Peninsula People Oct 2016

Volume XXI, Issue 3 October 2016

October 2016 • Peninsula 3

PENINSULA 

Volume XXI, Issue 3 

October 2016 

P A L O S V E R D E S P E N I N S U L A M O N T H L Y 

ON THE COVER 

John Z. Blazevich and Alex McLeod in the hamam at 

Hacienda de La Paz. 

PROFILES 

12 

24 

38 

32 

An Indian wedding 

by Mark McDermott 

Sanam Madhav and Neil Chhabria wed in 

a three day ceremony informed by four 

centuries of Indian tradition. 

Gould would wood 

by Bondo Wyszpolski 

Woodturner Richard Gould makes art of 

felled and abandoned trees. 

Hacienda de la Paz 

by Kevin Cody 

John Z. Blazevich wanted to build an 

iconic home embracing art, architecture 

and engineering spanning a millennium. 

Rolling Hills planners had their doubts 

about the project, but not any more. 

Brooklyn’s Bell 

by Kevin Cody 

Chef Robert Bell recalls a lifetime of 

cooking, dating back to Grandma 

Terano’s Brooklyn kitchen, after whom 

he named his Peninsula restaurant. 

HIGHLIGHTS 

6 Vista for Children golf 

18 Gary Johnson at Drew Cary’s 

24 Jester & Pharley tennis 

28 H.E.L.P celebrates 50th anniversary 

DEPARTMENTS 

29 Peninsula calendar 

62 Peninsula Home & Garden Guide 

69 Home services 

Photo by David Fairchild 

STAFF 

EDITOR 

Mark McDermott 

PUBLISHER 

Stephanie Cartozian 

PUBLISHER EMERITUS 

Mary Jane Schoenheider 

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER 

Richard Budman 

DISPLAY SALES 

Adrienne Slaughter, 

Tamar Gillotti, Amy Berg, 

Shelley Crawford 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Teri Marin 

ADVERTISING 

DIRECTOR 

Richard Budman 

ADVERTISING 

COORDINATOR 

Teri Marin 

GRAPHIC DESIGNER 

Tim Teebken 

FRONT DESK 

Judy Rae 

DIRECTOR OF 

DIGITAL MEDIA 

Daniel Sofer (Hermosawave.net) 

CONTACT 

MAILING ADDRESS 

P.O. Box 745 

Hermosa Beach, CA 

90254 

PHONE 

(310) 372-4611 

FAX 

(424) 212-6780 

WEBSITE 

www.easyreadernews.com 

EDITORIAL 

PenPeople@ 

easyreadernews.com 

ADVERTISING 

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displayads@ 

easyreadernews.com 

Please see the Classified Ad 

Section for info. 

FICTITIOUS NAME 

STATEMENTS (DBA’S) 

can be filed at the 

office during regular 

business hours. 

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Peninsula People is a supplemental 

publication of Easy 

Reader, 2200 Pacific Cst. Hwy. 

#101., PO Box 745, Hermosa Beach, 

CA. 90254-0427. 

SUBSCRIPTIONS 

Yearly domestic mail subscriptions 

to Peninsula People are $80, foreign 

$90 payable in advance. The 

entire contents of Peninsula People 

are copyrighted 2016 by 

Peninsula People, Inc. 

4 Peninsula • October 2016

Shopping, dining and entertainment, we’ve got it all! 

APPAREL & ACCESSORIES 

Friar Tux Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 534-4700 

Styles of Hawaii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 326-2151 

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Pia Hair Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 326-0815 

Rolling Hills Beauty Bar. . . . . . . . . . (310) 530-3844 

Victor Anthony’s Hair Studio . . . . . . (310) 326-2338 

Vogue Beauty Studio. . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 530-5900 

Waterside Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 534-4242 

BOOKS/CARDS/GIFTS/ 

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS 

The Gift Korner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 539-5011 

The Tutoring Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 530-5377 

DRY CLEANING 

Beltone Cleaners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 325-2511 

ENTERTAINMENT 

AMC Theater Rolling Hills 20 . . . . . (888) 262-4386 

FINANCIAL/BUSINESS SERVICES 

Chase Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 257-1997 

The Postal Mart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 325-6777 

South Bay Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . (310) 374-3436 

GROCERY/SPECIALTY FOODS 

Baskin Robbins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 530-6812 

BevMo! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 257-0034 

Cups’s Frozen Yogurt . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 534-2625 

Nijiya Japanese Market . . . . . . . . . . (310) 534-3000 

Omaha Steaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 539-3831 

Peet’s Coffee & Tea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 626-8008 

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Whole Foods Market . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 257-8700 

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HEALTH & FITNESS 

Arthur Murray Dance Studio . . . . . . (310) 977-0987 

Great Earth Vitamins. . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 534-8494 

My Fit Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 257-9175 

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24 Hour Fitness Center . . . . . . . . . . (310) 534-5100 

Weight Watchers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (800) 651-6000 

HOME FURNISHINGS 

Bed, Bath & Beyond . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 325-0432 

Hitachiya. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 534-3136 

INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES 

Budding Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 326-9764 

Color Me Mine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 325-9968 

JEWELRY 

Modern Jewelry Mart . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 517-0308 

MEDICAL/DENTAL SERVICES 

Dr. Mylena Jl, D.D.S, Inc.. . . . . . . . . (310) 326-4691 

Dr. M.G. Monzon, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . (310) 891-3303 

Dr. Nolan Ng, Optometrist . . . . . . . (310) 326-2881 

Olive Chiropractic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 539-2285 

South Bay Pain Docs . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 626-8037 

Torrance Family Urgent 

Care Center of South Bay . . . . . . . . . (310) 997-1796 

PET & GROOMING 

Grooming Wonders . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 534-1130 

Pet’s Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 539-5700 

Wild Birds Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 326-2473 

REAL ESTATE 

J A Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 539-2430 

Person Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 325-8700 

RESTAURANTS 

Blaze Pizza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 325-9500 

Broth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 541-1227 

California Pizza Kitchen. . . . . . . . . . (310) 539-5410 

Daphne’s Greek Café. . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 257-1861 

Fanoos Persian Restaurant . . . . . . . . (310) 530-4316 

Fish Bonz Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 325-2669 

Hakata Yamaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 257-1800 

IcCho Japanese Restaurant. . . . . . . . (310) 325-7273 

Ichimi An . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 784-0551 

Islands Restaurant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 530-5383 

Joey’s Smokin’ B.B.Q . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 257-1324 

Kabab Curry of India . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 539-0171 

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot . . . . (310) 517-9605 

Mashawi Lebanese Grill . . . . . . . . . . (310) 325-3545 

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Rubio’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 891-1811 

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Sushi Boy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 534-4013 

Veggie Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (310) 325-6689 

Northeast Corner of Crenshaw & Pacific Coast Highway in Torrance 

For Information Call (310) 534-0411 

A LA CAZE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY PROJECT 


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S P O T L I G H T O N T H E H I L L 

Vistas for Children 

Golf Tournament 

Nearly 100 golfers participated in Vistas 

for Children’s annual golf tournament 

at the Palos Verdes Golf Club. The tournament 

raised $32,000, which will benefit 

South Bay children’s charities. 

1. Current and Past Vistas Presidents 

Pam Branam, Nadine Bobit, 

Eileen Krock, Karen Odom and 

Helaine Lopes. 

2. Tournament co-chairs Tricia 

Hawkins, Pam Branam and Cindy 

Percz. 

3. Larry Percz, Mark Herand, 

Dave Carpenter, Brad Means and 

Paul Stimpfl. 

4. Larry and Pam Branam and 

guests. 

5. Helaine Lopes, Pam Branam, 

4th District Supervisorial candidate 

Steve Napolitano and Cindy 

Percz. 

6. Tournament winners Steve 

Hunt, Jonathan Hathaway, Matt 

Misitich and Dane Lupe. 

7. Wells Fargo’s Paul and 

MaryKay Stimpfl. 

8. Rich Severa, Tom Ricci, Mike 

Melideo, Steve Cox and Cindy 

Percz. 

9. Ginger McNary, Paul Stimpfl 

and Deirdre Hunt. 

10. Tricia Hawkins, Madeline Jordan 

and Brenda Beatty. 

Page layout by Caterina Hyneman 

2 

1 

3 

5 

4 

7 

6 

8 

9 10 



Vivaha 

by Mark McDermott

Sanam amd Neil’s parents praying for the couple’s matrimony. From left to right, Sanam, Malvika, Atul, Philomina, Raju, and Neil. Photo by Lin & Jirsa 

Neil and Sanam Chhabria begin a new life toget her by following four centuries of 

tradition wit h a t hree day celebration 

Sanam and Neil Chhabria were married August 

20 in a traditional Hindu wedding, or 

Vivaha, that was the culmination of three 

days of elaborate rituals. Festivities began Thursday 

with an eight-hour ceremony in which the 

bride was painted with intricate henna designs at 

the groom’s family home in Palos Verdes Estates 

and ended Saturday with an exuberantly colorful 

wedding at the Hyatt Regency Resort in Huntington 

Beach. 

But the newlywed’s love story began, with considerably 

less grandeur, on December 18, 2010, 

at Big Mike’s Philly Steaks & Subs sandwich shop 

in Hermosa Beach. 

Neil, the son of local real estate icon Raju 

Chhabria and his wife Philomina, had invited his 

UC San Diego college friend, Diva, to a hip hop 

show he was promoting at a nearby Hermosa 

nightclub. His brother, Anand, was performing. 

His friend brought a few cousins, including 

Sanam, the daughter of Atul and Malvika Madhav 

of El Segundo. Diva called to meet before the 

show, and Neil asked the girls to join him at Big 

Mike’s, famed for its massive Philly cheesesteak 

sandwiches. 

Neil was in mid-cheesesteak when they arrived. 

He was immediately struck by Sanam. 

“I wasn’t expecting to really meet anyone, but 

Diva was bringing these two cousins and she 

called me. ‘Okay, cool, whatever — meet me at 

Big Mike’s so I can walk you into the show and 

you don’t have to pay cover,’” he recalled. “They 

show up at Big Mike’s and I’m chowing down on 

a sandwich. Then I saw Sanam, and got a chance 

to take in her beauty….It’s really corny and I feel 

weird saying it...They say the eyes are the windows 

to the soul, and I looked at her eyes and I 

could tell she’s a really good person. I don’t know 

how else to explain it other than I liked what I 

saw, and not just physically.” 

Sanam, a lifelong vegetarian, was less impressed. 

“I’m like, ‘Ew, what are you eating?’” Sanam remembered. 

“I remember him just going at it, and 

the sandwich was just so much meat. I was thinking, 

‘Oh god, this guy is like a serious carnivore.’” 

“She was repulsed,” Neil remembered. 

At the show, Neil kept his distance. “I think he 

wanted to see what kind of girl I was, what I was 

about,” Sanam said. 

But he couldn’t help but watch Sanam, who 

was 20 at the time, a student in radiologic science 

at Cal State Northridge. He liked everything 

about the way she carried herself. 

“I pretty much fell in love that night,” he said. 

The next morning, Sanam checked her Facebook 

to find a friend request from Neil. She accepted, 

and they chatted online; he asked for her 

phone number and she gave it to him. She realized 

from the outset his interest was romantic. 

“When someone sends you a smiley face, you 

know what it’s about,” she said. 

She thought Neil was a nice guy, but Sanam 

was so focused on school that she wasn’t even 

considering dating. In fact, she’d never dated; her 

priority was education and she didn’t want distractions. 

But Neil sweetly persisted, gently asking 

her out again and again over the next few 

months. 

The couple’s mutual love for the Los Angeles 

Lakers helped pave the way. He’d asked her out 

for Valentine’s Day, but she told him she thought 

it was a silly holiday. Instead, a few days later that 

February, Sanam agreed to go with Neil and a 

group of mutual friends to festivities surrounding 

the NBA All Star Game, which was at the Staples 

Center that year. Over the course of the evening, 

she realized how much she really liked Neil. 

Vivaha cont. on page 56 


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Libertarian Johnson 

meets with area supporters 

Kerry Welsh knew he’d found a presidential 

candidate he could support 

when Libertarian Party presidential candidate 

Gary Johnson stayed at the Rancho 

Palos Verdes home of Welsh and his 

wife Helen. 

Despite RPV’s steep hills, the candidate 

wanted to go on a bike ride. Johnson 

has climbed each of the highest mountains 

on the seven continents. “Unfortunately, 

I told Gary, my bike has a flat. 

‘Not a problem. I’ll fix it,’ he said. I 

thought, wow, a presidential candidate 

who’s not afraid to get his hands dirty,” 

Welsh recalled at the candidate’s visit to 

a fundraiser he co-hosted in July at the 

home of comedian Drew Carey. 

Nirvana bass player Krist Noselic reminded 

Johnson supporters of how the 

Seattle grundge band’s 1991 hit “Smells 

like teen spirit” went “viral” after receiving 

play on MTV. He said today’s more 

powerful social media gives small party 

candidates like Johnson an opportunity 

to challenge the major party candidates. 

R.J. Lyman, a law partner of Johnson’s 

vice presidential running mate, former 

Massachusetts governor William Weld, 

told supporters, “Theodore Roosevelt 

promised the Square Deal, Franklin Delano 

Roosevelt promised the New Deal. 

Truman promised the Fair Deal. Trump 

is promising the Art of the Deal, and 

Clinton is serving up the Same Old 

Deal.” 

Johnson, he said is the Real Deal. 

Johnson told of building his handyman 

business from one employee (himself) to 

1,000 employees before becoming governor 

of Texas, where, he said, he vetoed a 

record 700 bills. 

Johnson described himself as the fiscally 

conservative candidate who favors 

less government, and more individual 

liberties. He proposed replacing military 

intervention with free trade diplomacy. 

Johnson is hoping to reach the 15 percent 

poll threshold that would qualify him for 

participation in the presidential debates. 

1. Presidential candidate Gary Johnson with Kerry 

Welsh, Drew Carey and VEEP co-star Diedrich Bader. 

2. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson with former 

Walt Disney COO Gary Wilson. 

3. Bob and Buckita Leff of Hermosa Beach. 

4. Nirvana bass player Krist Novoselic. 

5. R.J. Lyman, a partner of Johnson’s vice 

presidential running mate William Weld. 

1 2 

3 4 

5 6 

6. Co-host Kerry Welsh of Rancho Palos Verdes 

introduces Libertarian party presidential nominee 

Gary Johnson 

7. Nominee Johnson with Matt Kibbe, a political 

organizer with the Concerned American Voters, a Rand 

Paul SuperPAC. 

8. Gary Johnson with Hermosa Beach supporters 

Warren Barr DDS, and wife Peggy. 

PHOTOS BY KEVIN CODY 

7 

8 




4th Annual Jester & Pharley 

Tennis tournament benefits 

Children with cancer 

The rousing round-robin at Alta Vista Park 

in Redondo Beach raised funds to provide 

copies of David Saltzman’s awardwinning 

children’s book The Jester Has Lost His 

Jingle and Jester & Pharley dolls to young cancer 

patients at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in 

Torrance. 

Janice Bittker and Hans Lavik, both of Redondo 

Beach, slammed their way to first place 

in Division A in the recent annual Jester & 

Pharley Phund Benefit Doubles Tennis Tournament. 

Lisa Greiner of Rolling Hills and Wayne 

Turner of Hawthorne took first-place honors in 

Division B. 

“It’s always so much fun to play at this event 

and raise money to help children with cancer,” 

said John Mandich, who, at 91, was the oldest 

player. His excitement was seconded by pals 

Don Short, 85, and Maurice Kogon, 79. 

Players enjoyed lunch and refreshments donated 

by Trader Joe’s and Starbucks of Riviera 

Village and from Subway and Peet’s Coffee & 

Tea of Redondo Beach. 

The South Bay-based Jester & Pharley Phund 

takes its inspiration from the N.Y. Times bestselling 

children’s book written and illustrated 

by Chadwick School graduate David Saltzman 

as his senior project at Yale University before 

his death from cancer in 1990. For additional 

information, visit, www.thejester.org or call 

310-544-4733. 

1 

1. Division A winners Janice 

Bittaker and Hans Lavik receive 

trophies from Chair 

Heidi Grimm. 

2. Chair Heidi Grimm 

presents Division A runnersup 

Tammi Giardino and Hugo 

Silva with their trophies. 

3. Division B Winners 

Wayne Turner and Lisa 

4 5 

Greiner receive trophies from 

Heidi Grimm. 

4. Division B runners-up 

Vince Comon and Karin 

Proell beam over their 

hard-fought victory. 

5. John Mandich won 2 out 

of 3 matches. 

6. Don Short, left, and 

Maurice Kogan. 

2 3 

6 

7. Amy Hastings. 

8. Judith Karon. 

9. Chuck Atwood, Carmen 

Ferradas and Betsy Dobson. 

10. Gabe Papp. 

11. Tammi Giardino. 

12. Duke Hendrickson. 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF 

THE JESTER & PHARLEY PHUND 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 12 


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Lower Malaga Cove with panoramic Queen's Necklace and ocean views! Charm throughout 

including 3 bedrooms and a beautiful veranda and patio. $1,999,000

Richard Gould in his workshop. Photo by Bondo Wyszpolski 

Former home builder 

Richard Gould 

turns wood into art 

by Bondo Wyszpolski 

Richard Gould holds up a chunk of wood, which 

gives rise to the inevitable first question, Okay, so 

what? 

“It’s mystery wood,” he replies. “And it’s also free.” 

Explain why it’s free, and why it’s also a mystery. 

“It’s free because a friend was cutting down a tree, and 

it’s a mystery because I don’t know what it is.” 

Would someone else be able to identify it? 

“I’ve tried that with this wood. It looks like ficus, but 

some people say it’s not ficus. A lot of times you’ll get a 

wood and you won’t be able to figure out what it is. I 

know a lot of my woods, but this one is a mystery to me. 

It’s not ash, it’s not maple…” 

Richard Gould is a woodturner, or maybe woodcrafter, 

but not a woodcarver, which is often imagined as an old 

guy sitting on a stump with a piece of wood in one hand 

and a penknife in the other. Gould is also more than a 

woodturner who specializes in bowls. 

Bowled 

Over 

Chips falling where they may 

How do you get free wood? 

“A lot of people all over the South Bay know that 

I’m a woodturner,” Gould replies. “A lot of tree cutters 

know me, too. So people call me and say, We’re 

cutting down a tree, can you come get it?” He does, 

and sometimes there are surprises, like finding a rare 

coin in your pocket change. 

“A friend’s next door neighbor was taking down 

this macadamia tree, and she called me on a Saturday 

and said, Richard, they’re taking it down right 

now, can you get over here? I said, oh my god, 

macadamia, that’s a little exotic, isn’t it?” 

He’ll also find free wood on Craig’s List, and 

sometimes will drive a great distance to pick it up. 

At this point we’re in Gould’s garage, a former 

three-car garage but now with hardly enough room 

to park a bicycle. “I have a whole woodworking shop 

here,” he says, stating the obvious, and with enough 

tools (and of course the knowhow) to make all kinds 

of furniture. As if that isn’t impressive enough, “I 

also have a small metalshop over there,” he adds, indicating 

another area of the garage. With his metal 

lathe and other equipment he can make his own 

tools. Meanwhile, the rest of us are keeping Lowe’s 

and Home Depot in business. 

“My dad did woodworking when I was a kid,” 

Gould says, “and he allowed me to use his workshop. 

That’s what kind of got me into this, through 

my dad.” 

“I’ve been doing this a long, long 

time. Woodworking is my hobby; I 

don’t make money off of it, really.” 

After another quick look around the 

workshop: It looks like a long-term 

hobby. 

“This is collected over many, many 

years,” Gould replies. “I’ve just recently 

started turning wood, and I just 

recently started doing art shows. But 

I’ve always had a workshop, so my 

workshop’s been here for a long time. 

My lathe-turning is something that’s 

a little bit newer, like in the last sixseven 

years.” 

But what’s the sense of interviewing 

a woodturner who doesn’t switch 

on his wood-lathe and show you how 

it’s done? 

Gould does just that, giving an explanation 

and then a demonstration. 

“I turn the outside [of the bowl] 

first. I plan it, and I plan it trying to 

get an interesting rim.” And in the 

process he introduces the functions of 

a spur drive, the tenon and the chuck, 

the headstock and tailstock. Chips fly, 

and then the outside shape of yet another 

bowl begins to emerge. “I turn 

the bowl around on the lathe in order 

to do the inside,” he says, but for now 

cutting off the machine. 

“I also do mentoring for Boy 

Scouts,” Gould says, removing his 

goggles. “I’m a merit badge counselor 

for woodworking and I’m involved in 

a lot of Eagle projects.... There’s not 

really much woodworking in the 

schools anymore, so I try to help out 

and give back that way.” 

Man on the move 

“I’ve always lived in the South Bay,” 

Gould says. “I went to El Segundo 

High School, I’ve lived in Manhattan, 

Hermosa, Redondo, PV, then back to 

El Segundo, then back to Redondo, 

then back to Manhattan, and back to 

Redondo and then PV.” 

Currently, Gould and his family live 

in a large three-story home a bit down 

the road from Chadwick in Rolling 

Hills Estates. 

“I’ve been in this house about ten 

years,” he replies, when asked. “I built 

this house [although not in his workshop]. 

We wanted to get my kids into 

the PV school district and so we 

moved up here. Now that they’ve 

graduated we’re thinking about building 

another house. This is like my 

fifth house I’ve built for myself.” 

Well, Geppetto with all of his woodcarving 

skills could never have afforded 

anything this nice, so Gould 

must have been spending a lot of time 

away from the wood-lathe. But he did 

say that woodworking was just his 

hobby, didn’t he? 


So what do you do as a real job? 

“I ran an architectural company for 

a development corporation,” Gould 

replies. “Maybe in the 35 years I was 

with that company I designed and 

processed and oversaw the plans for 

4,000 houses. That’s what I did for 

the majority of my professional life, 

design houses, either custom or tract 

houses, and implemented the construction 

of them. It’s kind of like an 

architect, but it’s not an architect: I 

had architects working for me. 

“Later on in my career I got into 

real estate development. We developed 

properties, so it meant dealing 

with planning departments and planning 

commissions and city councils.” 

He’s still involved in such endeavors, 

but seemingly at a more relaxed 

pace. When he states, “I think I’d 

rather wear shorts to work” that 

about sums it up. And pretty nicely, 

don’t you agree? 

The finishing touch 

Although Gould has “only” been a 

woodturner for six or seven years, 

he’s already been recognized for his 

work. This past summer he received 

the Gwen Sandvick Award for 3D at 

the Celebrating PVAC Artists Groups 

Show at the Palos Verdes Art Center. 

He’s also a member of several related 

organizations, the American Association 

of Woodturners, the El Camino 

Woodturners Guild, and the Redondo 

Beach Art Group, among others. 

We’ve been looking at one of his 

woodpiles, outdoors next to his house. 

Gould has lifted the tarp that covers 

the blocks of wood and points out 

how he seals the ends with wax so 

they don’t dry out too fast. While he’s 

pointing to the black acacia that came 

from Torrance I’m keeping an eye out 

for snakes, having lived on the Hill 

myself, back when dinosaurs ruled 

the earth. 

Inside the workshop once more, 

Gould studies the rows of unfinished 

bowls. After he’s rough-turned them, 

they sit for a few months losing 

weight and drying out, and in fact 

Gould charts the progress of each 

bowl rather carefully. “When it stops 

losing weight it means it’s come to 

equilibrium in this climate, and I can 

go ahead and finish it safely. In the 

first month or two it’s very susceptible 

to cracking, especially if it’s really 

hot.” Then, if the bowl isn’t cracked, 

he’ll apply a type of furniture varnish 

called tung oil. It’ll receive between 

five and eight coats, while sanding 

with 800 grit sandpaper between 

coats. If there is a crack, he often fills 

it in with turquoise, inlayed and 

sanded just like the wood. 

Needless to say, the beauty of each 

bowl depends on several factors, beginning 

with the shape, the rim, the 

grain, the contrast of light and dark 

or heartwood versus sapwood, knots, 

or spalting (a fungus) which adds colored 

streaks. 

Do you have a favorite wood? 

“You know what I love,” Gould 

replies, “is olive, because when you 

turn olive it fills up your shop with 

the smell of olive oil. You would 

think that wood like eucalyptus 

would be similar; they’re not. With 

eucalyptus, the leaves are the thing 

that have the aroma, not the wood. 

So olive is very fun, and it’s relatively 

soft and easy to turn, and it’s 

easy to finish, easy to sand.” 

Depending on the venue, Gould 

may take 60 pieces when he participates 

in an art show, as he has at 

Malaga Cove Plaza this year. This 

gives potential buyers plenty to 

choose from, doesn’t it? 

“Sometimes, yeah,” he says, “but 

sometimes I can’t make up my mind 

which ones to take, and then sometimes 

people can’t make up their 

minds which ones they want to buy.” 

Of course, there’s nothing to prevent 

one from picking up two or 

three. PEN 

This peculiar-looking ash vessel by 

Richard Gould won the PV Art 

Center Gwen Sandvick Award 

last summer 

Inside and outside highlighted 

together in this carob vessel by 

Richard Gould 

October 2016 • Peninsula People 25


eventcalendar 

CALENDAR OF COMMUNITY EVENTS 

Compiled by Mary Jane Schoenheider 

You can email your event to our address: penpeople@easyreadernews.com 

All submissions must be sent by the 10th of each month prior to event taking place. 

Saturday, October 1 

Young Frankenstein – The Broadway Musical 

Palos Verdes Performing Arts’ production of the zany, Mel Brooks musical comedy 

“Young Frankenstein” continues through October 9 at the Norris Theatre. 

The production features a 14-piece orchestra, professional cast and sets and 

costumes from the national tour. Performance times are 8 p.m. Fridays and 

Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, plus 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday 

October 1 and 8. Ticket prices range from $55-$65, plus a $5 per 

ticket facility fee. The production is not recommended for children under 13. 

For more information or to purchase tickets, call the box office at 310- 544- 

0403 or go to palosverdesperformingarts.com. The Norris Theatre is located 

at 27570 Norris Center Drive in Rolling Hills Estates. 

PV Library Needs Teen Tech Trainers 

Teens, become a Tech Trainer in partnership with PVE Cares, Peninsula Seniors 

and PVP Village. The Palos Verdes Library District will offer 3 upcoming Teen 

Tech 4 Seniors events for teens who are interested in volunteering at the events 

to answer technology questions for our adult community. Prospective volunteers 

contact Laura Ishizaka and file a volunteer application with PVLD before October 

1. Peninisula Center Library Community Room, 10 a.m. - noon. Questions? 

Contact Laura at lishizaka@pvld.org or 310-377-9584 ext. 215. 


Palos Verdes Library District 

Medicare 101 Understanding Your Medicare Plan Options. Do you have questions 

about Part A, B, C, D, enrollment windows, cost sharing or “Extra Help”, 

the difference between Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans and 

Supplement Plans? Join a presentation with Carol Clement (CA License 

0H80524) and have all of your questions answered. 3 p.m. in the Peninsula 

Center Library Community Room. Sponsored by Palos Verdes Library District, 

this seminar is free, open to the public and is for educational purposes only. 

Medicare has neither reviewed, nor endorses, this information. Contact Mary 

Cohen at mcohen@pvld.org or 310-921-7519. 


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310-938-0548 

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eventcalendar 

Las Amigas de las Lomas Evening with Friends 

Las Amigas’ annual fundraiser supporting Orthopaedic Institute for Children 

promises an elegant evening in the tropics at the Harlyne J Norris Pavilion. 

The gala, a tropical luau and live auction, raises funds to benefit the construction 

of OIC’s Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) housing the two largest pediatric 

orthopaedic operating rooms in the country. This year’s event promises 

an evening filled with exciting, one of a kind auction items, live entertainment, 

a fine wine pull and dinner compliments of the talented Chef Safer. To info or 

tickets, visit: lasamigasdelaslomas.org. or contact: oic.lasamigas@gmail.com. 

Monday, October 10 

SERENDIPITY exhibition opens at the Promenade 

Featuring artist Norma Cuevas White, woodturner Joe Devinny, and printmaker 

and painter Mina Tang Kan, continues until November 20 at the Artists' 

Studio Gallery in the Promenade on the Peninsula. Opening reception Sunday, 

October 16 from 2 to 6 p.m.; closing reception Sunday, November 20 from 

2 to 6 p.m. The public is cordially invited to these free events. For further information 

call the gallery at 310-265-2592 or log onto www.artists-studiopvac.com. 

The Artists' Studio Gallery is affiliated with the Palos Verdes Art 

Center/Beverly G. Alpay Center for Art Education, which has been serving 

the South Bay community for over 80 years. 550 Deep Valley Drive #159, 

Rolling Hills Estates. 

Wednesday, October 12 

Palos Verdes Woman's Club 

The Palos Verdes Woman's Club will meet at noon at the Rolling Hills Country 

Club, 27000 Palos Verdes Drive East. A presentation will be made by Pat 

Whitehead, representing Guide Dogs for the Blind. Cost of the luncheon is 

$32. For reservations and information call Beverly Teresinski, 310-378-1349. 

Thursday, October 13 

PVP Village 

Helen Dennis will discuss “The Upside of Aging” with Paul Irving, chairman 

of the Milken Institute’s Center for the Future of Aging and distinguished scholar 

in residence at USC. At the Palos Verdes Golf Club from 2 to 4 p.m. in celebration 

of the PVP Village. RSVP to peninsulavillagepvp@gmail.com. 

Friday, October 14 

Peninsula Seniors Fundraiser 

Fashion show, accessory boutique, raffle baskets and silent auction will raise 

funds for Peninsula Seniors at the Hilton DoubleTree Torrance, penthouse. Tickets 

are $60. Lunch choices: Salmon, Chicken Marsala, Pasta. Send a check 

with meal and tablemate preferences to Peninsula Seniors, 30928 Hawthorne 

Blvd. RPV, CA 90275 . Additional contact: Jo Anne Weber 310- 328-7875. 

The DoubleTree is located at 21333 Hawthorne Blvd. 


Tours at Switchback trails of Trump National 

Enjoy a Los Serenos docent-led tour through the switchback trail of Trump National 

Golf Course to the beach. Learn about local geology and fall blooming 

habitat. Stay to watch the sunset from Founders Park. Hike difficulty is moderate. 

Parking available on left side of Clubhouse in public lot at the end of 

Trump National Drive. Free, public is welcome! 3 p.m. Hike cancelled if there 

is rain. For more information call 310-377-5370 or visit www.losserenos.org. 

Sunday, October 16 

Artists’ Studio opening reception 

To celebrate the opening of SERENDIPITY art show, a jazz concert by Venice 


$1,498,000

eventcalendar 

guitarist Vinnie Caggiano begins at 2 p.m. and a woodturning demonstration 

by Joe Devinny takes place at 3 p.m. A reception with refreshments follows 

until 6 p.m. There will also be a closing reception on Sunday, November 20 

from 2 to 6 p.m. Artists' Studio Gallery in the Promenade on the Peninsula, 

#159, 550 Deep Valley Drive, Rolling Hills Estates. For further information call 

the gallery at 310-265-2592 or log onto www.artists-studio-pvac.com. 

PV Democrats’ Meeting 

The League of Women Voters will explain the propositions on the November 

ballot at their monthly meeting. Open to all; handicapped accessible; free admission; 

free parking. Seating available at 2 p.m.; meeting 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. 

at the Palos Verdes Peninsula Center Library Community Room, 701 Silver 

Spur Rd., Rolling Hills Estates. 

Fall music fest 

Music Director Richard Babcock and the Peninsula Symphonic Winds presents 

a Scott Joplin march, an Addams Family overture, a polka depicting a grumbly 

old bear, and more! 3 p.m. at Rolling Hills Covenant Church Community Center, 

1735 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates (enter parking from Deep Valley 

Drive). Adults $10. Children under 12 free with adult. Tickets available at 

the door or online at www.pswinds.org. 

Chamber Orchestra of the South Bay 

The COSB season opens with pianist Stephen Lin performing Beethoven's 

beautiful Piano Concerto No. 1. Additional concerts are scheduled for Nov. 

13, 2016, Jan. 8, March 12, April 8, 2017. Performances are at 8 p.m. with 

pre-concert talks by notable musicologists. Subscription seats are available for 

the 2016-17 season by calling 310-502-9934 or emailing at 

cosb.mail@gmail.com. Subscribe at palosverdes.com/chamberorchestra. Single 

tickets will be available through the Norris Theatre Box Office starting October 

15 by calling 310-544-0403. 

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eventcalendar 

Monday, Oct.17 

Young Life Golf Tourney 

Young Life Youth Ministries holds its 

annual charity Golf Tournament at 

Los Verdes Golf Course at 1 p.m. 

Shotgun start, scramble format. 

$175 per person. To RSVP or for 

more information call Steve Heffernan 

at 310-466-3661. 7000 Los 

Verdes Dr, Rancho Palos Verdes. 

Thursday, Oct. 20 

South Coast Rose Society 

Monthly meeting on the status of the 

bee population in Southern California 

and what we can do to promote 

bee colony health and sustainability. 

Also learn what to plant in your gardens 

to keep bees fed all year long. 

Open to everyone! For further information, 

please see them on Facebook. 

7 p.m. at South Coast Botanic 

Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd, 

Palos Verdes Peninsula. 

Friday, October 21 

Candalistas Fundraiser 

Las Candalistas will kick off its 50th 

year of fundraising with the return of 

the very popular “Entertaining for the 

Holidays” event. This year’s theme is 

“A Year of Celebration”. The event 

will feature Table Top Design ideas, 

a Speaker Series focusing on culinary, 

floral, décor demonstrations 

and information, and much more! 

All proceeds benefit South Bay charities. 

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Norris 

Pavilion 501 Indian Peak Rd. Rolling 

Hills Estates. For more information 

visit www.lascandalistas.org. Tickets 

available by reservation or at the 

door. 

Dennis McNeil Concert 

Multi-award winning tenor, Dennis 

McNeil has performed for 5 US Presidents, 

Heads of State, opera companies, 

symphony orchestras and 

Fortune 500 companies--both in the 

US and around the world. The versatile 

McNeil will be performing a 

Frank Sinatra tribute. He will be 

joined by his music director extraordinaire, 

Ed Martel. 7:30 p.m. 

Rolling Hills United Methodist 

Church, 26438 Crenshaw Blvd., 

RHE. Fee admission, donations appreciated. 

For information call 310- 

377-6771. PEN 



Southern California’s Newest Marina 

Guest slips available for the 

Red Bull Rally Oct. 8 & 9 

310-325-6500 

RPV Residents 

Marina Amenities 

• SLIPS from 28’ to 130’ 

• Dry Storage w/Crane Launching 

• New Restrooms w/Showers 

• Ice Machines & Laundry 

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• Ample FREE Parking 

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2293 Miner St., San Pedro, CA 90731 

NOW 

OPEN! 

Do you change your automobile oil and filter? If you do, call EDCO your trash/recycling 

hauler and arrange for a free pickup. Then, place your used oil and/or filter in a tightly 

sealed container or ziplock bag. EDCO will pick them up and drop off an oil recycling kit 

that contains a 15-quart drip pan, empty 1-gallon container, funnel, shop rag, cardboard 

floor mat and information on used oil and filter. Call EDCO at 310-540-2977 or go to 

www.rpvrecycles.com. 

Paper Shredding Event (includes electronic waste collection 

and free mulch giveaway) 

Saturday, October 29 at RPV Civic Center (RPV Residents only) 

30940 Hawthorne Blvd. from 8 am to 11 am 

For Household Hazardous Waste (including Sharps disposal) 

and Electronic Waste Disposal, go to: 

Gaffey SAFE Center 

Address: 1400 N Gaffey St, San Pedro, 90731 

Phone: 800.988.6942 

Open Saturdays and Sundays 

from 9am to 3pm 


Saturday 

October 15 th 

at 10:00 am 

Thursday 

October 6 th 

at 6:00 pm

Photos by 

Steve Brown Sepia Productions Inc. 

The Andalusian courtyard and plaza is representative of a 19th century Spanish hacienda. 

Home for the millennium 

by Kevin Cody 

John Z. Blazevich and Alex McLeod in their 

hamam spa meditation room. 

Photo by David Fairchild 

(DavidFairchildStudio.com) 

John Z. Blazevich 

drew upon 1,000 

years of art, 

architecture and 

engineering to 

realize his 

vision for a 

19th century 

California 

hacienda 

In 1993, John Z. Blazevich began stealing time away from overseeing 

Contessa Premium Foods, the pioneering convenience food and seafood 

importing company he founded 10 years earlier, at age 28, to oversee 

the work of 300 desert nomads in Morocco. 

Blazevich was introduced to the nomads by Spanish architect Rafael 

Manzano Martos, whom he had commissioned to design Hacienda de la 

Paz, a 51,000 square foot home he was building on approximately eight 

acres in Rolling Hills. 

The nomads were hired to hand carve sandstone blocks, reliefs, archways, 

and capitals that were to form the walls and ceilings of his new 

home’s 10,000 square foot hamam, or Moorish spa. The spa was modeled 

after the Medina Azahara Palace their ancestors had built in Córdoba, 

which Martos restored for the Spanish government. The palace was built 

in the 10th century by a Moorish king. 

“I wanted to build a home that would stand the test of time and was reflective 

of California’s history. I did not want to build another California 

ranch style. I did not want a Southwestern, Mexican Colonial or a Mediterranean 

villa. I wanted my home to be first generation Spanish and authentic 

in every detail,” Blazevich said. 

A canopy of carob trees is all that remains on the property of the two 

parcels he purchased in 1993. The drive beneath the carob trees is now 

Portuguese limestone, installed by Portuguese stone cutters. 

The winding driveway ends at a motor court for six cars. A tall, white 

fountain appears beyond the tower in the center of the Andalusian courtyard. 

The Moorish gardens and fountains are the focal point of the plaza. 

When the gardens were nearly completed, Blazevich noticed one of the 


fountains appeared off-center to the others. The workers disagreed. Blazevich 

ordered a rotating laser transit to settle the disagreement. The fountains 

were indeed out of alignment by one-eighth of an inch. 

The workers corrected it. 

“Visual precision is important and I have a gift for it,” he said. 

A similar incident occurred with an out-of-line wood floor plank at the 

end of a long hallway in the main house. Blazevich had the hallway corrected 

because “that’s the way we do it here,” he told the perplexed carpenter. 

“I can be a challenge to my workers,” he acknowledged 

But he was also a benefactor to tradesmen and artisans of ancient and 

fast disappearing skills. 

The Spanish tiles throughout the 20,000 square-foot main house are from 

Andalusia, whose combination of Spanish and Moorish architecture was 

the inspiration for Hacienda de la Paz. Blazevich chanced upon the tile 

maker while traveling to the Andalusian town where “The Good the Bad 

and the Ugly” was filmed. He is a fan of Sergio Leone’s spaghetti Western 

movies. 

“I was out in a remote area, visiting a stone quarry and also to see the 

Sergio Leone movie sets when I saw him making tiles. I asked if he could 

make a lot of them and ended up ordering six 40-foot containers from him.” 

Blazevich insisted on auditory as well as visual perfection. The hacienda’s 

18th century Neoclassical ballroom’s 50-foot high ceiling was replaced 

several times until the acoustics equaled those of an opera house. 

Upon the completion of the ballroom, Blazevich surprised his mother on 

her 75th birthday with a performance of “Phantom of the Opera.” 

Evidence of the 21st century, including the mixing console, sound system, 

movie screen and electric cables are hidden behind the walls and in 

the ceiling. 

One New Year’s Eve, he threw a James Bond Theme Party. Johnny Rivers 

sang “Secret Agent Man,” backed by a 30-piece band. Bond film clips 

screened throughout the night. 

Blazevich’s fiancée Alexandra “Alex” McLeod is an Emmy nominated TV 

Hacienda de la Paz cont. on page 40 

The Moorish gardens emphasize symmetry and bold colors.

The interlocking salon ceiling was designed in the Mudejar style and assembled without nails by Spanish craftsmen. 

Hacienda de la Paz cont. from page 39 

personality and entertainment news correspondent. She was the original 

host of “Trading Spaces” and “Joe Millionaire I.” Recently, she has appeared 

on NBC’s “Open House NYC” and CNBC’s “Secret Lifestyles of the Super 

Rich.” 

Their home and her background make the couple highly sought after 

hosts for fundraisers and other gatherings, ranging from casual barbecues 

to lavish balls. President Jimmy Carter was the guest of honor for a 350 

guest, Habitat for Humanity sit-down dinner. Other favorite charities include 

UNICEF and GRID Alternatives (a provider of solar power to low income 

families.) 

When not in use for social gatherings, the grand ballroom is also a tennis 

court, built to U.S. Open specs. Trompe l’oeil windows with physical balconies, 

brass and wrought iron railings create the illusion that the court is 

outdoors. 

Peninsula Wimbledon champions Pete Sampras and Tracy Austin and 

Croatian Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic have played there. 

Blazevich began playing tennis after finding a tennis court on one of the 

two lots he bought. “Growing up, I didn’t think of tennis as a very physical 

game. But after taking lessons, I quickly found I was so wrong. Now I love 

it,” he said. 

Weather permitting, Blazevich, McLeod and their friends play on the outdoor, 

clay court, built to French Open specs, except for the composition of 

the red clay. “I went to the French Open and talked to the maintenance 

crew. They said dust blows off this clay whenever it’s windy, and it gets 

windy in Rolling Hills. So we modified the clay,” Blazevich said. 

Blazevich’s account of a royal Spanish architect leading him to Moroccan 

stonecutters to build a 10th century Moorish bath in the desert, where it 

was assembled to make certain the pieces all fit, then disassembled, crated, 

shipped 6,000 miles across sea and land to a world 1,000 years removed 

and installed beneath a Rolling Hills home called Hacienda de la Paz, evokes 

images from a Gabriel García Márquez novel. 

The hamam’s magical realism is heightened by star shaped lights in the 

amber sandstone ceiling that reflect off blue Murano glass at the bottom of 

the 40-foot pool. Blazevich picked the blue Venetian glass because he 

wanted the water to be the color of the Adriatic Sea, where he frequently 

sails. 

“Swimming in the hamam pool, you feel as if you are floating through 

time. It is a supernatural experience,” he said. 

Despite its earthen enclosure, the hamam suffers from neither the high 

humidity nor the chlorine smell common to indoor pools. Alcoves line either 

side of the pool. One has a 15-foot tall, waterfall. 

“Showering under it is like having a massage,” he said. 

Another alcove has adjoining mineral baths enclosed by vaulted, gold 

leafed walls. Another resembles the colorful, silk draped tent of a nomadic 

chief. “It’s like what you might see in ‘Lawrence of Arabia’” Blazevich said. 

The pool’s 90-degree temperature is maintained by the home’s geothermal 

heating and cooling system. The geothermal system is coupled to 

dozens of HVAC units. In 2008, while at Contessa Premium Foods, Blazevich 

built a $35 million, green, LEED certified factory in the City of Commerce. 

It was the first green LEED certified frozen food factory in the world. 

Blazevich grew up in San Pedro, where he attended San Pedro High 

School. He majored in marketing at USC, while also indulging in his love 


A chapel dedicated to Santa Catalina sits off the poolside loggia. 

for history, art and physics. 

His father Rudolf was a chef who escaped to the U.S. from Communist 

Yugoslavia in 1955.Three years later, his wife Ljubica and son joined him 

in San Pedro. 

Blazevich contemplated buying a Spanish Colonial Revival home in Beverly 

Hills, designed by Wallace Neff. 

He was acquainted with the legendary Pickfair architect’s son. Though 

he decided against the Neff home, Neff’s enduring architectural influence 

proved instrumental in enabling Blazevich to convince the City of Rolling 

Hills to approve his ambitious, new home. 

“I wanted to build something iconic, with privacy and panoramic views 

when I found these two adjoining parcels in Rolling Hills,” he said. The 

property offers views of both the Los Angeles basin and the Santa Monica 

Bay. 

Rolling Hills’ rural zoning promised privacy, while still fostering a family 

oriented community with amenities for residents, community clubs and 

events including Easter, Halloween and Christmas parties for children. 

But the building department requirement that all homes be white, single 

story and ranch style posed a problem. 

“I did not want to live in a barn with marble counter tops,” he said. “You 

cannot build an iconic home with board and batten siding.” 

During a careful reading of the Rolling Hills building code, Blazevich discovered 

that Cliff May, the architect who popularized California ranch 

homes, is not the only architect whose style is allowed. Neff is also mentioned. 

Blazevich knew of at least one adobe home in Rolling Hills, though 

it is largely hidden from view. 

Still, city staff was not happy with his plans for a 51,000 square foot 

home, 31,000 of it, including a ballroom and Moorish spa, below ground. 

“The city thought I was going to build this huge monstrosity and destroy 

the image of the community. I told them I would be using adobe, which 

better reflects the rural setting. Fortunately, I was young enough, at 38, 

and had enough money and determination to convince them.” 

When finally completed in 2010, 17 years after conception, Hacienda de 

la Paz invited comparison to Hearst Castle in San Simeon. While comfortable 

with the comparison, Blazevich points out that Hearst Castle reflects 

William Randolph Hearst’s’ eclectic tastes and as a result, lacks cohesiveness. 

Hacienda de La Paz also brings together seemingly disparate elements, 

spanning a millennium of architecture, art and engineering. 

“The Andalusian architectural style of the estate is 19th century, the Neoclassical 

ballroom is 18th century and the hamam is 10th century,” he said, 

all wired with 21st century HVAC, security, lighting and entertainment electrical 

systems. 

The challenge, he said was to harmoniously weave together these 1,000 

years of influences. 

“I called it Hacienda de la Paz because when I came home from a 12- 

hour work day, I wanted my senses to be awakened by the aromas and the 

colors of the gardens, to listen to the sounds of my fountains and to feel at 

peace,” he said. 

Hacienda de la Paz cont. on page 42 


The 18th Century neoclassical ballroom is also a tennis court built to U.S. Open specs. 

Hacienda de la Paz cont. from page 41 

After overcoming the city’s resistance, Blazevich embarked on executing 

his Andalusian vision. 

Rafael Manzano Martos was King Juan Carlos’ curator and is the world’s 

foremost expert on Mudejar architecture. The Mudejars were Spanish 

Moors. In addition to introducing Blazevich to the Moroccan stone masons, 

Martos helped find complementary art. 

A painting in the entry hall commemorates the 100th anniversary of the 

1615 publication of “Don Quixote.” The painting formerly hung in Madrid’s 

Prado Museum. The entry hall’s four life-size, silver and gold busts of bishops 

are 400 years old. They come from an Italian library that was undergoing 

modernization. 

Wrought iron window grates on the main house are from a 15th century 

Seville convent. 

To coordinate with the city on building codes and contemporary amenities, 

Blazevich recruited Peninsula architect Anthony Inferrera. 

Also from Madrid, was Nicolas Luca de Tena, who worked for Spain’s 

royal family as an artist and art restorer. He is the 15th generation grandson 

of Hernan Cortes, Spanish explorer who conquered the Aztecs and discovered 

Baja California. 

Luca de Tena lived at Hacienda de La Paz for 10 years, painting trompe 

l’oeil frescos, ceiling murals and original art and applying gold leaf accents. 

His painting over the living room fireplace is an interpretation of a Joan 

Miro painting. Blazevich liked the original Miro, but not its blue background, 

so he asked Luca de Tena to repaint his version with a warmer, yellow 

background. 

Other contemporary artists’ paintings hang alongside Flemish tapestries 

and Dutch masters’ because, “I don’t want the house to be caught in time,” 

Blazevich said. 

Spanish father and son interior designers Bruno and Manuel Gavira were 

responsible for bringing harmony and individuality to the main house’s 

nine bedrooms and 25 bathrooms, as well as the guest house and Renais- 


sance chapel. 

“No two rooms have the same design,” Blazevich said. 

There are surprisingly whimsical touches. The ladies powder room has 

a confessional and allows two women to converse in privacy through a 

screened confessional window. The men’s room has an original Thomas 

Crapper. 

The interlocking ceiling beams in the living and dining rooms were designed 

in the Mudejar style by a Madrid professor of architecture and assembled 

without nails by carpenters brought from Madrid. 

The artisans responsible for the three-foot-thick adobe walls came from 

closer by. 

“I hired the workers who restored the California missions,” Blazevich 

said. 

Despite the adobe walls’ thickness, they didn’t meet California’s seismic 

safety standards. So they were reinforced with wood and steel posts. Blazevich 

then stuccoed the walls white. “When city officials first saw the adobe 

walls, they liked them and thought I should keep them exposed in some 

areas. I said, ‘Wait a minute, the code says houses need to be white.’ These 

were challenging times with the city. But we came to a compromise and 

everyone is happy with the end result. Many haciendas have been built 

now behind the gates. I paved the way.” 

Los Angeles building inspectors, whom Rolling Hills contracts with, 

spent so much time on the site, that Blazevich said they worried him. 

“I asked, ‘Am I doing something wrong? Why are you guys here all the 

time?’ They said they had never seen a house so over-engineered. They 

wanted to know why I was using 8-inch pipe when I could use 6-inch pipe. 

I said, the labor and material costs are almost the same and I want this 

house to last hundreds of years. The reason housing systems go south and 

need to be replaced is because the requirements are so lax,” he said. 

Blazevich’s decision to go subterranean stemmed in part from building 

restrictions, but more importantly because, he said, “Even on eight acres, 

51,000 square feet on one level would be too much. I wanted amenities, 

like an indoor pool during the winter and a tennis court that I could use 

after work. The city doesn’t allow night lit courts. 

“It’s a well-intentioned restriction and I agree with it. There are no streetlights 

or sidewalks in Rolling Hills. The quiet, coastal views and privacy 

suggest the romance of the ‘30s and ‘40s.” 

An essential characteristic of Mudejar architecture is beautiful gardens. 

Blazevich planted dozens of fruit and nut trees, including navel, Valencia 

and Sanguinello (blood) oranges, avocado, figs, apples, peaches, apricots, 

lemons and limes; as well as herbs and vegetables in the summer, winter, 

fall and spring gardens that border the entry driveway and are spread elsewhere 

across the eight acres. 

“My goal was to be able to feed off the fruit and vegetables any time of 

year while walking through an aromatic property,” he said. 

The property has become a sanctuary for Peninsula wildlife and migrating 

birds. 

“Every March, three days before the swallows return to Capistrano, the 

swallows stop here to dip in our pool. They’re like a sign from heaven,” 

Blazevich said. 

In 2013, just three years after completing the final building stage of Hacienda 

de la Paz, Blazevich put it up for sale. Hacienda de la Paz is listed 

at $48 million. He estimates that building his home today would cost close 

to $100 million. 

But Blazevich appears in no hurry to move. The home has hosted several 

weddings and his may be next. He and McLeod are engaged, after having 

lived together on the property for more than a decade. 

Blazevich said he decided to sell Hacienda de la Paz because he wants to 

move on to his next project. His son Andreas, a student at Art Center College 

of Design in Pasadena, prefers to have his own home. Blazevich sold 

Contessa Premium Foods in 2011, by which time its aggregate sales had 

exceeded $4 billion. 

He declined to disclose what his next project is, except to say it might be 

in Croatia, where his family owns olive groves and vineyards. 

Because olive oil was important to 19th century haciendas, Blazevich 

planted over 60 olive trees from the Central Valley on his property. An 

olive oil tribute room in the main house features large, ancient, clay vases 

and photos of old Spanish olive mills. Salads from the gardens are dressed 

with olive oil from his family’s olive groves in Croatia. The bottles are labeled 

Hacienda de la Paz. PEN 


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Grandma 

Terano’s 

boy chef 

Chef Robert Bell with a chicken meatball salad on the patio at Mama Terano Cafe. Photo by Richard Foss 

Brooklyn born Robert Bell traces his love of cooking to dinners at his Grandma Terano’s. 

He named his new restaurant in her honor. 

by Richard Foss 

Most chefs have someone in their background 

who inspired them to get into 

cooking, often a kitchen veteran who 

saw promise in a new dishwasher and evolved 

from a boss to a mentor. In the case of Robert 

Bell, chef and co-owner of Chez Melange, the inspiration 

started at home in Brooklyn, where his 

Italian grandparents taught him a reverence for 

good cooking. 

“My grandmother was a fun-loving immigrant 

who came to America at the turn of the century 

as a child. I lived with them for a few years and 

what I remember was how much they laughed. 

They were such happy people, and they adored 

food. Maybe this was typical of Southern Italian 

immigrants, but to my family good food was the 

most important thing. Without good food on the 

table, they had no status. My mother told me that 

on her first year of high school she didn’t have 

enough money for school supplies because they 

were celebrating someone’s birthday and they 

used the money to buy veal.” 

“My grandmother was a good cook because she 

had to be. In those days you started cooking 

when you were little because… that’s just what 

you did. My grandmother never really taught me 

how to cook, but what she and that family did 

was enable me to see the importance of dining 

and of food being the most important thing you 

talked about at dinner. Once in awhile you’d talk 

about the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Yankees 

or Giants, maybe even politics, but the usual 

questions were “What kind of salami is this? 

Where did you get these pastries, on Avenue U? 

What bakery did you go to?” 

With a background like that, it’s almost surprising 

that Robert Bell didn’t go straight into the 

culinary industry in New York. However, his 

mother decided to move to California and he 

graduated from Hollywood High in 1963. He considered 

starting at the bottom in a restaurant 

kitchen, the main industry career path in an era 

when there were few cooking schools. Instead, 

and despite the fact that he was an indifferent 

scholar, he decided to pursue a higher education. 

“I took classes at college and changed my major 

about four times and never actually graduated. I 

got into architecture and city planning. I did that 

for 15 years, but I really wanted to cook. In 1975 

I got a call from Chuck Lehman, whom I played 

poker with in high school. He said, ‘I’m opening 

a restaurant in Hermosa Beach. Would you be interested 

in doing my floor plan to submit to the 

health department?’ 

“We got together and it quickly got a lot deeper 

than that. When Café Courtney opened in 1976 

(now a Round Table Pizza) I was his sous chef, 

and ended up taking over the reins of the kitchen 

about two months later. He was a great teacher. 

I loved food, cooked for family and my girlfriends 

all the time. He taught me how to do it on a bigger 

scale, with helpers, and how to delegate. The 

amazing thing is that I was able to learn from all 

my subordinates without them knowing I didn’t 

know anything. I’d go up to one of my cooks and 

say, ‘The last hollandaise I made came out really 

thin, how do you make yours? Let me see how 

you do it and see if mine comes out better.’ I had 

never made hollandaise in my life, but I’d watch 

him make it and replicate that faithfully. I was a 

sponge and I wanted to learn, so I picked it up 

really quickly.” 

Unusual for the time, Robert Bell came out of 

the kitchen to interact with diners, a habit he developed 

partly because nobody had told him that 

chefs didn’t do that. 

“Maybe the reason I was willing to come out of 

the kitchen and talk to people is because I wasn’t 

really a chef. I was acting as one, but I wasn’t 

trained not to talk to people.” 

In 1976, California Cuisine was barely five 

years old and was mostly a San Francisco Bay 

area phenomenon. Wolfgang Puck had lived in 


Los Angeles for less than a year and was beginning 

to make waves at Ma Maison and other 

chefs were starting to pay attention. But hardly 

an echo of this was to be heard in the South Bay. 

In that era when diners and steak and seafood 

joints dominated the local landscape, Café Courtney‘s 

blend of French and Californian ideas was 

like something from another planet. 

“I started doing stuff that was completely different 

from everyone else. Everybody else was 

using frozen fish, frozen vegetables. Everything 

we were doing was a little newer, a little more 

contemporary, a little fresher than everyone else. 

Even simple things like our turkey and avocado 

sandwich – we put it on different bread. No one 

had a wine program. No one. Most places had a 

house red and a house white and that was it. We 

had a wine list, wine tastings and we used to do 

a wine of the month. The first month we were 

open, October of 1976, we featured Franciscan 

Zinfandel out of Sonoma. We paid $12 a case for 

it and we sold it for $3.95 a bottle.” 

Café Courtney was an immediate success, 

partly because of the chemistry that developed 

between Bell and the person Lehman hired to 

manage the front of the house. Michael Franks, 

who now co-owns Chez Melange with Bell, had 

the same dedication to service that Bell had to 

food. And they shared a fascination with pushing 

culinary boundaries. Their partnership seemed 

like such a natural thing that it’s surprising to 

hear what Bell says about his first impression of 

Franks. 

“When I first met Michael, I remembered 

thinking, I don’t want to work with this guy. I’m 

from Brooklyn, he’s from London. He came from 

what I thought was an upscale upbringing, I was 

just off the line of being poor. He went through 

restaurant school, I barely made it through junior 

college. But we were both very driven, very passionate 

about what we were doing, and that’s the 

only reason we got along.” 

Michael Franks confirmed that the men who 

were to forge a partnership that would endure 

more than 40 years did not have much in common. 

Before coming to the United States, Franks 

had worked at elegant but stodgy London hotels 

like the Savoy and the Dorchester, which he said 

had “fine service with very predictable food.” He 

then ran a group of French bistros. None of that 

had prepared him for a down to earth, straight 

talking chef like Bell. 

“Obviously we had no similarities at all. Our 

family life, our business experiences, everything 

was completely different. The only thing we really 

had in common was food. That’s what connected 

us, our love for food. We communicated 

perfectly on that level, and that’s what has kept 

us together all these years. Our social life is different, 

but when it comes to restaurants, food, 

the business, we’re totally on the same page.” 

Their relationship was tested on road trips that 

Michael says gave them multiple revelations 

about the expanding culinary world of that era, 

and led them to take Café Courtney in a completely 

different direction than what had been intended. 

“When we were brought in, Chuck expected a 

French bistro – he called it an introduction to 

French food. Robert and I went to Chez Panisse, 

we went to a restaurant called Ports in Hollywood 

where they had couscous and a Chinese 

chicken salad on the menu. We realized that 

starting from where we were, a combination 

French Bistro and healthy Californian place, we 

could serve Chinese food in a French restaurant. 

You could put anything on the menu, as long as 

you communicated that to the customer. We decided, 

let’s do everything.” 

Café Courtney was extremely successful and 

became the flagship for a chain of six restaurants. 

In 1981, they even managed to get attention from 

the Los Angeles Times for their wine dinners, 

though the Times was disdainful of the South Bay 

in those days. The future looked bright for the 

company, but the two people at the heart of that 

success were becoming dissatisfied with running 

multiple locations. 

Mama Terano in Brooklyn, in 1960. The 

photo hangs in the Peninsula restaurant 

that grandson Robert Bell named in her 

honor. 

As Bell remembers it, “In 1982 the owner of the 

Plush Horse Inn was looking for a restaurateur 

to run the old Plush Pony coffee shop. He ran an 

ad in the paper, which Michael and I saw. We 

were excited about doing what we were doing on 

a one-to-one basis, not a mini-chain with six units. 

Ed Wilkinson, who owned the Plush Horse at the 

time, was smart enough and nice enough to 

cosign a loan for Michael and me to get the place 

open. We paid him back in half the time we 

promised.“ 

The new restaurant was appropriately called 

Chez Melange and had innovations that astonished 

the local community. In place of the hotel 

coffee shop’s lunch counter there was a sushi bar, 

a caviar and Champagne bar. The sleek, modern 

dining room offered food from all over the world. 

Newcomers sometimes stared at the menu and 

asked, “What kind of restaurant is this, really?” 

They couldn’t wrap their head around the idea 

that they were in a place where you actually 

could get Chinese stir-fry, French seafood, or an 

American steak. Even more unusual, the multicultural 

and eclectic experience was offered at 

breakfast and lunch rather than only at night. 

Franks and Bell didn’t particularly want to be 

open for breakfast but it was required by the 

hotel, so they decided that it had to be done with 

the same spirit as everything else. 

When Bell first worked at Café Courtney he 

had commuted from an apartment in Hollywood, 

but that got old very quickly. In 1977, he moved 

into a duplex in Hermosa and soon after started 

dating a wine broker named Michelle who would 

later become his wife. 

A new passion would inspire him to move to 

the Hill. 

“I started cooking professionally when I was 30 

and took up golf when I was 45. I really enjoyed 

the game, and decided I wanted to join the Palos 

Verdes Golf Club. You had to live in the Estates 

to join, so I decided to move here. The money I 

saved up wasn’t enough for the down payment 

in 1990, so I borrowed money to buy a house. 

Then I had to borrow money from Michelle to 

join the golf club. It’s been a great life here.” 

The menu at Chez Melange continued to 

evolve. As they had at Courtney’s Franks and Bell 

hosted wine dinners and other culinary events. 

“I don’t think there’s anyone who doesn’t work 

for a winery that has done more wine dinners 

than I have, I must have done hundreds,” Bell 

said. 

Some benefitted worthy causes. In 1985, 

Franks and Bell cofounded the For Our Children 

Food and Wine festival and they have contributed 

their time, energy, and resources to many other 

events. Asked whether his childhood in a relatively 

poor family might have inspired his charitable 

efforts, Bell was reflective. 

“I hadn’t thought about it before, but probably 

yes. Many times I wonder what my life would 

have been like if I had made one of many wrong 

turns, or what I’d be doing today if I had never 

moved to California. I wonder if I’d even be alive. 

When I turned 50 my mother called to wish me 

a happy birthday. I asked, ‘What do you think of 

me making it to 50?’ She said, ‘I never thought 

you’d make it to 15.’ 

“After I moved here the people at St. Francis 

Episcopal Church asked me to get involved in a 

program called Designs For Dining. I learned 

from this experience that as an individual I could 

make a big change in someone’s life. I raised 

$13,000 every year at this one event, and 100 percent 

of it goes for college scholarships. I’ve met 

kids who are in college or have graduated thanks 

to that program and it’s humbling. I hope they 

are all better students than I was.” 

Though Bell continues to be involved in Chez 

Melange on a daily basis, he is obviously pleased 

by the success of his other restaurant Mama Terano. 

That restaurant recently spun off a second 

location in the Malaga Cove Plaza. He also works 

on other culinary projects, including the menu at 

Plates Bistro. 

“After 40 years in the industry, I’m still having 

ideas and am not ready to quit and sit on a beach 

somewhere. I have two new concepts that I am 

ready to bring to investors.” 

Michelle says to me, “You’re 70 years old, when 

are you going to stop?” You have to understand 

that to me a restaurant is like doing a movie, but 

it’s personal. In a movie you have someone to do 

the scenery, someone to do the makeup… In a 

restaurant you do it all. You design the menu, set 

up the room, pick the chef... right down to the 

uniforms and the linens. To do that and then 

watch it on opening night, there’s nothing like it,” 

he said. PEN 


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H.E.L.P. Celebrates 20th Anniversary 

Healthcare & Elder Law Programs Corp. 

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celebrated its 20th Anniversary at the Palos Verdes 

Golf Club with a Roaring 20’s Great Gatsby Ball. 

Honorees were Sharon Ryan, Sharon Guthrie, and 

Sherry May/PV Village. A Special Tribute was also 

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County Supervisor Don Knabe. Many Pearl and 

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1 

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PHOTOS BY BETTY WAUNG 

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2. H.E.L.P. Board Secretary Scott Donnelly, 

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5 

6 

3. Van and Diana Honeycutt, Phyllis and Bill 

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7 

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malagacoveoffices.com 

Contact: Neil Chhabria 310-902-7227 

Shorewood Realtors | 717 Yarmouth Rd., PVE, CA 90274 | 310-698-4545 


“Home is everything.” 

It’s where you come back to after a long day and 

can finally relax and be with your family. 

Your home is that place you’ve dreamed of ever 

since you were a child. 

It’s not easy to find that perfect home. 

We are here to help make that dream a reality. 

Mike Levine 

Real Estate & Construction 

Rolling Hills Estates 

• Resort-style Retreat • 4,885 sf 

• 6 Bedrooms & 5 Baths 

• Dual Solar Paneling & Water Filtration System 

$3,150,000 

310.796.9088 

Mike@Levine-homes.com 

Manhattan Beach 

• New Construction 

• 5,585 sf 

• 6 Bedrooms & 8 Bathrooms 

$3,700,000 

Rolling Hills Estates 

• Zen Paradise • 5,840 sf 

• Main House with 4 Bedrooms & 4.5 Baths 

• 2 Bedroom & 1 Bath Guest House • Feng Shui Floor Plan 

$4,475,000 

LEVINE-HOMES.COM 

CSLB License # B985034 | BRE License # 01928630

Neil and his brother Anand participating in the traditional Graba dance. Photo by Peter Nguyen 


Neil proposed to Sanam at the firepit of his 

family home in Palos Verdes Estates. 

Photo by Dearly Beloved Photography 

Sanam’s bridal Mehndi. Photo by Peter Nguyen 

Vivaha cont. from page 13 

Neil and Sanam’s first look before the wedding. Photo by Lin & Jirsa 

“I think he’s a very confident person, which I think is a really attractive 

trait,” she said. “He’s like that just generally in life, very confident, and 

that’s actually one of my faults. I’m not always confident in myself, and 

Neil is, always, and very positive. That’s why so many of his friends love 

him so much — he’s a very hard worker, always working, so he doesn’t 

have a lot of free time, so when he does come around his friends get very 

excited. That’s how you can tell he’s a good person.” 

After that night, the couple never looked back. They dated for the next 

five years, and it became increasingly clear they’d spend their lives together. 

Neil is a self-declared non-romantic. Sanam accepted this, but had 

one condition. 

“I am notorious for not being romantic,” he said. “Her one request was, 

‘I know you are not romantic, but when you propose to me, you better be 

romantic.’ I was like, ‘Oh, man, I thought I was off the hook with her.’” 

Neil’s family goes to Hawaii every other year for his mother’s birthday. 

Sanam had never been able to go, because her parents, being very traditional, 

were not comfortable with her staying overnight. But last year, Neil 

had already asked Sanam’s father for his daughter’s hand and won approval. 

Her father also agreed to allow her to go to Hawaii, where Neil intended 

to propose. But as the trip approached, he realized he wanted to 

do it locally, so both families could be near. So Neil planned a pre-trip dinner 

out on August 16. His mother had designed a new fire pit at their home 

in PVE, and Neil had it fully decked out — everything was covered in rose 

petals and candlelit and a photographer was hidden nearby. He said he 

wanted to drop by his parents’ home before dinner. They arrived, and nobody 

was home; pretending to look for his family, Neil led Sanam to the 

backyard. As she approached the fire pit, he dropped to one knee. 

“I was so blown away about the way he did it,” she said. “The amount 

Vivaha cont. on page 58

Vivaha cont. from page 57 

The Hindu deity in a human form but 

with the head of an elephant 

represents the power of the Supreme 

Being that removes obstacles and 

ensures success in human endeavors. 

A decorative rickshaw was present at 

Friday night’s Garba Sangeet, a Gujarati 

wedding dance. Guests were 

photographed in the rickshaw to make 

them feel like they were in India, in 

keeping with the traditional theme. 

Photo by Peter Nguyen 

of flowers...I mean, I was just very 

stunned. I think the first thing I 

said was, ‘Oh my God, you are romantic.’ 

He’s like, ‘Thank you!’” 

A year of planning led up to one 

of the grandest weddings the 

Peninsula has witnessed. Festivities 

began two weeks before the 

date with a dance party at A Spice 

Affair in Beverly Hills for Neil and 

Sanam and their friends. 

“It was an opportunity for Sanam 

and I to let loose and have a good 

time before we had to smarten up 

and host 600 people,” Neil said. 

Official festivities began the 

Thursday morning before the wedding, 

with special prayer ceremonies 

hosted seperately by each 

family. That night, the Chhabrias 

hosted a traditional gathering, 

called a Mehndi, in which an artist 

draws designs on the bride-to-be’s 

skin. Sanam thought this would 

take a few hours. As it turned out, 

it began at 1:30 p.m. and wasn’t 

completed until after 8 p.m. But as 

she sat, at first impatiently, she 

began to see the beauty of the occasion, 

and its purpose. She couldn’t 

move her arms, so everybody, 

including her groom, had to wait 


on her hand and foot the entire time. 

“It was cool to be queen for a day,” she said. 

“She looked like Jasmine from Aladdin that night,” Neil said. “It was one 

of the most incredible things you’ve ever seen.” 

Friday night a traditional Hindu dance was held at the Norris Pavilion 

in Rolling Hills Estates. 

“That was a traditional Indian folk dance, and since I’m Gujarati — It’s 

called a Garba, from Gujarat state, where my people are from,” Sanam 

said. “It was really fun. A lot of people had a good time.” 

Sanam and her mother and aunt, in fact, went back to Gujarat last year 

on a shopping trip for wedding clothes for themselves and other members 

of the wedding party. “We went with four empty suitcases and came back 

with them all full,” she said. 

The wedding occurred Saturday at 1 p.m. and the reception was at 6 

p.m. in the ballroom of the Hyatt. The wedding was performed in Sanskrit 

by Mahesh Bhatt, a renowned Hindu wedding priest, who took care to explain 

much of the ritual in a way that made it understandable to everyone 

present. 

“Our priest was a hit,” Sanam said. “He was so refreshing. He had so 

much wisdom.” 

The ceremony included 15 stages, beginning with Barat Swagat, in which 

Neil and his family were welcomed to the ceremony site by Sanam’s family, 

and ending hours later with Kanya Viday, when the bride and groom 

left their “Mandap,” the four pillar canopy at center stage (the pillars represent 

the four parents). There were nine bridesmaids and nine groomsmen. 

The bride’s brothers, Sahaj and Shakeel, gave her away. 

Neil, months later, is still dazzled by the experience, and by his new wife. 

“Number one, she is smart,” Neil said. “She’s got a good head on her 

shoulders and works hard. She handles her business and she’s somebody 

I can have an intelligent conversation with. I just enjoy being around her. 

And besides being smart and capable, she is the most loyal person in my 

life.” 

The future is bright for the young couple. Neil, 29, works with his father 

at their newly established Chhabria Real Estate Company, which was 

founded this year after the family spent the last two decades with Shorewood 

Realtors. Sanam, 26, works for UCLA Health as a radiologic technologist. 

She’s also obtaining her real estate licence and helps with the 

family business on weekends. 

“I like my career but we can’t predict the future. I’m a part of Neil’s family 

now,” she said. “Of course we’ll do what’s best for the family.” 

In fact, an essential underlying theme the couple’s wedding rituals emphasized 

is that marriage is about more than the union of Neil and Sanam, 

but also between their families for generations to come. 

Sanam said one day recently her parents, who have felt somewhat bittersweet 

emotions since the wedding, stopped by her and her husband’s 

home in Hermosa Beach. 

“They were very happy, of course, but a bit sad,” Sanam said. “I’m leaving 

home, of course. When they came over the other day, they told me, 

‘When you have kids, you’ll understand.’ This is a big accomplishment, as 

a parent — to have your kid finish education, earn a degree, get a good career, 

then get married. You’ve accomplished your job as a parent.” PEN 

Wedding planner: Ajita Chopra 

Floral & decor: Sadhna’s floral studio 

Bridal makeup & hair: 

Drea V. Makeup and Roseanna Ortega 

Proposal photographer: Dearly Beloved Photography 

Pre-wedding event photographer: 

Peter Nyguyen Photography 

Wedding & reception photographer and videographer: 

Lin & Jirsa Photography 

DJ and lighting: 3D Sounds 


Preserve your timeless treasure 

We live in an age where just about everything is disposable. 

Yet centuries ago when the world’s finest clockmakers 

were hard at work, their aim was to create a 

mechanical marvel that operates continuously and last forever. 

Imagine a hand made complex mechanism of inter-working 

parts designed to keep time accurately. Your clock is a work of 

art and your job is to keep this timeless treasure healthy for the 

next generation. 

Your clock reminds you of its presence every time you wind 

it and if its accuracy is not what it used to be, or its chimes are 

not as strong rythmic, or maybe it just stops. That means it’s 

talking to you and telling you that its endless life is in jeopardy. 

It is imperative to maintain and service your clock regularly. 

Oil gets old and dry forcing the train of gears to work twice as 

hard to accomplish their goal. This results in damage that drastically 

shortens the life of a fine timepiece. 

Michel Medawar has been extending the lives of timepieces 

for over fifty years as his father did fifty years before. He is the 

inventor of the first talking clock in the world. He is a graduate 

from Patek Philippe in Geneva, Switzerland, The Theod Wagner 

clock Co. in Wiesbaden, Germany, and the Howard Miller 

Clock Co. in Zeeland, Michigan. Call him so that he may come 

to your home and offer you a free estimate for servicing your 

clock. Or bring your wall or mantel clock to our store to see our 

showroom and receive the same complimentary diagnosis. 

We are located at 810C Silver Spur Rd., in Rolling Hills Estates, Ca. 

90274. Or call us at (310) 544-0052 

Open 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Tuesday - Saturday 

810C Silver Spur Road • Rolling Hills Estates • CA 90274 

Call 310.544.0052 


Simply Tiles Design Center 

Fine Ceramics, Natural Stone, Hardwoods, Cabinetry, Faucetry. 

Kitchen & Bathrooms Specialist. 

3968 Pacific Coast Hwy., Torrance • (310) 373-7781 • www.simplytiles.com 

License #904876 

J. QUINN CONSTRUCTION, INC. 

Custom Concrete & Masonry 

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1st Windows low prices, high quality 

Find 24/7 convenience shopping at 1stwindows.com or visit the Signal Hill showroom. 

1st Windows promises the best prices in the South Bay. - No games, no 

commissioned salespeople, no high-pressure sales. A volume, repeat-business 

dealer since 1995, 1st Windows is known for its straightforward and efficient 

service as well as its quality products, lines and workmanship. 

(562) 494-9069. 1858 E. 20th Street, Signal Hill 

Catalina Paints lets the color symphony begin 

In 2012 Supreme Paints was acquired by Catalina Paints -- a chain of stores in 

the Los Angeles area and the largest distributor of Benjamin Moore Paints in California. 

Supreme Paints has been a leading paint supplier in the South Bay for almost 

50 years. Started by Sam Carl and his son Rick, Supreme Paints has grown 

up with the community. The two companies were a perfect match due to their dedication 

to the professional painter and providing quality products that can't be 

beat. Recently added to the Manhattan Beach location is Farrow & Ball paints, a 

favorite among designers. Both Catalina/Supreme Paints have full decorating departments 

with the latest trends in wallpaper and Hunter Douglas window coverings. 

1002 S. Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach 

708 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach 

(310) 540-4456. supremepaintredondobeach.com 

Custom Design & Construction 

Love your home again and love the process too. While making a major remodeling 

change to your home is exciting and rewarding, it can also seem overwhelming. 

That’s why Custom Design & Construction has created a unique process to 

CONCRETE - For the Drought-Conscious 

• Pools, Spas, Fountains 

and Waterfeatures 

• Firepits and Fireplaces 

• Outdoor Cook Centers 

• Stone and Tile Patios 

• Interlocking Pavers 

• Retaining Walls 

• Driveways 

(310) 325-6790 

www.quinnpools.com 

License B, C-8, C-53 #775677 

] u 

t 

• Stamping 

• Driveways 

• Pool Decks 

• Arificial Turf 

• Patios 

• Stonework 

• Pavers 

• Foundations 

LIABILITY INSURED • WORKERS COMPENSATION 

Casey Lindahl - Founder & President of Lindahl Concrete Construction, Inc. 

310-326-6626 

Call for Showroom address 

Call for estimate 

LindahlConcrete.com 

Lic.#531387 


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guide each project from idea to reality. Begin with a Discovery phase where you 

explore all options within your budget range. CDC’s award-winning design team 

will work with you to select finish materials and fine-tune the design plans. Making 

all the decisions up-front, allows CDC to present you with an exact final price before 

any of the work begins. That’s the benefit of working with a single company 

that provides both design and construction all under one roof.Be sure to ask about 

the easy in-house financing. Call Custom Design & Construction today. License # 

524561 . 

(310) 815-4815. VisitCustomDesign.com 

Freighthouse Design Showroom with Sara Balough 

Freighthouse is a design showroom conceived by South Bay designer Sara 

Balough as a resource for fellow designers to buy and sell everything they need 

for the individual touch their clients require and for clients to trade beautiful things 

that may not work in their newly remodeled home for a fresh look. Freighthouse 

carries an ever-changing inventory of gently used designer, high end or antique 

items. This is Los Angeles's go-to place for high quality art, furniture, and accessories 

at way below retail prices. 

1260 Cabrillo Avenue, Torrance (next to The Depot restaurant) 

(424) 558-3768. freighthouseconsign.com 

GTD Image Consulting 

Completely Organized and Totally Stylish! GTD Image Consulting (formerly Out 

of the Closets) has been servicing the Peninsula and the Beach Cities for over six 

years. They specialize in wardrobe/closet makeovers, personal/business image 

assessments, and concierge shopping and styling. GTD offers a whole range of 

gold-standard services to address personal and home images. Many South Bay 


937 Via del Monte, Palos Verdes Estates 

With a prestigious PVE address and a panoramic Queen’s Necklace and vast city lights views from most of its rooms, this turn key residence is designed to 

pamper you with polished details throughout. Every room has been tastefully remodeled. It boasts a very spacious 3,476 square feet of one-level living; 

impressively broad street frontage; gorgeous formal living and dining rooms; a decadently lavish master suite with an elegant spa-like bathroom; a large 

family room with wet bar and massive stone fireplace; 3 bedrooms and 3 fully remodeled bathrooms; plus a 2-car attached garage with docking station 

and generous storage options. This tranquil retreat with spectacular views will steal your heart. 

937ViadelMonte.com 

Anna Randall 

Re/Max Estate Properties 

Chairman’s Circle, Top Producer 

(310) 413-0838 Cell 

63 Malaga Cove Plaza, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274 

www.AnnaRandall.com annamrandall@gmail.com 

BRE#00592793 

Sold over 350 properties 

and counting 


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HOME & GARDEN GUIDE 

Realtors add value to their services by referring GTD to their clients, to design and 

seamlessly transition their closets from one home to the next. Mention Peninsula 

People Magazine and receive special pricing. 

(310) 612-8095. Gayle@GayleTheodoraDrake.com. GayleTheodoraDrake.com 

Pools, spas by Horusicky Construction 

Beautiful swimming pools, creative spas and artistic masonry work projects of all 

sizes, Horusicky Construction makes your ideas of a dream yard into a reality. 

Started by Michael Horusicky and now run by son Mike Jr. and daughter Andrea, 

the family has been in business for over 45 years and is known for its quality work. 

From complete new pool and spa construction and remodels, to hardscape, decking, 

outdoor kitchens, brick and stone projects of all sizes as well as the landscaping, 

Horusicky Construction is the company that can take care of it all with the 

experience and expertise that you can 

trust. Log onto horusicky.com to see 

their photo gallery and customer comments. 

Call or email to schedule a free 

estimate. 

(310) 544-9384. info@horusicky.com 

Kitchen Collection team 

creates timeless results 

Jackie Balint, CKD, has been designing 

in the kitchen and bath industry 

since 1981 and is the owner of The 

Kitchen Collection in Riviera Village. 

Jackie and her daughter Debra offer 

years of expertise in practical and personalized 

kitchens and baths. They 

work with clients and contractors to 

create timeless projects, utilizing quality 

products and providing personal attention 

from concept to completion. 

Jackie and Debra have worked on 

projects throughout the states and have 

had many of their projects published. 

The Kitchen Collection is a member of 

the National Kitchen & Bath Association 

and the Bath & Kitchen Buying 

Group. Jackie has served on the 

boards of both organizations. 

(310) 540-4090. 241 Avenida del 

Norte, Redondo Beach. 

TheKitchenCollection.com 

Lindahl beautifying the 

Peninsula since 1983 

Lindahl Concrete is the leading concrete 

and masonry company in the 

South Bay. We value good relationships 

with our customers and producing 

high quality work. View our work 

of driveways, pool decks, patios, sidewalks, 

walkways, stairways, barbecues 

and more on our website. Set up 

an appointment to visit our garden 

showroom to see samples of colors 

MATTUCCI 

Plumbing • Heating • Cooling 

D E P E N D A B L E • P R O F E S S I O N A L • A F F O R D A B L E 

w w w . m a t t u c c i p l u m b i n g . c o m 

Since 1990 • License # 770059, C-36 C-34 C-42 C-20 A 

Vote! 

SUMMER SPECIALS 

$ 9 8 0 

Residential Water Heater 

40 gal. installed! ($1080 - 50 gal. also available) 

Includes hot & cold water supply lines 

Expires November 30, 2016 

r 

and finishes. Workman’s Comp & General Liability Insured. Lic. #531387. Call 

Casey Lindahl, Founder and President of Lindahl Concrete Construction. 

(310) 326-6626. lindahlconcrete@aol.com. lindahlconcrete.com 

Pete Fer Plumbing Heating & Air 

Pete Fer Plumbing is a complete mechanical contracting company, providing 

plumbing, heating and air conditioning for new construction, remodel, service 

and repair to commercial and residential customers. They provide 24 hour service, 

seven days a week through an automated emergency dispatch paging system. 

Mention Peninsula People to one of their service technicians and receive $20 off 

your first service call. 

$ 7 5 

Rooter Service - Main Line 

Must have clean-out access. Some restrictions may apply. 

Expires November 30, 2016 

FULL SERVICE PLUMBING, HEATING AND COOLING 

SEWER VIDEO INSPECTION 

ROOTER SERVICE 

COPPER REPIPES 

F R E E 

E S T I M A T E S 

M e n t i o n t h i s a d w h e n 

s e t t i n g u p a p p o i n t m e n t . 

3 1 0 . 5 4 3 . 2 0 0 1 

(310) 831-0737 PFPlumbing.net 

Thank You 

For Your 

ON CALL 

24 HOURS 

7 DAYS 

Catalina Supreme Paint 

Redondo Beach 1002 S. Pacific Coast Hwy 310-540-4456 

Manhattan Beach 708 N. Sepulveda Blvd. 310-376-2444 

Catalinapaint.com 

October 2016 • Peninsula 65 

2013

A & J Plumbing 

St. Lic. #889571 Bonded & Insured 

Clogged Drain? 

Sewer Backup? 

Need a Hydro-Jetter? 

Water Heater? 

Gas Leak? 

Faucet Leak? 

• Fully Stocked Truck 

• Clean Professional Technicians 

• Family Owned & Operated 

• Copper Repipes 

• Faucet 

• Garbage Disposal 

• Trenchless Sewer 

Replacement 

• Tree Root Removal 

• Sewer & Drain Cleaning 

$ 

35 off 

any service 


310.629.1830 

Must present coupon. Not valid with other offers or prior services. No Exp. 

$ 

79 

any drain, any time 


310.629.1830 

Must present coupon. Not valid with other offers or prior services. No Exp. 

free 

sewer camera inspection 

with any drain service 


310.629.1830 

Must present coupon. Not valid with other offers or prior services. No Exp.

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Simply Tiles Design Center brings dreams home 

Visit Simply Tiles’ showroom to view fine ceramic, natural stone tiles and slabs. 

Simply Tiles also offers expert design, fabrication and installation. Enjoy the ease 

and comfort of one stop shopping. Visit the new design showroom for all your remodeling 

and contracting needs. Specializing in kitchen and bathroom design 

and construction from start to finish. Featuring custom cabinets and plumbing fixtures 

for every budget. We will offer suggestions and recommendations on flooring to 

match. And before you finish, ask about custom backsplash designs from their exclusive 

collections. License #904876 

3968 Pac Coast Hwy, Torrance. (310) 373-7781. Simplytiles.com. 

Vinyl Windows 

Replacement and New Construction 

BUY ONLINE 

AND SAVE BIG $$$ 

WWW.1STWINDOWS.COM 

VINYL, ALUMINUM, WOODCLAD 

Lowest Prices Up Front • No Games 

Show Room 562-494-9069 

CONTRACTOR REFERRAL • Fax 562-494-2069 


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Mattucci Plumbing 

At Mattucci Plumbing, the level of service you receive is a guarantee. For plumbing, 

heating and cooling repairs and installations in the South Bay and Greater 

Los Angeles, Mattucci’s professional technicians are all about making services and 

equipment work as great as possible. Customer satisfaction is their #1 priority. 

Call today or book an appointment online. Their professional team is available 

whenever you need them and a live person will gladly assist you 24 hours a day. 

Call today for your free estimate. 

310-543-2001 or mattucciplumbing.com 

Peveler’s Custom Interiors 

Peveler's Custom Interiors has been serving the South Bay and beyond for over 

37 years. A full service design-build construction company, their scope of work includes 

additions, second floors, complete house renovations, new construction, 

kitchen and bath remodeling. They manufacture their own custom cabinetry. Fully 

insured, licensed and bonded, as are all of their subcontractors, Peveler’s is not 

going to be the lowest price nor will it be the highest price in town. They will be 

the company that provides high value for your investment. Please visit their showroom. 

4203 Spencer Street, Torrance. (310) 214-5049. Pevelers.com 

a 

• Serving the South 

Bay for over 35 years 

• Full Service Contractor 

• Complete Installation 

• New Construction 

• Remodeling 

• Second Floors 

• Additions 

• Cabinets 

Visit Our 

Kitchen & 

Bath 

Showroom 

4203 Spencer St., Torrance, CA 90503 

(310)214-5049 • www.pevelers.com 

Appointment Recommended 

Showroom Hours: Monday Thru Friday 10-5 

Closed Saturday and Sunday 



Classifieds Your Local Expert Community 424-269-2830 

CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION ELECTRICAL GARDENING PLASTERING ROOFING 

QUIXTAR 

Concrete & Masonry 

Residential & Commercial 

310-534-9970 

Lic. #935981 C8 C29 

CONSTRUCTION 

Call us to Discuss the 

ENDLESS POSSIBILITES 

Extreme 

Hillside Specialist 

Foundation Repair Experts 

Grading & Drainage 

Retaining Walls, 

Fences & Decks 

310-212-1234 

www.LambConBuilds.com 

Lic. #906371 

G 

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Reserve 

D 

Remodeling 

Design 

Kitchens 

Bathrooms 

Room Additions 

New Construction 

CONSTRUCTION 

your space in 

the next 

Call direct 424-269-2830 

Pub Date: October 29 

Deadline: October 14 

s 

Your Ad Here 

62,000 Readers 

424-269-2830 

magazine 

Charles Clarke 

Local Owner/General Contractor 

Ph: (310) 791-4150 

Cell: (310) 293-9796 

Fax (310) 791-0452 

“Since 1990” Lic. No. 810499 

LYNCH 

ELECTRIC & 

General 

Building 

Contractors 

• Residential 

Troubleshooting 

• Remodel Specialist 

Scott K. Lynch 

P.V. Native 

Licensed & Insured 

Cell 

310-930-9421 

Office & Fax 

310-325-1292 

www.LynchElectric.us 

Lic 701001 

GARAGE DOORS 

classifieds 

424-269-2830 

PLUMBING 

MATTUCCI 

FULL SERVICE PLUMBING • COPPER REPIPES 

SEWER VIDEO INSPECTION • HEATING 

DRAIN & SEWER SERVICE • COOLING 

TRENCHLESS SEWER REPLACEMENT 

HANDYMAN 

Handyman 

Services… 

Fix It Right the 

First Time 

We like small jobs 

/ Free estimates 

What we do… 

Plumbing, 

Electrical, Drywall, 

Painting & more. 

Valente Marin 

310-748-8249 

Unlic. 

MUSIC LESSONS 

Vocal Technician 

Piano Teacher 

Vocalist 

Jeannine McDaniel 

Rancho Palos Verdes 

20 year experience 

All Ages 

310-544-0879 

310-292-6341 

Jeannine_mcdaniel2001@yahoo.com 

PLUMBING • HEATING • COOLING 

DEPENDABLE • PROFESSIONAL • AFFORDABLE 

ON CALL 

24 HOURS 

7 DAYS 

FREE ESTIMATES 

310.543.2001 

CALIFORNIA 

Lic. #770059 

C-36 C-20 A 

2013 

Patch Master 

Plastering 

Patch Plastering 

Interior • Exterior 

• Venetian Plastering 

• Ceiling Removal 

• Drywall Work 

• Acoustic 

Ceiling Removal 

• Water & Fire Restoration 

310-370-5589 

Lic. # 687076 • C35-B1 

Your Ad Here 


424-269-2830 

PLUMBING 

Thank You South Bay for 

50 Years of Patronage! 

Residential • Commercial • Industrial 

Plumbing 24/7 • Heating 

Air Conditioning 

pfplumbing.net 

800-354-2705 • 310-831-0737 

TILE 

Tile Reroof and 

repair specialist 

310-847-7663 

Family owned 

business since 1978 

Lic 831351 

POOLS & SPAS 

POOLS • SPAS 

HARDSCAPES 

New Construction 

& Remodeling 

Excellent References 

Horusicky Construction 

310-544-9384 

www.Horusicky.com 

Credit cards accepted 

Lic #309844, Bonded, Insured 

SOLAR ENERGY 

Your Ad Here 


424-269-2830 

Simply Tiles Design Center 

Fine Ceramics, Natural Stone, Hardwoods, Cabinetry, Faucetry. 

Kitchen & Bathrooms Specialist. 

3968 Pacific Coast Hwy., Torrance • (310) 373-7781 • www.simplytiles.com

Peninsula People Oct 2016

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