SP & MARY STAR 2022 PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEW | 'HOLE-IN-THE-WALL' TACO SPOTS & MUCH MORE! FOUNDED2022SEPTEMBER IN 1922 BY A GROUP OF LOCAL WOMEN, ONE OF L.A.'S OLDEST JEWISH CONGREGATIONS CELEBRATES ITS CENTENNIAL BY FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE. Temple Beth El's Board President Tom Rosenberg, Rabbi Cassi Kail, Executive Director Carrie Jacobs, and Cantor Ilan Davidson. TEMPLE BETH EL AT &RELEVANT100:THRIVING
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SEPTEMBER 2022 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 3 Rancho28901divineelysianwellness.comS.WesternAve.,Ste.225PalosVerdes,CA90275 Located at The Terraces, Second Level by the elevators CONSULTATIONSFREE 424-267-6251 New Deluxe Medical Spa in Rancho Palos Verdes We proudly offer the following services and more: • Radio Frequency Microneedling with PRFM for Skin Tightening and Rejuvenation • PAINLESS Laser Hair Removal with Motus AY Laser by Cartessa • IPL fo red and brown spots • Fractional Skin Resurfacing for Improved texture and removal of sun damage • Hydrafacial for clear, even toned and hydrated skin • Vitamin IV Drip Therapy for Wellnes and Hydration • NAD Drip Therapy for rejuvenation of mind and body • Therapeutic Massage • Chiropractic Services • Acupuncture • Ozone and Nutripathic Services We Proudly Support the ILWU INTRODUCING RESTYLANE®SPECIAL! Buy 2 syringes of Restylane® dermal filler and get 60 units of Dysport FREE! With San Pedro Today Coupon, Not combinable with any other offer. Expires 9-30-22. LASERREMOVALHAIR Buy a extratreatmentLaserpackage6-sessionforanyHairRemoval&receive4sessionsFREE! With San Pedro Today Coupon, Not combinable with any other offer. Expires 9-30-22. GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE!
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Before passing,herone of Angela Romero’s final congregation’sclingonTempleworkingprojectshistoricalwaswithBethElabookchronitheJewish 100-year history. Even though she was in the midst of her own cancer battle, it was an assignment she was excited to tackle.“All I care about is that the temple’s history is right,” she would text me last November as she began her research. Angela had a deep affinity for the Jew ish community, so much so that she would later text me, “I know I’m not Jewish, but I’m as Jewish as a non-Jew canOneget.”of the last times Angela came to my office was last November, when she told me with great excitement about the research she had done for the temple and to pitch me on writing about some of it for her December column. I, of course, said yes. Simply titled “Researching San Pedro’s Jewish Community” (SPT Dec. 2021), Angela wrote: “My favorite bit of information, so far, is the fact that the Jewish Sisterhood of San Pedro was the driving force behind the creation of the temple and now, 100 years later, we are going to celebrate with its first woman at the helm, Rabbi Cassi Kail.” She added: “In my research, I’ve noticed that if you get enough San Pedrans together, a group will be organized. But if you get enough San Pedro women together, something will getSadly,done.”the column would end up being her second-to-last to run in the magazine before passing in April. I know she’d be pleased to see Rabbi Cassi and her crew on the cover. This month, with the great work of writer Julia Murphy, we look at the past, present, and future of Temple Beth El as they celebrate their landmark cen tennial, putting them on a shortlist of San Pedro businesses and organizations that have crossed the triple-digit mark. It was a pleasure working with their staff in putting this cover story together, especially with Rabbi Cassi, her husband Joshua Kail, and Executive Director Carrie Jacobs. Being a part of the San Pedro Cen tury Club is an impressive achievement. Congrats to everyone at Temple Beth El for 100 years of community and kin ship. spt Joshua Stecker is publisher/editorin-chief of San Pedro Today. Letters to the Editor can be emailed contact@sanpedrotoday.com.to
4 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I SEPTEMBER 2022 NotCombinablewithanyotheroffers. Limitoneperhousehold. ExpiresSeptember30,2022 *Up to $150 Discount. Not Combinable with any other offers. Limit one per household. Expires September 30, 2022 Not Combinable with any other offers. Limit one per household. Expires September 30, 2022 $98.00 Value! Not Combinable with any other offers. Limit one per household. Expires September 30, 2022 * * *European Cars Extra. $5995 $7995 AlignmentComplete2Wheel AlignmentComplete4Wheel Maximize Your Fuel Efficiency & Tire Life. * *$5995 $7995 AlignmentComplete2Wheel AlignmentComplete4Wheel Maximize Your Fuel Efficiency & Tire Life! % OFF SERVICE!*ANY Not Combinable with any other offers. Limit one per household. Expires September 30, 2022 A/C SERVICEA/C SERVICE Beat the Heat!Beat the Heat! 9999Reg. $152.23 Includes First 1lb. of R134 a System must not be leaking at time of service. 15 Monday- Friday 7:30 am - 8pm Monday- Friday 7:30 am 8pm Sat. 7:30 - 4:30Sat. 7:30 4:30 Not Combinable with any other offers. Limit one per household. Expires September 30, 2022 Not Combinable with any other offers. Limit one per household. Expires September 30, 2022 $98.00 Value! $98.00 Value!
SEPTEMBER 2022 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 5
VOLUME 14 | NUMBER 8 ON THE COVER: TEMPLE BETH EL TURNS 100 (l to r): Board President Tom Rosenberg, Rabbi Cassi Kail, Executive Director Carrie Jacobs, and Cantor Ilan Davidson. (photo: John Mattera Photography) SEPTEMBER 2022
Joshua J. Stecker 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 20092022, Empire22 Media LLC.
San
6 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I SEPTEMBER 2022 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joshua J. Stecker ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lori Garrett ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION Joseph A. Castañeda AT-LARGE CONTRIBUTORS Mike Harper, Peter Hazdovac, Sanam Lamborn, Mike Lansing, Ricky Magana, Steve Marconi, Jennifer Marquez, Julia Murphy, Sophie Schoenfeld, Jamaal K. Street, Lee Williams PHOTOGRAPHER John Mattera Photography CONTACT INFO: Phone: (424) 224-9063 Email: contact@sanpedrotoday.com Facebook/Instagram/Twitter: @sanpedrotoday SanP.O.Sanwww.sanpedrotoday.comPedroTodayBox1168Pedro,CA90733 ADVERTISING: General Inquiries: ads@sanpedrotoday.com Patricia Roberts (562) 964-8166 | patricia@sanpedrotoday.com EMPIRE22 MEDIA OWNER/PUBLISHERLLC
1 (Thurs) – REBECCA LYNN AND THE MAGIC PLANET at Feed and Be Fed (429 W. 6th St.), 6:30-8:30p. – Join us on First Thursday to hear Rebecca Lynn and the Magic Planet jazz band play from 6:30-8:30p. For more info, visit feedandbefed.org.
8 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I SEPTEMBER 2022 EVENTS
October 1 (Sat) – FURBABY LOVE FEST TOTALLY ‘80s PAWTY at Gardena City Hall Lawn (1700 W. 162nd St., Gardena), 1-6p. – An outdoor fundraising event benefiting Infinite Love Animal Rescue and homeless animals. Vendors, food trucks, a pet photo booth, music, raffle, silent auc tion, free dog nail clippings and ear cleanings, pet adoptions, games and prizes, low-cost pet services, licensing, and more! Well-behaved dogs on leash, cats in secured crates, and children are welcome. ‘80s attire recommended. Admission is FREE, donations ap preciated. For vendor opportunities, call Julie at (310) 940-9658. For silent auction and raffle donations, 233-4288moreington,andchecksstartsRundividualhappeningregister.Foundation.tingComeFigueroaatREGGIEHARBOROctoberemailpertheonharbor.horsbeer3-6p.MuseumWINEHISTORICALOctoberteloverescue.org/furbabylovefest.cue.org.Kandace@InfiniteLoveAnimalResemailFormoreinfo,visitinfini1(Sat)–SANPEDROBAYSOCIETYBEERANDTASTEatMullerHousePatio(1542S.BeaconSt.),–Tastelocalaward-winningandwineandmunchontastyd’oeuvreswhileoverlookingtheYou’llalsohaveachancetobidexcitingsilentauctionitemsinsidebeautifulMullerHouse.$25.00person.Forticketsormoreinfo,sanpedrohistory@gmail.com.29(Sat)–LOSANGELESCOLLEGEFOUNDATION5KRUNFOREDUCATIONLosAngelesHarborCollege(1111Place,Wilmington),7a.–andjoinusfora5KrunbenefittheLosAngelesHarborCollegeTeamsandindividualscanFamily&KidsFunRunalsoatHarborCollegetrack.Inrunner$30;team(5)$100;Fun$15.FREEhealthfair!Checkinat7a,run/walkstartsat8a.MakepayabletoLAHCFoundationmailto:1111FigueroaPlace,WilmCA90744.Toregisterorforinfo,contactPeterBosticat(310)orbosticpf@lahc.edu.
spt Email events@sanpedrotoday.com to place a listing for a small fee. Deadline for the October 2022 is sue is Friday, September 16. Find more events sanpedrotoday.com.at DEEP WATER AEROBICS Water aerobics done in the deep water with patented resistence cuffs Now offered at the San Pedro Elks Club (no membership required) Fun and Challenging!ContactTrey Mason (310)Space809-2818islimited Call Today! to reserve 815 S. Averill Ave., San Pedro, CA 90732 (310) 784-8867 www.raymondgreenlawoffice.comrgreen.atty@sbcglobal.net PLANNING FOR PEACE OF MIND Estate Plans • Probates • Wills • Living Trusts Power of Attorney • Real Estate Raymond D. Green Attorney at Law 30 years of service in the San Pedro & South Bay area “Free 30 Minute Consultation with Mr. Green”
ING: THE SIDES OF SUICIDE at The Garden Church/Feed and Be Fed (429 W. 6th St.), 6:30p. – Stories from attempt survivors, family/friend loss survivors, or people who have expe rienced suicidality are welcome to be shared at this open-mic event. For more info, email rudy@rudycaseres.com.
Every Tuesday, Friday, & First Thurs day Evening – OPEN GARDEN at Feed and Be Fed (429 W. 6th St.), Tues days 10a-12p, Fridays 10a-1p, & First Thursday evenings. – Feed and Be Fed, San Pedro’s own urban farm, opens its downtown garden space every Tues. and Fri. and on First Thursday eve nings, when we feature great local jazz musicians. Come share nature's bounty and beauty as we grow vegetables, get your hands in the dirt as a volunteer, get expert advice, or just relax. For more info, visit feedandbefed.org.
25 (Sun) – STORYTELLING & HEAL
1 (Thurs) – FIRST THURSDAY in Downtown San Pedro, 6p. – The popular First Thursday ArtWalk is back in the historic core of Downtown San Pedro. The redesigned First Thursday will feature guided ArtWalk tours, open galleries, outdoor dining, and live music on the corner of 6th and Mesa streets.
18 (Sun) – SEPTEMBER POP-UP at The Corner Store (1118 W. 37th St.), 9a-3p. – Join more than a dozen art ists, artisans, and makers outside San Pedro’s favorite neighborhood store for a fun day of shopping and live music! This event is hosted by Homemade by the Hays and The Corner Store and sponsored by San Pedro Today Best parking is along Paseo Del Mar.
SEPTEMBER
SEPTEMBER 2022 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 9 SeptemberSaturday,24, LIONSSocialDalmatian-American2022Club1639S.PalosVerdesStreetSanPedroHour:5:00-6:00p.m.Dinner:6:00p.m.Dancing:7:00-11:00p.m.NoHostBar$65.00perguest$600pertableof10Forreservations,contactPresidentBrianRobinsonat(949)228-5185.100thANNIVERSARYCELEBRATIONRESERVENOW!CLUBOFSANPEDRO
The Nazis had overrun Norway in 1940, but its extensive merchant fleet remained integral to Allied operations.
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By sheer coin cidence, as this month’s celebratesissuethe cen tennial of Temple Beth El, another San Pedro congregation is celebrating 100 years of Technically,existence.Trinity Lutheran, which happens to be right across the street from Temple Beth El, marked its 100th year in 2021, but the centennial cel ebration, like so much else of life, was delayed by COVID. This Lutheran milestone is a re minder that San Pedro’s extensive Scandinavian heritage is often lost in a town dominated by people of Croatian, Italian, or Mexican ancestry. It’s why we have as many Lutheran churches as Catholic churches. Although none of the Lutheran churches — Trin ity Lutheran, Christ Lutheran, Good Shepherd, and the Norwegian Seamen’s Church — have congregations as large as Mary Star, Holy Trinity, or St. Peter’s (with the exception being the Latinservice chapel at Fort MacArthur), their very presence is evidence that at one time, San Pedro had a substantial Scan dinavian population. That population was a natural out growth of San Pedro, home to a vibrant seafaring community — fishing and freight — almost from the beginning. Going back to the Vikings, Scandina vians have had a long affinity for the sea, so it’s no surprise they made their way to the burgeoning new harbor near LosTheAngeles.firstScandinavian church in San Pedro was the Norwegian-DanishNorwegian-languageM.E.Churchat236
by Steve Marconi
MAZEL TOV ALL AROUND ON SEVENTH STREET
10 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I SEPTEMBER 2022
N. Mesa Street. A News-Pilot article in 1961 says the church was built in 1897-98 by Norwegian and Danish Methodists; it first appeared in the re cords on December 30, 1905. A Swedish Lutheran Church, which later became Bethel Lutheran Church, was formed in 1916 and met at Fifth Street and Grand Avenue. When Bethel moved to west 25th Street, it became Good Shepherd Lutheran.SanPedro’s first Norwegian Lu theran Church was formed in 1918 and was incorporated as Trinity Evangeli cal Lutheran Church of San Pedro on August 11, 1921. It was a home church for the most part. However, in 1919, the Rev. P.B. Hoff (no relation to the current pastor, Nathan Hoff) was con ducting afternoon and evening Englishlanguage services at the NorwegianDanish church.
O.J. Edwards became Trinity’s first called pastor in 1934, and a year later, a church was built at 10th and Alma. The church ended the use of Norwegian in 1937, conducting all services in English, and in 1947, the structure was moved to its current location at Seventh Street andTheBroadway.Norwegian-speaking com munity wasn’t ignored, however. The Norwegian-Danish church at Barton Hill, known as St. Olav’s, had morphed into a Scandinavian Seamen’s mission in 1925. Then, in 1941, Norwegian shipping magnate Lars Christensen, feeling there was a need to minister to Norwegian sailors in Los Angeles Harbor, purchased St. Olav’s and, lock, stock, and barrel, handed it over to the Norwegian Seamen’s Church.
A month after the new church opened, Pearl Harbor thrust the United States into WWII, and every day for the dura tion there were two to eight Norwegian ships docked in San Pedro. Many of those seamen never returned home; more than 3,600 Norwegian merchant mariners died in the war. More than 9,500 American civil ian sailors died in the war, and their names are etched into the American Merchant Marines Veterans Memorial on Harbor Boulevard. The names of 19 San Pedrans who died in WWII are on those walls, and more than half have Scandinavian surnames. In fact, the first American casualties on Decem ber 7, 1941, weren’t at Pearl Harbor but occurred in the mid-Pacific before the sneak attack, when a Japanese sub sank the SS Cynthia Olson en route to Hawaii. All hands were lost, including the master, Berthel Carlsen, and chief mate, William P. Buchtele, both San Pedro residents. Carlsen was a native of Norway, and Buchtele was a Danish immigrant.Sixyears after the war ended, a new Norwegian Seamen’s Center was built at 10th and Beacon streets, now almost within view of the merchant marine memorial. Services in Norwegian con tinue to this day at a restored St. Olav’s; a Hispanic church bought the old Mesa property, which still stands. Outside the Lutheran church, little remains to be seen of San Pedro’s Scan dinavian past. The famous Ulabrand Hall is closed, and the once prominent Ulabrand Lodge, Sons of Norway, formed in 1926, is just a shadow of itself with meetings at Nansen Field on the Hill. Norwegian Imports and Bakery, a longtime fixture on 13th and Gaffey, closed in 1998, and I still long for the marzipan cake. Even inside the Lutheran church, there have been significant changes. I know because I’ve been attending Trinity Lutheran since our son was part of the boys choir in the mid-‘80s. The centennial celebration, as expected, showcased the church’s Scandinavian roots, but a congregation that once spoke Norwegian as its first language reflects current San Pedro in all its eth nic flavors. Many members still make yearly pilgrimages to the Old Country — Minnesota, the pastor may still crack an Ole-and-Sven joke now and then, and you’ll still hear an occasional “uff da,” but, hey, I’m not the only Italian American anymore. spt Steve Marconi can be reached at spmarconi@yahoo.com.
SEPTEMBER 2022 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 11 spt_2209_sept_11_20.indd 11 9/1/22 11:59 AM
by Lee Williams
The mission of the SPWCP is to draw on global best practices in blending urban design, planning, architecture, landscape, public transportation, and other elements to create a global desti nation/attraction that is both aestheti cally pleasing and fosters connectivity within the local community. Local busi nesses should draw from local talent, our residents should have a waterfront that improves our quality of life, and we should have better access to arts and entertainment without having to go out of town. The plan will include sugges tions for trees, green space, and areas in San Pedro that are less vehicularly intense, as well as better signage to help direct people to where they want to go moreFinally,quickly.the SPWCP will consider ways to move traffic and people around San Pedro from out of town. There is already a massive project about to start on Harbor that will improve access to highways 47 and the 110. Cruise ship passengers, ship crews, folks heading to the Battleship IOWA, visitors to West Harbor, and people looking forward to joining me at the new amphitheater will need to move around quickly to reduce the impact on the local community. As I wrote about in the August 2022 issue, my wife, Sara, and I left the Dreamstate Harbor music event at closing (mid night) and were home near Holy Trinity in seven minutes. Giving people options before and after events and attractions will require improving ways to get around efficiently. Galvin often talks of a “park once and spend the day in San Pedro” strategy for visitors. As I mentioned above, the process will take several months and will include numerous opportunities for public input, both in the early draft and in the final revision. The SPWCP will be a living document; it will be revised as needed and will function as a guide to how everything can best fit together. It will need to be flexible as visions and opportunities in San Pedro become more plentiful and in focus. Getting people to and from the waterfront is only a piece of the overall plan to con nect the rest of San Pedro with the spots that make us unique and remind us that this is a great place to live. spt Lee Williams leads the Williams Group at Keller Williams Realty and is a member of the Board of Direc tors for the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce and the Boys and Girls Club for L.A. Harbor.
The renewal of the San waterfrontPedro is now underway, and with it comes a muchneeded update for how we move people around to enjoy it. The San Pedro Chamber of Com merce and the Neighborhood Councils have been pushing for an updated plan for how the waterfront connects to San Pedro and the rest of the region. The Port of Los Angeles has hired the plan ning and urban design firm the SWA Group to gather community input, map out the needs of waterfront develop ment, and create the San Pedro Water front Connectivity Plan (SPWCP). The SWA Group is an international firm known for beautiful landscape archi tecture for urban parks, city districts, university campuses, commercial complexes, major resorts, and planned communities.
The SPWCP is a dynamic planning document that builds upon the existing waterfront public access and private development progress, providing a conceptual program to guide future port improvements and private development sites into a network of well-connected, multi-use spaces that are internally accessible to the public and externally accessible to San Pedro and the larger Los Angeles region. Much of the discussion has been focused on connecting our waterfront with opportunities in tourism, cruise ship traffic, small business growth, revitalizing our downtown, and all the jobs that come with it. Mike Galvin, director of waterfront and commercial real estate at the Port of Los Angeles, is also talking about the importance of better connecting San Pedro to the waterfront for San Pedrans. Improving access to the waterfront for locals is just as important as the draw sites, like West Harbor. There will be extensive community outreach in the coming months to best guide how that works, looks, and operates.
The design elements include pe destrian and vehicular thoroughfares, public transit, transportation networks, motorized and non-motorized transpor tation methods, crosswalks, water ac cess (including water taxis, recreational boats, etc.), wayfinding signage, public art in open space as a larger attraction, open space utilization, and active pro gramming opportunities that increase flexibility. West Harbor recently an nounced the inclusion of Bark Social, a space where folks can bring their dogs, have a beer or glass of wine, and allow their pets to socialize. Not everything is about cars, buses, and cruise ships. The connectivity plan will bring in elements to help locals enjoy the open spaces, views, and walkways now that the Promenade is complete.
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12 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I SEPTEMBER 2022
CONNECTING SAN PEDRO
13 @ DOWNTOWNSANPEDRODiscoverSanPedro.org OCTOBERSUNDAY 23 • 2022 398 W. 6TH STREET SAN PEDRO From 2pmto 8pm Trolleyfreerides FEATURING • Live Music • Altar Competitions • Craft Vendors • Local Food • Outdoor Beer Garden TENTH ANNUAL SAN PEDRO’S NEW IRISH PUB! Located in the heart of the Historic L.A. Waterfront 327 W. 7th Street • (310) 832-0363 Open Wed-Fri at 4pm • Open Lunch & Dinner on Weekends Free parking in rear • www.whaleandale.com A San Pedro Favorite Since 1999 ! Try Our Awesome New Menu Items. 7 Award Winning Beers On Tap, 13 Unique Guest Beers from Top U.S. Craft Breweries We love to help your fundraising! Contact James Brown - jbbeer@msn.com www.SanPedroBrewing.com331W.6thStreet,90731310•831•5663 Order online: www.BuonosPizza.com 222 R-1 W. 6th St., San Pedro • 310-547-0655 $7 OFF $5 OFF Any Dine-In Order w/purchase of $30 or more! Any Delivery or Carry Out Order w/purchase of $25 or more! Exp. 9-30-22 Not valid with other offers. SPT Exp. 9-30-22 Not valid with other offers. SPT Proud recipient of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce 2022 Restaurant of the Year Award! Join us for indoor and patio dining in the heart of Little Italy! spt_2209_sept_11_20.indd 13 9/1/22 11:59 AM
The Visitor Center also has a touch less screen monitor that provides resources to people at their location. They will soon have a monitor in their window with a QR code that can be activated through the window serving visitors 24/7, even when closed.
Right before the world shut down due to the pandemic, I spent a season working at the cruise ship termi nal in San Pedro, checking in pas sengers. I met people of all ages from around the world who were excited to start their vacations. There were those who cruised all the time, honeymoon ers, families who saved up for years to cruise together, solo travelers, and even a few who were sadly terminally ill on their last trip. I learned from many passengers that few spent time in San Pedro. Some came straight from the airport, and others enjoyed Los Angeles-based at tractions like Hollywood or Universal Studios. One big issue is the lack of hotels in San Pedro. There are now only two large hotels in town. On a ship with up to 5,000 passengers, only an average of 50 rooms are booked in San Pedro. In addition, San Pedro just lost the Best Western on Gaffey Street, as it is be coming a shelter for homeless veterans.
I spent many days in the cruise ter minal, a large sparse room with chairs and a check-in counter. Sometimes passengers waited for long periods in the terminal, especially when there were delays. They only had vending machines for food and drinks. No mer chandise is sold there. While there have been efforts over the years to encourage visitors to spend time and money in San Pedro, there was little evidence of that at the cruise ship terminal, except for the trolley bus that stopped out front.
Scott and Katherine Gray noticed the lack of services for visiting cruis ing tourists and opened the San Pedro Visitor Center 12 years ago. The Visitor Center welcomes all people to San Pedro and provides recommendations for restaurants, attractions, local mer chants, and churches. Many different people frequent the center, including those considering moving to San Pedro, locals who wander in, and passengers from cruise ships. Since there are no options for vendors at the cruise ship terminal, the Grays set up their center as close as they could get in Downtown San Pedro. The Port of Los Angeles has hired Ports America to manage the cruise terminal. With year-round cruises starting in San Pedro, there will be 220 cruise calls expected this year with 750,000 passengers.
“This is the community’s visitor center. It is for everybody to get up dated information about San Pedro and leave information to share, like special events,” states Katherine Gray, president of the San Pedro Visitor Center.
VISITING THE VISITOR CENTER
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Businesses geared toward tourists, like restaurants, points of interest, and real estate agents, can buy a member ship to advertise at the Visitor Center and on their website. Unlike the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, whose members include all types of businesses, the Visitor Center is focused on tourism and people interested in moving to San Pedro.Many cruise ship passengers walk to The Visitor Center. Tourists are often looking for recommendations for places to eat, things to do, or a store. Kather ine, who has traveled extensively, keeps up on world news to better commu nicate with visitors from around the world who visit San Pedro.
With so many air travel disruptions, people arrive at their destinations earlier to ensure time to get to their ship. Now is an excellent opportunity to promote San Pedro to the ships’ passen gers and staff. The cruise terminal could add banners and information about area attractions, just like many airports. spt
The San Pedro Visitor Center wel comes volunteers and is located at 479 W. 6th Street, Suite 101, across from the Warner Grand. For more information, visit VisitSanPedro.org or call (310) 729-9828.
by Jennifer Marquez
14 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I SEPTEMBER 2022 VOICES
SEPTEMBER 2022 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 15 CELEBRATE WITH US! SEPT. 13 - 17, 2022 On behalf of the De Haro Mejia Family and staff, we would like to thank the generations of San Pedrans who’ve enjoyed our family’s recipes since 1982. We greatly appreciate your loyal patronage. Our 40th •••CelebrationAnniversarywillinclude:LimitedEd.40thAnniversaryStainlessSteel20oz.Tumblersforsale(w/unlimitedrefills).FREELimitedEd.pens&magnets(within-personpurchasesonly).OnlineGiveaways&MuchMore! 40th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL! ONLINE ORDERS ONLY USE PROMO CODE: 40YEARS ON PURCHASES OF $20 OR MORE. LIMITED TO THE FIRST 250 CUSTOMERS. EXCLUDES SEAFOOD. 40% OFF! Order Online VALIDtheoriginallasbrisas.comatONLY9/13/22to9/17/22 spt_2209_sept_11_20.indd 15 9/1/22 12:00 PM
Growing up in San Pedro during the 1960s, the then San Pedro Boys Club was the mecca for year-round sports.
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Perennial championship football teams in the fall, Biddy and Golden State basketball in the winter, and Hilltop and Midtown Little League during the spring and early summer were the seasons we all lived for. And while most of us, including myself, were average or barely above-average athletes at best, we participated for the fun, competi tion, teamwork, and friendship that playing sports at “the Club” provided.
With restrictionsCOVIDfalling by the wayside and students back in school, willourtunitysignificantoneopporavailabletoyouththisyearbeyouthsports leagues. The pandemic limited or post poned these leagues for most nonprofits the last two years. Now that the Boys & Girls Club and other youth sports spon sors are ramping up football, soccer, basketball, softball, and baseball leagues for the 2022-23 fiscal year, we need to secure volunteer coaches to ensure we have the personnel required to bring youth sports back to our community.
Still, some were a cut above and started their pathway to professional sports at the San Pedro Boys Club. These alumni include Joey Amalfitano (Giants and Dodgers), Willie Naulls (Knicks and Celtics), Gary Maddox (Phillies), Joey Lovitto (Rangers), Bobby Gross (Trailblazers), Alan Ashby (Astros), Bob Petrich (Char gers), George Lusic (Braves), and Don Shinnick (Colts), just to name a few. But in reality, the sports leagues at the club were not meant to be incubators for future professional athletes but rather year-round opportunities to mold youth into eventual contributing adults and future leaders of our San Pedro community. That will always be the ultimate success of the then Boys Clubs’ youth sports programs.
In reality, youth sports have always been as good, mediocre, and sometimes as bad as the volunteer coaches these youth sports leagues rely on. The coach makes or breaks the sports experi ence for kids — not the facility or the uniforms — and a savvy coach can even overcome the sometimes over bearing parent to assure each child has a positive sports experience. We had some outstanding coaches in our days at the San Pedro Boys Club and other local sports leagues: Trani, Martinez, Esposito, Lorenzi, Padovan, Mascola, Stevens, Young, Karmelich, Gregory, Lauder, the Trainotti brothers, Brick ner, Lane, Patricio, Chavez, Uruburu, and many more. They knew the sports they coached well, but more important ly, they knew how to mold young men into the future successes they would one day be. Those positive experiences inspired me to be a volunteer coach for 14 years — a fantastic learning and growth experience that was one of the best of my lifetime. I cannot thank enough men like Tommy Trani, Mike Karmelich, Bob Lorenzi, and Ray and Jimmy Patricio, who coached me as a youth and were the examples I used when I followed in their footsteps. (I also thank Chuck Trainotti for coach ing with me for so many years — even after he decided not to choose me in the draft while I was a youth attending the club!)So, we are calling all coaches! The Boys & Girls Club, Bogdanovich and Peck Park recreation centers, Eastview Little League, Bloch Field Pony, and several other San Pedro youth organi zations need coaches this year. To be honest, after the worst of the pandemic, we need “molders” of young men and women much more than we need adults trying to relive their youth by focus ing on winning a championship. Our community has many mentors, teach ers, and caring adults. We need you to step up and give our youth positive adult leadership and the opportunity to participate in sports many of us experi enced years ago. We can teach you the Xs and Os. You just need to bring to the field or court the time, patience, care, and strength to deal with our youth’s varied personali ties and needs, especially following two years of limited engagement. Don’t let that scare you away — we were no angels when we played! I thank you in advance for stepping up — they will forever call you “Coach” and will thank you many times over in the years and decades to come. spt Mike Lansing is the executive direc tor of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor.
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“The cantor’s primary work is through the liturgy,” says Cantor Davidson. “It’s the cantor whose expertise is to know how the melodic nature that we pray changes based upon time of year, time of day, whatever the case may be.
“Our community loves to sing, and I encourage them to,” he continues.
TEMPLE BETH EL AT RELEVANT100:& THRIVING FOUNDED IN 1922 BY A GROUP OF LOCAL
CENTENNIAL BY FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE. by
“This is a very prayerful congregation. They love to pray along and not just be spectators and listeners but be active participants.”“Yes,I’man ordained rabbi that people can go to, and I can hopefully inspire and move people and teach peo ple,” says Rabbi Kail. “But it’s not just me. Every member of our community has incredible wisdom. And they have their own piece of Torah to impart. And so it’s very much within the reformed model and the Temple Beth El model to Temple Beth El's current leadership (l to r): Board President Tom Rosenberg, Rabbi Cassi Kail, Executive Director Carrie Jacobs, and Cantor Ilan Davidson. (photo: John Mattera Photography) WOMEN, ITS Julia Murphy
An organization turning 100 years old isn’t so unusual in civic-minded San Pedro. But being a vibrant 100-year-old entity with more than a pulse is some thing else. There’s a small Reform synagogue here that continues to make gentle waves with its commitment to relation ships and DEIA (diversity, equity, inclu sion, and accessibility). Temple Beth El San Pedro celebrates its 100th anni versary this month. To be doing so in a town primarily built by Croatian and Italian Catholics makes this fact more remarkable. Add to this that a group of women initiated the major push to establish this synagogue at a time when women were finally guaranteed the right to vote. Today, with its progressive mindset remarkably intact, this “old ster” has a female rabbi, Cassi Kail. Temple Beth El’s vitality is rooted in creative assessment and an abiding love of community. With their genuineness comes a deep intent to welcome every one, to be a congregation of color. “It’s building upon the temple’s value of creating a warm and welcoming place where everyone of all different backgrounds can belong,” says Rabbi Kail. “People think of Jews as being white with European roots. And that’s not the case. There’s huge, huge diver sity within the Jewish population.” Back in 1922, there wasn’t a size able Jewish population in San Pedro. A group of about 25 Jewish families began to find one another. In Septem ber 1922, these families celebrated their first High Holy Days in some one’s living room. Soon after, sev eral women started raising money to bring in a Torah scroll and eventually established a meeting place at the Odd Fellows Temple at 10th and Gaffey. The congregation moved to its current location on 7th Street in the 1950s. With its roughly 250 families, Temple Beth El’s congregants hail from San Pedro, Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Tor rance, Long Beach, and beyond.
Rabbi David Lieb led the congre gation for more than three decades. “His love of Jewish people, his love of people, of scholarship, of Torah, really helped the congregation to become a community of people who show up for one another and who really want to enrich their lives with the wisdom of Jewish rituals and Jewish teachings,” says Rabbi Kail. “Following him, there was Rabbi Chuck Briskin, who was very involved in the greater commu nity and social action. And he really tried to find ways to put our faith into action and forge partnerships to help people in our community struggling withTemplehomelessness.”BethElcontinues to nurture these partnerships with an interfaith Episcopal community in San Pedro. “I have some of the most incredible inter faith partners in San Pedro. I truly feel blessed every day to be able to work with them,” says Rabbi Kail. “Pastor Lisa Williams, who is a rock star at San Pedro United Methodist Church, really has been leading the effort in terms of helping families who are unhoused and who are on the verge of complete poverty. We work with her on that. We work with the Garden Church and Reverend Amanda Riley on several different programs. Jeanette Repp at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church did an incredible fundraiser for the people in Ukraine, and we partnered with her on that. We had a presence at the Pride Parade. I’m working with some faith partners on an incredible project called Harbor Connects, which is providing small grants to people in our communi ty who are on the verge of real financial distress and giving them enough money to take care of a need so that they don’t end up on the streets.”
Cantor Ilan Davidson has been with Temple Beth El for 28 years. Besides his work inside the synagogue, he definitely “takes it out into the community.” The energetic cantor was the past president of the South Coast Interfaith Council and is the current president of the Los Angeles County Commission on Hu manJudaismRelations.isthe only faith that has a dual clergy: the rabbi and the cantor.
Because all of our prayers in Judaism are primarily sung and chanted, it’s the cantor’s job to really be the leader of prayer, to teach in that nature.”
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20 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I SEPTEMBER 2022
TEMPLE BETH EL ~ help people highlight their own wisdom within and to help one another through the ups and downs of life.” Temple Beth El experienced even greater unity and expansion when the pandemic hit. “We had absolutely no delay. We upgraded every type of service and the capability to go im mediately virtual,” says Carrie Jacobs, Temple Beth El’s executive director. “We created more opportunities for people than we thought possible,” says Rabbi Kail. “I was running a short morning service every day, and people would show up at 8:30 in the morning to be a part of it every day. We had online concerts, which we keep to this day, that go on once a month but were every week during the pandemic. Really anything we could think of to bring the community together. And this allowed people to really get to know others they hadn’t connected to before. Suddenly, everything was available for them at the touch of a button on their computer. People were able to participate more. I think it brought our communities so much closer together.” “I just celebrated my 10th year in this position. But I’m a born-and-raised-atTemple-Beth-El girl. My family have been members here for over 40 years,” says Jacobs. “This is literally like home and family for me. You’ll be welcomed. We have a social hour after our services called Oneg Shabbat, and you’ll never be sitting alone. It’s a different feel ing here than you would get anywhere else.”“For me, it was just an immediate connection, and people were just so warm and down-to-earth and friendly and supportive,” says Temple Beth El board president Tom Rosenberg. “It’s been a great thing for our family.”
AICONGRATULATIONS1922-2022ON100YEARS!HAVELOVEDBEINGMEMBERFOROVER60YEARS!~PhyllisWeitzman
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The tag team at Temple Beth El is very small and extremely tireless. “They’re like heroes to me,” says Rosen berg. “They do amazing amounts of work and wear different hats.”
NOW & THEN: Temple Beth El's exterior on 7th Street today; (right) the Temple's Confirmation class of 1948. (photos: John Mattera Photography, courtesy Temple Beth El)
TEMPLE BETH EL ~
The clergy team consists of the rabbi, cantor, and a part-time educator. The administrative staff is a whopping two people: Jacobs and a finance coordina tor. They take care of everything that has to do with temple life, like the facilities, the programming, and com munications.
There is also a 16-member board of directors, which includes Rosen berg and five vice presidents who lead various departments, like education, operations, engagement and outreach, and finance. “You know, what strikes me, just be ing on boards before and other philan thropic organizations and community organizations, it’s the proactiveness, the thoughtfulness, the preparation, and the willingness to execute these things,” saysShabbatRosenberg.services start at sundown on Friday nights. Again, they’re multi-ac cess, meaning in-person or virtual. “Our Saturday morning Shabbat services are different every week. We try to offer a range of opportunities,” says Jacobs. “Once a month, we have a healing service for a Shabbat Saturday morn ing. Another Saturday morning, it’s a Shabbat meditation service. Also, Rabbi Cassi leads an off-site service called To rah on the Trails, where you’re walking in beautiful parts of our community and celebrating Shabbat outside in nature. A couple of times a month, we have Shab bat mornings for our preschoolers, and Cantor Davidson does a breakfast and storyAccordingtime.” to Jacobs, Temple Beth El’s facilities were remodeled about eight years ago. “We did unbeliev able upgrades and have a beautiful courtyard. We have hosted weddings and community events. Anybody in the community can rent our facility as well,” she says. There’s also a Torah School, a joint beach Shabbat service with other South Bay synagogues, and a contemplative sound healing virtual service led by chaplain Bonnie Leopold, which runs select Friday mornings. Rabbi Kail will lead a virtual seminar on creating
L’
22 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I SEPTEMBER 2022
TEMPLE BETH EL THE FAMILY OF BETTY & WATERMANSEYMOUR
Top: Temple Beth El's Confirmation class of 1978. Bottom (l to r): Rabbi David S. Lieb was TBE's spiritual leader from 1971-2006, and Rabbi Charles K. Briskin led from 2006-2018. (photos: courtesy Temple Beth El) BETH EL ~ 1922-2022 CHAIM
In appreciation of the many ways in which you have enhanced our lives. ethical wills in August and September. “Ethical wills allow us to share our sto ries, wisdom, and values with those we love and future generations,” says Kail. The variety of events continues.
COMMUNITY • EDUCATION • INSPIRATION TEMPLE
On September 1, in collaboration with Temple Beth El’s Sisterhood, the San Pedro Waterfront Arts District’s Managing Director Linda Grimes will lead a guided artwalk tour on First Thursday and combine it with a happy hour and dinner. This event and many others are creative fundraising tools. “A centennial is about the fact that we have existed and thrived for 100 years,” says Rabbi Kail. “But it has to be so much more than that. It’s not just that we’re here. It’s that we’re relevant, that we’re thriving.” On August 21, in honor of Temple Beth El’s centennial, Cantor Davidson performed music from different periods over the past century in honor of the temple’s history. Fittingly, the musical celebration was in a congregant’s home, harkening back to Temple Beth El’s humble beginnings. “In honor of our centennial, in the month leading up to the High Holy Days,” explains Rabbi Kail, “I’m inviting 29 different members of our community to share an impactful moment that they had at the temple that will go out every day as kind of a countdown to our actual centennial date, which is Rosh Hashanah. So, there are lots of really awesome things that are going on right now.” A tentative date for Temple Beth El’s 100th Anniversary Gala is Satur day, December 3, 2022. “I want people to know that Temple Beth El San Pedro, for a hundred years, has not just been an insular Jewish community but has been a Jewish com munity within the greater San Pedro community, always involving itself in the betterment of our city, of our town, of our community around us,” says Can tor“WeDavidson.takeour participation in those communities very seriously,” he contin ues. “We live our values, and if our val ues are to love our neighbors and to be there for each other, then that is what we do. It doesn’t matter if our neigh bors are Jewish, Muslim, Christian, or Buddhist. It doesn’t matter. What matters to us is that all of our neighbors know that they are supported and loved by this community and that they are always welcome. Everyone is welcome at Temple Beth El San Pedro.” spt For more info on Temple Beth El San Pedro, visit bethelsp.org.
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Defensively, the Pirates were very stingy in 2021, apart from a Marine League opening 48-41 loss to eventual league champion Banning of Wilming ton, pitching six shutouts, three of them against the other league adversaries. Many top defensive players are back, including senior linebacker Makani Ko nopka, an All-Marine League returner, and senior defensive end Jerry Witty, a CIF-LACS champion wrestler who led the Pirates in sacks last season. Those two, along with Fernandez, will anchor the defense as the secondary will have all new starters, including Marnani and senior Matthew Lecona, who also playsBothwideout.linesare among the biggest in the City Section, and the offensive line, in particular, is expected to move op posing defenses back and produce criti cal yardage for the Pirates. All return ing on the offensive line are Andrew Kirkpatrick, Aiden Acap, Jeremiah Gasca, and Josiah Vargas, all seniors. Other than St. Anthony, the Pirates’ 2022 schedule also has intriguing battles outside of Marine League competition, with the most critical one being on Thursday, September 1, at Pirate Sta dium against Venice, who won the CIFLACS Division 1 title last season. The Pirates also have City Section show downs with South Gate (August 26) and Dorsey of Los Angeles (September 16), plus another intersectional battle on the road at Torrance on September 9. The annual Battle of the Harbor showdown at Banning on October 28, if all goes well for both schools, just might be for the Marine League champion ship, adding to the drama of the rivalry. spt NEW SANBEGINSERAFORPEDRO
by Jamaal K. Street
It’s time to strap on the pads again. The 2022 high school football season is here, and San Pedro High couldn’t be more excited about it.
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The Pirates finished 10-2 last year af ter setting team records for passing and touchdowns in a single season. They ended their season one victory short of the program’s seventh CIF-Los Angeles City Section championship when they lost 24-14 to defending champion Bir mingham of Lake Balboa in the Open Division final last November. Last year also marked the end of the six-year coaching regime of Corey Miller, who chose to step down at the season’s end. That said, a new era is upon San Pedro for 2022. Their season opener against St. Anthony of Long Beach at Mike Walsh Pirate Stadium on Friday, August 19 (which the Pirates won 3314), began a new chapter for former Pirate player and new head coach Co rey Walsh, son of legendary former San Pedro High School football head coach, Mike Walsh The energetic Walsh inherits a team that loses much of its offensive firepow er from the 2021 team but still returns several key players on both sides of the gridiron and adds some young tal ent from the junior varsity team that went 6-1 last season. All of that was displayed during their scrimmage on August 11 at Fairfax of Los Angeles. San Pedro’s most heralded player coming into this season is 6’4”, 255-pound senior tight end and de fensive end Nicholas Fernandez, who has garnered 16 Division 1 scholarship offers, including two from the Pac-12, two Armed Forces offers (Army and Air Force), and three Ivy League offers. Trying to fill the shoes of the gradu ated Aidan Jackson at quarterback will be a tag team approach with junior Santiago Rivera, a transfer from Wilson of Los Angeles, and sophomore Marcus Jeronimo, who quarterbacked the JV team last season. Both combined to throw for three touchdowns in the scrimmage with Fairfax. Jeronimo and Rivera will orchestrate a balanced offensive attack that returns Fernandez and senior running back Roman Sanchez, who will also handle punting duties. Several new offensive stalwarts enter the scene, like sopho more WR/FS Luka Mardesich, junior WR/CB Robert Marnani, senior WR/ DB Laron Tunupopo, and sophomore RB/LB Pete Eneliko
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SEPTEMBER 2022 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 25
The 2022 prep football season brings another level of change to the Mary Star of the Sea High School foot ball program, but they’ve been used to such things for nearly a decade. In the last seven years, former head coach Jason Gelber led the Stars to four postseasons, utilizing five differ ent styles of offense in the process. This year, with Gelber heading to Servite of Anaheim, the Stars begin their 2022 season under the new leadership of first-year coach Eli Anzoleaga. Anzoleaga brings another change to the team’s offensive scheme, a scheme the Stars are familiar with: an oldschool brand of attack. “This season, we are bringing a pro-style offense,” Anzoleaga — who also goes by “Coach AZ” — says of his 2022 Stars. “This will complement our size and skills. We are very young but hungry for success. We know the road ahead will have its ups and downs, and we look forward to what the future has in store for us.”
It’s a tried-and-true method that hopes to serve these Stars well amidst another tough schedule as they look to improve off a dismal 3-7 campaign in 2021, including losing all four Del Rey League games. Now back in the Camino Real League, Mary Star renews its rivalry with Bishop Montgomery of Torrance on September 30 when the Stars visit the Knights. Other CRL encounters include battles with Cantwell Sacred Heart of Montebello and Verbum Dei of Los Angeles. The Stars also have notable nonleague encounters with El Segundo, St. Monica of Santa Monica, WE ACCEPT MEDICARE & MOST PPO’S 28901 S. Western Ave., #103, RPV | coast-physicaltherapy.com (310) 732-0036
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Light Therapy with Cold Laser. and defending Del Rey League cham pion Salesian of Los Angeles. As far as returning players to watch goes, Mary Star has plenty of talent to leanBothon.quarterbacks return, but Tony Gutierrez assumes the starter role this season. Fellow junior signal caller San tiago Martinez, the first-string quarter back last year, is now converted to start at wide receiver. Martinez will also be flanked along side senior WR/DB Vincent Guerrero, a returning all-league selection who is a playmaker on both sides of the field. Budding sophomore RB/DB Jaimen David will also provide valuable contri butions. This season, the offensive line will be sporting three sophomore starters in Max Marinkovich, 6’4”, 255-pound tackle Frankie Rivera, and Koa DiBer nardo. Two more sophomores looking to do big things for Mary Star are WR/ DB Jarren David and WR/DB Luke Fajardo If there’s one name on the Stars’ ros ter that truly rings a bell, it’s sophomore RB/LB Jordan Barber — the youngest son of Ron Barber II, who starred at Banning of Wilmington, and the grand son of former San Pedro High star Ron Barber, Sr Mary Star successfully opened their 2022 season on August 19, with a win at home against Viewpoint, 35-7. This is the Stars’ second full season at the high school’s new on-campus field, featuring a newly opened press box this year. spt
SPORTS 2022 PREP
2022 STARS TO WATCH (l to r): Santiago Martinez, Chris Hernandez, Jaimen David, Tony Gutierrez, Vincent Guerrero, and Cade Trudnich. (photo: John Mattera Photography)
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EAT IN SAN TACOTHE-WALL’‘HOLE-IN-PEDRO:SPOTS
It’s an statementunderto say that tacos are beloved in South ern haveunknown,exactAlthoughCalifornia.theiroriginistheylongbeen associated with Mexico, eventually find ing their way north of the border where they have found a strong foothold. Despite their humble beginnings as street food, tacos have evolved from just a tortilla filled with meat, onion, and cilantro. In the United States, many creative liberties have been taken, including the invention of the hard shell taco. There may be many renditions today, but a simple street taco can be incredibly satisfying for me. Good corn tortillas and flavorful meats define my idea of a tasty taco. Delicious salsas are a bonus. I must confess, in recent years, I have developed a strong love for tacos dorados — crunchy, golden fried tacos. The idea for this month’s article began with my first visit to Enchilada House (133 N. Bandini St.), the quintes sential hole-in-the-wall establishment that one drives, or walks, by without noticing. An Eat in San Pedro Facebook group member had raved about the po tato tacos, so I went to investigate. Each order of crunchy tacos comes with two golden fried tortillas loaded with pota toes, shredded lettuce, salsa, and cheese that melts from the heat of the hot shell. It’s simple but so good! The beef version also includes potatoes. What makes these stand out is that the hard shell is perfectly crunchy and doesn’t fall apart. Ask for their salsa because it’s spicy and makes the crunchy tacos even more delicious. My next favorite is the carne asada taco which has a generous amount of flavorful meat, and it is served on corn tortillas with onion, cilantro, and creamy avocado salsa.
Insider tip: this is a cash-only place. Continuing with the theme of holein-the-wall places I had never been to, I visited Tacos Jalisco (1202 S. Gaffey St.). The cashier recommended the street tacos with chicharrón, served with radish slices and a wedge of lime on the side, which was my favorite choice. The crispiness of the pork skin, along with the diced onions and cilan tro, was delicious. The chicken super taco was packed with juicy meat, shred ded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and cheese. I also tried a hard shell taco with carnitas, busting at the seams with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and cheese. Overall, the meats at Tacos Jalisco were moist and flavorful.
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Tacos from top left: potato taco from Enchilada House, chicharrón street taco from Tacos Jalisco, lengua street taco from SP Tacos, and the original crunchy taco from El Taco. (photos: Sanam Lamborn)
28 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I SEPTEMBER 2022 FOOD
I went to SP Tacos (114 N. Gaffey St.) because friends had raved about their street tacos. I was looking forward to trying the suadero, an underused flanklike section of cow’s belly traditionally stewed and served shredded in tacos. I found it to be relatively dry and lack ing in flavor. The lengua (tongue), and carnitas were good, but my favorite was the marinated chicken because it was very flavorful. The only options for crunchy tacos are carnitas and chicken, filled with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. I liked the variety of salsas available, and in particular, the very spicy green meoqui. Radishes and pickled jalapeños are also available, but their cucumbers in a mild tangy salsa are the most impressive. Make sure to ask for them with your order. Lastly, I visited El Taco (901 S. Pa cific) because of its history. A few years ago, the San Pedro library hosted jour nalist and Taco USA author Gustavo Arellano for a talk about Mexican food. From him, I learned that in the 1950s, Glen Bell, the founder of Taco Bell, opened the first El Taco in Long Beach after owning restaurants in the San Ber nardino area. He sold the El Taco res taurants and opened the first Taco Bell in 1962 in Downey. Our El Taco is one of the few remaining. Here you’ll find the original crunchy taco that Bell made famous. Truthfully, these fell short after the hard shell tacos mentioned above because they are bland. The chunky chicken and pork soft shell tacos are a better choice. spt Sanam Lamborn created the Eat in San Pedro Facebook group and Instagram account in April 2020 to entice people to patronize San Pedro’s eateries. by Sanam Lamborn
SEPTEMBER 2022 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 29
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REAL ESTATE by Mike Harper & Peter Hazdovac In our column,Julywe recapped singlefamily residence (SFR) sales over the first half of 2022 in San Pe dro, Rancho Palos Verdes, and the South Bay. Since then, we received numerous requests for up dates on multi-family sales (2-4 units) in San Pedro and the South Bay. Rental property is a significant investment for many in San Pedro and a nice portion of our business, which we have a pas sion for. For the purposes of this update, we will focus on 2-4 unit sales. This is the largest segment of multi-family sales in San Pedro and also popular with many landlord/owner occupants due to being easier to manage than larger buildings (5+ units), affordability, and availability of attractive financing options. Through the first six months of 2022, there were 49 multi-family sales (2-4 units) in San Pedro (based on available local MLS data). The unit breakdown for the 49 sales was as follows: 17 two-unit duplexes, 15 three-unit triplexes, and 17 four-unit quadruplexes. The average sales price for all sales was $950,000 with avg. days on market (DOM) of 17 days. In 2021, there were 57 multifamily sales (2-4 units) with the fol lowing unit breakdown: 19 duplexes, 21 triplexes, and 17 quadruplexes. The average sales price was $825,000 with an avg. of 16 DOM. The average sales price in 2022 was up $125,000 (year over year) or 14.3% with a decrease of 15% in units sold. In the Greater South Bay, there were 234 multi-family sales (2-4 units) over the first six months of 2022. The unit breakdown was as follows: 126 duplexes, 49 triplexes, and 59 quadru plexes. The average sales price for all sales was $1.1MM with avg. days on market (DOM) of 15 days. In 2021, there were 257 multi-family sales (2-4 units) with the following unit break down: 139 duplexes, 54 triplexes, and 64 quadruplexes. The average sales price
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN OUR MARKET?MULTI-FAMILY was $1.06MM with an avg. of 16 DOM. The average sales price in 2022 was up $40,000 or 3.7% with a decrease of 9.3% in units sold. Fifteen DOM remained unchanged year over year. Interestingly, the trend of being up in sales price and down in units sold is parallel to the trend in the single-family residence market.When the pandemic hit in March of 2020, the City of Los Angeles quickly declared COVID-19 a “state of emer gency.” Since that time, the City Council has taken extreme measures to protect tenants from evictions and rent increas es. Any rental property (two units or more, including condos and townhous es) located in the City of Los Angeles that was built on or before October 1, 1978, is subject to rent control laws. Under current rent control laws, a landlord can raise rents annually by a percentage. In years past, this has been in the 3-4% range. However, landlords have been prevented from raising rents since March of 2020. According to the Los Angeles Housing Department (housing.lacity.org), the City Coun cil extended the state of emergency declaration on July 29, 2022. The site indicates that tenant “eviction protec tions for non-payment of rent due to COVID-19 economic impact are in effect until August 2023.” Further, “rent increases are currently prohibited for rental units subject to the City of Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) until 1 year after the expiration of the City’s Emergency Declaration Period.”Residential income property remains a solid investment due to appreciation potential and passive income earning ability from ongoing rents. It’s a great way for someone to own a property, while having some or most of the mortgage subsidized with rents paid by tenants. spt Mike Harper and Peter Hazdovac are both licensed Realtors® with Keller Williams Realty. For more info, visit harperhazdovac.com.
Midsemester, I joined a gym. I was 16 and knew less than nothing about health and fitness. But with nothing else to do, I became singularly focused on figuring it out. By the following year, I had lost all the weight I had struggled with throughout my adolescence. With my newfound passion for fit ness, I evangelized the healthy lifestyle to clients as a new personal trainer. The problem was that my finger wagging didn’t always land well on clients who were twice my senior. “Sure, that’s easy for you to say. You’re 18. Wait until you’re my age.” Fair point. My dramatic transformation at 16 years old was relatively simple to accomplish. I was a teenager. I had no bills, no mortgage, no marriage, no kids, and nobody to sup port. My only responsibility was school, so one can see how some might resist my wise counsel. Fast forward to now. It’s been 18 years since I was 18 and I got that first eye roll. I now have the bills, mortgage, kids, and family to support that my teenage self knew nothing about. And being on the far side of 30, I can defi nitely relate to the skepticism I was met with as a teenager. No doubt, maintain ing a healthy and fit lifestyle is more difficult now than it was in high school. When you’re young, you can do it all. Go to parties, hit the gym, eat what you want, sleep in, hang out with friends, and spend money. You can say yes to anything with little consequence. Your metaphorical plate is empty, so you’re free to load up. But with each passing year, the obligations begin to accumulate. The stakes are raised. You go to college, land a career, find a spouse, and have a place of your own. Suddenly things are a lot more com plicated, and the boundless hormonefueled energy and metabolism have greatly diminished. So had I known then what I know now, how would my advice to my clients change? Here’s what I’d tell them: This is just a season. The craziness of your hectic life is not permanent.
FITNESS
“Wait until you’re my age.” I started personal training at 18. As a sophomore in high school, I was spectacularly out of shape just two years prior. I lived on a diet of McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, and Hot Cheetos. I had al most zero physical activity, and my BMI was well into the red zone for obesity.
“ ” Teresa helped us purchase a home. She was so helpful and understanding during that stressful time. She is so professional, and knowledgeable in her field. If we ever need a realtor in the future,we will certainly use Teresa again. -- Mark Barsanti struggle is real, but it isn’t permanent, so make do with the bit of time you have. Being fit and healthy is more chal lenging right now but by no means impossible. Perhaps it’s harder to live a healthy lifestyle at this time in your life. I get it. You’re not 18, and yes, you have a lot on your plate, but that doesn’t mean your health can’t be a priority. It does mean you’ll have to adjust your expectations to align with your circum stances. Your version of success will need to be defined by what you’re able/ willing to give at this time in your life. This will require making occasional sacrifices, weighing opportunity costs, and being patient with yourself. Messy execution is better than doing nothing. Planning is more important than ever. Gone are the days when you could say yes to something without saying no to something else. Life will be a series of managing, negotiating, and plate spinning. This will not be achieved by winging it. If you hope to make a healthy lifestyle work, you’ll need to become a good planner. The more you set appointments with yourself to workout, meal prep, take walks, etc., the more successful you will be.
SEPTEMBER 2022 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 31 ‘WAIT UNTIL YOU’RE MY AGE’
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by Ricky Magana
Right now, it feels like there is not enough time in the day, but someday, perhaps sooner than you think, the pendulum will swing the other way. The kids will grow up, obligations will fade, and a surplus of time will be back. But the question is: What good is having that time back without your health? The ESTATE PROPERTIES
A boring routine is your secret weapon. What most people don’t real ize about highly successful people is that they are boring. I mean that as a compliment. They do the same things daily, weekly, and yearly. They go to bed early and wake up early at the same time. They eat the same things over and over again. Their life isn’t a nonstop bender. As a result, they accomplish a lot. Don’t play the comparison game. The older we get, the more our paths diverge. My exact formula for success will not look like yours. You will need to define what success is to you and decide if you’re living up to it. Do not get distracted or discouraged by what others are doing because they all have different responsibilities/priorities than you. So do you. Lastly: Don’t dwell on the past. Sure, it was easier before. So what? Getting older is awesome. It’s even better when you take care of yourself. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. spt Ricky Magana is co-owner of Heyday Elite Fitness. For more info, visit heydaytraining.com. (photo: Kampus Production/Pexels)
A masochist is often stuck in their situation; there are always imagined circumstantial hurdles to their freedom.
In the heavilycurrenttherapized and placebecomeandlikewardself-help-forsociety,terms“narcissism”“trauma”havecommonwhendescrib ing unhealthy relationships. While it is undoubtedly helpful to understand the red flags of one personality disorder or another, sometimes, in pathologiz ing those who hurt our feelings, we are quick to perceive ourselves as trauma tized victims entitled to rage and ven geance. These sorts of dynamics often play out in divorce cases, custody bat tles in family courtrooms, and politics and social justice agendas in general. However, one interesting and ex tremely common pathological relational dynamic that is not talked about as often as it should be is that of sadomas ochism. It’s one of the most common day-to-day psychological trends, usu ally only discussed in a psychosexual context and not very widely explored as a familiar relational dynamic that is often confused with love. Perhaps it’s not a popular subject matter because, unlike victim/perpetra tor dyads, in sadomasochistic dyads, both parties actively and willingly participate; hence, both are equally culpable. To authentically explore the roots of such dynamics requires an uncomfortable yet honest look at one’s unconscious desires to be controlled and desires to dominate. Perhaps if Sadomasochism doesn’t only appear in a dyad; one person is not always a sadist, while the other is not always a masochist. Depending on the particular relational circumstances, a sadist can become a masochist and vice versa. This dynamic is a play of exchange of power and control, as well as responsibility.
The current climate of the Russian at tack on Ukraine can also be interpreted in the context of Russian sadism being born out of extreme feelings of inade quacy with its neighbors. The sadomas ochistic dynamic is not intrinsically a pathological dynamic, as it is universal. However, it can become pathological in the presence of trauma and manifest on a large social scale as well as individual.
Being forever distracted by the drama of the relationship, escaping into their tormentor instead of risking autonomy, they become one, psychologically swallowing each other in their eternal escape from existential fear. Thus, when frustrated by another — controlled, stuck, subjugated — we owe ourselves a question: How are we succumbing to this game in exchange for responsibil ity? True freedom inevitably entails isolation. Would we rather be miser able together than alone yet free? spt Sophie Schoenfeld, MFT is a local marriage and family therapist. For more info, visit sophiemft.com. (photo: Odonata Wellnesscenter/Pexels)
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A sadist, on the other hand, is often burdened by the responsibility and resentful of their partner’s perceived inadequacies. The dominant is equally bound by the relationship with the pas sive, often through guilt. The tables can quickly turn, however, when a passive is tired of permission and approval seek ing. They can become withholding or emotionally unavailable as a means to punish or gain control. Then the domi nant succumbs, exposing emotional vul nerability and dependence on their pas sive partner — the submissive returns to their original role, assuring that they are integral to this exhausting game. In these dynamics, individuals can not be fully individuated architects of their lives. Often they don’t want to be.
A more emotional individual becomes infantilized, whereas an emotionally withholding one assumes the role of the parent. More often, this is an agreed-upon dynamic that can be fairly symbiotic and resemble love. However, the dynamic becomes abusive when there is concurrent psychopathology, such as a personal ity or a mental health disorder.
A masochist tends to acquiesce pow er to the dominant, freed from having to be accountable for making autonomous decisions. Hence, mistakes are made by the dominant, anguish and suffer ing are caused by someone other than themselves, and this lack of freedom allows an escape from responsibility.
we truly understood the deep-seated and universal aspect of sadomas ochism in human nature, we would better understand the very history of our civilization and its tragedy. Sadomasochistic tendencies in people are essentially basic impulses that manifest themselves, not simply in sexual games between partners but in the unspoken contracts around control and power in relationships. According to German social psycholo gist Erich Fromm, sadomasochism is a psychological defense mechanism that provides an escape from an individual’s intolerable feelings of isolation, doubt, and anxiety, allowing us to forget our feelings of powerlessness. Fromm, being a German Jew and a survivor of Nazi Germany, probably had a par ticularly painful and intimate exposure to sadistic manifestation in the rise of fascism as a national defense against deep feelings of shame and subjuga tion of the German spirit after the First World War. This is an example of how extreme feelings of inadequacy and shame can give rise to sadism on a scale that surpasses individual boundaries.
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RECESS: A snapshot of life at Holy Trinity School, November 1951. (photo: courtesy Holy Trinity School)
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