St. Lawrence Martyr and Holy Family receive top honors at Academic Decathlon 

By Brenda Rees

On a recent Saturday, 1,000 kids spent their day off from school to take test and test after test. And they were happy – no, ecstatic – about doing it.

Representing 100 schools in the Los Angeles Archdiocese, these middle school students participated in the Academic Junior High Decathlon, an annual cerebral competition at the Los Angeles Sports Arena where school teams go brain-to-brain with their fellow Southern California Decathletes.

Overall top honors went to St. Lawrence Martyr (Redondo Beach) and Holy Family School (South Pasadena); these two Decathlon teams will represent the Los Angeles Archdiocese at the statewide competition to be held May 5 in Orange County. In a break from tradition, this year, the top two schools will represent the archdiocese given the enormity of the Los Angeles Archdiocese.

“The whole experience of Decathlon is a testament to Catholic education,” says Kathy Wise, head coach for St. Lawrence Martyr. “It’s an awesome experience for any school and it was fun for us to watch the neighboring tables win. Our philosophy has been to work hard, treat each other with respect and kindness and know that God and faith are in the center of all that we do.”

Wise’s two daughters graduated from the school years ago (last one is 2006), but the program still draws her back to volunteering her coaching duties – she’s been involved in Decathlon since 2004. “I really love the program and being around kids who have a joy for learning is fantastic,” she says.

Indeed with a 6:45 a.m. call, the day started early for Decathletes, but even more so for the team from Notre Dame School in Santa Barbara who set their clocks for 4 a.m. to make the trek into downtown Los Angeles. “It’s a great opportunity to show your skills and be with your friends,” says team captain Rachel Fields who has participated in now three Decathlons. “I try to tell my other teammates to do their best and not stress so much. We’re all in this together.”

All through the day-long challenge, the mood on the sports floor fluctuated between joyous jitters and infectious excitement as an estimated 3,000 spectators vigorously clapped, frantically waved signs and enthusiastically cheered.

“It’s really surreal experience,” says Gabriel Alpuerto from St. Dominic School in Eagle Rock; “It’s cool to be able to say you did it because we all like the challenge,” adds Matthew Perez from St. Philomena in Carson; “It’s a wonderful way to have fun with your friends and learn at that same time,” sums up Naomi Dupres of St. Anthony of Padua in Gardena.

After the official testing finished and with loud dance music playing, the students blew off steam with an impromptu conga line weaving through the tables; up in the bleachers, spectators started a “wave” which further fueled the party-like atmosphere on the sports floor.

Founded in 1989 by Dr. Mark Ryan who taught at St. Aloysius School in South Central L.A., the decathlon began as a small competition involving a handful of schools from the greater Los Angeles area. It has since grown to become a statewide event involving Catholic junior high students from across the United States.

The Decathlon consists of three segments – the Logic Quiz and the Super Quiz (which all 10 teammates participate) as well as individual events that include: Roman Catholic doctrine, English, Literature, Science, Mathematics, Current Events, Social Studies, and Fine Arts (Art and Music).

While final scores were being tallied, the Eucharist was celebrated on the sports floor by Msgr. Patrick Loftus who told the Decathletes that while pride is the greatest of all sins, he was giving them all a special dispensation. “Just for today, you are allowed to feel pride for what you have done today,” he said, later encouraging them to “take what you know and put it to good use…that’s a life long endeavor.”

Finally, during the awards ceremony,  medals were distributed with eager students racing up to the platform to receive the well-deserved prize. They returned to their seats with hugs and smiles, everyone elevated by the day’s activities.

“I think for any school that is considering forming an Academic Decathlon team, they should come [witness part of the competition], participate in the beautiful Mass and see the joy in the student’s eyes at the awards ceremony,” says Lisa Barker, science and math teacher as well as Decathlon coach at Holy Family, whose team will be going to state. “Students will see how the kids work and support each other. It’s rewarding on so many levels.”

PHOTOS By BRENDA REES

By Brenda Rees

The destructive August fires of 2009 brought smoggy days, closed forest roads and plumes of dark purple clouds rising above the Angeles National Forest. It also displaced countless animals suddenly left without nests, burrows or holes to call home. Altadena resident Wynn Wilson was not surprised to see enormous flocks of birds arriving at her recently planted backyard garden for a cleansing dip in her newly paved creek bed. Critters of all shapes and sizes also came that year to set up temporary shelters among the coffeeberry bushes, edible currant shrubs and 900 other plant types that punctuate Wilson’s three-quarter-acre landscape. “We were happy to welcome the birds and all the other escapees,” says Wilson, a landscape designer, photographer and former longtime Art Center College of Design instructor. “I’ve always wanted my own garden to be a wildlife refuge, a place I could connect with the natural world.”

Snuggled up to a view of the rising San Gabriel Mountains, Wilson’s backyard ecosystem today splendidly sculpts a majestic scene that combines California natives with Mediterranean plantings ideal for the Southern California climate. Part arid chaparral, part shady woodlands, the expanse is more than just a fine example of an economical water-wise garden (with the garden redo, her monthly water bill went from $1,000 a month to a mere $100 to $150). This arty smart garden contains several large areas including a sunbaked salvia and California lilac garden with a stone seating circle, an updated pool and spa with custom hand-painted Malibu tiles surrounded by huge deodar cedars and privacy hedges of California lilacs. Indeed, heaping mounds of floral color abound, including more than 3,000 plantings of coral bells, a delicate but hardy plant that keeps multiplying to Wilson’s delight.  “I’ve also got so many varieties of penstemons that they are cross-hybridizing into unique specimens,” she says.

The garden is open for educational tours, and Wilson and her Terra Design Company host classes and informal gatherings of green-minded gardeners. (She’s also well connected with the Theodore Payne Foundation; her garden has been showcased on TPF’s annual garden tour for the past two years.) Former students and staff at Art Center, artists, musicians and garden clients are drawn together to discuss an evergreen topic in Arroyoland — using California natives and drought-tolerant plants to create wildlife habitats as well as beautiful landscapes. “It is ironic how [our California natives] have been utilized in European gardens for over a century and are now finding new popularity here,” she says.

Wilson planted her garden in the spring of 2009; she began by removing her typical suburban lawn, scraggly azaleas and other water-hungry plants. “I hand dug it up. We removed about 95 percent of the grass. It was a long process, but the best way to do [it],” she says of forgoing chemicals or large black plastic sheets that suffocate and kill beneficial insects (like native bees) and underground critters. When doing away with huge chunks of grass, many folk opt for laying down big black plastic sheets to kill the existing grass – or they use gallons of Roundup or other chemicals. Both methods will remove grass, but are harmful to the environment. Wilson then followed guidelines set by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) for designing a Certified Wildlife Habitat ®. She discovered it wasn’t difficult to combine those necessities with her desire to craft a garden that would be attractive in any season. The trick: Use plants with long bloom times, interesting leaf structures and sculptural qualities.

Overall, the NWF specifies four main criteria to certify a garden as a wildlife habitat. Since its inception 39 years ago, more than 146,000 locations received certification from NWF, according to Roxanne Nersesian Paul, NWF Senior Coordinator, Community & Volunteer Outreach. “Right now, California has the most habitats than any other state,” she says about the program that spans residential, school and community projects. In addition to the actual certificate, participants receive a one year free NFW membership and can opt to install an official NWF plaque in their habitat.  “But those elements are minor, I think the real benefits are twofold,” says Paul. “With so much of their habitat disappearing, wildlife has a better chance to survive when we provide space for them. For people, the chance to view the wildlife up-close and share with their children is an end in itself.”

Wilson concurs adding that “The certification is more a personal accomplishment and a way of giving something back…Waking up to the sights and sounds of birds, butterflies, bees and water is a wonderful way to begin one’s day.” The garden must provide food and water sources, protective covering and safe places for wildlife to raise their young. The food and water were easy enough. Wilson installed appropriate bushes, trees and flowers (e.g., manzanitas, lavenders, poppies, sages) which soon became a wildlife smorgasbord of tempting berries, nectar, leaves and fruit. For water, she constructed a 50-foot-long man-made recirculating stream complete with 30 tons of boulders.

Creating hiding spots and wildlife nurseries involved a little more thought when it came to placement. “Shrubs that are intermingled to allow animals to escape… plants with spiny branches and/or thorns are just the thing,” says Wilson, who used wild roses, native grasses, toyon and gooseberry bushes. Scattered stones in the stream bed also provide nesting opportunities for lizards and insects. Large trees – like pines – offer great seclusion for raccoons, squirrels and birds. “The ability to invite nature in is so easy,” says Wilson about the ever-changing critter clientele. “Every winter, we are a stopover for migrating cedar waxwings. I love it when they come. We had an incredible migration of painted lady butterflies that flocked to the native [California lilac] by the thousands one year.” Walk her footpaths to glimpse Western fence lizards basking on enormous boulders. Nearby, monarch butterflies feast on California milkweed plants tucked beneath California live oak trees that are centuries old. Aerobatic dragonflies dart over bubbling waters. At night, little brown bats and great horned owls perch high in the deodar trees where they have the best views for an evening hunt.

“When you create this kind of ecosystem, everything takes care of itself pretty much,” says Wilson. Sure, she’ll do monthly deep waterings, pruning and weeding, but overall, the garden runs on its own time with no pesticides or fertilizers.  Ladybugs eat aphids, possums eat the snails, hawks go after the small rodents. “Just let nature alone and it will be fine,” sums up Wilson.

Wynn Wilson of Terra Designs can be reached at Wynne@terra-designs.com. (626) 296-3773. For information about the National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitat ®, visit nwf.org/gardenforwildlife or call (800) 822-9919.

PHOTOS By Wynn Wilson.

It’s hard to figure out which is more impressive to watch – the magnificent California condors effortlessly gliding overhead or the enraptured faces of bird lovers gathered here to spend some quality time with the largest terrestrial bird in North America.

“I have tears in my eyes!” exclaimed one delighted visitor. “This just makes my day, no my week!”

About 30 folks signed up to venture into the Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge (normally closed to the public) for a guided walk to see the condors in action.

Bitter Creek is located just north of the Grapevine near the towns of Taft and Maricopa in the San Joaquin Valley foothills of Kern County. Sure it’s a schlep from the Los Angeles area, but once on the small roads, it’s a kick-back ride into some mouth-dropping country. All this beauty off the 5 near the Grapevine? Who freaking knew?

The walk was organized for National Wildlife Refuge Week, held the second week in October, when such entities put out the welcome mat and do a little showing off. (Want to participate next year in these walks and other events? Pencil Oct. 7-14, 2012 in your calendar.)

On that Saturday, there was plenty of showing off by the winged wonders at Bitter Creek Refuge. After a short jaunt down from the parking lot, past an old apple orchard…

…and into Bitter Creek Canyon, walkers were stop-in-your tracks mesmerized as various condors circled above and kept the crowd’s attention for more than an hour.

Photographers were clicking away like crazy especially when numbers 216 and 452 flew directly overhead. (216 is an 11-year-old female; 452 is a 4-year-old male.)

Not to be outdone, a band of ravens pestered their winged cousins, flapping up to bother and “touch wings” with the condors.  (Why do they do that? Theories were bandied about but with no clear reasoning, the only explanation was pure “short kid” annoyance.) Overall, the birds supplied a fine aerial show with no causalities.

“This historically has been a place for condor territory mainly because of the thermal air currents,” says Michael Woodbridge of the Fish and Wildlife Service. But the site also significantly marks condor history – it’s the site where the last wild female condor was trapped in 1986.

Bitter Creek was established in 1985 as one SoCal area for condor recovery; nearby Hopper MountainWildlife Refuge is another local site.

Like many wild things, at one time, condors filled the skies, invoked reverence from local Native Americans and found life pretty darn easy. Thousands of condors ranged the west coast from British Columbia to Baja, but with the advent of the Europeans in the area, the birds faced a downhill battle. They were shot at and poisoned, they collided with man-made structures and died, their once endless territories eroded to a few parcels of land.

Beginning as early as the 1950s, conservationists rallied around the bird; however, their protests often fell on deaf ears.  But in 1982, when a mere 22 condors were left in the world, folks decided to reverse the trend. Now, trying to recreate a species, captive breeding programs in California, Arizona and Baja California have been successful in upping the bird’s number. From the 27 birds in the original captive flock, today nearly 400 birds have taken in the breath of life.

Here at Bitter Creek, 47 condors call the 14,000 square feet of sloping hills and deep canyon home. All birds have transmitters and are closely watched. The public isn’t allowed into their territory. “New release” condors receive supplemental feeding (aka carted in carcasses) to help them adjust to the thrill of finding large animal remains (non-native wild pigs, cattle, sheep and deer) in their territory. Gone are the days when herds of Tule elk, pronghorn or mule deer would suffice these first-rate scavengers, but with the advent of ranching and farming, the condors have found new menus. Pickins maybe slim, but there is enough natural death for the condors to survive.

Indeed, despite the joy of seeing the birds soaring in the clear sky, there is a profound melancholy. Their existence is so depended on humans, from birth to death – even living in the wild. We take eggs of wild condors and replace with captive eggs to ensure new hatchlings will be viable. We monitor their every move, especially parents in the nest. We feed them and try our dardest to keep them from ingesting lead from hunter-killed critters or micro-trash that tarnishes our wilderness areas.

Is this collective psychic guilt from what we did to them long ago? A poetic selfish dream to see them again up high? A biological determination for diversity? Whatever the reason, the move to protect and propagate self-sustaining California condors is a massive undertaking that won’t be fully realized in our lifetimes.

Woodbridge announced to the walkers that the FWS is working on a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) that will cover management of three condor-related national wildlife refuges (Bitter Creek, Blue Ridge and Hopper Mountain).  In January 2012, the first draft will be issued and the public is welcomed to add their comments and suggestions.

In the meantime, the California Condor Recovery Plan has outlined goals and bench marks for a successful condor population.  One of the first goals “is to have two separate groups of wild condors in Central California and Southern California of 150 each,” he says. “We have to take this program one step at a time.”

For the condors, it’s just one flap at a time as they swoop and soar on the updrafts, holding on as they glide higher. One thing for sure, the landscape would surely seem emptier and even sadder without them.

– Brenda Rees, editor

– Condor photos by Ron Merkord

Only in the asphalt jungles of downtown Los Angeles can one witness the powerful and mouth-dropping mysteries of nature from atop a simple parking structure. And we’re not talking the leery-peeping-Tom, things-you-don’t-want-your-grandma-or kids-to-even-KNOW-about brand of wildlife. No, we’re talking authentic feathers, beaks, talons and razor sharp bird brains. Real-time 3-D wildlife.

The flight of the petite but speedy Vaux’s swifts from Southern Alaska to their Central America winter home is just as astonishing as the great migration of the wildebeests across the Serengeti-Mara plains – perhaps not as thunderous and with, thankfully for the observer, no chance of being trampled underfoot.

No, the only real danger of watching these amazing flappers take their evening roost in a single chimney of the nearby Chester Williams Building is that where there’s 14,000 birds overhead in one concentrated place, there’s bound to be some, er, um, “avarian leakage” frosting the scenery. (Forcyringoutloud, people wear a hat when you come to see them.)

Jeff Chapman, director of the Audubon Center at Debs Parks, has been tracking the movement of the birds with his fellow Auddy buddies up and down the coast. Determining when the birds will hit Los Angeles is an unknown science, but he generally expects the birds to reach their peak from the mid to late September on their southbound migration. This year is no exception with the small, cigar-shaped birds with crescent wings currently filling the sky at dusk amid a backdrop of skyscrapers, roaring helicopters and spewing busses.

Perhaps there’s a twinge of jealousy when Chapman talks about when the swifts roost at more bucolic locales. There’s Chapman Elementary School in Portland which boasts a dedicated website, volunteer swift spotters, and grassy beds for bird watchers.  “Here we have the city surrounding us,” he says noting that the urban grittiness only adds to the delight of seeing the thousands of birds circling overhead in a dance of pure instinct and primal drive. “We’re in nature all the time and sometimes we just don’t see it.”

Indeed, the spectacle gives pause to any causal non-bird watcher who unsuspectingly notices the kinetic cloud overhead. “Are those bats?” asks one parking lot patron who sees Chapman and a small group of birders sitting on folding chairs with heads cocked skyward and binoculars in hand. Chapman gives him the low-down. Twice a year, Vaux’s swifts pass through Los Angeles, but it’s only been two years ago they have been found using this spot for overnight housing. Chapman heard that folks used to see them use the abandoned old Nabisco Bakery near the Loft District, but that was years ago.

“There may be other places they roost in the city. We just don’t know,” he says adding that the next big roost for the swifts on their southbound journey is in downtown San Diego. “We know that they can make it from San Francisco to Los Angeles in one day.”

When not plunging into the chimney for the night where they will cling to the walls and keep each other warm, the swifts are extremely active eaters during the daylight.  Vauxies have voracious appetite for small flying insects, beetles and bugs, as they gorge themselves to keep up their strength for their travels. For anyone who’s swatted a fly or cursed a mosquito, these birds are your pals.

It’s nice to know that the swiftly-flying swifts are not technically endangered, but there is concern that many of their favorite man-made roosting centers are disappearing. With many old masonry chimneys being torn down, the birds are without adequate cover for the night and safe from predators, like the ravens that perch on the chimney top, picking off a swiftie evening snack. The birdwatchers on the parking lot roof see the ravens nonchalantly capture swifts and fly away with their prey for solitary dining.

“This is probably why swifts lay many eggs, because it helps their numbers when they migrate,” explains Chapman.

Still, it’s not hard to feel sorry for the few Vauxies that are snatched away; it’s easy to raise a shaking fist at the opportunistic ravens. After all, those black birds haven’t flown hundreds of miles in a single day – they just laze around trash cans or scoop up fallen food here on downtown’s Broadway Avenue. What do they know about sacrifice and endurance?

As the sun finally disappears and blackness settles in, the birds pick up the pace as they enter their nightly lodging. Suddenly, they swirl in unison, a giant whirlpool of feathers flapping, accompanied by small tweets and then, swoop! Down the chimney they zoom and in a flash, the sky is suddenly empty of swifts.

“People pay big money to see the whales migrate up and down our coasts,” says Chapman. “Well, here is another migration that is as equally as impressive that everyone can witness – and it doesn’t cost much at all.”

We agree. We also think that the swifts need a better creative marketing manager. After all, their cousin the swallow has songs, traditions and parades built up around their annual migration.  Musicians, now is your time. We challenge you to write that inspiring song that will tell this bird’s story. Get cracking. They are only here for a few more weeks.

The Audubon Center at Debs Parks will hold two organized public viewings of the Vaux’s swifts from 6 to 7:30 on Friday Sept. 23 and Sept. 30 atop Joe’s Auto Park at 440 Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. Parking is $3. Birdwatchers are encouraged to bring picnics, binoculars and something to sit on, plus head covering. Park on level just below the top, because if you park your car on top, it will get “painted” by bird poo. We’re not kidding.

 (PHOTO BY MARTHA BENEDICT)

I love discovering people in my neighborhood, especially if they are folks who have an artistic bent and lean toward the retro sensibilities. For this month’s Arroyo Magazine, I met Highland Park furniture designer, David Johnson of Sidecar Furniture, a local Highland Park boy who is lost in the midcentury. I enjoyed an afternoon in his studio (aka garage!) and was impressed by not only his work, but his philosophy and dedication to his art. Did I mention he does cane weaving? You don’t see that everyday! Here’s the article:

Midcentury Marvelous

David Johnson of Sidecar Furniture takes us back to a time when furniture was in a delicious groove.

By Brenda Rees

There’s an informal saying amongst designers that creating a piece of furniture is akin to making a box. A simple box? Think about it: Whether it’s a couch, chair, table or bed frame, each piece is like an open cube, either a rectangle or square. Boil it down, and any piece of furniture is a really a plain old box in disguise.

While practically anyone can slap together a box, only someone with a spark and a glint can turn that simple box into a piece of high-end functional art that can be soul-satisfying today and decades from now. Consider Highland Park furniture designer David Johnson, designer/proprietor of Sidecar Furniture, who’s continuing a Southern California tradition of handcrafting practical objects like those artisans who practiced the Arts and Crafts techniques of a century ago. Johnson, however, is drawing on the ideals of a later period — the clean lines of midcentury modernism — and propping them up with 2011 sensibilities. Sidecar’s lines echo those sleek designs and riff on modern masters of the 1950s and ’60s, sometimes giving a nod to the’70s. Johnson’s low-slung Maria chair, composed of walnut with a cane seat and back, is a tribute to any of Hans J. Wegner’s classic woven chairs. Johnson’s turntable cabinet practically jumps out of a 1960s picture postcard, when every home had a swinging Zenith record player. His simple teak cabinet brings back the Scandinavian 1950s with panel details would make Kaare Klint – the father of Danish modernism – nod in approval.

“I feel more comfortable around old than new,” says Johnson, 43, from his home studio/workshop. A California Central Valley native, he cites his inspiration from varied sources: vintage motorcycles, black-and-white TV programs like The Andy Griffith Show, grand old cars, not to mention antique furniture which he collected and sold in his late teens and early 20s. “I really like a variety of art styles, especially art nouveau, but when I sit down to design, that’s not what comes out of me. My head and hands go completely another different way.”

Setting up shop in Southern California in 2008, Johnson brought with him clients from his early days as a furniture designer in Santa Cruz and San Francisco, but Southland folks are discovering and embracing his vision. “I met David at a recent Dwell on Design show and fell in love with his stuff,” says Brian Macken of Highland Park, who commissioned Johnson to build a lanky, low-slung bamboo TV console. “It’s the only piece of hand-made furniture I have in the house, and not one day goes by without me looking at it and thinking ‘That is so beautiful.’ This piece will be with me for the rest of my life and hopefully one of my kids will take it with them.”

In addition to annual design shows and Sidecar Furniture’s online photo galleries (sidecarfurniture.com), Johnson’s pieces, which range in price from $600 for a stool to $7,500 for the TV console, are showcased at WhyrHymer gallery in Hollywood. “David takes traditions and turns them on its head,” says owner Brandon Morrison, also a furniture designer. “What I really like is his caning; it’s something that’s not easy to do, and it complements his designs in a contemporary way. It’s just beautiful to look at.”

Indeed, Johnson’s weaving prowess — an homage to midcentury techniques — adds another layer to his furniture pieces, distinguishing them from a lot of other designers. A quick lesson: Very popular in 17th-century England, woven cane furniture was once favored in conservatories and dining rooms of the wealthy. Rattan saw its American heyday in the late 1800s, used in  settees, rocking chairs and cabinets. Weaving experienced its last wave in the chair design during the 1960s and ’70s. The four traditional weaving patterns include: the Danish cord pattern which uses tightly compressed paper or cane (the outer layer of the rattan palm); the sea grass pattern (popular for baskets); the rush pattern (typically done with cattails, paper rush or Danish cord); and the Shaker tape-and-wood splint, an over/under pattern used on early American and Shaker chairs.)

For all, weaving is a labor intensive process, says Johnson, who learned the basics from Jim’s Widess’ book The Complete Guide to Chair Caning. “I think the reason why [weaving] appealed to me is that I wanted my [furniture] to be a mixed media,” says Johnson. “This gives my work another level that you don’t see every day. It’s another voice.”

In addition to creating stools, chairs and door designs that feature woven elements, Johnson restores damaged woven furniture, sad pieces that all come to him with a story. “We had a full dining room set with 10 chairs from the 1950s, classic woven seats in need of restoration because we were hosting Thanksgiving that year at our house,” says Robert Puertas of Irvine. The chairs were stricken with frazzled and fragmented strands, and damaged and broken backs.

“Most of them you couldn’t sit in. We were going to tell people to not BYO beer but BYO chair,” says Puertas, who met Johnson at a design show.  Johnson came to his house, picked up the patients and in two weeks, returned them all in fine form. “Honest to goodness, they look practically new,” Puertas says. “He duplicated the pattern and did a beautiful job.”

(This fall, Johnson will be teaching his first-ever Danish cord-weaving class at Pasadena City College as part of its Extended Learning offerings. At presstime, the course was tentatively scheduled for Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon, from Sept. 24 through Oct. 15.)

Johnson’s path to furniture design began at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz County, where he studied art history before enrolling in the College of the Redwoods Fine Woodworking Program in Fort Bragg. Founded by Swedish furniture- maker James Krenov, who studied under the master woodworker Carl Malmsten, the school, says Johnson, reflects a distinct European influence on its courses, teaching methods and direction —  lessons that are engrained in Johnson’s work today. “We were instructed to slow everything down, pay attention to every move and detail,” he explains. “No short-cuts, no going quick or punching it up. Slow it all down and pay attention to balance, form and proportion as well as color and texture of the wood. Let nothing escape your eye.” Indeed, an intricate TV console can take as long as three months to complete.

After completing the intensive nine-month program, Johnson moved to Santa Cruz and joined an woodworking arts collective where he continued to develop his own style (“It was an idyllic setting overlooking a graveyard!”). From there, he took on a stint in San Francisco at a cabinet shop (“A great education in dealing with clients, sub-contractors, the practical stuff”) and another art collective, where Sidecar Furniture was eventually born. Along the way, he kept refining and honing his craft, inspired in part by the life work of woodworker extraordinaire Sam Maloof.

“While Maloof’s designs were – and are – widely copied, I think how he worked and developed his techniques most strike me,” says Johnson. “Maloof had really only a handful of techniques, but it’s how he played with them, enjoyed them and expanded on them — that’s how he was able to develop his own language with such artistry. That’s the Maloof that impresses me, and that’s what I am trying to follow with my art as well.”

I had the most wonderful opportunity to board a whale watching vessel one morning out of Long Beach with staff and biologists from the Aquarium of the Pacific. We were on search for those lovely leviathans of the deep, our summer visitors, the blue whales. Along with photographer friend, Martha Benedict, we captured what it was like to be on a watery expedition. Here’s our featured post for SoCalWild.

World Renowned Galco’s Soda Pop Stop Hosts First Ever “Summer Soda Tasting” Benefit Event on July 24, 2011
Live Music, Auction and An Appearance by Humorist Charles Phoenix

What better way to celebrate summer than enjoying a classic soda with the “King of Pop?”

Old favorites, new offerings and a few surprises will be on tap at Galco’s Soda Pop Stop’s first-ever Summer Soda Tasting event at 5-8 p.m. on Sunday July 24 at the historic Highland Park locale.

Hosted by Galco’s owner, John Nese, aka the “King of Pop,” the event will feature a myriad of soda samples, live music, a silent auction, and an appearance by retro humorist Charles Phoenix who will be mixing up “poptails,” kid-friendly cocktails made with soda. Phoenix will be serving up three different creations: “The Galco,” “The Southwest” and “The Highland Park.”

The event benefits the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition, an organization that works to preserve Los Angeles’ first museum.

Sodas selections will be various flavors (some new) from Hanks, Fentimans, Bundaberg, Waialua Soda Works and Red Ribbon. In addition to soda tastings, the Galco’s store will be open so people can stock up on any soda, candy, beer, wine.  Proceeds from all store sales at the event will also be donated to the Friends of the Southwest Museum by Galco’s.

Advance tickets for this first ever Soda Tasting are $12 and can be purchased at Galco’s or online at www.friendsofthesouthwestmuseum.com.  Day-of tickets at the event will be $15.

 Galco’s is located at 5702 York Boulevard, Highland Park, 90042. For more information, call (323) 255-7115 . 

Galco’s First Ever Soda Tasting Party is benefit for Southwest Museum
July 24 event offers soda, music and fun for all ages

By Brenda Rees

Wine and craft beer tastings are so passé, but a soda tasting? Now, that’s new and different!  Many people and groups have approached John Nese, the owner of Galco’s Soda Pop Shop, with the intent on having a shindig at the historic Highland Park locale. 

Nese, however, has always resisted. “I have refused soda sampling for years because I have told customers that it’s more fun for you to buy the sodas here and then do it at home,” he says.

Months ago, however, Nese was finally convinced to open his really-one-of-a-kind store for the first-ever public soda sampling extravaganza. Set to take place the evening of Sunday July 24, the “Summer Soda Tasting” invites soda lovers of all ages to drop by anytime from 5-8 p.m. and try out some unique brands, experience new flavors and taste some new surprises.

In addition, participants can enjoy music, ante up for a silent auction and are encouraged to stock up on sodas, candies, etc., as the store will be open because all proceeds from the purchases will be part of the fundraising benefit for the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition. 

Another special event highlight includes an appearance by King of Retro, humorist Charles Phoenix, who will be mixing and serving up his new culinary creation –  “poptails” – crazy and fun soda combinations topped off with candy garnishes. 

What made Nese change his mind?

“This soda sampling is for a good cause because it’s going to benefit the community. The profits from tickets for the evening, including the sales at the store, will go the Friends of the Southwest Museum,” he says. “Because we want our museum to be a reality, not locked in some storage shed. We want to be able to have a living, breathing museum in our area once again.”

Nese and organizers are planning the evening to be a community-building experience “where soda and retro-loving folks, who might not know the details of the closing of the Southwest Museum, can learn about the issues surrounding L.A.’s oldest and first museum,” says Nicole Possert representative of the Friends of the Southwest Museum.

Built in 1914, the Southwest was originally located in downtown Los Angeles in 1907, but moved to its permanent Mt. Washington home through the tireless work of historian, journalist and Native American booster, Charles Lummis. Working with city leaders of the day, Lummis directed the construction and completion of the stunning building which was designed by noted architects Sumner P. Hunt and Silas R. Burns.

For years, the museum welcomed serious scholars of the American Southwest, schoolchildren and the community, inviting everyone to learn about the life, times, art and culture of all the peoples of the Southwest. One of the largest and most important in the United States, the museum features rare collections of Native American basketry, ceramics, dress and ceremonial artifacts. The museum also has a vast and significant collection of Spanish and Mexican American artifacts and objects important to the development of the Southwest in the early 20th century.

The Southwest Museum board started having operational difficulties in the 2000s, and decided to merge with Autry’s Museum of the American West in 2003.  In 2005, Autry closed the exhibitions and greatly limited public access. And finally in 2009, the museum was officially closed with the Autry using the site to warehouse and preserve the Southwest Museum Collection while developing a plan to soon move the massive collection to a storage facility in Burbank.

Residents have been vocal about the loss of the Southwest Museum to a larger entity, forming the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition to advocate that the museum once again return and re-open on its home atop the hill in Mt. Washington.

As of this writing, the fate of the museum is still being decided. Last month, members of the Coalition attended City Council hearings in which the Autry proposed a project that essentially relocates the functions of the Southwest Museum to Griffith Park. The City approved the project despite concerns raised by Coalition members, which now are contemplating legal action. This latest chapter has elevated the issue again but greater public awareness is needed.

In addition to being a fundraiser for the Friends of the Southwest Museum, the Summer Soda Tasting is a way for Nese to tip his hat to certain respected soda brands that have been part of the store’s offerings since the soda pop niche began taking off in the 1990s.

Nese gets excited when he talks about these sodas that the public will be sampling: Hanks from Philadelphia (“We were the first store West of Chicago to carry them”), high-end Fentimans from England and Red Ribbon from Pennsylvania, a company that still uses the old-fashioned pin-point carbonated method that was the norm for soda production from 1920s to mid-1960s (“It’s all done with dry ice, that’s the way it was done back then and this makes a distinct unique tasting soda”).

The Aussie soda Bundaberg will also be poured as well as samples of Waialua Soda Works that operates out of Hawaii. Representatives from all the soda brands will be on hand to answer questions, listen and talk with soda aficionados.  Of course, sampling sodas and rubbing elbows with the King of Pop, John Nese, promises to be a rare treat indeed.

Being a little coy, Nese and Possert also suggest that participants should expect soda surprises that may involve not-yet-on-the-market flavors…or even brands. “You don’t want to miss this event,” says Possert a little mysteriously.

The store will be opened for sales that evening, so soda lovers can stock up on any items from drinks to old-fashioned candy – all proceeds will also go to the Friends of the Southwest Museum.

In addition, community and local businesses have donated items for a silent auction for the festive evening. Of particular note is a 2 ½ foot wide handmade piece of knitted art from Mt. Washington artist Lauri Mraz. “Southwest Museum, Empty,” depicts in knitted form a somewhat deflated building, which Mraz says is a political statement.

“So many people don’t realize that the museum is closed. They show up and expecting it to be opened and it’s not,” she says. This artwork “is a symbol of what we are missing in our community and the tragic nature of what has happened to the oldest museum in Los Angeles.”

Mraz looks forward to attending the Summer Soda Tasting evening. “It is going to be a great event and it’s going to draw a lot of people. I have a feeling it’s going to be a happening spot that Sunday night!”

Tickets for Galco’s Summer Soda Tasting Event on Sunday, July 24, 2011.

Advance tickets for this first ever Galco’s Summer Soda Tasting are $12 and can be purchased at Galco’s or online at www.friendsofthesouthwestmuseum.com.  Day-of tickets at the event will be $15; ticket sales are limited. Buy now and don’t be disappointed.

Summer Soda Tasting takes place from 6-8 p.m. Drop by anytime for sampling, conversation and festivities. Families, couples and groups are welcomed.

Galco’s is located at 5702 York Boulevard, Highland Park, 90042. For more information, call (323) 255-7115. 

Here’s the article:

The Bugman of Mt. Washington                                                                                                                                

The Bugman has a list of top SoCal bugs that he wants to see one of these days: the long-horned California prionus beetle, the luxurious ceanothus silk moth and the lovely Pacific green sphinx moth. He’s also itching to see the rain beetle in action. “The males are the only ones that fly and the females are 8-10 feet underground,” he says. “They mate only during the winter rains in the early morning or late twilight hours.”

Alas, for the Bugman: most of the bugs he sees daily come across to him via emails – usually in the arena of 140-200 per day. As the driving force behind the internet sensation website “What’s That Bug?” the Bugman response to queries from all over the country from folks who have snapped an unidentifiable bug and whose curiosity demands answers.

The Bugman is a nom de plume of David Marlos, a resident of the Mt. Washington area of North East Los Angeles, who has no background in entomology but who does possess a passion for creepy crawlies; thanks to the plethora of insects that inhabit the world, Marlos has managed for the last decade to carve out a secret second life as the Bugman.

As a full-time instructor of photography at Los Angeles Community College in their media arts department and occasional part time teacher at Art Center College of Design, Marlos has infused his wit and boundless enthusiasm into the website for more than a decade.

Because of the success of the popular website – which drew 2 million people last year from 219 countries – Marlos has just published his first book, The Curious World of Bugs: The Bugman’s Guide to the Mysterious and Remarkable Lives of Things That Crawl from Penguin Group publishing.

Marlos will be at L.A.’s Theodore Payne Foundation on Saturday, May 28 discussing his book as well as riffing on insects and sharing buggy tales.

“The book is done in the spirit of ‘What’s That Bug?’ but a little more organized,” he says calling it a Farmer’s Almanac-style book that contains short stories, tidbits and facts. Unlike the website though, there are no photos – just wonderful vintage line-drawings of insects which elevates the book into an artistic celebration of the science of insects.

The Curious World of Bugs is garnering some great reviews: Good Reads says the book “celebrates bugs for what they truly are: strange, mysterious, cute, beautiful, and occasionally disturbing…[it] offers a glimpse into the magical world of bugs that bite, infest, fascinate, repulse, and inform us all.”

Marlos got his first taste of entomological writing back in the 1990s when he helped his friend Lisa Anne Auerbach by writing a regular column about bugs for her zine, American Homebody. “People always want to find out what kind of bug they have discovered in the bathroom, outdoors, etc.” he says. “As a child growing up in Ohio, I had – and still do — a great fascination with insects.”

The ‘zine moved online in 1998, but over the months it was apparent that Marlos’ column struck a chord with readers. People were sending digital pictures of strange and interesting bugs, insects they found in their homes, while on vacation, hiking or just down the street. Everyone wanted to know “what’s that bug?” and Marlos became the self-proclaimed insect expert.

Overwhelmed with the requests, Marlos reached out to the real experts in the field who could help him identify and give information about the critters people have discovered, including flies, wasps, beetles, caterpillars, scorpions, spiders, etc. Marlos quickly learned that the insect world is a complex, specific and almost magical in its depth and breath.

In 2002, “What’s That Bug?” branched out on its own as a unique website with 15,000 posts under its belt and an ability to translate queries from 50 languages, including Arabic and Japanese. Accolades include Yahoo Pick of the week in 2003, USA Today Hotsite in 2004, Earthlink Weird Web in 2006, Real Simple Magazine in 2006, Sunset Magazine in 2007, and a lecture at the Getty in 2008. Google the word “Bug” and the first listing will be “What’s That Bug?”

Marlos is proud that the site is child-friendly even with a section on Bug Love (photos of mating bugs accompanied by the occasional double entendre) and the sometimes-disturbing Carnage section (photos of squashed bugs).

The Bugman is a strong supporter of not killing bugs. “People react fast and don’t realize that just about every bug they encounter is perfectly harmless and not worth killing,” says Marlos. The website, while it celebrates bugs, understands that there are those out there who shriek from them. To that end, Marlos uses the website as a platform to preach tolerance and encourage readers to look more objectively at bugs as natural engineering marvels.

All in all, teacher by day, Bugman by early morning, Marlos sees the world of insects both scientific and artistic.  He can rattle off facts and figures about the iron cross blister beetle but also wax poetic about the charmed life of the Brunner’s mantid, a mantid species of in Texas that have evolved to only be female, no males.  They reproduce by cloning, of all things.

As it goes, Marlos owes a lot to bugs; they have given him a second “glamorous” life as well as a deep appreciation for the natural world.  “It’s all about the interconnectivity of all things on this planet. We can’t eliminate one species without affecting others,” he says.  “We can appreciate these lower beasts and, in the process, get a bigger picture of the world around us.”

The Legend of The Red Dog of Eagle Rock

By Brenda Rees

For many years, Eagle Rock residents who live in the hills above the Eagle Rock Mall have embraced, worried about, talked and watched over, fed and finally rescued a homeless dog that had become a fixture on the winding narrow streets overlooking the 2 Freeway.

But this story is more than just a simple dog tale, it’s how the heart of a neighborhood worked together to save the soul of a discarded dog – a canine that, through the years, developed a legendary status among residents who affectionately refer to the critter as simply The Red Dog.

No one knows for sure how The Red Dog came to wander the neighborhood; stories circulate that a couple was seen placing the auburn puppy near the electrical towers that are perched high on the hills near the intersection of Lawndale Drive and Round Top Drive. Did a kindly coyote mother pity the little pup and take her as one of her own? How did this dog endure in area for so many years, escaping dog catchers, eschewing run-ins with coyotes and surviving only on the kindness of humans who regularly placed food on their doorsteps for the timid beast?

Ask anyone in the area – and neighborhoods beyond – and they will tell their memories of The Red Dog hiding in bushes, hanging out in backyards, playing with other dogs, eating alongside cats and sometimes laying down in the middle of the street, blocking amused drivers who really couldn’t be angry. This was just The Red Dog’s way.

Still, the pooch was a loner. No one could get close to it, not even new homeowner Lynne DeMarco who in 2002 took special interest in the dog; her day was not complete until she had a glimpse of The Red Dog.  Not alone in this routine, Lynne met most of her new neighbors through The Red Dog, including Candy and Don who loved to put out huge bones for him. The Red Dog was their common denominator; everyone was upset when he was gone for a spell of days and all rejoiced when once again he was spotted.

Woven into the fabric of the neighborhood, The Red Dog continued his wanderings until last year when everything changed. Lynne and neighbors were alarmed when L.A. Animal Control trucks started driving through the area looking for The Red Dog. Someone said he killed a puppy, but none of these neighbors could believe that such a shy creature (who was fairly well-fed) was capable of what a hungry coyote could do in a matter of seconds. After many attempts, the dog catchers left empty-handed.

Then the hot days of Summer 2010 came and Lynne realized she hadn’t seen The Red Dog in weeks. Shirley Hawkins, a concerned neighbor – who also fed the dog – told Lynne to check online at the nearby animal shelter. Sure enough, Lynne found a picture of a sadder than usual Red Dog that was caged, lonely and confused. She had to get him out of there, quick. With help from her friend Ana Debasa who runs an animal rescue called One Dog Rescue,  Lynn was able to secure the dog’s release…but there was the bigger question looming: Where does he go? Where does he belong? It was time The Red Dog found a more permanent home.

Using the power of the Internet, Lynne blasted email to thousands of people — friends, clients from her nearby fitness studio and acquaintances — to enlist their help in finding a place for the canine. To Lynne’s surprise, many had memories of The Red Dog – people from Glendale, Glassell Park, Mt. Washington. They wanted to help.

Someone suggested they send The Red Dog to Pete Rodrigues who specializes in training difficult dogs. Pete’s company, K-9 101 Consulting (www.k9-101consulting.com) was in Santa Paula where he trains and boards dogs at his facility. An unknown to these Eagle Rock residents, Pete was the only shot Lynne, Shirley, Candy, Don and all the neighbors had to rescue and rehabilitate The Red Dog. They had to take it.

Lynne and Shirley met Pete at the county vet’s office in downtown L.A. where The Red Dog was taken to be neutered before his release. Handing over The Red Dog to a complete stranger felt odd for both Lynne and Shirley, and at first, Pete’s techniques seemed harsh. The Red Dog had never been on a leash before, cried when he was pulled, and was so resistant that he needed a sedative to eventually get him into Pete’s car.

Lynn and Shirley followed Pete to Santa Paula to see where The Red Dog would call home, albeit a supposed temporary one, for the first time in his life. Once there, they met Pete’s wife and young daughter and saw happy dogs who were under Pete’s tutelage. The vibe was good; Lynne and Shirley left happy with their decision.

To cover the cost of The Red Dog’s schooling, Lynne once again contacted her online network – and raised more than $2,000, a sum that even today makes her cry with joy. So many people wanted to help, neighbors dropped notes in her mailbox, clients stopped her after classes, everyone was relieved that The Red Dog was finally off the streets and somewhere safe.

Lynne kept in touch with Pete who provided glowing progress reports. After three months of training, The Red Dog was finally deemed adoptable. He could walk on a leash, sit next to people, beg for treats and, most important, ask for pets. Lynne broadcasted the message: The Red Dog wants a home! Unfortunately, no one stepped forward and Lynne was once again worried about The Red Dog’s fate.

Lynne didn’t have to worry long, since Pete said his family had come to love The Red Dog and they would welcome him as part of their pack. Still, if someone wanted to adopt him, someone from the old neighborhood, Pete would be open. To this date, that hasn’t happened.

Overjoyed, Lynne, Shirley and the other helpful neighbors breathed a sigh of relief – today, they miss seeing The Red Dog on their streets but they know he’s living a happy dog’s life. Through the years, Lynne and Shirley realize how important neighbors are to one another, how working together they showed compassion and care for another living thing.

Lynne, Shirley and other neighbors are planning a trip this month to visit The Red Dog at his new home with Pete at new and bigger location in Camarillo. They can’t wait to see how this once painfully shy dog has transformed into a beloved family pet. They promise to bring all the well-wishes of his Eagle Rock family with them – a neighborhood that cared for a discarded and homeless dog, a canine that continues his legendary story about the power of love and friendship.

(If you wish to make a donation to K-9 101 Consulting for Pete’s canine rehabilitation programs, please visit www.k9-101consulting.com and follow the PayPal link for instructions on how to donate online.)

After months of prepping, I have officially launched this month my new wildlife website, Southern California Wildlife, or SoCalwild for short.

The website is a mixture of news, information, resources and original content all about the diversity of wildlife we have here in the Greater Los Angeles area. From dolphins to desert tortoises, from falcons to mountain lions, the vast array of critters that will be explored is practically endless!

As editor, I am always looking for good wildlife news whether it’s from pr people, scientists or field researchers. I am also on the lookout for good writers who can contribute original posts and photos!

Stay tuned as SoCalWild grows!