Palisades News - April 2024

Patrick’s Roadhouse Closes, Seeks Donations to Help Secure New Lease

A GoFundMe Has Been Created to Save the Dining Outpost, Which Has So Far Raised Funds by 182 Donors

By Zach Armstrong

Patrick’s Roadhouse, a dining landmark located along Pacific Coast Highway at the intersection of Entrada Drive, is at risk of permanent closure, and it’s asking for help to prevent that from happening.

“You’ve probably heard by now that Patrick’s Roadhouse is presently shut down over the last 48 hours.” the establishment stated in a Facebook post. “We’re battling with our landlord for rent due during covid. As you may remember we were only open for food to go and essentially just gave away the food we had to doctors and nurses and students who were locked up at school. The bill has now become due and we really

need the help of everyone that has touched the hearts of Patrick’s Roadhouse.”

According to the post, the establishment is working with owner Anthony Fischler and his legal team to secure a new longterm lease. A GoFundMe has been created to save the dining outpost, which has so far raised funds via 182 donations at the time of this writing.

Its goal is to raise $250,000, with $200,000 allocated for back rent and the remaining funds for building improvements.

“The business has operated profitably for nearly a half century and we want to see it continue on, making great food and great memories for all who visit,” the post stated. Additionally, it also seeks to resolve its financial woes with the help of a group of private angel investors and longtime customers.

At the time of this writing, $15,430 has been raised out of its $250,000 goal.

Established in 1973, Patrick’s Roadhouse is known for its “quirky” and “retro” decor. These include dinosaurs, Native American and Albert Einstein statues and unique rooftop sculptures. It has been featured in episodes of Guy Fieri’s “Diners, DriveIns, and Dives” and has been awarded several accolades including “Best Diner in California” and “Best Banana Cream Pie in the USA”, according to the GoFundMe.

All funds raised will be returned to donors if a new lease is not negotiated.

Patrick’s Roadhouse is indefinitely closed until then. The GoFundMe can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-savepatricks-roadhouse-a-california-icon?utm_ campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_ medium=social&utm_source=facebook.

Ciela Senior Living Evacuated by Parking Garage Fire

One Woman Sustained Injuries

A woman sustained injuries during a fire evacuation at Ciela Senior Living in Pacific Palisades, according to an LAFD alert. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a structure fire incident at 17310 W Vereda De La Montura in Pacific Palisades at 7:45 p.m. on Sunday.

According to reports, an automobile caught fire in the parking structure beneath the senior living facility. Firefighters successfully extinguished the blaze within 34 minutes.

During the evacuation process, one female patient sustained a fall injury and was subsequently transported by LAFD paramedics to a local hospital for treatment. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Report: State Farm’s California Policy Shakeup to Hit Palisades the Hardest

Customers Affected Will Receive Notifications Starting July 3 for Property Holders and August 20 for Commercial Apartment Holders

The San Francisco Chronicle has issued a report that State Farm, California’s largest home insurance provider, plans to nonrenew over 1,600 policies in Pacific Palisades, making it the hardest hit neighborhood by the insurer’s shakeup.

Last year, State Farm halted the issuance of new homeowners policies in the state and subsequently implemented an average rate increase of 20% for existing

customers. The company cited the need for “long-term sustainability” in the state as the rationale behind these changes. This affects approximately 30,000 property policies and 42,000 commercial apartment policies across California

Customers affected by the nonrenewals will receive notifications starting July 3 for property insurance holders and August 20 for commercial apartment insurance holders. According to a nonrenewal letter filed by State Farm with the state, policies presenting significant wildfire or fire-followingearthquake hazards or located in areas of high concentration are no longer eligible for renewal.

Chronicle data further reveals that after Pacific Palisades, the Bel Air region of Los Angeles has the nextlargest percentage of California homeowners set to lose their State Farm policies, at about 67%. This is followed by 65% in the Los Gatos and Santa Cruz Mountains region, 62% in Topanga Canyon, and 60% in Calabasas.

The Chronicle’s full report can be found at https://www.sfchronicle. com/california/article/zip-codehit-hardest-state-farm-homenonrenewal-19393629.php.

THE MUSIC MINUTE

Report: Video Game Mogul Lists Palisades Home for $9.2M

Built in 2018, the Wood-Shingled Home Spans 7,000 Square Feet across Multiple Levels

Dan Houser, the English video game magnate, and his wife, Russian voice actress Krystyna Jakubiak, are seeking to sell their traditional New England-inspired residence in Los Angeles, purchased just over a year ago for $8.5 million, according to Robb Report.

The couple is now listing the property in an inland Pacific Palisades neighborhood

for nearly $9.2 million, marking an increase of almost $700,000, reported the outlet.

Built in 2018, the wood-shingled home spans 7,000 square feet across multiple levels, featuring six bedrooms and seven baths. Highlights include blonde hardwood floors, high ceilings, and wainscoted walls throughout.

The main level boasts a gourmet kitchen with top-tier Miele, Sub-Zero, and Wolf appliances, a fireside family room with glass doors leading to a landscaped backyard featuring a pool, spa, built-in barbecue, and custom fire pit.

Houser, renowned for co-founding Rockstar Games and producing the Grand Theft Auto franchise, recently formed Absurd Ventures after stepping down from Rockstar Games in 2020.

Residents Can Suggest Theme for Upcoming July 4th Parade

Participants Are Allowed a Maximum of Two Entries per Person

The Palisades Americanism Parade Association (PAPA) is inviting residents to suggest theme ideas for the upcoming 2024 July 4th celebration.

Participants are allowed a maximum of two

entries per person, with each entry limited to six words. No additional descriptions are required.

Submissions must be received by May 4 at noon via the designated online form. Those whose themes are chosen will be prominently featured in the Official Palisades 4th of July Program.

The online form is here: https:// palisades4th.com/parade/theme.

In the event of any issues with completing the form, individuals are encouraged to reach out via email at parade@palisades4th.com.

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Legislation Seeks to Place Speed Cameras on Pacific Coast Highway

The Proposed System Would Work Alongside Radar Feedback Signs, with Violators Facing Fines of up to $500

Malibu officials, led by Sen. Ben Allen, are advancing two transportation bills, one of which proposes the implementation of speed cameras along Pacific Coast Highway, according to a post from Patch. SB 1297, introduced by Sen. Allen, aims to install up to five speed cameras along the 21-mile stretch of PCH within Malibu. The proposed system would work alongside radar feedback signs, with violators facing fines of up to $500. Recently, on April 10, the bill received approval from the Senate Transportation Committee, according to Patch, marking progress in its legislative journey. However, it still requires endorsement from the full Senate and Assembly before reaching Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for potential enactment.

The impetus for this legislation arose following a tragic incident last fall, wherein

four Pepperdine University students lost their lives after being struck by a driver

allegedly exceeding 100 mph on PCH. Authorities reported that the victims were standing by the roadside, where the speed limit is 45 mph, according to Patch.

Customers at These Palisades Stores Can Get Cash Rewards for Sharing Their Experience

Thumzup is Starting its L.A. Footprint Expansion with Pacific Palisades

Thumzup, a company which aims to democratize the social media branding and marketing industries, announced its expansion into the greater Los Angeles area, specifically the Pacific Palisades, through new advertiser partnerships.

Among the initial advertisers are Vittorio’s Ristorante, Moku Sushi, Paliskates, and the

Academy of Technology, Art, and Music (ATAM). Through these partnerships, customers of each establishment can earn monetary rewards by sharing their experiences on Instagram using the Thumzup app.

The company’s flagship product, the Thumzup platform, enables individuals to earn cash for posting about participating advertisers on major social media platforms. Advertisers can customize campaigns through a user-friendly dashboard, and payments to users are facilitated through PayPal and other digital payment systems. For more information, go to https://www. thumzupmedia.com.

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Homeless Man Threatens Lifeguard With Rod, Shuts Down PCH Traffic While Perched on Cliff

The Incident Halted Traffic for Over an Hour

By Zach Armstrong

A homeless man was arrested by authorities on Monday after threatening a lifeguard with a metal rod and behaving frenzied upon the Santa Monica bluffs; an incident which shut down traffic on the Pacific Coast Highway for over an hour.

Michael Vicent Parrett, 38, was on the roof of a lifeguard tower around 11 a.m. before jumping off and thrusting the pole repeatedly at the victim who dodged it without injury. Once officers located the suspect along Palisades Beach Road, Parrett ran with the metallic weapon into the bluffs that overlook the PCH.

Shortly after 1 p.m., as Parrett was perched on the sandy cliffs, California Highway Patrol closed the highway’s northbound and southbound traffic due to the risk of him falling.

A Crisis Negotiations team arrived on scene, engaging in an hour-and-a-half dialogue with Parrett to no avail. The disheveled and distraught suspect, while maintaining possession of his weapon, yelled out to officers that he would “not give up without a fight” and that they “would need to shoot him before he would give up”, according to SMPD.

Several videos posted on the Citizen App documented the event; showing several parked police vehicles clustered on PCH facing the direction of the suspect, along with a firetruck which extended its ladder up towards the bluffs. In one video, a man can be heard saying “Throw the weapon away.” In another, a woman can be heard saying “Please come down.”

It was with the help of a police K9 that Parrett was finally taken into custody.

Once apprehended, authorities sent the suspect to be evaluated at a local hospital. He was later booked at the Santa Monica Jail for 245 (a) 1 PC – Assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to inflict great bodily injury.

Councilwoman Urges City to Give Repair Update for Palisadian Bike Trail

The Damaged Portion Is Between Chautauqua Blvd. And Entrada Dr.

By Zach Armstrong

Councilwoman Traci Park is urging several City departments to report on their efforts to repair the Marvin Braude Bike Trail.

In early February, a historic atmospheric storm over Los Angeles caused erosion beneath a portion of the 22-mile pathway. Images posted on X by the L.A. County Public Works showed a large part of the trail had crumbled into the sands of Will Rogers Beach. The damaged portion is between Chautauqua Blvd. and Entrada Dr, near the Roosevelt Pedestrian Tunnel.

“In light of the extensive damage that occurred, this portion of the bike trail was closed to the public until further notice.” stated Park’s motion. “As this facility is widely considered the region’s most popular bike path with an estimated 10,000 people a day using the route, it is critical to

restore it to public use as soon as possible.”

As part of her March 22 motion, Park encouraged City Council to instruct the Department of Transportation, along with the Bureau of Engineering, Recreation and

Parks, and the City Attorney, to report on the damage and “Los Angeles County’s efforts to undertake repairs and restore the bike trail to public use.”

The Marvin Braude Bike Trail, sometimes referred to as the Beach Bike Path or the Coastal Bike Trail, is a paved path that runs along the shoreline of Santa Monica Bay from Will Rogers State Beach down to Torrance County Beach.

“New Girl” Actor Sells Palisades

Abode for $3.1M

He and His Wife

Undertook a Renovation of the Unique, Two-Story Abode, Transforming It Into a Picturesque Beachfront Dwelling

Actor Max Greenfield, renowned for

his portrayal of Schmidt on the acclaimed series “New Girl,” recently sold his elegant property in the Palisades, according to a post by Realtor.com.

At 44, Greenfield has showcased his talent in various television shows, including “Veronica Mars,” “Gilmore Girls,” and “Greek.” Since 2018, he has portrayed Dave Johnson in the TV series “The Neighborhood.”

Greenfield and his wife, Tess Sanchez, acquired the residence in 2019 for $1,675,000. They undertook a renovation of the unique, two-story abode, transforming

it into a picturesque beachfront dwelling adorned with contemporary amenities.

Listed for $2,975,000 in early March, the property sold within a month for $3,085,000. Notable features include a first-floor living room with a pitched ceiling, oak hardwood flooring, and an expansive brick fireplace.

The charming 3,588-square-foot home, featuring three bedrooms and two baths, was constructed in 1949 and enjoys a prime location near the ocean.

The chef’s kitchen boasts an eat-in island, open shelving, a wine cooler, and a marbleaccented wall, providing ample space for

dining. The primary suite is located on the main level, while a guest bedroom and bunk room await downstairs. The bathrooms are tastefully updated with luxurious finishes. Floating wooden stairs gracefully connect the two levels of the home.

Lyft Driver Charged with Sexual Assault Following Investigation

The Incident Occured in September

By Zach Armstrong

A Lyft driver who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman last year has been arrested and charged with multiple felony counts following an investigation by Santa Monica detectives, according to SMPD.

On Sept. 7, SMPD responded to an assault report at the 2900 block of Pennsylvania Ave. The victim, a Santa Monica resident, alleged that after a Lyft driver picked her up from a West Hollywood restaurant, she woke up in the car to inappropriate touching.

Upon arriving home, after declining the suspect’s offer to escort her to the door, she realized it had been several hours since she was picked up.

Los Angeles resident Fernando Macias Morales, 34, was identified as the suspect after an investigation by Santa Monica detectives. He was apprehended on April 5 in the San Fernando Valley.

Morales was charged by The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office with felony counts including kidnapping to commit a sexual act, sexual penetration of

an intoxicated or sedated person and oral copulation of an intoxicated or sedated person. His bail has been set at $500,000.

Rescues Stranded Hiker in Santa Monica

Famous Literary Critic and Palisadian Passes Away at 92

A Memoriam Post Stated She Overturned Views on T. S. Eliot, Ezra Pound and Other Canonized Artists

By Zach Armstrong

Marjorie Perloff, an influential literary critic who worked as a Stanford professor and was recognized as a beacon for students of twentieth- and twenty-first-century literature, died at her Pacific Palisades home on March 24 at the age of 92.

With a wide-ranging body of work consisting of numerous books, articles and essays, she was a seminal pundit on modern and avant-garde English poetry and poetics.

“Perloff was a maverick, refusing to go along with the latest academic trends or to see herself as disadvantaged by her status as a woman, a Jew, a mother, or a scholar without an Ivy League degree. Instead, her outsider status gave her a unique lens on literary movements.” stated a memoriam

post by the University of Chicago Press. “She overturned views on T. S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, Robert Lowell, and other canonized artists, always returning to her close reading and textual analysis.”

Born into a prominent Jewish family in 1931, Perloff escaped Vienna in 1938 amid Austria’s Nazi occupation, eventually settling in the United States. At the age of 21, she married renowned physician and UCLA professor Joseph Perloff. A few years later she gave birth to her two children, Nancy and Carey. She went on to earn an M.A. in English literature at Catholic University where she’d later return for her PhD. After teaching at CU from 1966 to 1971, Perloff took on teaching roles at the University of Maryland and at the University of Southern California. She spent the latter part of her career at Stanford University.

Perloff secured her spot as an important presence in the contemporary poetry scene with her first book on the work of Frank O’Hara, “Frank O’Hara: Poet among Painters”. The UCP post described her subsequent work on John Cage, Robert Smithson, Gertrude Stein, Haroldo and Augusto de Campos, Ashbery, Jasper Johns, Donald Judd, Johanna Drucker and David Antin as “groundbreaking.”

Perloff’s contributions and influence on literature went well beyond her books. She wrote scores of reviews for small magazines and scholarly publications, was a contributor to the Times Literary Supplement, served as president of the Modern Language Association, elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, was inducted into the American Philosophical Society and cofounded the Chinese/American Association of Poetry and Poetics. About three years ago, she was awarded the Austrian Cross of

Honor for Science and Art.

“What distinguishes her writings is Perloff’s insatiable curiosity, roving intelligence, linguistic dexterity, and irrepressible wit. She never took given wisdom as gospel; she was forever questioning why and how certain literary movements had come to be and what would prove to be lasting.” stated the UCP post, which went on to say, “Perhaps it is Frank O’Hara who summed up her life force: she was filled with ‘the grace to be born and live as variously as possible.’”

Update: Laurie David Is Selling a Palisadian Home

This Extravagant Home Was CustomBuilt in 2013 by the Los Angeles-Based Firm Johnston Marklee

By Zach Armstrong

Last month, a headline from Realtor. com stated that renowned comedy writer and actor Larry David was selling his Palisadian home for a little less than $9 million. However, that post has since been corrected.

In reality, it is Laurie David who listed the property. Laurie, an environmental

activist, producer, and writer, was married to the ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ star and creator.

As we previously reported, the property lists at $8,975,000. This extravagant home was custom-built in 2013 by the Los Angeles-based firm Johnston Marklee. Situated on a half-acre lot purchased in 2011 for $2 million, the residence boasts four bedrooms, five bathrooms, and over 5,000 square feet of living space. Positioned on one of the neighborhood’s most coveted streets, it offers 180-degree mountain views from every room.

The living room showcases concrete walls and seamless access to a sundrenched outdoor area through oversized pocket doors. Throughout the first level, glass walls and two-story ceilings create a sense of spaciousness and light.

Ye’s real estate investment hasn’t yielded positive returns

Controversial rapper and entrepreneur

Kanye West, now known as Ye, continues efforts to sell his minimalist mansion in Malibu.

Originally listed for an eye-popping $53 million at the start of the year, Ye has slashed the price by a significant $14 million, down to $39 million, according to a post from Realtor.com.

Ye’s real estate investment hasn’t yielded

positive returns, as he initially purchased the Tadao Ando-designed home for $57,250,000 in 2021.

Constructed in 2013, the residence stands out as one of the few private homes in the United States designed by the award-winning Japanese architect. With its minimalist design, the home complements

Ye’s preference for simplicity and clean

lines. Situated just steps away from the Pacific Ocean, the property boasts a compact lot size of 5,674 square feet and features a structure of approximately 1,200 tons of concrete, 200 tons of steel reinforcement, and 12 massive pylons driven more than 60 feet into the sand.