The Canyon Chronicle- June 09, 2023 (Vol. 4, No. 11) -www.thecanyonchronicle.com

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Put Your Hands Together...

I’m calling this our “Comic Book” edition because it’s loaded with picww tures telling the stories of Topanga Days 2023. We are also celebrating the 50-year anniversary of Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, anticipating upcoming gala events, as well as the opening of their 2023 repertory season.

The cast of Topanga Elementary’s end-ofyear spring musical, Moana Jr., also celebrated their success with a float in the parade, but most especially, we are still celebrating Topanga Days.

Just because it’s over, doesn’t mean it’s gone. T-Days has a longer run than that and, besides, it’s time for the curtain call! Thanks to our many canyon photographers, this is the chance for people who couldn’t attend the event, to see it and reap some of the joy and excitement that pervaded the weekend.

For those on the TCC Board and the volunteers who worked so hard to produce Topanga Days 2023, to all those who sponsored and supported it, to the families who were there…or not…please sit back now, put your feet up and enjoy the pretty pictures.

This is The Canyon Chronicle’s standing ovation for a job well done. Can you hear the applause?

-Flavia Potenza

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

Sarah Spitz

Paula LaBrot

Kait Leonard

Amy Weisberg

Kim Zanti

Copy Editor / Distribution

Ellie Carroll

Contact US editor@thecanyonchronicle.com

General inquiries: info@thecanyonchronicle.com

Advertising inquiries: ads@thecanyonchronicle.com

P.O. Box 1101 Topanga, CA 90290 New Number: (310) 526-1203

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The Canyon Chronicle is an independent community newspaper published bi-weekly by Canyon Media, Inc.©2020. All rights reserved. thecanyonchronicle.com

Photographer Denis Hannigan never misses Topanga Days. We would miss him if he did. Before Topanga Days 2023 fades into the distance, let’s give it one more run for the money before we say, “See ya next year,” like the man (unidentified) tipping his cowboy hat on the cover. It’s good to have the full, 3-day event back and Denis and so many others to cover it.

Topanga’s Memorial Day Parade Marches On!

With bubbles, balloons, mermaids, aliens, kids on bikes, music and more dogs than we could count, Topangans celebrated Memorial Day with their 48th Annual Parade on Monday, May 29.

By Annemarie Donkin

This year’s event was truly joyful with an endless stream of flowery floats, cars, trucks, motorcycles, pretty girls on horses, and plenty of candy to kick off the summer! Hundreds of spectators lined the boulevard from Pine Tree Circle to the Topanga Community Center to watch the procession, and many joined in with dogs, balloons, bikes and baby strollers.

The Winners!

Grand Marshals Joseph Rosendo and Roger Pugiese, co-founders of the Topanga Trash Warriors, led the parade with their team proudly driving custom golf carts donated by Steve Toma of I-CON vehicles.

Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum won “Topanga’s Top Banana” award for their float that carried Queen Elizabeth I and a cast of characters from the theater’s history.

Winning “Most Topanga,” was the UFO float with aliens and all manner of strange creatures aboard who inhabit the Canyon.

The Ramos Family’s Minivan festooned with American flags won as the “Most Patriotic” float.

PHOTOS BY ANNEMARIE DONKIN

Diana Mehoudar Frost was the mermaid.

Pretty girls on pretty horses, are always welcome.

Hot on the heels of Butterfly Day at the Mountain Mermaid in May, the Butterfly Float comes to town to remind us that pollinators are important.

Topanga’s Hot Tub Time Machine. Hot tubs! Those were the days!

Every year, the Topanga Peace Alliance joins the parade in their persistent hope for peace.

The Topanga Bear Republic won “Best Wildlife,” and honestly, everywhere we looked, we saw folks of all ages dressed as bears! Good thing it was a cool morning.

Topanga Taekwondo, led by Edison Park , won the award for “Best Youth” float! As always, the students made an impressive display of power and discipline all along the parade route. Taekwando is a traditional Korean martial art practiced in 206 countries that teaches more than physical fighting skills. Taekwondo is a Korean word composed of three parts: “Tae” meaning foot or to step on; “Kwan” means fist or to fight; and “Do” refers to “The Way” or discipline.

Rounding out the parade lineup were the Topanga Surf Band riding the Topanga Lumber flatbed as their mobile stage; Flower Power’s proprietor, Abigail Zapata, filled the air with bubbles, enchanting the crowd. They were followed by Bill Buerge’s Mountain Mermaid butterfly truck; Cub Scout Troop 24 from the cast of Moana, Topanga Elementary’s spring musical; Wright Painting; and the Topanga Peace Alliance riding on hopes for peace, harmony and acceptance throughout the world.

Scott Wagonseller emceed the festivities, announcing each float as they entered the boulevard and kept everyone in a somewhat organized lineup.

As parade coordinator, Lindsay Zook took the microphone at Pine Tree Circle to get the floats lined up, something akin to herding cats. When asked what it was like to coordinate the parade this year, Zook sighed. “It was exhausting,” she said, with a smile on her face.

At the very end, a huge cheer went up for the crew of Topanga’s Engine 69, who are the heroes of the Canyon every day of the year!

Above: Topanga’s Bear Republic won “Best Wildlife” award. The bearskins kept them cozy on a cool morning.

Left: Queen Elizabeth I (Cindy Kania) was ce;ebrating 50 years of Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, regally perched upon the royal float, which won “Topanga's Top Banana!” award.

Bubbles abound with one of Topanga’s icons, Abigail Zapata aboard the Flower Power Float.

Lexi Pearl flying high as a butterfly.

Topanga days 2023

It’s Good to have you Back!

By Kathie Gibboney

In addition to the daunting task of choosing the right celebratory outfit for Topanga Days 2023, there is another challenge: walking up that long hill to the Fair. I forgot how steep it is and not being as spry as in my halcyon days, pacing is the key to a successful climb. Slow and steady may not exactly win the race, for there were many swifter of foot who passed us by, but we arrived at last, like pilgrims to our sacred Mountain Mecca, the gem that is The Topanga Community Center and long may she wave.

A tip of the Unicorn Horn to all who participated in the parade and honored this year’s Grand Marshals, the Topanga Trash Warriors.

After the fun and frivolity of our homegrown parade, the last day of the Fair officially began with the solemn raising of the flag for Memorial Day as Catherine McClenahan sang a moving rendition of the National Anthem, a fitting tribute to all those who have served our country.

Standing under that raised flag, the honorable ceremony invites a question, perhaps shared by many. Can you imagine, someday, a world without war? I think in Topanga we can.

All around, people were greeting neighbors and friends. Longtime Topangan Peter Zeiler called it “A trip into the past! Times they are a changin’ and there’s so much gentrification, but this is part of our heritage, and it keeps on tickin’.”

Local musician Ken Mazur and his wife, Susan Clark of Topanga Animal Rescue and Active First Responders, observed, “Surprisingly it’s still Topanga after all these years. Topanga Rocks! Topanga Days is where we reconnect with old friends and meet new locals. Topanga is still a Village and it takes a Village!”

Soon the village is filling up fast, unlike last

year, a Topanga Days post-COVID Lite. More and more celebrants arrive, music and bubbles float through the air, along with an aroma of something else carried on the breeze; maybe it’s incense? Our son grew up attending Topanga Days and he is here somewhere in the crowd amongst his friends, no longer kids at Children’s Corner. He’s 30 now. How did that happen?

Strolling around the circle of colorful booths offering jewelry, tie-dyed clothing, handmade gypsy scarves, genuine TCC merchandise, (thank

Topanga Days. Were you there?

By Rabbi Mendy Piekarski

you volunteer Shannan Thomas for being on the job) and hipster hats. I’m tempted to stock up for next year’s Topanga Days.

Suddenly, excitement is building around the stage. The popular, Animal Impression Contest is starting. It seems to be a real crowd pleaser with a long line of entrants on stage hoping for winning glory. Emcee Adam Silbar, looking like the best Boy-Scout leader ever, is again on the job and keeps things running smoothly. Although no longer living in Topanga, I feel the presence of our past grand master, Billy Portman. But there, on the side of the stage I see a familiar figure, the man who gave us Pine Tree Circle, Snow Night, a restaurant with a liquor license and much more, Steve Carlson, who instead of ageing, seems younger each time I see him. He imitates an elephant with appropriate majesty. Yet the winner is a young lad, Lukas Mackey, who captured a wild and winsome bird. Win or lose, the old classic games are such fun with Limbo, Pie Eating, and the ever-popular Seed Spiting contest.

At The Corral Stage inside the Community House with its chill, intimate vibe, bands present eclectic offerings, including traditional, funk, fun, and the blues from, Graywolf Blues Band to the renowned Corral Stage Band. Thanks always to Tom Mitchell, an ever-young Topanga champion, with technical skills, a Hippie heart and a blazing harmonica. The Topanga Belly Dancers, originated by Melanie Kareem, brought down the house.

The food court is cranking. Local dad, Greg Thomas, in attendance all three days with his three children, appreciated the Children’s Fun Zone and food from Robin’s BBQ, Pacifico Charbroiled Fish Truck, Rock and Roll Pizza, and the deep-fried corn dog. The Green Truck offered vegetarian selections with its motto, “Healing our planet, one meal at a time.”

F

irstly, we would like to express our gratitude to everyone who joined us at the Chabad booth during the vibrant Topanga Days event. It was truly an amazing experience, filled with warmth, joy, and meaningful connections. We had the pleasure of meeting numerous members of our community and sharing the spirit of togetherness.

During the event, we organized an engaging activity called the “Challah Guessing Challenge.” Chana baked a remarkable giant Challah. Participants were invited to guess the weight of the Challah, and the person with the closest estimate would win the colossal creation to take home.

After sifting through approximately 400 guesses, we are delighted to announce that the Schneider family accurately guessed the weight of the Challah. It weighed an impressive 8 pounds, 8.0 ounces! Congratulations to the Schneider family for their keen intuition and a well-deserved victory.

Now, let’s delve into the deeper meaning behind Challah and its significance in our Shabbat observance. Challah serves as a powerful symbol, representing the Manna, the miraculous sustenance provided to the Jewish people during their 40-year journey through the desert after leaving Egypt. Each Friday, a double portion of Manna would descend from heaven, ensuring an ample supply for Shabbat.

Although we no longer receive the heavenly Manna, the tradition of Challah remains a cherished reminder of our dependence on the

Divine. It symbolizes our recognition that everything we possess ultimately comes from the benevolence of G-D. Much like the Jews in the desert who relied entirely on G-D’s provisions, Challah teaches us humility and gratitude for the blessings bestowed upon us. If you would like to bake your own Challah for Shabbat, visit chabad.org for a delicious recipe!

Wishing you all the best, and Shabbat Shalom,

PHOTO BY DEB FENSTERMACHER

Right: Linda Hinrichs, settled in a cozy armchair, watches over her brood of excited preschoolers on the Children’s Corner float.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RABBI MENDY PIEKARSKI Rabbi Mendy with the winner of the “Challah Guessing Challenge,” Ben Schneider. Guess how much it weighed.

On the Main Stage, The Spazmatics filled the air with music and good vibes. Over the weekend the old stage was also graced by the revered Venice, Allah-Las and The Main Squeeze. The day ended with a Keltic combo, the Young Dubliners, who blended their Irish rock and soul with Topanga’s rock and roll; kind of a mash-up of Irishanga or Topangrish. Top-o’-Topanga Days to ya!

I queried some young girls about the Topanga experience. Hilary Herbert waxed philosophical. “After living in Topanga, I feel I can be messy and grow, change and be seen. Topanga will always be there for me. I love you Topanga.”

Her friend, Katie Witt, was more direct and in tune with the Hippie vibe. “I love the feeling of living in a psychedelic mushroom. Therefore, I love living in Topanga.”

There is something that always strikes me about Topanga Days. In the middle of all the wacky festivity are children, and for a moment, I see through their eyes. They wander freely and happily, perhaps just briefly separated from their parents, not frightened or afraid. They are home. They happily toddle on licking a popsicle,

ensconced in their own Topanga bubble. God bless the child that has Topanga.

How do we thank all of the volunteers?

All the members and TCC staff led by TCC President Kelly Rockwell, Nonie Shore VP of events, and the indomitable Rick Provisor, always available with a skilled helping hand. How do we thank the generous sponsors who made the parade possible and bolstered this festive fundraiser that would never be possible without you.

How, too, do we thank the stalwart women from Topanga of the 1940s and ’50s who left us the legacy of the Community House? Would they ever have imagined that it would have grown into such a celebration of community and love? I hope they are proud.

I asked two such volunteers, long-time Topanga gals in their official vests, what they thought about this Topanga Days 2023. Lisa Zook replied, “Lovin’ it! Feels like the old days!”

Her daughter, Lindsay added, “This is what a small town is all about, community, love and joy.”

This Unicorn is happy to have them on the job!

Top: “Uncle Albert,” changes its name each year for Topanga Days to “The Corral Stage Band” to pay tribute to the iconic Topanga Corral, reviving tunes from Canned Heat, Spirit, Lowell George/ LittleFeat, Neil Young, Tom Petty and others who lived and played in Topanga Canyon in the early days of Rock ‘n’ Roll. (l-r) Al Johnson, guitar, back-up vocals; Joe Stanley in background, drums; Tom Mitchell wailing on the harmonica; Stevie Re, bass guitar, back-up vocals; Randy Chance, in black, lead guitar, almost disappears into the black background; Alison FreebairnSmith, back-up vocals.

Left: This year’s Grand Marshals, the Topanga Trash Warriors, were led by co-founders Joseph Rosendo , left, and Roger Pugliese, right. Below: The Tattooed Man at the Fair.

PHOTO BY ANNEMARIEDONKIN

PHOTO BY JENISE BLANC

PHOTO BY HANNA ELIAS

Right: Will Geer at the groundbreaking for Theatricum Botanicum’s Shakespeare garden. He created his first garden in the 1950s when he performed at the American Shakespere Theatre in Stratford, CT. As a botanist, he preferred the term “herbarium” because many of the plants in Shakespeare’s Day were favored for purposes, in addition to their beauty, of food, medicine… and poisons.

Far right: Melora Marshall as Queen Margaret in War of the Roses, the third offering of the season.

Fifty Years — The Spirit

By Sarah A. Spitz

Ellen Geer’s earliest memory of the McCarthy Blacklist era—when her father Will Geer was drummed out of Hollywood for refusing to name names before the House Committee on Un-American Activities—is of being chased by school kids with her teenage sister.

“They called us Red Diaper babies. Coming home from school to our sweet Santa Monica house on 26th Street, I remember being chased and my sister pulling me because I couldn’t run fast enough when they were throwing rocks at us. Mama came out with my baby brother in her arms, screaming at them to stop. She knew. She found this place, Topanga, and moved us up here.”

What her mother, actress Herta Ware, knew was that Will’s banishment was going to last a while; and “here” is now considered a jewel of Topanga Canyon life, the beloved Theatricum Botanicum, an outdoor repertory theater center celebrating its 50th anniversary this summer.

Two words define it: family and resilience. A few more express its mission: Shakespeare, education, social activism. And at its core is a place where a family uprooted by the nightmare of America’s Red Scare came to heal, not only themselves but the wider public, through theater and music.

Ellen notes the irony: “We went from being blacklisted and considered the most terrible people in the world in the 1950s, to Papa playing American-asapple-pie Grandpa Walton in the ’70s, and now, a few weeks ago, receiving an award from Congressman Brad Sherman for outstanding service to the community.”

A Brief History

Will was blacklisted in 1951, they sold their house and moved to Topanga, where he put his Master’s degree in botany to practical use growing vegetables and raising chickens to feed the family. He created “Geer Gardens,” a plant nursery and landscaping service, employed only by the brave. Ellen remembers, “They’d hire us [kids] without letting anyone know. Mama told me they only paid in cash, never checks, because they didn’t want their names associated with us.” It was also a family affair. “We all did a lot of piling in the car with shovels to work in Hollywood and fancy places.”

Before long, the Topanga acres they called home became a haven for blacklisted actors and folk singers to gather and practice their arts. Woody Guthrie’s shack, soon to be turned into a museum, is still a highlight of

the property.

Will moved to New York for work in 1954 (Actors Equity, unlike the Screen Actors Guild under Ronald Reagan, did not blacklist artists). Actor/director John Houseman introduced Will to Shakespeare, for whom he developed a passion that he instilled in his children. Ellen laughs, remembering that, “Pop always used say, ‘Honey you’ll never have to go to a psychiatrist. All you need to do is read Shakespeare.’ It was true, despite it all; none of us ever needed a doctor.”

Working for several seasons at the American Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, Connecticut, Will built the first of several Shakespeare Gardens, some with Ellen’s help, at different non-profit theaters across the country where they performed together. The remains of Will and his former wife, Herta, both reside in Theatricum Botanicum’s own Shakespeare Garden. Though they divorced, they remained very close.

With little money coming in, by 1956 the family began dispersing across the country to make a living, working at repertory theaters, sometimes together and sometimes apart. Ellen says, “We all grew up in different places around the country, and after high school, began working in various repertory theaters, where we learned our skills and realized how important theater and education were for life in any era.”

In 1972, things changed. Will became Grandpa Walton on the longrunning TV series “The Waltons.” The family reunited in Topanga after a decade apart. “This land, which was so precious, helped us heal as a family,” Ellen recalled.

Before long, with just a sign posted along the side of the road, weekend gatherings of actors reading Shakespeare and folksingers sharing their songs morphed into Theatricum Botanicum. Initially a private enterprise, upon Will’s death in 1978, the family began the process of securing its non-profit status as an artist-run company. With guidance from her older sister Kate, and help from then Board member John Houseman, plus Ellen’s close friend, MaryAnn Dolcemascolo, and a canyon man they didn’t even know, Oscar McGraw, they learned the ropes of dealing with permitting agencies, going to government meetings, and slowly came out of the mire of some early mishaps regarding building code violations. “People have always showed up for us just when we needed them,” she recalls.

Now, says Ellen, it’s even more a family affair. “We’re four generations on the boards.” She’s still acting and writing for the company, even as she steps back to let her daughter Willow transition into the role of Artistic Director. Ellen’s son designs graphics and is facilities manager, her granddaughter is

Spirit of Two Wills

appearing onstage; her sister Melora Marshall (who lives on the grounds) is a lead actress in the company, along with her two sons, who create music and direct; and Willow’s boys now take their turns in the summer repertory productions.

From the beginning, education has been entwined with the company’s mission. Beginning in 1979 and every year since, thousands of students, from elementary to high school, have participated in School Days, a program that brings kids to this Topanga sanctuary and visits their classrooms for preparatory workshops. There’s a comprehensive study guide, an interactive Living History and talk-back with cast and crew, actors who teach techniques and more, in addition to the high-quality professional performances of Shakespeare and other plays in the idyllic outdoor amphitheater under the sky and trees.

Ellen says the most difficult role the Artistic Director plays is in choosing the plays. Because of the family’s history, there’s always a theme that resonates with present times and social activism.

This year, Macbeth is on the bill. Ellen says, “It’s all about power, and a couple whose ambitions drive them to destroy not only themselves but their country. And I’m writing a piece compiled from the history plays, Henry VI, Parts 1, 2 and 3, and Richard the Third, from the point of view of Queen Margaret” (the French Queen forced to marry Henry VI to end the Hundred Years’ War). “I’m excited about this because it’s about what happens when the wealthy and powerful get together to fight over who gets the power, and they don’t give a damn about the society around them.”

But it wouldn’t be summer without A Midsummer Night’s Dream, performed in a woodland setting that needs practically no set. “If I try to pull it out of the repertory, people get mad! Plus, it’s the perfect play for young people to be introduced to Shakespeare in terms of the language and the story,” Ellen says.

Lastly, kudos to gardener Tom Hayduk, who with his son, “comes in once a week to keep the grounds in order. We’ve just gotten a wonderful grant from L.A. County, spearheaded by [former] Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, to put in native plants, beautiful trees and creating rockways for the water to follow [during heavy rains] to prevent soil erosion.”

Happy Fiftieth Anniversary Theatricum Botanicum! May you continue to thrive.

Sarah A. Spitz is an award-winning public radio producer, retired from KCRW, where she also produced arts stories for NPR. She writes features and reviews for various print and online publications.

PHOTOS BY IAN FLANDERS

Max Lawrence as Macbeth and Willow Geer as Lady M. in Shakespeare’s Macbeth

Jonathan Blandino as Oberon and Willow Geer as Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Theatricum’s signature play every year.

RUDE INTERRUPTIONS

Zev’s Los Angeles

Political memoirs generally fall into at least one of two categories, boasting or tattling—the first motivated by vanity, the second by revenge.

By Joel Bellman

Zev’s Los Angeles,’ subtitled

“From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power,” falls into a third category: teaching, motivated instead by the desire to impart knowledge, wisdom, and experience. Also, maybe “inspiring,” as in encouraging young people to consider politics and elective office as an admirable and productive career choice.

His book has just been published by a small academic press specializing in scholarly and scientific works, as well as Jewish and Slavic studies. It’s the perfect literary home for this son of two Ukrainian immigrant Hebrew teachers, a lifelong Jewish community activist, a budding scholar who once pursued graduate studies in British Imperial History, and currently the director of the Los Angeles Initiative at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs and Department of History.

Zev’s project is close to my heart, and my account here won’t be totally objective, so let’s get the disclaimer out of the way. My maternal grandparents were also Ukrainian immigrants, and my father and brother both enjoyed long careers in academia.I’ve known Zev since I first interviewed him as a hard-charging Los Angeles City Councilmember back in 1981 at the beginning of my broadcast journalism career. A little over a decade later, I joined his County Supervisor staff and served for his entire 20-year tenure there. He was, frankly, a great boss for whom I’ve always had a tremendous amount of respect and admiration. Smart, ethical, hard-working, great politics. And one hell of a raconteur. What’s not to like?

Much of this book is lived history for me, and for a good third of it, a lot of the time I was in “the room where it happens.” With apologies to Lin-Manuel Miranda, I have a good idea of how the game is played, the art of the trade, how the sausage gets

made, how the parties get to “Yes,” the pieces sacrificed in every game of chess. And I don’t “just assume that it happens.”

It’s tremendously hard, tedious, frustrating, and sometimes unrewarding work. For elected officials, the press and public focus understandably but erroneously on the perks, power, and privileges of public office, rather than the stress, lack of privacy, complex policy questions, and heavy responsibilities that also are inescapably part of the mix. This is not to complain; Zev would be first to admit that this is what he, and we, signed up for. But like so many successful performers and athletes, a huge amount of effort, training, and discipline goes into making it look easy and effortless—even for born politicians like Zev, who instinctively acquired the skills and chutzpah (“self-confidence,” let’s say) from an early age.

One other essential personal quality he developed that too many politicians never do, and has been a saving grace: humility, the honesty and comfort level to identify and acknowledge what you don’t know, and perhaps even more importantly, to recognize and openly admit mistakes. An infallibility complex is a terrible curse, born of obtuseness and insecurity, and it’s especially ruinous for journalists and politicians. Not only has Zev tolerated, even welcomed, dissenting views among staff, I heard him ruefully confess—on the record, sometimes in public speeches—to occasional errors, misjudgments, and regrets over things not accomplished. I’ve worked for bosses who refused to acknowledge or admit mistakes, who “never apologize,” a stance as unrealistic as it is unhealthy.

Zev’s memoir is roughly divided into three sections. First, his family background, of sturdy immigrant stock, an account of separately losing both his parents at a relatively young age before he even achieved political office, and his older sister Shimona, who stepped in to support him—and with whom he remains extremely close, despite her longtime residence and family ties in Israel. There is

much rich detail about his Ukrainian ancestors, his parents (for whom both his son, a Superior Court judge, and daughter, a social worker, are named), and his emerging political activism against the Vietnam War and on behalf of oppressed Soviet Jewry.

Second, his 19-year tenure as a leader on the Los Angeles City Council, beginning with an insider’s account of his upset victory in 1975 over two well-known “establishment” candidates, one of them a former incumbent attempting a comeback and the other a staff aide and heavy favorite of the highly popular mayor, Tom Bradley. Here his prodigious research skills and near-photographic memory give us plenty of granular detail about various political battles and controversies, and his emerging mastery of fiscal and budgetary policy, planning and land use, transportation, and police reform.

The third section, covering his five terms on the County Board of Supervisors, was a real spin in the time machine for me. It’s an eerie feeling, seeing more than half of one’s life and career entombed in the pages of a history book. Though unavoidably simplified and abbreviated, Zev’s account of so many major issues and challenges tracks closely with my own memories, and there’s no exaggeration or embellishment here; quite the opposite.

The major accomplishments— funding and building out the Westside subway Purple Line, the Expo lightrail line from downtown to Santa Monica, the Orange Line busway across the San Fernando Valley, constructing Disney Hall, initiating major capital project improvements at the County Museum of Art, the Hollywood Bowl, and the Ford Amphitheatre, revamping KingDrew Medical Center, purchasing and protecting vast tracts of environmentally precious wilderness lands—entailed weeks, months, even years of determined effort and sometimes only fitful progress before achieving success. And those are just the things you can see and visit; initiating or improving County programs often flew under the media radar, experienced and appreciated mainly by residents who utilized and

depended on the services, but only very few others.

Zev was personally engaged in so much at the County, in fact, that I quickly compiled my own supplemental list of issues and achievements he was principally involved in that go unmentioned in the book, as well as some conspicuous policy shortcomings. These include the failure to replace Men’s Central Jail, reining in a rogue sheriff’s department, overhauling the County’s probation and child welfare departments, and improving the County’s response to homelessness, untreated mental illness, and substance abuse. But this is not to lay blame at his door alone; he tried mightily, and more than eight years after he left office, today’s Board has hardly fared any better in successfully addressing these critical issues.

I thought I knew Zev and his record reasonably well before I joined his staff in 1994, but two important things I subsequently learned really stand out. The knock I’d always heard was that despite his progressive credentials, Zev was never quite aggressive enough. To the activists, he was too timid to really engage, too eager to compromise and sacrifice principles just to close the deal. But they were quite wrong. In truth, he was a master of timing, able to both spot and seize genuine opportunities, while exercising the discipline to sit back and wait when his finely tuned political instincts told him the moment wasn’t ripe. He repeatedly demonstrated bold thinking and decisive action when it counted, and the historical record— only some of which is recounted in this memoir—bears that out.

Finally, I had never met his wife Barbara before I began working for him, but soon realized what a force of nature (and nurture) she was. As he acknowledges throughout the book, particularly in a long and loving introduction and conclusion, she had been the wind beneath his wings from their first date in 1967 until her untimely passing from a West Nile viral infection 51 years later. She was truly the matriarch of our office, and frequently called us individually with ideas and suggestions that were usually interesting and sound. Indeed, perhaps inspired by Barbara and his sister Shimona, he always relied on smart, strong women throughout his political career, and they were great colleagues.

The best compliment I ever got during my County tenure came from a senior deputy in a fellow Supervisor’s office. “Everybody on the eighth floor (where our offices were located in the County Hall of Administration) knows that Zev has always had the best staff,” he told me. “I mean, you guys are the New York Yankees.”

This memoir reminds me why it had been such a privilege to play for Zev’s team.

Thank You Everyone Who Made Topanga Days A Success!

The Topanga Community Center Board members want to take a moment and send our sincerest THANK YOU to everyone who came out and celebrated Topanga Days and helped to make our fundraiser successful! I’m sure it doesn’t come as a surprise, but this festival is an intense undertaking which the all-volunteer TCC Board takes upon their shoulders.

So a huge shout out goes to the Board: Nonie Shore, who produces this beast. Kelly Rockwell, Franka Diehnelt, Andy Monn, and Rick Provisor: Thank you for giving up so much of your time to make this event memorable. Also, a mammoth Thank You to Christine McGrath, who handled all web related aspects of the event!

Thank you to our coordinators who donated so much of their time! Caitlin Carleton (Operations); Jerry and Henry Simer (TCC Caretakers); Tom Mitchell (Corral Stage); Randy Renner (Main Stage Stage Manager); Tali Whalley (Volunteer Sign in), Sarah Livingston (Volunteer online), Jacques Bleu & Mary Dippel (Wine Bar); Dayna Miller (Food Vendors/ ETC...); Curtis Hein (Merchant Vendors); Randy Just (Maintenance & Signs); Lindsay Zook (Parade); Shannon Thomas (TCC booth/T-shirts); Loren Greenshields, Mike Buckley & Crew (Parking); Brody & Catalina (games); Adam Noble Roberts (MC); Dave Thompson & Sean (Bar); Sierra Friday (Ticket Booth); Angie Winslow (Graphic Design), Damon Ferrara (PR/ Backstage Helper), Stephen Gandee (Backstage Hospitality); Chris Wilson (Backstage Helper); Kelly Constantine (Sign Painting/ ETC…); Sidney Brody (Poster hanging); Zianna Weston (Social Media); Guada and her cleaning crew (Cleaning & Trash).

And… thank you to everyone who stepped up to volunteer for this event in whatever capacity, as we could not do this without each and every one of you!

Please take a moment and provide feedback:  https://forms.gle/ G6o6eCwFM9z6CHha7

…AND THE WINNERS ARE

• Diaper Derby: Andrew Griffes, Billy Simpson, Cap Breese

• Sack Races: 12: Kiley Cazun, 12: Ella Cohen 50: Micaela Chambers

• Sack Race 50+: Micayla Chambers

• Three-Legged Race: Kiley Anaïs; Wakako Takagi; Deb Rivera

• Three-Legged Race 50+: Morgan Runyon, Brendon Ohalloran

• Musical Chairs: Tara and Beatrix Rand

• Water Balloon Basketball: Kanan Lerner and Shane Lerner

• Egg Toss: Sean and Seth Kirkpatrick (2022 winners as well)

• Cherry Seed Spitting: Bradley Schmidt

• Best Beard: Fran McGivern

• Animal Impressions: Lukas Mackey

• Limbo: Michelle Wolzinger

• Dance: Leelah Balloon

• Pie Eating Contest: Brandon Gritters

PHOTO BY DENIS HANNIGAN

By TECS News Team

Topanga’s next generation of stars shone brightly in a spectacular performance of Moana Jr. at Topanga Elementary Charter School (TECS).

Local theater arts organization FOCUSfish produced the dazzling musical, their 15th show at TECS, with many of the audience calling it the best elementary school production they had ever seen.

Kristy Beauvais, the show’s producer, director, and executive director of FOCUSfish, said, “Just three days prior to opening night, I thought I was done with directing these school musical. Quite frankly, it looked like a mess and I was panicked.

Special Moana Jr. Show

“But then the costumes came in, the boat started sailing, the theatrical lights came on, and the audience showed up. Children need an audience. All three shows blew me away. Our young actors listened and took every direction to heart. Even though I don’t always know that they are listening, they always do. Bravo, Moana Jr. 2023!”

The show was packed with warmth, humor, and beautiful traditional Polynesian costumes and choreography. Among the stars were Maya Rzhanova in the title role of Moana, Wolf Momoa as the mighty demigod Maui, and Leelah Ball as the ruthless crab Tamatoa.

Joining the cast were 21 of this year’s “Rising

Stars” kids from FOCUSfish’s after school theater program for TK to first graders. This popular program, taught by Meredyth Hunt, introduces children to theater arts through creative play and outdoor activities near Topanga Elementary’s beautiful gardens and outdoor stage.

“Performing arts are a very important part of our program at TECS,” said Principal Kevin Kassebaum. “And the spring musical is a major highlight of the year. We are so grateful to the entire team, led by Kristy and supported by many, for making this amazing show. Moana was a unique opportunity for students from TK/K all the way to fifth grade.”

Zoe Tashjian, in the role of Te Fiti, surrounded by the Moana Jr. cast

Maya Rzhanova as Moana and Wolf Momoa as Maui share the stage

The Rising Stars enjoy their chance to sparkle

Topanga Symphony Presents

Pamela Goldsmith on the Viola D’Amore

By Jeanne Mitchell

The Topanga Symphony will present the free summer concert of their 41st season on June 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the Topanga Community Center.

A favorite soloist with the Topanga Symphony, Pamela Goldsmith will perform a concerto by Antonio Vivaldi for the unique Viola D’amore, an eighteenth-century-style bowed instrument. The concert will also include the Czech Suite, Op. 39 by Antonin Dvořák, and the Symphony #4 in A major, Op. 90 by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy.

Pamela Goldsmith is world renowned as a performer and lecturer in the International Viola Society Congress (Wellington, New Zealand), the International Viola d’Amore Congress (Stuttgart and England), the International Master Courses (Kapaonik, Yugoslavia), the International Music Academy (Czech Republic) and at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

She was raised in Los Angeles and attended UCLA, Mannes College of Music, and Stanford University, where she received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree, She is an emeritus winner of the Most Valuable Player award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. She was both Vice President and Secretary of the American Viola Society and her articles on the application of scholarly research to performance

style have appeared in many journals.

Goldsmith appeared with the Topanga Symphony on March 13, 2011, and performed in the Topanga Symphony’s 100th concert on August 29, 2015.

Violas d’amore typically have seven playing strings, tuned in the key of the composition. Perhaps the most distinguishable characteristic of the instrument is the presence of sympathetic strings These are located behind the bowed strings and not played but vibrate “in sympathy.” The sympathetic strings contribute to produce a tone that is clear and often described as “silvery,” as well as creating a more resonant sound. Bringing this unusual instrument to life on the stage of the Topanga Community Center, Goldsmith will inspire the centuries old Antonio Vivaldi composition into our modern times.

The Czech Suite, Op. 39 by Antonin Dvořák was composed in 1879. He was an avid train spotter, collecting the engine numbers of the express trains from Prague to Vienna and Dresden and also spent considerable time with closely watched trains in New York during his time spent in the U.S. He was said to find much inspiration from them in his compositions including the Czech Suite.

Felix Mendelssohn wrote of the Symphony #4 in A major, Op. 90, “It will be the jolliest piece I

Disco Fuchsia ‘Into the Night’

Disco Fuchsia with Jules Girard leading the way, was the first to electrify the Topanga Days main stage on Sunday morning, May 28. Its third music video, “Into The Night,” was released May 31 and tells the story of an asteroid hitting Planet Disco Fuchsia, catapulting two lovers into

separate worlds. The remote lovers may only communicate through a space portal that opens when the clock turns nine and the stars align. This intergalactic floor-filler fuses EDM beats with rock guitar and fits playlists like Poolside Disco and Dance Party. The single and 4K music video builds on the first two singles receiving over 130K streams. Disco Fuchsia comes alive with highenergy shirtless performances.

Upcoming Performance: June 21 3:30 pm Topanga Courtyard at Endless Color @ Topanga Make Music Day.  For Bookings contact: discofuchsia@ gmail.com

Disco Fuchsia Offerings: DJ, Live Band, Weddings, Private Events, Music Production, Sync Licensing, Karaoke Hosting, MC

have ever done.” Lively and memorable, the final piece of the concert will be an uplifting experience to a joyful Sunday evening in Topanga’s beautiful Santa Monica Mountain community. Bring a friend and all the family to enjoy it together. For more information and to become a “Friend of the Topanga Symphony,” visit topangasymphony.com.

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KIRSTEN BOHMAN

310.403.4818

KirstenBohman@gmail.com

IG: vacayeveryday4life

CalDRE# 02023958

Soloist Pamela Goldsmith performs a Vivaldi concerto on the Viola D’Amore (left).

June EVENTS

Ongoing: Sunday Bible Study with Michelle Klein, 10 a.m., Worship Service with Pastor John Klein, 11 a.m. The canyon is amazingly green, full of blooming plants and lush foliage. It’s all about renewal. Come to church this Sunday and be renewed! “I am leaving you with a gift... peace of mind and heart… a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”  John 14: 26-27. Topanga Christian Fellowship, 269 Old Topanga Canyon Road, Topanga, CA 90290, (310)455-1048, topangachristianfellowship.org.

Kidiwische Corner Workshops. Saturday, June 10. Flintknapping with Chumash flintknapper Steven Saffold. Sunday, June 11. Father’s Day. Round reed baskets. Make Dad a special gift!

To be scheduled: Book signings, storytelling events, Native kids’ games, Dreamcatchers, Acorn cooking and Arts, Everything Elderberry, dogbane and yucca cordage, kelp rattles, using earth pigments, a prickly pear party, and more! For information: KatCalls@aol.com.

Sunday June 11, Monday, June 12, 19, 26, 11:30 a.m.-12”30 p.m. Introduction to Ukulele with Melanie Kareem. Ukuleles provided. Sages Room at Topanga Community Center, 1440 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd. RSVP: (310) 403-3159, getstartedplayingukulele.com.

Sunday, June 11 and 18, 10 a.m-Noon, The Poetry Salon at Corazon. A collaborative poetry current thatmeets to delight in the spirit of creativity, wisdom and the magic of poetry and prose. Beginners welcome and seasoned writers are encouraged. 125 S Topanga Canyon Blvd, Topanga, CA 90290

Tuesday, June 13, 2-3 p.m., Book Talk with author Mary Crescenzo. “The Planet Alzheimer’s Guide,” Bringing joy in the midst of darkness of this disease, provides expert guidance for personal and professional caregivers with her Care Through the Arts Method in the Sages Room at Topanga Community Center, 1440 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd. For information: marycrescenzo.com.

Saturday, June 17, 10 a.m.-Noon, Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project. Public Information Meeting, overview and update by members of the organizations behind the restoration of Topanga Lagoon. Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, 4232 Las Virgenes R., #1994, Calabasas, CA 91302. Stream Live on YouTube, Link to be announced. RSVP: Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, 540 S. Topanga Canyon Blvd, Topanga, CA 90290; (818) 597-8627

Sunday, June 18, 2 p.m., Roberto Cani & Friends, Concertmaster of the LA Opera Orchestra. Principals of the orchestra create a superb string quartet for a concert of classical music at Crazy J. On the program are works by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Puccini. Dress for outdoor event. $25 Suggested Donation. For info: (310) 7526069; crazyjtopanga@gmail.com

Sunday, June 18, Father’s Day.

Tuesday, June 21, Make Music Day. Topanga will be making music all day for the third year in this entirely volunteer-run event. It started in France in 1982 when France’sMinistry of Culture imagined a day of free, live music everywhere on the summer solstice. Three decades later, theholiday has spread throughut the world and is now celebrated in more than 120 countries. In the U.S., the presenting sponsor is the NAMM Foundation and inTopanga, 88.5 M, the SoCal Sound is the presenting sponsor

Tuesday, June 21, 3:30 p.m., Disco Fuchsia. Jules Girard performs with his band in the Topanga Courtyard at Endless Color restaurant. Its third music video, “Into the Night,” was released May 31. Disco Fuchsia Offerings: DJ, Live Band, Weddings, Private Events, Music Production, Sync Licensing, Karaoke Hosting, MC. For Bookings contact: discofuchsia@gmail.com.

June 25, 7:30 p.m., Topanga Symphony Summer Concert. Pamela Goldsmith will perform a concerto by Antonio Vivaldi for the unique Viola D’amore, an eighteenth-century-style bowed instrument. Topanga Community Center, 1440 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga, CA 90290. For information: topangasymphony.com.

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Photo

PHOTO BY FLAVIA POTENZA

Disco Fuschia’s Jules Girard, lead vocals, is backed up by Mina Bloom on keyboard and (not pictured) Joao Perrusi, guitar; Manoela Wunder, violin; Brian Beaver, drummer; and Rob House, bass at Topanga Days. On June 21, find them playing at Endless Color restaurant, for Music Day.

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