The Canyon Chronicle - April 1, 2022 (Volume 3, No. 6) - www.thecanyonchronicle.com

T O PA N G A’ S L O U D E S T V O I C E S I N C E F O R E V E R April 1, 2022 • Vol. 3, No. 6

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Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. #1 Topanga agents status based on total closed transaction sides. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

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SHOUTING Out Loud Publisher / Editor Flavia Potenza Creative Director Nira Lichten Senior Reporter Annemarie Donkin Advertising Manager Jenise Blanc-Chance Creative Consultant Eiffel Nazaryan Contributors Linda Ballou Joel Bellman Pablo Capra Kathie Gibboney Paula LaBrot Kait Leonard Amy Weisberg Copy Editor / Distribution Ellie Carroll Contact US

BY MILES ERICKSON

But, Seriously...

The staff of The Canyon Chronicle are no fools.

Well maybe we are... once in a while. Like today, April 1, 2022. We do like to have fun, but we take our journalistic responsibilities seriously enough and recognize our civic duty to inform our readers in these days of gloom and doom, and “Now What?” In this edition, however, we challenge you to see if you can tell fake news from “the real stuff, no fluff” that we diligently publish on a biweekly basis. Therefore, in the respected traditions of this ancient day of days (and hereafter), we dare you to read every word herein—with serious intent—without laughing or crying or what we hope for: laughing until you cry.

We owe reams of gratitude to the merry pranksters who contributed their indescribable talents, tomfoolery, and slightly warped insights for this issue, as well as those who followed their the path with real information. Lighten your hearts, not just for a day but for the month...or maybe forever.

CONTENTS 4 Oh, No! Breaking News! (In a bi-weekly?)

4 More Breaking News! (What? Are you crazy?)

5 Breaking News! Hint: Four-year-olds get to go to school! (Oh, Wow!) 5 Two Letters: One fan mail, the other not so much. (It’s a tie: One “Ahh,” to One “Ouch.”)

6 Miles Erickson goes the distance on LDLP (Tone up your laughing muscles before reading) 6 So does the editor who does like to laugh. (You’re kidding! No, really!)

7 Breaking News! Beautiful artist Velvet Marshall Gets a Job (Volunteer, of course. The SAGES are so lucky.)

8-9 Miles Erickson riffs on Topangans (What is this? The Miles Erickson show? YES!) 10 Kait Leonard takes a look at the history of the April Fool (Maybe March really has 32 days…)

11 Step into the Fifth Dimension with Sarah Irani (Not with the ’ 60s band, but you might) 12 “Facing Down the Drought (Nothing to laugh at here) 13 Kathie’s and Mike’s 30th Anniversary (It is possible, y’know. And they still like each other) 14 Two for one: “April Isn’t Foolin’ Around” says our resident astrologer (Marvel fans will likely think April is just another action flick) and “Days of April,” by Kait Leonard.

Now then, read on…

—Flavia Potenza

TheCanyonChronicle.com

editor@thecanyonchronicle.com General inquiries: info@thecanyonchronicle.com Advertising inquiries: ads@thecanyonchronicle.com P.O. Box 1101 Topanga, CA 90290 (310) 460-9786 Follow us on Instagram @thecanyonchronicle, & Facebook and twitter @CanyonChronicle The Canyon Chronicle is an independent community newspaper published bi-weekly by Canyon Media, Inc.©2020. All rights reserved. thecanyonchronicle.com

“Better a witty fool than a foolish wit,” said the wise fool, Feste, in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Our wit may not be so able as the Bard but our task was well intentioned, meant to tickle your ribs and bring you laughter for this very silly day. We had fun and hope you do, too.

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NEWS Starbucks to Replace Topanga Library T he Topanga public library has been scheduled for demolition this coming June, to be replaced with a drive-thru Starbucks.

The library, which has been a Topanga staple for more than 10 years, made the controversial decision to sell their lot to the coffee giant after an unsuccessful campaign to increase foot traffic by adding a pornography section. When asked if they thought the addition of a drive-thru restaurant would affect the flow of traffic in the canyon, representatives from Starbucks could not be reached for comment. Topanga elementary, who’s students have utilized the public library since its original opening in 2012, also plans to team up with the coffee chain. Starting in the fall 2022 semester, LAUSD will be serving the students of Topanga Elementary menus consisting exclusively of food fished out of the Starbucks dumpster.

Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District, released a statement earlier this week in which he called the new menu “a necessary adjustment”. Students of Topanga Elementary call it “a major improvement.”

The construction of the Starbucks, scheduled to take place over this summer, has sparked debate about traffic in the canyon, which some say is getting out of control, especially in the mornings. This comes after the controversial decision by the Topanga

Canyon Town Council to block the main fire access road leading away from Topanga Elementary in favor of building low income housing for the starbucks employees.

Pine Tree circle will also be affected by these community renovations. The center, referred to as “the Times Square of Topanga” by, like, four people, will be lending all its excess parking spaces to Starbucks, demolishing a section of the center, including Topanga Homegrown, to build an access lane leading to the Starbucks. Cars planning to enter the drive-thru from the other direction will be encouraged to use the lane belonging to oncoming traffic to create a queue.

In an effort to foster a neighborly relationship with Topangans, Starbucks will be participating in this year’s Topanga Days parade. The float, commissioned by Starbucks, will depict Starbucks Frappuccinos being used to defuse tense moments throughout history. These moments will include the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the arrest of Rosa Parks, and the 1939 invasion of Poland. Starbucks’ float will be in place of a float previously planned to feature the third graders of Topanga Elementary, who were threatened with a lawsuit when asked why they would not be able to be included in the parade.

During the float’s construction and test driving the floats, the driver

By Miles Erickson

accidentally ran over a dog named Rocky, who has become a minor celebrity due to his “Lost Dog” signs that can famously be seen around the general store and on the side of the highway. An argument between the dog’s owner and Starbucks representatives erupted during a recent town hall meeting, where the woman threatened bodily harm to the coffee reps (who were not in physical danger because they had ‘Zoomed’ into the meeting rather than attending in person). The controversy was finally settled out of court later that week when, instead of paying monetary compensation, Starbucks agreed to serve “Rocky the Dog”-themed cake

GOOGLE MAPS

The nearly defunct Promenade Mall in Woodland Hills might become home to another L.A. Rams practice facility.

Topangans Propose Traffic Solution

By Flavia Potenza When Unibail-RodamcoWestfield (URW) sold the 34acre site of the defunct Warner Center Promenade Mall to the L.A. RAMS for $150 million, Topangans heaved a sigh of relief that no 15,000-seat arena was to be built in an already highly trafficked area. Now the Rams` are talking about a new practice facility, surrounded by a mixed-

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pops at its Topanga location.

Starbucks is also planning to be involved in the Pine Tree circle snow day this winter, where instead of snow, the town center will be blanketed with Java Chip Frappuchino. The attraction will be open to the public for 90 minutes, before being taken over by a Starbucks corporate retreat for the remaining nights. A similar approach will be taken to Topanga Days, an event which Starbucks is now co-hosting. All guests who do not work for Starbucks corporate offices will be expected to pay $70 per ticket for entrance, except for Starbucks baristas, who will be expected to pay a fee of $72.

use complex like SoFi Stadium.

Instead of raging against the cororate machine, Topangans are in talks with the Rams to create a Commuter Zip Line from the site to the beach, possibly with a tributary to the Malibu Pier.

The Zip Line will supplement the expected traffic jam at the new Starbucks. It would be the longedfor toll road Topangans have been hankering for since the last time the roads washed out in the ’80s.

LETTERS Topanga Elementary Charter School Now Enrolling!

By Amy Weisberg, M.Ed., NBCT Parents are invited to tour Topanga Elementary Charter School (TECS), a small, high-performing community school, on April 6th from 9 to 11 a.m. Adults only and registration is required (topanga-el@lausd.net ).

Under the state’s focus on universal early learning and expansion, children who turn five between September 2 and February 2 can enroll in the Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program for the 2022-2023 school year. This recently expanded birth date eligibility range is an exciting opportunity for parents and kids to experience the exceptional early years education program.

In addition to Transitional Kindergarten, enrollment is open for all grade levels from TK-5th grade.

TECS offers a rich, standards-

based curriculum aligned with both Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. With a strong and active parent group, Topanga Enrichment Programs, we can offer science (including hikes in our upper campus), computer (and iPad) lessons, YMCA Physical Education classes, and art classes. Classroom aides are also funded by TEP. We have a full-time librarian, Ms. Rit Bessin, who teaches library classes and LAUSD Arts classes that rotate between dance, music, and theater.

Our Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) parent-sponsored program includes opportunities for musical theater and visual arts.

We also have a garden stage with bench seating, a school garden with raised beds and container gardens for the upper grades. Special events, such as Beach Clean Up Day, the Coyote

Fun-Run fundraiser, Scholastic Book Fairs, and Track and Field Day, encourage community building.

We welcome our Topanga children and enroll students from neighboring communities looking for a great school that offers enrichment programs as well as support in all academic areas.

About Topanga Elementary.

There has been an elementary school on School Road in Topanga since the 1950s. When it was inaugurated in 1953, it was known as the “New School” because there had been an “Old School” in Topanga Canyon since the 1920s. That site is part of the building that is now Froggy’s at 1105 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd. and was originally built in 1925 as the canyon’s elementary schoolhouse.

Before that there was the “Little Red School House,” at Greenleaf Canyon

Lack of Coverage of 5G Wireless Hearing Grove, and others have protective ordinances which prevent the locating of cell towers within 500 or 1000 feet from people’s homes as this technology is harmful, as proven in the over 10,000 peerreviewed scientific studies and the recent win in the FCC lawsuit on the FCC’s failure to update their standards and exposure levels for 26 years. The judge’s decision in the case said that the FCC was arbitrary and capricious in ignoring the clear evidence of harm, particularly to children.

Small cells, aka 5G, require a two- to three-fold increase in 4G towers and are huge energy guzzlers and, again, increase fire danger.

They do not improve cell phone signals—they are all about data speed and the Telecom estimate that by 2025 they will profit to the tune of $13 TRILLION dollars a year from the sale of our personal data.

Since neither of our newspapers considered this information sufficiently important for you to weigh in by the DRP deadline, I am sharing this information in the hopes that those of you who may have concerns will contact your Supervisor, copy (cc) the other supervisors and DRP as soon as possible to weigh in on this important issue. [Supervisor Sheila Kuehl is Topanga’s representative.]

For sample letters and more information, email me at: 5GFreeCalifornia@gmail.com.

Emails for DRP and Supervisors to notify: eluna@planning.lacounty.gov Ordinance@planning.lacounty.gov info@planning.lacounty.gov firstdistrict@bos.lacounty.gov (Supervisor Hilda L. Solis) hollyJMitchell@bos.lacounty.gov

(Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell) sheila@bos.lacounty.gov (Supervisor Sheila Kuehl) FourthDistrict@bos.lacounty.gov (Supervisor Janice Hahn) Kathryn@bos.lacounty.gov (Supervisor Kathryn Barger) Thanks for caring.

Sincerely, Julie Levine, 5G Free California, (310) 455-9389

Fan Mail

Dear Editor, Miles Erickson is phenomenal.

His column, Long Distance Listening Party, in The Canyon Chronicle is so damned funny.

He’s got such a strong voice and it’s funny as hell. It’s the only thing I read in the paper completely.

And, of course, his taste and take on the music is divine.

—Stacie Burrows

Jennifer deSpain, CPA, CFP®

Business/Personal Tax & Financial Services Tel. 818.883.4800

Photo by Miriam Geer.

Dear Editor, On March 9th, the subject of theTopanga Canyon Town Council’s (TCTC) monthly meeting was a presentation by 5G Free California regarding the LA County Draft Wireless Ordinance.

A hearing before the L.A.County Department of Regional Planning (DRP) was held on March 23rd that approved the ordinance, which now goes to the Board of Supervisors in early summer. The presentation and discussion were timely to say the least.

A reporter from The Canyon Chronicle attended, but the [Town Council] Report that was published made no mention of the meeting subject, the hearing, or why the discussion was so heated. Even TCTC president Carrie Carrier expressed her concerns about the rush to get the ordinance passed quickly, and the lack of sensitivity to people who are already having symptoms from wireless and the failure of the draft ordinance to mention or respond to health issues.

The ordinance, which is likely to be passed into law in June when the Board of Supervisors meet, will institutionalize the current practice of placing small cell towers, aka 5G, every 200-500 feet, many directly in front of people’s homes without notice or the opportunity to appeal, and will eliminate the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as well as Conditional Use Permit (CUP) reviews. If passed, your constitutional right to appeal and to safety in your home will be ignored. It will also exacerbate utility fire dangers.

Many California cities including Malibu, Encinitas, Petaluma, Elk

and Topanga Road, educating canyon kids since way back to 1903.

In 1951, when the eight acres that was to become the site of the new Topanga Elementary School was purchased, about four acres of the land was preserved as a nature reserve and is now the backbone of the science program, an integral part of the Topanga Elementary Charter. There is a wonderful outdoor amphitheater above the upper playground and a formal Nature Trail that was built in the 1980s in collaboration with parents, classes and Eagle Scouts. (Courtesy topangahistoricalsociety) Topanga Elementary Charter School is located at 22075 Topanga School Road, Topanga, CA 90290.

To register and for information: topanga-el@lausd.net; (310) 4553711; topangaelementary.org.

CanyonOakFinancial .com April 1 • Vol. 3 No. 6

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LONG DISTANCE LISTENING PARTY Canyon Chameleon

By Miles Erickson

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n the last edition of this column I mentioned that I would be briefly moving back to Topanga, and, in the time since the last volume’s publication, I’ve become a fully naturalized canyon dweller. I drink $30 cups of coffee at TLC. I write cryptic and vaguely threatening rants on Nextdoor calling for the arrest of various teenagers and the dangerous criminals who shop at Sprouts without a re-usable bag. And earlier this week I had the classic Topanga experience of going around a corner too fast on the S-curves and accidentally murdering a drifter.

Currently the household consists of my Sister and me, plus my cousin Tori; combined we’re like one big dysfunctional family. Well, I guess we literally are that. We also have my two dogs, one of whom sheds like he’s going through chemotherapy and looks at you like you just walked in on him watching an adult movie.

The other dog, Nibbles, is 15, blind and deaf and spends the days that make up his golden years going to every house in the neighborhood and barking at the door until someone answers and gives him a treat, like he’s Tony Soprano making his collections. Nibbles has the warmth and affability of a goblin shark and just in the time I’ve been back in Topanga, has eaten a bag of kingsized Kit Kats, a bag of individually wrapped Hershey’s kisses, and an entire raw egg, shell and all. None of this has phased him. The only time he had to go to the vet was when he ate barbed wire and even then they just massaged his stomach for an hour and gave him an $800 bill, which, unfortunately he could not pay because he is a dog. Just walking these dogs is a task which has been more demanding than getting my Bachelor’s degree.

Being back in Topanga with my sister hasn’t made me particularly nostalgic for my time growing up here, but it has made me recall a couple of moments from my youth that I would like to share with you.

Going to see my younger sister perform in the Topanga Elementary production of Charlie Brown, a play that was literally longer than James Cameron’s AVATAR. Also, my father interrupting (what would have been) my first kiss to tell me that intermission was over.

Me babysitting my younger sister while she played on the jungle gym at the Community House, and her asking another toddler why his parents didn’t live together.

My childhood dog going into my neighbor’s house on Thanksgiving and eating their turkey.

This story is slightly too long to be condensed into a single sentence, like the previous three articles on this list. This morning I drove my sister’s carpool, and upon puling up to the drop off zone at Pali High, I had a PTSD war flashback to a moment

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that wound up defining about a year of my life during my Freshman and Sophomore years of high school.

One night when I was 15 years old, I was hanging out with some friends eating candy that we’d purchased at the General Store here in Topanga.

As we were all sitting around, a friend of mine snapped a candid picture of me holding the left side of a Kit-Kat bar bar between my teeth.

The picture wound up being posted on Instagram and later that week, I was sitting in class when a teacher I’d never seen before, escorted by a police officer, entered my class, confiscated my Jansport backpack and informed me that I had been summoned to see the Dean of Discipline (side note: if you’re a middle-aged adult and your job title is “Dean of Discipline at a high school,” that is the point one might consider re-thinking your life choices). Also, I should mention that at the time I was summoned to see the Dean, I was also taking a class called “Parent/Child Development,” where I was assigned to take care of a robot baby. So, flash forward 15 minutes and I’m sitting in the disciplinary office, cradling my robot daughter (who is crying hysterically), having no idea why I am there. At this point I am formally introduced to the mentioned Dean of Discipline, a man whom I had only met once before, briefly, when I saw him punch a hole through a fax machine while interrogating children because someone had thrown a paper airplane in science class.

Now, at this point I was shown “Exhibit A” (there was no Exhibit B), a printed-out photo of me with a KitKat bar between my teeth. They were under the impression that it was not, in fact, a candy bar, but a joint, blunt, or some other kind of marijuana smoking paraphernalia. Then, in complete and utter sincereness, the Dean of Discipline of Palisades Charter High School pointed to my plastic, lifeless, robot baby and said, “What kind of father does drugs while he’s taking care of a child?”

I’m going to quickly interject here and say in the most blunt and succinct way that I can: It was not a joint, it was not any kind of drugs or drug paraphernalia, it was, in all honesty, a Kit-Kat bar.

It has been 10 years and I still am adamant of this fact, and say so on my mother’s grave and with all of my journalistic integrity on the line.

After many frustrating conversations with school officials and my parents, I was sentenced to attend 50 hours of a program called “Angels at Risk” for youths, most of whom were there by court order. I was also required to attend therapy sessions indefinitely with a counselor, but that’s another story.

The worst part of being a kid is that, if an adult calls your parents and tells them you’re doing drugs, you have no recourse. It’s not like you can sue the school for slander.

The average school day is from

7:50 in the morning to 2:10 in the afternoon, and I was now spending the remaining hours of my weekday in therapy or Angels at Risk for a crime I did not commit. And trying to tell the adults running the support group or the children attending it that you’re there because of a misunderstanding is like being in prison and claiming you’re innocent.

We all went around the circle introducing ourselves and elaborating on the violent crimes that had landed us in there. I was surrounded by 14-year-olds with five-o’-clock shadow and teardrop tattoos. Unfortunately for me, “It’s not a blunt, it’s a Kit-Kat bar,” really does sound like the kind of terrible lie a 15 -year-old would come up with.

They had us write essays about what our week had been like and then read them out loud to the group. I vividly recall the kid next to me having an essay about how he had gotten into a knife fight with someone from a rival gang; my essay started with, “So I was playing wii-bowling…” Later, during that same group, the man running it told me that he wouldn’t sign my attendance slip unless I was “honest with the group.”

You may see where this is going, but from that moment on, for the next month-and-a-half until the school year was over, I had to lie and pretend I was doing drugs, just so I didn’t get in trouble.

I wound up transferring schools the following year. Annabella-Lilibet, my robot baby, if you’re out there, your father loves you very much Long Distance Listening Party Vol. 5 • Cold Little Heart (Radio Edit)— Micheal Kiwanuka • Underwear—Pulp • The Art Of Driving—Black Box Recorder • Diamonds from Sierra Leone— Kanye West • Antidote—Orion Sun • Sexie Sadie—Kush Mody, Anderson Paak • Space Song—Beach House • Satellite of Love—Morrissey • Sweet Dreams, TN—The Last Shadow Puppets Cold Little Heart (Radio Edit)— Micheal Kiwanuka. I’ve said this before, but very rarely do I listen to a song and think it should be longer.

Kiwauka’s “Cold Little Heart,” maybe,

the only song I’ve ever listened to that genuinely deserves to be 9 minutes long (maybe “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” or “Runaway?”). “Cold Little Heart” is a combination of late ’60s/early ’70s soul and a kind of cold, cosmic, ghostly, Spiritualized/Delia Derbyshire energy. The song is also a favorite of every mom who watched Big Little Lies back when it came out. Also, if you’re in the market for modern, retro soul music, check out Curtis Harding and his 2017 album Face Your Fears.

Underwear—Pulp. Most of my favorite songs fall under the genre of —’90s Brit-pop, songs that are slightly too jaded to be considered New Wave and slightly too Pop-ey to be considered Grunge. Underwear

by Pulp fits firmly into all of these categories.

The Art of Driving—Black Box Recorder. You may remember Black Box Recorder from the first volume of Long Distance Listening Party, which would put you in the very exclusive club of people who still remember Black Box Recorder.

Diamonds from Sierra Leone— Kanye West. Despite being an anthropomorphized clown emoji, Kanye West actually does make good music. Most people, when discussing Kanye, say that they have a hard time separating the art from the artist, for me, I have a hard time separating the art from the memes (Bound 2).

Although, Kanye’s entire discography can basically be summoned up in one sentence: “Brilliant ear for Otis Redding samples, great producer, mediocre rapper.” When Kanye first started making music his corniness was somewhat endearing, so was how seriously he took himself. For me, that endearment lasted for about three albums. Then My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, an album as over-bloated as its title, came out and all this talk about Kanye being an “artistic genius” and an “auteur rapper” started. Honestly, I think most of that was just because there was a painting of a naked lady on the cover.

Satellite of Love—Morrissey.

I don’t have a lot to say about this cover. In the original version of the song the line is “I watched it for a little while, I like to watch things on TV,” which Morrissey changes to “I cannot stand the TV.” I don’t know if Morrissey just doesn’t understand the meaning of the original line, or if he does and he’s just too pretentious to admit that he watches TV. Miles Erickson is a recent graduate of CalArts, a published author, and currently enrolled in a prestigious, 4-year, student loan repayment program. Long Distance Listening Party’s vague intention is to discuss topics framed in the context of what I’m currently listening to.

This playlist is available on Spotify, search my username, Mileserickson-354. New songs are added every two weeks.

EVENTS ‘The Runner’ Premieres on April 7 at Film Festival

PHOTO BY JOHNNYMURPHY

Local artist Velvet Marshall has been an art teacher for the Canyon SAGES since 2017.

She uses demonstrations and individual help to teach basic art techniques and facts.

Classes Begin at Community Center Velvet Marshall Named Sages Activities Director

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n addition to being the instructor for the Sages art classes coming back to the Community Center after a two-year-long COVID-19 shutdown of activities, artist Velvet Marshall has agreed to take on the responsibilities of the Sages Activities Director. She laughingly says she’s not quite sure what that entails but will be leading the charge to find instructors to teach

Chair yoga, Tai Chi, Qi gong, Knitting, Crochet, Macrame, Help with Electronics (cell phones and basic computer skills), Memory classes and Music Therapy.

Her own six-week series of classes begin on April 1, Monday, Wednesdy, and Friday with workshops in Drawing, Acrylic painting, and Watercolor.

The deadline for enrollment is April 8th. For times and dates of classes and to register: velvetmarshall@gmail.com; (310) 525-0328. (See ad on page 13)

Local composer and now filmmaker, Matthew Ferraro is “pleased and humbled to announce my first venture as both a filmmaker and composer with the short film, The Runner, an inspiring film about a friend’s journey through mental health challenges. The film continues to get attention in the U.K. with the BBC and Channel 4, and now premieres in the U.S. I did not expect this!”

The Runner has been chosen to be one of the opening films for The American Documentary and Animation Film Festival in Palm Springs, April 7-10. This festival was voted one of the ten best in the country and is supported by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The Runner will be showing on April 7 at 12 noon, as part of program #3, at the Camelot Theatre, 2300 E Baristo Rd., Palm Springs, CA 92262.

Tickets are $10 to see the film series at that showing and may be purchased at (760) 325-6565; and https://filmfreeway.com/ AmericanDocumentaryFilmFestivalandFilmFund/tickets.

“I really hope you can join me at the U.S. premiere at the Camelot Theatre in Palm Springs,” Ferraro said. “To all who have supported my journey over the years as a composer, Thank You!” (matthewferraromusic.com; mmfmusic01@gmail.com)

20626 Medley Lane $2,895,000 NEW LISTING

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310.455.2540 Mobile 310.804.8607 TopangaHomesOnline.com

Beautiful and modernized Santa Fe / Pueblo Style 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home in desirable upper Fernwood neighborhood with views of downtown LA, Pacific Palisades, Topanga State Park and Eagle Rock. Located at the end of a quiet private road and built in 1995 this unique home features Spanish tile, Venetian and hand crafted plaster walls, Douglas Fir headers, dual zone climate control, and interior sprinklers. The living room features 14 ft. ceilings and fireplace with hand made accent tiles. The gourmet kitchen has been fully renovated. The master suite has a Kiva fireplace and a spacious deck overlooking the canyon. The master bath contains dual walk in closets, steam shower and deep spa soaking tub. The formal dining room has canyon views and French doors leading to the family room with a second Kiva fireplace. Furnished with custom Hacienda furniture and art from Mexico, some of which is available for sale. Landscaped with native plants, fruit trees, succulents, Eugenias, Silk Oaks and various flowering fragrant species. Also a large grassy side yard with mature shade trees and panoramic views. There is also a large wrought iron dog run and a fenced enclosure for domestic animals. A lower patio with a sitting area and a swim spa. A spacious garage with a Tesla 60 watt power supply. Walking distance to hiking trails and just minutes to Malibu’s beaches, restaurants and shopping.

Sotheby’s International Realt y and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. If your property is listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers. We are happy to work with them and cooperate fully.

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WHADDYA KNOW? The Mysterious History of the April Fool

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pril Fools’ Day—the only day of the year when we’re encouraged to take jokes to levels that boarder on cruelty and spin yarns that verge on downright lying. The Day of the Fool has survived through centuries and across cultures and, surprisingly, historians still can’t agree on the origins of this whimsical holiday.

One contender for the creation story of the foolish day connects it directly to its April 1 celebration date. In 1582, Charles IX of France decided to switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. Under the old system, the new year started with the spring equinox which occurs around April 1st. The Gregorian year begins on January 1st.

As with all change, some people resisted this new system, continuing to celebrate during the last week of March up to the first day of April. These people came to be the April Fools and were fair game for taunts and pranks. One popular activity involved sticking a paper fish on the back of the unsuspecting holdout. Evidently an April fish, or poisson d’avril, is a young, easily caught fish, or a gullible person.

Could this be where the practice of putting “Kick Me” signs on people’s backs started?

Another possible precursor is the celebration of Hilaria in ancient Rome. For this festival, the followers of Cybele, mother of the gods, dressed up in disguises and took to the streets mocking magistrates with impunity. These fun-filled escapades took place on March 25th following the much more solemn days commemorating the death and resurrection of Cybele’s consort, Attis. Though in reverse order, this holiday might remind us of Mardi Gras followed by Lent, another religious custom centered around the death and rebirth of a god.

Both of these April Fools-like holidays involve the spring equinox, and some historians have proposed that the modern practices stem directly

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from the equinox itself. Pranking comes from the idea that at this time of year Mother Nature messes with humankind by changing the weather. But this theory pales next to the other options. Surely a holiday involving typically normal people plotting and planning ways to taunt their friends and family deserves a more colorful origin story than unpredictable spring weather.

April 1 may be connected to some foolish behavior described in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (1392). In the “Nun’s Priest’s Tale,” Chauntecleer, a vain cock, is tricked by a fox. The problem with this theory has to do with those darned medieval scribes. Scholars debate whether the line that establishes the date is “Syn March bigan thritty days and two,” (32 days since March, making it April 1); or “Syn March was gon thritty days and two” (32 days after March was gone, making it May 2). Many wise scholars advise that

we ditch this theory because thinking for too long about Chaucer has been proven to erode brain cells.

April Fools! I just made that last bit up. I just can’t wrap my head around Middle English.

In 1561, Flemish writer, Eduard De Dene published a lighthearted poem about a nobleman who sent his servant on absurd errands on April 1st. Evidently, at the end of each stanza the servant says, “you are trying to make me run a fool’s errand.”

Some scholars believe this is the first mention of pranks being played on the first of April. Clearly, unless someone discovers some ancient manuscript proving the origin of the day, we’ll never know for certain where April Fool’s Day started. And if a manuscript does surface, how can we be sure it’s not a clever prank?

One thing we do know, by 1708 people already questioned the origins of the holiday. In the British Apollo magazine, a writer asks, “Whence proceeds the custom of making April Fools?” By this point in history, the day of jokesters was well-established and the origin far enough in the past to have been forgotten.

Perhaps we should abandon the quest for the birth of the day and instead ponder why poking fun at people is so compelling that April Fool’s Day has survived through the ages and across so many countries. Currently, “normal” people in Ireland, Scotland, France, the UK, Sweden, Greece, Italy, Poland, the U.S., Brazil, and India take part in some version of the holiday.

Clearly, the delight of pranking others lives deep within us. In fact, a team of professors of comparative religion once proposed that the ancients interpreted Eve offering the forbidden fruit to her mate might have been part of an elaborate prank. Could the tradition go back to the biblical creation story?

April Fools! Gotcha again! Didn’t I?

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EVENTS ‘Art as a Visionary Practice,’ April 16th, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Kathie Gibboney in conversation with author Sarah Irani I once had a vision of the paradise realm The birdsong was louder, Everything glowed brighter, and i felt like i was home Welcome to the Paradise Realm — Sarah Irani n a Spring afternoon with new growth sprouting along Old Canyon Road, a dark-haired woman dressed in earth colors, walks, casual and lovely in the simplicity of her movement. It is Sarah Irani, local Topanga artist, mother, and wife, who carries her own inner spring bloom with her.

Recently she was inspired to create and self-publish “Remember the Paradise Realm,” an art-filled work exploring and celebrating the re-connection of humans to another dimension. It’s hard in the middle of these desperate days to “get back to the garden,” but that is what Irani is compelled to champion in her own modest but powerful way. She cares about our human psyche, our planet and how we might remember to stop and smell the roses, or the sage, or the sweet fresh air after a rain.

Her website (paradiserealm.org) offers insight to the inspiration for the

This 50-page, full color, softcover book features original artwork by Sarah Irani, with prompts and allows space to sketch and journal your own visions and insights as you are guided into the Fifth Dimensional Paradise Realm.

and other Beats—who strongly influenced her to follow her own path. She has been on it ever since.

Having moved about quite a bit, she didn’t feel rooted to one spot but found herself always attracted to gardening and plants, especially the Datura. Coming from a background in art and graphic design, her illustrations are magical renderings depicting landscapes, flowers, flowing water, gardens, and fanciful creatures.

Looking at them is like entering another world, a better world.

Art as a Visionary Practice In addition to “Remember the

Paradise Realm,” Irani also offers personal coaching. One can only imagine that her clients, like plants and flowers, must surely bloom under her tending. Her first workshop, “Art as a Visionary Practice,” takes place on April 16th in Topanga, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. RSVP required: paradiserealm.org/events/ art-as-visionary-practice-2.

Under Irani’s guidance, the event will be an interactive experience where participants are invited to explore the Paradise Realm as they practice breath, movement, third eye activations, then channel that cultivated energy into mixed-media art creations, Journaling, Collage, Drawing, and more where you’ll access your Vision and translate it into material form. It’s all about the transmission of energy.

“Healthy soil is made from decay; everything breaks down and goes back to the earth,” Irani observes. “I would like to tell the world to slow down. Why rush to get back to normal when normal wasn’t all that great. I’d like people to view humanity without taking it for granted because there will always be greed, wars, corruption, and selfishness. I would like people to envision living happy and free.”

“Remember the Paradise Realm” is available locally at Mimosa Café; Moona Star; and rememberparadise realm.org.

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book: “In the Paradise Realm, there are gardens everywhere; the Paradise Realm is the Garden...! Listen to the whisper of your deepest longings, and remember the Paradise Realm.”

The Paradise Realm, she says, “is the future of humanity, connected with the Earth and the wisdom of our ancestors.”

She describes the book as a portal into the fifth dimension, part journal, part diary, creative coloring book, poetry, spell book, or grimoire. It invites readers to use it in a handson, friendly, playful way, actually as more of a “play” book than a workbook. Provocative topics to explore are: “Describe a World Happy and Free; What Do You Say Yes To? How Do You Present Your Beauty To The World?”

The book is designed to lead you through your own spiritual journey, connecting you to wonderment and dreams you may have forgotten and giving you the encouragement to open your heart to believe in them again. To rediscover, as Irani says, “a landscape filled with spirit. A landscape that glows.” Topanga seems the perfect place for her.

Irani emigrated with her parents from Iran to the U.S. and was raised as a Muslim in a somewhat conservative Seattle home. Being the open, searching, free spirit she is may be attributed to some books she picked up—Kerouac, Burroughs,

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ALL THINGS CONNECTED Facing Down the Drought

By Paula LaBrot

U

CLA historian Norris Hundl once noted, “It is a mistake…to think of California in terms of averages and regular cycles of precipitation.”

I like this statement. It reflects not only California climate conditions, but also the character of the people who live here. We are a rather unpredictable, outside-the-box lot, aren’t we? Presently, we are living in a state of drought. We have just had the driest January/February months on the California record. If knowledge is power, we need all the honest information we can get to ride out this iteration of California’s infamous droughts.

We have had some dillies!

A Little History Justin Malcolm (cwicaliforniadroughts. weebly.com) writes, “Through studies of tree rings, sediment and other natural evidence, researchers have documented multiple droughts in California that lasted 10 or 20 years in a row during the past 1,000 years….

The two most severe mega-droughts make the Dust Bowl of the 1930s look tame: a 240-yearlong drought that started in 850 BC, and 50 years after the conclusion of that one, another that stretched at least 180 years.” Good heavens! Hope this present drought is not in that league!

Adam Kotin and Dru Marion (civileats. com) report, “…a dry Sonoma was declared entirely unsuitable for agriculture in 1841. The Sacramento Valley was written off as “a barren wasteland.” Much of the Central Valley was just a great ’inland sea’ during the torrential floods of 1861-1862, when Sacramento could be traversed only by canoe, then became droughtstricken two years later in 1864. California has a long history of water scarcity which led to an actual war in the 1920s between Los Angeles and the residents of the Owens Valley whose agricultural community collapsed when their water was diverted to Los Angeles, a story that provided the basis for the movie Chinatown.”

The drought from 1976 to 1977 gave birth to efforts of conservation in urban areas.

From 1982 to 1992 a severe drought was ended by a rip-roaring El Nino event. Drought returned in 2007, lasting two years, which unfortunately, it turned out that limiting water usage in urban areas caused such a decrease

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in revenue for water departments that there was a lack of funds available for the badly needed development of water infrastructure.

According to Wikipedia, “Very few large-scale water projects have been built since 1979.”

(But there sure was a lot of money available for bloated, vote-buying pension funds.)

in the state being idled according to a study by the University of California Merced. As a consequence, Athropully reports, 8,745 agricultural jobs were lost, leading to losses to the tune of $1.2 billion. It is predicted that California crop production will be decreased by at least one-third this year.

Usage Despite the large increase in population in California, urban usage accounts for only 25 percent of water consumption in our state.

Seventy-five percent of the state’s water resources are used in agriculture. Naveen Athropully of the Epoch Times reports, “In California, especially the Central Valley, three-year snow and rain levels will soon be hitting their lowest since 1922. This year, there is 1.5 million acre-feet less water in California than last year.”

“It does make for some very difficult (crop) producer decisions as to what to continue to grow and what to keep alive,” Brad Rippey, a U.S. Department of Agriculture meteorologist, said at a press briefing. “It’s pretty certain that farmers are not going to get their full 75 percent this year simply because we don’t have the water available.”

Ernest Conant, the Bureau of Reclamation’s Director of the California-Great Basin region, told the Associated Press, “Last year’s drought resulted in 395,100 acres of farmland

The Role of Modern Tech in Drought Always remember how adaptable human beings are. We know confronting drought means practicing the ‘3 Rs’—reduce, reuse, recycle. Revolutionary technologies include the use of electronically active microbes to purify wastewater. Such technology as demonstrated by Cambrian Innovation’s EcoVolt can cut a city’s water footprint in half.

Dais Analytic has also shown that nanotechnology can be leveraged to purify wastewater on a molecular level. Another company, Ambient Water, has demonstrated that it is possible to take advantage of evaporation by essentially dehumidifying water from the atmosphere, thereby recycling what would otherwise be wasted as a byproduct of various agricultural processes,” writes Bilal Ahmed for techmaish.com.

Sensor-powered irrigation, cloudcomputing soil analytics, rainwater harvesting, de-salination, indoor vertical farming and other modern technologies help fight drought.

Smart water systems, based on the combination of Internet of Things (IoT), big data, and Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, can help stop (dire) predictions from happening and undo the damage the imprudent usage of water resources has already caused, according to Digiteum.com.

P.S. My husband, George, has, for years, promoted covering the California aqueduct to prevent evaporative loss. Smart man.

Hope Springs Eternal!

Today, a lot of people don’t want to plant a garden, because of the drought. But the more greenery, the better our chances of avoiding desertification. My family loves to plant, nurture and marvel at nature’s botanical wonders. It’s an act of defiance in a dry, pessimistic, weary, wartorn world. Just garden “smart!” Use the internet for water saving tips. Head out to the Thomas Payne nursery in Sunland or Matillija Nursery in Moorpark and find drought tolerant natives to grow. Use soil sensors and drip irrigation on timers.

And… pray for rain… and peace.

Vamos a ver!

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April 1 • Vol. 3 No. 6

MY CORNER OF THE CANYON Once In A Lifetime

By Kathie Gibboney

T

he peace of a Topanga Saturday morning is disrupted as I hear the Beleaguered Husband swearing while battling the tangled, obstreperous garden hose outside our bedroom window. After years of marriage his abrupt spewing forth of profanities is one of my few complaints.

I never meant to fall in love with him. In fact, I thought him rather odd-looking as he careened through the beach-side Venice restaurant where we both worked. He was, I admit, tall and tan in his clean white shirt and tie, long hair flying behind him (for he had hair then). He deftly maneuvered through the tables, expertly waiting on the upscale patrons, dexterously opening the wine, filling their glasses, quick with a joke, while muttering frustrated expletives under his breath as if playing in a beach volleyball championship and losing. He took his job very seriously, yet in the middle of a busy rush he would somehow find a moment to step outside and watch the sun setting over the ocean. You got to love a guy who loves a sunset and suddenly I did. I fell in love completely, utterly, and urgently. A oncein-a-lifetime love. I felt as if I was under a spell, like Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, suddenly besotted of an enchanted ass.

My then wronged husband asked the worthy and certainly legitimate question, “What is it you see in this guy you are leaving me for?”

After stammering a bit, I could only answer, “Well, he’s a surfer.”

In April, Michael Anapol and I will have been married for 30 years. Oh, wherever did the days go? The years slipping by? How can this be? Is the purple couch really that old and looks it? Is our fine son, who once rode so high up on Daddy’s shoulders actually turning 29?

Have we really been to all those Topanga Days?

How did we get here? Is it, as David Byrne and Talking Heads sang, Letting the days go by, water flowing underground, into the blue again, after the money’s gone, once in a lifetime?

We are going to have a 30th Anniversary celebration because we fear by the 40th we may not even recognize each other. So, before we are too befuddled to recollect our lifetime together, let alone yesterday, I feel I should here record some memories of the swiftly passing days we’ve shared, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

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Can you, dear husband, remember a time before you were beleaguered? When you bravely moved us and our six-month old Riley to Topanga after the fire of ’93 and we found a community? The earthquake? Seeing the fireworks in Santa Barbara from that old hotel window as if they had been shot off just for us?

The “good as it gets” sunset in Laguna? The time you ate too many marijuana brownies at the Solstice Parade and had to go for a walk?

Can you recall when Miranda was born and how you were late picking us up the next day to bring us home from the hospital because you’d gone surfing that morning? Do you remember the time we lost Riley at the beach and the joy of seeing him riding in the lifeguard’s ATV coming back to us? Can you conjure the magical scent of the bonfire at Bonnell, sparks rising in the air as we felt so happy and lucky to live in this place? The Easter celebrations lasting into the evenings as the spring light lingered in the blessed Topanga sky? Summer vacations? Back when Topanga had a bar, (miss you Abuelita’s)?

Losing the car in San Francisco? All those Halloween costumes, taking the children trickor-treating, then stopping to see the Sloans and the tree growing through their living room?

Opening Topanga Far Outfitter’ s? Your hernias?

Inheriting money? Losing money? Friday

night dinners you served at the Theatricum that we called, “The What You Will Café?”

The Christmas Tree Train? The little kitty you and Miranda surprised me with? The raucous silent auctions at Topanga Elementary School?

The shock of September 11th? Getting lost and yelling at each other every time we visited Miranda in Santa Cruz? Our green bowls? The Dodgers going 16 innings? Death? Granny Got Fresh, the produce concession you had on the side of the road? Fires in our fireplace? All the children’s plays I directed where you helped me transport backdrops, costumes and props and then you had to sit through the thing? Could you ever forget getting stung by the sting ray, the tarantula in our bed, or when I had cancer?

Or all the friends we met and made in Topanga?

Used cars? The Hollywood Christmas Parade?

The audit? Grandmother Oak? The heart-raising hope when Obama was elected? Pokemon cards? Irish Pubs and Van Morrison? Opening Shaka Shack Burgers? Selling the Hummer? The New Year’s Eve I spent on the phone with the loan shark in New Jersey? Selling Shaka Shack Burgers and then still working there (God help us!)? And do you still remember Lobo’s soft brown eyes?

It occurs to me that what I have listed above covers special days, milestones, highlights and low lights but a life together is not just made of these. If you were to stand back and view life from a great distance, as with Emily in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town after she’s died, you would find that even the most mundane of days is heartbreakingly beautiful, too dear to hold, that it slips like water through your fingers, water flowing underground.

There is a wonder in the little, daily living when you pass each other moving from room to room. When you make the shopping list, drink the coffee, attempt to clear the clog in the bathroom sink (he just purchased something called, the Drain Weasel), help your spouse locate the lost shoe, sunglasses, keys, lip gloss or glass of wine, experiment with stain removers, come up with the name of the person or place the other has forgotten, share the Sunday paper out on the patio, wave to a neighbor, fold some laundry, laugh, pull some weeds, play the old songs, clean the cat box, argue over what to get rid of from the garage, or just simply being there in the morning for either one to turn to the other and say, “I had the strangest dream.”

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Astrology April Isn’t Foolin’ Around

By Kait Leonard

T

his month is no joke. Jupiter meets Neptune, Mars and Saturn duke it out, Pluto stands still, and eclipse season begins.

April begins with a bang…possibly literally.

On the 4th Mars the Warrior meets forever enemy, Saturn, the planet of governments and established power in the sign of Aquarius. This will bring a stressful energy to whichever house Aquarius occupies in your natal chart. On the most basic level, Mars wants to act. Right now!

And Saturn is all about moving slowly and building a solid foundation.

Right now is never the right time for Saturn.

Aquarius is ruled by Saturn, so he will win, and that makes Mars very angry. Think of a child having a tantrum (Mars) with an assault weapon. The father (Saturn) might win the battle, but it won’t be fun for anyone. Keep in mind that this is all happening in an air sign, which could signal issues with mental health, especially anxiety and anger. It will be important to make time for rest, quiet, and all things self-care until the energy lightens when Mars leaves Aquarius on the 15th.

Speaking of the middle of the month, Jupiter and Neptune connect in the sky on the 12th. This union hasn’t happened since 1856, so it’s a big deal. These slow moving, outer planets are meeting in idealistic, artistic Pisces. To understand this union, it’s helpful to consider each of the two players. Jupiter is all about good luck and expansion. Neptune signifies spiritual union, idealism, and artistic endeavors. So when they join, this duo can literally make beautiful music or powerful relationships.

On April 30, we get the first eclipse of the season, a partial solar eclipse, in the sign of Taurus.

But...Neptune also rules distorted thinking, addiction, dishonesty, and even psychosis.

Combine those with Jupiter’s need to make everything bigger, and you can imagine the problems that may result.

This is another month without a New Moon, but we do have a Full Moon in Libra on the 16th. The nighttime luminary will be opposite the Sun in ego-driven Aries. This is the perfect time to let go of selfish desires and strive for balance and compromise. Given some of the warrior energy we’re dealing with this month, take a moment to celebrate themes of unity, partnership, communication, and peace. This is the Pink Moon, which invites the energy of Spring and the birth of a renewed world into our lives.

On April 29th, Pluto stands still before turning retrograde in Capricorn. The Lord of the Underworld has been in Capricorn since

November of 2008. It leaves the sign of the goat for good in 2024. The day Pluto stands still, his power is targeted and intense.

Expect old wounds that have been stuffed deep to emerge into the light. Pluto exposes what’s been hidden and demands transformation. This moment of stillness will expose the issue to be addressed, and the following retrograde period will allow us to look back and gain better understanding. Then, when Pluto turns direct in early October, we can finish the process of healing and emerge into our new realities.

Talking about planetary power, on the 30th, we get the first eclipse of the season, a partial solar eclipse, in the sign of Taurus. The eclipses are associated with the Lunar Nodes which mark the path of our destiny. They bring about fated change that helps us move forward. Think of solar eclipses like New Moons on steroids.

They bring a time of growth and expansion.

There will be important new beginnings in the area of life occupied by Taurus. Of course, you might have to release something to make room for the new, and that something will probably come from Scorpio, the opposite sign on the axis. Just remember, eclipses move us toward our soul’s purpose, so gently let go of what’s worn out and embrace the new. The eclipse energy is going to make the change happen anyway. It’s best to just go with it and be grateful for the journey.

It would be utterly foolish to take April lightly. But after the cosmic dust begins to settle around the middle of the month, we should see new beginnings and positive momentum in our lives, and hopefully in the world.

What’s happening?

Days of April

By Kait Leonard

W

ith April Fools Day kicking off the month, how are the final 29 days of April supposed to compete? Not to worry! Days 2-30 rose to the challenge again this year.

Step aside jokesters, because the 1st is also Edible Book Day. This zany gastronomic event has been celebrated internationally since 1755 and gives us the opportunity to ask, “Eaten any good books lately?” Not into literature? You still have options. The 1st is also International Fun at Work Day. For the non-pranksters, it’s Fossil Fools Day, a time to point out just how crazy it is to rely on non-renewable forms of energy.

On April 2nd everyone’s probably ready for a little down time. It’s a good thing it’s National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, National Love our Children Day, and National Ferret Day. Combine these and watch the kids’ faces light up as PB&J-covered ferrets romp about the house. (Note: Please don’t eat the ferret or the PB&J it’s been wearing.) After you unsticky yourself, you’ll be ready for National Find a Rainbow Day on the 3rd. Then, the 4th is a very special day indeed. On this glorious day, we celebrate the people who keep us in the know. It’s National Hug a Newsperson Day. Flavia Potenza, where would you like the line to form?

April 6th brings us National Sorry, Charlie Day, a day when we make like Charlie the Tuna and reflect on the rejections we’ve faced. Sound like a downer?

No way. Charlie served as spokesperson for StarKist

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April 1 • Vol. 3 No. 6

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for almost 20 years. That’s a long time to hear “Sorry, Charlie.” But did he give up. No! And neither should we. While we’re celebrating inspirational animals, the 9th is National Unicorn Day. It’s also National Name Yourself Day. I’m going with Maude.

April 10th brings us National Cinnamon Crescent Day (not to be confused with either National Cinnamon Roll Day on October 4th or National Croissant Day on January 30th). Then on the 11th, dip into some gooey goodness for National Cheese Fondue Day. Feel like background music with dinner? Shove in a cassette and tick off National Eight Track Tape Day. In the middle of the month, enjoy peach cobbler while playing Scrabble on the 13th. Have a laugh for International Moment of Laughter Day on the 14th. And if you need something to laugh about,

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it’s also National Ex-Spouse Day. You might honor the ex with a poem on April 17th, for International Haiku Poetry Day. The 22nd is both Earth Day and National Jelly Bean Day. Make sure you buy vegan jellies in compostable bags. Methinks thee wilt has’t excit’ment on the 23rd for Talk Like Shakespeare Day, which is also (plain old) Shakespeare Day, and National Picnic Day. Twill beest a day of threefold merriment.

Finally, it seems only right that we end the month by owning up to the pranks we played on the 1st.

April 30th is Honesty Day. So go fess up and then celebrate National Oatmeal Cookie Day as a reward.

Reference: https://nationaltoday.com/national-daycalendar/

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Exotic Collectables

S. Topanga Blvd. Suite 525120 S.Topanga Cyn Canyon Blvd., Topanga, CA 100 90290 Topanga, CA 90290 (3.5 miles from PCH at Owl Falls) TopangaRocks.com • 310.455.3419 TopangaRocks.com 310.455.3419

Not Really Magi •

It’s Barbara Allen E.A. c!

postcard 5x7 jala jalan & topanga rocks.indd 2

1/17/21 9:35 PM

310-455-2375

riklin@barbaraalleneataxservices.com

Tax Preparation & Audit Representation For Individuals, Small Businesses,

Estates, Trusts and Tax-Exempt Entities www.barbaraalleneataxservices.com

Searchlight Insurance Services Craig Phelps T: 888-257-8200 C: 626-437-7900 F: 877-777-5199 SMS: 310-455-8205

cphelps@searchlightinsurance.com www.searchlightinsurance.com

CA License # 6000548

Providing Services for over 28 years Live in – out . 24/7

Caregivers • Companions • CAN apluscaresLA.com (310) 294-1040 | (818) 916-9802

GRAPHIC DESIGN nira lichten

awards-winning graphic designer

310.460.9340 | niraten.com

THE MARKETPLACE Serving Your Ours Business through • Small Ads for Big Ideas • Affordable — $60/month • We will design for you Contact us: ads@thecanyonchronicle.com 310.460.9786 The Canyon Chronicle P.O. Box 1101, Topanga CA 90290

YOUR AD HERE! April 1 • Vol. 3 No. 6

15

Pritchett-Rapf Realtors TOPANGA

Old Topanga Canyon Blvd.

3 Bed | 2 Bath

$5,000,000

Offices in Malibu & Topanga (310) 455-4363

•

PRTopanga.com

Call for more information!

Saddle Peak Rd. 4 Bed | 3 Bath + Guest House $3,125,000

Chryssa Lightheart & Devon R. Stiteler - (310) 663-3696

Kirsten Bohman - (310) 403-4818

Perfect combo of country living and business opportunity. Topanga’s original gem, this was one of the original homes in this corner of the canyon. Since 2005, it has hosted a successful private facility offering dog training, boarding, and daycare.

Perched high atop Saddle Peak on over 2 acres of very usable land, sits this beautiful Contemporary Mediterranean with cross canyon views stretching all the way downtown and beyond.

SOLD

SOLD

Old Topanga Canyon Blvd. 3 Bed | 2 Bath $1,250,000 Kirsten Bohman & Chryssa Lightheart - (310) 403-4818

Stites Drive 4 Bed | 4 Bath Chryssa Lightheart - (310) 663-3696

$1,950,000

This ideally situated Old Topanga A-frame gives you that Topanga treehouse feel, being only a few minutes from the center of town. Represented buyer & seller. Sold for $151k over asking!

Stunning 4-bedroom with abundant sunshine in Fernwood. Complete with vaulted ceilings, tropical hardwood decks, and gorgeous French doors opening out to parkland canyon views. An entertaining paradise nearby peaceful mountain trails.

IN ESCROW Greenleaf Canyon Road

3 Bed | 2 Bath

$999,000

LEASE Observation Drive

1 Bed | 1 Bath

$3,500/mo, furn.

William Preston Bowling - (310) 428-5085

William Preston Bowling - (310) 428-5085

Over 11 Acres of Privacy in this Gated Greenleaf Canyon Estate. 4 Separate Assessor Parcel Numbers allows you to be creative and expand Your Compound outside of the original footprint.

Step into this charming lower unit in the climate-perfect area of Topanga Canyon.

Property line touches the State Park as you soak in your outdoor tub among the wildlife. Recently remodeled, plenty of sunlight throughout.

LAND

LAND

LAND

BEAUTIFUL CANYON VIEWS OUTSIDE COASTAL HUGE BUILDING SITE WITH OCEAN VIEWS MOUNTAIN VIEW LOT OUTSIDE COASTAL Zuniga Road $599,000 Hawks Nest Trail $410,000 Callado Way $185,000 William Preston Bowling 1.5 acres William Preston Bowling 2.5 acre William Preston Bowling 0.42 acre (310) 428-5085

LOCAL & GLOBAL

(310) 428-5085

Pritchett-Rapf Realtors

(310) 428-5085

CalDRE 00528707