, Slavo, a master carpenter and artist, to the states. He branded his name for design and construction of the notorious former Ante’s

Dan “Dinko” Petrov and his wife, Nada (photo: courtesy Petrov family)

Restaurant bar and numerous creatively-designed wine racks within the Los Angeles and beach cities areas. Petrov also imported and exported Croatian-related products that included Babic Wine, Maraska liquor and wine products, notably Plum Brandy and Manastirka Slivovitz, luxury-brand Rogaska Crystal, Radenska Water, imported wines from Italy and Greece, and Danada GewurzTraminec, a white wine whose name was born from Petrov’s first name and his beloved wife, Nada, a highly prominent and instrumental partner entwined in his visions, and who navigated his dreams.

In European homes, the kitchen sink area, specifically below it, was a suitable hiding spot for a gallon of wine. One of many of Petrov Jr.’s memories include how the family would conduct post-harvest, blind taste tests. “As the palette changes throughout the day, our family would do taste tests to determine what glass of vino tasted best,” he recalls. “As is common European custom, my Dad would dip bread into his wine and offer it to his grandchildren, displaying a look of disgust if they didn’t like it.” Perhaps as an analogy, San Pedro classic car owners that spend countless hours detailing their majestic machines couldn’t compete with Petrov’s energy on his wine and import/export production.

Petrov Jr. has vivid memories of when “Dad would fill his pick-up truck with groceries and we’d go to the San Pedro Municipal Ferry Building (now the Los Angeles Maritime Museum) and hop on the double-decked Terminal Island Ferry “Islander” to the canneries to make boat deliveries of groceries and wine.”

Prior to the phenomenon of technology and computers, Petrov kept meticulous records of the boat’s names and subscribed to a practice that’s now as extinct in grocery stores as the Tasmanian Tiger: purchases on credit, trust and a handshake. His degree of human compassion was deeply appreciated by many San Pedrans who oftentimes punctuated their gratitude with a knock on his door, a wiggling lobster in hand as an appreciative gift.

In 1981, at a distillery and vineyards convention for wholesale distributors, the retirement of the Consulate General from Yugoslavia to the United States, President Carter and Petrov were presented with a prized bottle of 1932 Gewurz Traminec from the Vinag Wine Cellar in Maribor, a Slovenian city set amid wine-region hills on the Drava River.

Petrov’s wife and business partner, Nada, passed on in 1991 and he subsequently remarried Jelina and returned to Croatia. He passed on in Croatia in 2009 at the age of 92 but his legacy remains vibrant and memories of his grand accomplishments linger within our San Pedro community. Poet D.H. Lawrence wrote, “If we sip the wine, we find dreams coming upon us out of the imminent night” and this writer harbors flights of fancy of the return of the Petrov grape and his tantalizing Dalmatian Wine. The trademark remains within the family and that familiar “Never Say Never” bubbles in my mind like fine champagne. So, until the Dalmatian bottle is once again passed… As you savor your vino, bear in mind what author Marty Rubin stated: “Unlike wine, bad ideas don’t improve with age.” spt The author thanks the Petrov Family and John Radovcich for their assistance with this article.

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Lady Liberos: (l to r) San Pedro junior Alison Lyons, Mary Star sophomore Jena Denardo and POLA junior Sachi Verner

2016 Girls Prep Volleyball Preview

32 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I OCTOBER 2016

story and photos by Jamaal K. Street

As the 2016 San Pedro Prep Girls Volleyball season takes shape, there will come a time where some fans attending a San Pedro, Mary Star or Port of Los Angeles High girls’ volleyball match, that are not familiar with the sport, watching it for the first time, may be confused.

There will always be that one girl on each team, more often than not, that will be wearing a different colored jersey than everyone else, but it’s not for any type of ‘star treatment.’

It’s a whole lot more than what people may think.

Believe it or not, it really is special. The particular player wearing the different colored jersey is actually called a ‘libero,’ and there are many special ways to describe what a libero actually does.

“When most people hear libero they automatically think, ‘The player wearing the different colored jersey,’ ” Mary Star sophomore libero Jena Denardo says. “The libero is usually the best passer on the team, the person the team can turn to and knows that they can get the ball up.”

Really. A little more clarification anyone?

“The libero's jobs are to pass, dig, set, and serve from the back row,” San Pedro junior libero Alison Lyons says. “Many times we are the best passers on the court. Our job is to control the back row with confidence and lead by example. As liberos, we have a lot of pressure to pass a good ball every time, dig every driven ball thrown our way, and be a presence on the court.”

Here’s just a little more convincing for those who want to attend Libero Class 101.

“Our responsibility is to be prepared and be aggressive, to never let the ball touch the floor,” says POLA junior outside hitter turned libero Sachi Verner. “Our teammates depend on us to get the pass to the setter so we can get a kill.”

All those descriptions are exactly what a libero’s job entails, and these three all-league liberos in Lyons, Denardo and Verner, fit the bill perfectly.

Out of the three, Lyons also has a deadly serve, which helped the Pirates finish in a second-place tie in the Marine League with Narbonne, becoming the only team to take a set off eventual league champion and CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division 1 runner-up Carson during a four-set home loss in mid-October 2015.

“It was an exciting and exhilarating game for the Pirates as we made a statement,” says Lyons, who made All-Marine League first team last season. “Putting our all in (that second set) against the Colts proved that we were a force to reckon with. In a tight game that ended 27-25, we were thrilled to take the only game from Carson and tarnish their 20-0 game win streak.”

Lyons’ overly aggressive style in getting digs and serve receptions sets up perfectly for All-Marine League senior setter Katie Bentovoja to feed a variety of weapons like AllML sophomore outside hitter Sara Peterson, and junior hitters Selene Ramirez, Rebecca Alvarenga and sophomore Hadley Grooms.

Over at Mary Star, Denardo is the youngest of seven All-Santa Fe League returning players as the Stars return their entire roster from last year’s back-to-back league championship squad. Denardo’s will to keep rallies alive makes the Stars dangerous with the likes of all-league senior hitters Ally Spillane, Lexi Andrie, Ticela Molio’o, Kaitlyn Martinez and Gianna Fletcher, putting away shots set up by all-league senior setter Angela Pisano.

When Denardo is asked who her biggest volleyball inspiration is, she doesn’t have to look far. “My biggest volleyball inspiration would have to be my Mary Star team,” Denardo says. “I never really had that one player on a college team or USA team who I just specifically focused on. Watching my own teammates put their all into matches and having fun while doing it is all the inspiration I can ask for.”

Last year, Verner challenged the tall hitters in the Crosstown League as an outside hitter, helping the Polar Bears place second to Foshay Learning Center after winning the crown three years in a row. Now with her new job as a libero, she’ll carry that same drive as a hitter into a more demanding role.

“Our new team is bigger and we have a good amount of new faces, so it'll be a challenge to work together with them and have compatibility,” Verner says. “But it's nothing we can't overcome. From what I've seen at practice, we're getting better every day.”

Other players to keep an eye on over at POLA includes junior middle hitter Areelle Navarro, and the trio of senior outside hitters Mariam Moreno, Anissa Navarro and Dominique Wade.

San Pedro’s Chris Ceballos, Mary Star’s Tyler Jaynes and POLA’s Rowel Ramirez, all with extensive volleyball experience, all enter their third year as head coach for their respective schools. spt

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“I’m not afraid to eat anymore.”

That’s what she said to me after I asked her why she looked so different. A longtime client had walked in the gym. I hadn’t seen her for a few weeks but the changes were immediately noticeable.

This particular client exercised religiously week in and week out, but struggled with stagnant weight-loss for years. The number on the scale wouldn’t move. It got to the point that she thought there was something wrong with her metabolism.

Eat less, run more. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. She put in all the effort in the world but nothing changed. Until now.

Out of nowhere (or so it seemed) weight she struggled to lose for so long, suddenly fell off and now she was back at her pre-pregnancy weight. So what changed?

There are two factors that played to this sudden breakthrough that you can use to break a plateau if you’re stuck in one. One is physiological and one is mental.

1. She had finally gotten off the diet rollercoaster that nearly everyone who struggles with weight is terrified to get off of. I had been coaching this client, and several just like her, for many years. They and thousands of others, have been conditioned to believe that more weight-loss is achieved by just eating less or burning more. So when I come along and suddenly tell them to eat more they think I’m crazy.

“LOL silly trainer, I said I want LOSE weight. You’re supposed to tell me how many hours of cardio I have to do and which types of lettuce I’m allowed to eat.”

To which I reply, “No really, eat more. Especially more carbs.” Blank stare.

I’m convinced that for many people who want to get results in the gym and/or lose weight, especially women, the last thing we need them to do is tell them to eat less.

While it is true that you lose weight by consuming less calories than you burn, it is critical to understand that you can easily overdo it and will eventually trigger a plateau that continuing to eat less wont solve.

At some point your body will trigger a survival response and won’t lose anything. But not before it feeds off your lean muscle, thus making it much easier for you to gain the weight back. Too often we want to throw more effort towards a goal when it’s actually not what we need, and often the very thing that’s stalling us.

This bring us into the second lesson: 2. Fear and Insanity. I have been advising this particular client to “eat more” for years. Each time she’d say ok, but carry on like she always did, skipping meals and doing excessive cardio. She, like many others, was utterly convinced any extra food she put in her mouth would be carted off to her stomach and thighs for storage. She was, as the cliché definition of insanity goes, repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting a different result.

We do this all the time. We "try" all kinds of different approaches, but upon closer inspection, our attempts are just slight variations of what we always do, convincing ourselves that “we’ve tried everything.” This is where an objective coach/training partner really helps, because when you’re too close to a problem, it’s hard to accurately grade your efforts. Fortunately, this time around, she listened to the advice and gradually added more calories with quality foods designed to meet the needs of her training. She began to have more energy and, more importantly, didn’t feel deprived. She slowly began to dissociate “eating more” with guilt and gluttony and, lo and behold, the weight started coming off.

We often want results now. So we take whatever solution offers the quickest fix, but you can quickly take dieting to unhealthy extremes. With eating, severe calorie restriction breeds loss of muscle and an imminent plateau. With lifting, excessive volume leads to overtraining, failure to recover and injury. In both cases, you end up sidelined, frustrated, and if you don’t have the right support, can soon end up where you started.

So if you find yourself in a similar situation, remember there are two approaches to weight-loss; you can starve yourself to skinny, hoping you can keep the pace indefinitely, or you can feed your muscle and let it burn the fat for you.

I don’t know about you, but I’ll go with the latter. spt Get a free guide “3 simple tweaks anyone can make for dramatic Fat-loss,” visit sanpedrofatloss.com.

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For kids with food allergies or intolerances, Halloween can be a tricky time of year (pun intended). Heck, it can even be a downer for some of us adults: all that irresistible candy, but not all of us can tolerate it.

It’s one thing for someone like me — an adult — to rationalize food intolerances and understand why I have to avoid certain foods like conventional Halloween candy. But for children, it’s more difficult to understand, especially on a day like Halloween. It’s hard to enough to feel “different” than some of the other kids, but having to miss out on holiday traditions like trick-or-treating can feel utterly unfair.

We all know that sugar is not healthy, but let’s face it: Halloween is one of those holidays where we often abandon some of our health restrictions and indulge a little.

However, even if we’re okay with a little extra sugar intake on Halloween, there are other ingredients in commercial candy that are of concern, particularly to those with food sensitivities. Artificial colors, for example — which are found in many conventional candy brands — have been linked to hyperactivity in children. Likewise, many conventional chocolate brands often contain common allergens, such as dairy and nuts, which can cause serious (and sometimes life-threatening) reactions in those with food allergies. While most children can safely handle moderate amounts of conventional candy, there are children with certain health conditions who have to avoid it altogether.

Fortunately, there are some alternatives to conventional candy that can help all kids feel included on Halloween. Here are some ways food-sensitive kids can safely enjoy Halloween festivities or trick-or-treating: 1. Candy and Chocolate Alternatives – Brands like YumEarth, Surf Sweets, and Unreal, for example, make candies that are free of artificial dyes. Instead, they are naturally colored by real fruit and vegetable extracts. We especially love handing out YumEarth lollipops to trick-or-treaters. In addition to being free of artificial colors, they are also organic and free of many common allergens. They are a hit for anyone who loves hard candy!

Chocolate can pose challenges particularly for those with food allergies because commercial brands often contain common allergens such as soy, dairy, nuts, and gluten.

Finding soy-free chocolate can especially be a challenge, as soy lecithin is often used as an emulsifier in commercial chocolate. Fortunately, brands like Equal Exchange, Eating Evolved, Heavenly Organics, and Alter Eco offer high-quality (and really delicious) soy-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free options. And bonus: these brands also use organic and fair-trade cocoa. (With my soy and gluten sensitivities, these are, by far, my favorite chocolate brands).

Additionally, all of the above brands avoid the use of high fructose syrup. (Yes, sugar is still sugar, but the less refined, the better.)

2. The Teal Pumpkin Project – The Teal Pumpkin Project is a movement in which people can offer non-food treats to trick-or-treaters instead of candy (think small toys and fun trinkets, like stickers, bouncy balls, or glow sticks, for example). Participants display a teal pumpkin on their doorsteps so food-sensitive trick-or-treaters know they can stop there for a safe and fun treat. As a result, children with health conditions of all sorts can feel included. (For more information, check out www.foodallergy.org/teal-pumpkin-project.)

3. The Switch Witch – Move over, Santa; the Switch Witch is coming to town. If a child agrees to it, the “Switch Witch” pays a visit while he or she is sleeping — much like the The Tooth Fairy — and switches out his/her conventional or leftover candy with a “prize” (typically a special toy or gift the child has chosen ahead of time). It’s a win-win for both parents and kids, since it’s a healthier way for kids to enjoy Halloween (and a great way to reduce sugar intake for all kids, not just those with food sensitivities).

So with a little creativity, we can encourage Halloween treat alternatives that are fun and safe for all kids. Ghouls and goblins are meant to be scary, but our food shouldn’t be.

Here’s to a happy and safe Halloween! spt

36 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I OCTOBER 2016

WEDDING

They Just 'Clicked' Carl and Gina Adamo May 20, 2016 story by Brooke Karli | photo by John Mattera Photography

Carl and Gina (Patapoff) Adamo probably mingled as children at The Red Onion on Sunday evenings, but the families would never have known it.

Although they didn’t realize who the other was at that time, fate would bring them together once more in the fall of 2012 when they met online. After chatting for two months, they decided to finally go on a date. The wait, however, was worth it as their first date in December 2012 at a sushi restaurant would lead them to a lifetime together.

“As soon as we met face-to-face, we just ‘clicked,’ ” recalls Gina. “We never stopped talking, and that’s saying something because Carl is so shy and reserved!”

After three years of dating, Carl proposed to Gina on December 14, 2015, and five months later, on May 20, 2016, the two became husband and wife.

The wedding and reception took place at San Pedro’s Michael’s Tuscany Room and hosted approximately 140 guests. Gina’s brother Mike officiated the wedding, and her sister Jessica read E. E. Cummings’ “I Carry Your Heart With Me.” Standing next to the bride and groom were Maid of Honor Jessica Patapoff; bridesmaids Ashley Wilson and Alisa Patapoff; Junior Bridesmaid Rhiannon Patapoff; flower girls Addison Patapoff and Charlie Bell; Best Man and Aficionado Michael Patapoff; groomsmen Chris Soto and Jerry Garza; and Junior Groomsman Joshua Patapoff.

At the reception, the couple shared their first dance to Lady Antebellum’s “When You Got a Good Thing,” while Gina and her father danced to The Temptations’ “My Girl.” The reception also featured two tables overflowing with Italian cookies both bought and made by the couple’s Sicilian families.

The couple decided not to go on a honeymoon and instead use that money towards other priorities.

Currently, Carl is a longshoreman and Gina is a casual on the docks. They reside in San Pedro and are hoping to start a family in the near future. spt

ON THE TOWN Photos: Dave Behar, Bill Fleury, Chris Guzman OCTOBER 2016 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 37

Saturday, September 3, 2016: Light at the Lighthouse Festival at Point Fermin Park. - This year, on “4 Stages 4 All Ages,” 30 bands played Christian-themed rock, pop, gospel, Latin, country, jazz, metal, and reggae music to a crowd of thousands. In addition to the music, performers including dance groups, a puppet show, magician, climbing wall, and graffiti art demo were featured. A new highlight this year was a skateboard half-pipe supplied by the San Pedro Skate Park Association. Local skaters enjoyed showing off their skills in between demonstrations by world-class professional skateboarder Christian Hosoi. The main stage crowds enjoyed talks given by LAPD’s “Skid Row Cop” Deon Joseph and “Skid Row Pastor” Cue Jn-Marie, who spoke about their combined 27 years of experience in working with the homeless population in Los Angeles; and by missionary Mark Geppert who related some of his adventures and near-death experiences in 25 years of work in Indonesia, Cambodia, China, and other exotic lands. Event organizers estimated the attendance for the day at about 6,000, but added that it’s hard to know for sure, since “we don’t sell tickets, and everything is free except the food trucks.” spt

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