PPCC Elections

UPDATE:

The results of the election are final and I was unsuccessful in my bid to be re-elected to the position of Area 3 Representative.  I do wish to continue to serve the community and accordingly have applied to serve as the Area 3 First Alternate Representative.  If I am appointed to that position, I will continue to sit on the Pacific Palisades Community Council Board, will be actively involved in a number of board related activities and issues and will vote on Board resolutions at those times when the current Area 3 Representative is not present at meetings to vote.


As many of you who live in Pacific Palisades know, the Pacific Palisades Community Council is holding their once every two year elections for Area Representatives in the coming weeks.  I have served on the PPCC as the Area 3 Representative for the last four years and this year I am running for re-election.  Unlike prior elections, this year one candidate is running against me and several other Area elections will see multiple candidates running for office.

I thought it would be informative if I posted all of the public comments that I have made in the media and at public forums and elsewhere to give those who are interested a better understanding of my views on a variety of subject.  I'll also give fair warning that there are a lot of similarities in some of these statements because the main issues are pretty clear in my mind.  In any event, I hope you find this informative and enjoyable and if you live in Area 3, I hope I can count on your vote.

Voting in This Year's Election

Area residents have three ways to cast their vote this year for their PPCC Area Representatives

 1. Vote by mail ballot postmarked no later than September 5, 2014

 2. Vote in person at the Palisades Recreation Center on September 6, 2014

3. Vote in person at the Farmer's Market on September 7, 2014

Remember: only one vote per household is allowed.  Multiple votes from a single household will result in the cancellation of all votes from that household. 

Area 3 Boundary Definition

AREA 3   Marquez Knolls and both sides of Sunset Boulevard from Palisades Drive to Bienveneda Avenue, Saint Matthew’s School, and the Bel Air Bay Club, including the following:

1.      From Sunset Blvd. the western border is the eastern boundary of Area 2, north to 16882 Charmel Lane.

2.      The northern boundary is the southern border of Topanga State Park.

3.      The eastern boundary is the rear lot line of properties on the east side of Bienveneda and Shadow Mountain Drive., Via Anita and Via Cresta and thence westerly from 1479 Via Cresta to Bienveneda.

4.      Both sides of Bienveneda Avenue south to Sunset Boulevard excluding Las Pulgas Road.

5.      West on Sunset Blvd. to Baylor Street, south on Baylor and Las Casas to its southern terminus at Grenola and directly south to the Pacific Ocean. 

My PPCC Candidate's Statement

As a Realtor with Sotheby’s International Realty and a twenty year Pacific Palisades resident, I understand the importance of a strong community with dedicated volunteers.  I have supported that ideal through my service on the PPCC for the last four years as the Area 3 Representative.  I also support the community through active service on the boards of the Autry National Center, the California Art Club and the Central Coast Wine Classic charity auction.  It would be my honor and privilege to continue this service to the community as the Area 3 Representative for the next two years.

Richard Cohen, a former chair of the PPCC and an activist in my area sent a set of questions to both candidates.  Here are his questions and my replies.

I am interested in learning about your positions on various Area 3 issues.  Could I trouble you to let me know your views on a few matters?  

Where do you stand on the DWP distribution station issue?  Are you absolutely opposed to the proposed station being built on the DWP property adjacent to Marquez Elementary School?   Or do you see pros and cons of various locations?  Would you favor carving out land from Los Liones Park behind Fire Station 23 as a preferable location?  (Note that State Parks has indicated that that will not be allowed.)  What would you think of Bernheimer Gardens as a possible location?  How would you describe your attitude toward this set of issues? 

Are you familiar with St. Matthew's Parish request for relaxation of various conditions and restrictions on their use?  There is a pending case in which St. Matthew's have asked for city permission to increase enrollment to 384 (currently capped at 325), park in front of neighbors homes (currently forbidden) and relax other restrictions.  Many neighbors on Beinveneda and in the surrounding area organized to oppose expansion of St. Matthew's.  There is an unfortunate history of St. Matthew's violating their conditions. In the school year 1999-2000 and in every school year since 2002-2003, St. Matthew’s – by their own admission — has been in violation of their enrollment cap. Where do you stand on the issues pertaining to the tension between St. Matthew's and its neighbors? 

I look forward to hearing from you as I consider my vote for Area 3 representative. 

Warmest regards,

Richard Cohen   

Dear Richard, 

Thank you for your kind words, for your interest in Area 3 issues and for allowing me the opportunity to respond to your questions. 

As you know, I served on the DWP Taskforce before it was disbanded.  One thing I learned was that every site under consideration came with significant obstacles and limitations.  Among the parcels, four or five were located near schools.  We tried diligently (and successfully) to keep our recommendations focused on locations other than those close to schools.  I do not believe that such a facility should be placed near a school. 

The Tier 1 sites may or may not be the ones the LADWP ultimately decides to pursue.  We will not know until they announce their final candidates for CEQA review.  Regardless of which sites are under consideration, there will most certainly be lawsuits threatened or filed as the final location will affect the valuation of homes in the immediate vicinity. 

As for the two locations that you inquired about, the old Bernheimer Gardens site is subject to material geological issues that may make it unsuitable for development.  If selected as one of the candidates, it will be interesting to see how the LADWP intends to mitigate those issues.  As for the parkland, the State of California has made it very clear that they will not allow the use of any land in the Los Liones Park.  I do not see any reason to believe that they will change their position in this matter. 

All of this being said, it is imperative that we upgrade our electrical distribution infrastructure in the western portion of Pacific Palisades. We must work with the LADWP in whatever final site they decide to pursue while at the same time standing ready to challenge them on material issues that may affect the health and safety of the community.
I am very familiar with the St. Matthews Conditional Use Permit issues, more as a result of my prior membership on the MKPOA board than from the PPCC.  As you know, I have long supported constructive dialogue between St. Matthews Parish and the affected neighbors, something that St. Matthews seemed largely reluctant to pursue.  I am in agreement that St. Matthews must demonstrate its willingness and ability to stick with the current terms of the CUP, prior to entering any discussions regarding changes.  In my mind, those efforts to comply with the current CUP should be pursued at least during the entirety of the upcoming two year Area 3 Representative's term 

While I have your attention, i'd like to comment on a few other long term issues that are of interest to me.  I have been active in keeping an eye on bluff-side development proposals for multi-family properties along Sunset including the projects at 17000 Sunset and 17030 Sunset (Coaloa).  This is an area that is ripe for developer over-reach and one that requires constant vigilance. Also, I am anxiously awaiting the implementation of the Administrative Code Enforcement law to allow Department of Building and Safety officials to directly cite code violators.  Likewise, I would like to see improvements in the enforcement mechanisms for the Baseline Hillside Ordinance.  I see far too many new (post grandfathered) construction projects that completely baffle me as to how they comply with the ordinance. 

Certainly the central city redevelopment project to be undertaken by Caruso Associated is a project that many, including myself will be interested in monitoring.  Likewise, I am very interested in any efforts to amend and update the specific plan for the community. 

If you have any other questions regarding my candidacy, please do not hesitate to call or email me. 

I hope I can count on your support. 

Regards - Jim

Richard had one followup question to which I also replied.

I'm curious about your sentence:  " I am very interested in any efforts to amend and update the specific plan for the community."  I'm sure that we are all interested in this important issue.  As you know, there are those who feel that the specific plan is too restrictive and should be modified to allow denser development, third stories, mixed use, etc.  This has been couched in terms of possible trade-offs for other street-level benefits by some proponents.  On the other hand there are many community members who remember the pre-specific plan days of auto shops, billboards and general strip mall ambiance in the Village.  Personally I am on the side of those who consider themselves guardians of the specific plan.  Any changes to relax restrictions on development are likely to destroy the village feeling we have come to cherish.  Where do you currently find yourself on this question? 

Hi Richard,
In this instance, my general belief is that the specific plan that we have in place has served us well.  Though I know that a review process has been initiated by the city (and I don't profess to know a great deal about the details of it), my concern is that if we open up the plan for wholesale changes, the process will be so dominated by attorneys representing development interests that the citizen voice may well be overwhelmed ... something none of us wish to see (or hear).  Thus, if any changes are to be made, they should be done delicately, gingerly, sparingly and with great caution and careful consideration. 

I hope that helps clarify my thoughts on the issue. 

Regards - Jim 

Matt Sanderson, reporter for the Palisadian Post sent around a series of questions for all of the Area candidates and I replied to all of his questions.  I suspect his article will be published this week or next.

Hi Matt, 

Thank you for your questions.  It will be my pleasure to respond to them. 

Regards - Jim 

1. How long have you lived in Pacific Palisades and what are the three most important changes you’ve seen in that time? (100 words max) 

I have lived in the Palisades for 20 years in Marquez Knolls.   The most important changes that come to mind are the death of the downtown merchant district and the potential redevelopment of the area by Caruso Affiliated.  The PPCC has grown in stature, recognition and importance over the years.  The Farmer's Market on Sundays has proven to be a healthy gathering place for the community at large.  Finally, the impact of the internet on community relations activities is a very important development. 

2. What local issues are most important to you? (150 words max) 

The location. construction and operation of the new LADWP distributing station is an important development for the whole community, but particularly for my area where several highly controversial potential sites are located.  

We are always concerned with developer overreach, particularly in the areas along coastal bluffs on Sunset and stand ready to challenge inappropriate developer's plans with local planning authorities. 

The redevelopment of the central business district is likely one of the most important things to happen in the next 20-30 years and we must insure that it is well done without disabling specific plan protections that have guarded the community for several decades.
I look forward to Administrative Code Enforcement becoming law, allowing Building and Safety to cite code violators on the spot. 

We all have to become more mindful of sustainability / climate change issues such as water and energy availability, sea level rise and wild fire conditions. 

3. Where is Pacific Palisades going from here? (150 words max) 

I hope we manage to maintain the small town charm of today's Pacific Palisades.  There is little room for development growth, so new development will have to take place by creative reuse of existing properties.  I hope that such reuse is done with the spirit of our specific plan and character of our community in mind. As we look to refine our specific plan in the coming months and years, I hope that we do so with great care, protecting the planning laws that have protected our community so well in years past. 

4. Optional: What is your career and educational background? What are your hobbies? (50 words max) 

I love working in residential real estate with Sotheby’s International Realty serving Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas.  I have a BBA and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.  My professional specialties include finance, technology and marketing.  My hobbies include, photography, fine wine, fine art and travel. 

Finally, the PPCC held a candidate's forum last week where each candidate delivered prepared statements and answered questions from the audience.  This is the prepared statement that I delivered.

My name is Jim Rea.  My wife Jodie and I have lived in the Marquez Knolls neighborhood of Pacific Palisades for the last 20 years.  I work here and in surrounding communities as a Realtor with Sotheby’s International Realty.

I have served on the PPCC as the Area 3 Representative for the last four years.  I also served on the LADWP’s special taskforce regarding the location of the proposed Distributing Station in the western part of Pacific Palisades.  I also worked for four years on the board of the Marquez Knolls Property Owner’s Association.

I know that in order to maintain the value of our communities it is important to protect against unfair and unsafe development while at the same time respecting and protecting individual’s property rights.

I believe there are a number of highly relevant issues in my area including enforcement of the baseline hillside ordinance, the ability of the building and safety department to issue on the job citations for code violations (otherwise known as administrative code enforcement), protection of the coastal bluffs from irresponsible development and a strong and effective community care facilities ordinance.  That said, the upcoming site selection for the LADWP’s Distributing Station No. 104 will be a highly contentious event for the community in Areas 1, 2 and 3.  I am committed to doing everything I can to prevent the station from being built near any of the many schools in the area and will assist any property owner who has legitimate concerns about the location of the station.

As a Realtor, I regularly reach out to members of my local community and I always include a reminder that I am available as their Area 3 representative to assist them with any issues they may have.  In addition, I am excited about the ability to use Nextdoor.com to message local area residents about current issues.  I intend to continue and expand that outreach in the next two years.

As for the community at large, certainly the redevelopment of the central business district looms large on anyone’s radar screen, including mine.  As well, any efforts to reform, modify or update our specific plan is of vital interest to the community and to me.  Our specific plan has served us well in the past and any efforts to modify it must be done carefully, judiciously and sparingly.

Thank you.

Pacific Palisades Parklet - To Be or Not To Be

UPDATE:

At its September 11, 2014 meeting, the Pacific Palisades Community Council after hearing input from the community, passed two resolutions regarding this Parklet project and future proposed Parklet applications.

Passed 16 / 4

“The Pacific Palisades Community Council finds a consensus in favor of parklets in general but is opposed to the specific parklet proposed for the Alma Real and La Cruz intersection. Accordingly, PPCC requests that PRIDE withdraw its application and/or that the City reject or rescind its approval.” 

Passed Unanimously the following motion recommended by leadership of the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (coalition of all 13 Neighborhood and Community Councils on the Westside of Los Angeles, of which PPCC is a member):

“WRAC urges the Mayor, LADOT and the City Council to amend the process for consideration of design and location of L.A. People St projects (including Plazas, Parklets and Bicycle Corrals) to include a requirement for advance notice to and consultation with Neighborhood and Community Councils. To the extent applicable, designs and locations should comply with local Specific Plans. We also urge the program to comply with CEQA as necessary.”

The City of Los Angeles introduced a program named "People Street" that is intended to transform neighborhoods across the city.  Administered by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LA DOT), the program seeks to transform portions of the 7,500 miles of streets into public spaces.

The program features three different types of spaces: Plazas, Parklets and Bicycle Corrals.  Working in collaboration with Community Partners, the program re-purposes a portion of the street in front of a designated property and converts it into a public space.

A Plaza is the largest facility and it converts a portion of a street into a public space with tables and chairs.

A Parklet expands the sidewalk into one or more on-street parking spaces to create people-oriented places.

A Bicycle Corral installs bike racks within on-street parking spaces or Plazas.

According to the program materials, the goals are to:

• Convert underused street space into people space  

• Emphasize streets as venues for social interaction and vibrancy

• Support high-quality streetscape experience and improve the day-to-day life of the street

• Create venues for community gathering, events and celebrations

• Increase safety for people who walk, bike and take transit

• Encourage increased levels of walking and bicycling which, in turn, support local business communities

• Foster future investment in more capital intensive infrastructure to support walking and bicycling

 Community Partners can be a Business Improvement District (BID), a Community Benefit District (CBD), a Chamber of Commerce, a ground-floor business owner, a fronting property owner or other eligible Community Partner.  Those Community Partners agree to be responsible for the design, installation, operation, management and maintenance of the facility.

Here is an example of a completed Parklet (before and after) on Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles.

A Parklet Proposal for Pacific Palisades

Pacific Palisades PRIDE (PRIDE) is a non-profit organization that seeks to undertake projects to enhance the visual appeal of the Palisades, particularly in the business areas of the community.

A member of PRIDE's board brought information about the Parklet application process to the attention of the board which then voted to submit an application to see what happens.  PRIDE searched for property owners willing to participate in the program, which involves a commitment to maintain the Parklet and found a willing owner in Elliott Zorensky, owner of the property where Palisades Garden Cafe is located at the intersection of La Cruz Dr. and Alma Real.  PRIDE then submitted the application which LA DOT approved.

The PPCC invited various parties from PRIDE, City of Los Angeles and the Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce to come discuss the project at the PPCC's July meeting.

At the PPCC meeting on July 10th, it became apparent that there were two principal concerns with the project.  The first concern was the lack of community input.  LA DOT had determined that the project was not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and so no environmental impact studies would be required.  At some indeterminate time in the future, according to LA DOT's schedule, they will open a 10 day period when the public may submit their comments regarding the proposal.

According to the City's People Street website, these are the next steps:

What’s next for these projects?
Prior to installation, LADOT will post public-notice posters at all approved project locations for 10 business days.  During this time, members of the public can submit public comments directly to LADOT via our website.

Additionally, LADOT will work with these Community Partners to collect baseline information about the site before project installation,  and guide them through the design development process.  People St looks forward to continuing to work with the approved Community Partners to create these innovative people-oriented spaces throughout the City!

The second concern focused on the proposed location.  Looking at the map above, it is clear that the site for the Parklet is at a (very busy) T-Intersection.  Furthermore, it is to be located a block away from Seven Arrows Elementary school and in the nearby proximity of two other schools (The Village School and Palisades Elementary Charter School).

Notwithstanding any decisions coming as a result of the public comment period, if the project goes forward, it will require a substantial fundraising effort to cover the cost of construction and maintenance of the Parklet.

After its meeting, the PPCC did address a letter to the City of Los Angeles pointing out a very recent traffic accident involving a downtown Parklet, asking the City to "reconsider the advisability of proceeding on a fast track with this or other parklets in light of potentially serious liability issues" while at the same time making it clear that the PPCC has no objections to the goals of the Parket program.  The full letter is available here.

A public forum is scheduled to be held this Thursday, August 7th at 7:00 PM at the Palisades Garden Cafe at 15231 La Cruz Dr.  The public is welcome to attend.

The PPCC will hold a second forum on the Parklet project on at its regular meeting on September 11 to solicit community input regarding the project.

For further information:

Pacific Palisade PRIDE
http://www.palisadespride.com

Pacific Palisades Community Council
http://www.PacPaliCC.org

LA City Parklet News
http://peoplest.lacity.org/news

City of LA Parklet Manual
http://peoplest.lacity.org/app_material/PeopleSt_ParkletAppManual.pdf
 

Thirty Years of Hitching Post Wines

The 30th Annual Central Coast Wine Classic took place last weekend at the Avila Beach Country Club in Avila Beach, California.  I will be reporting on that event on a later date, but today I want to talk about a very special lot that was presented at Saturday's Rare & Fine Wine & Lifestyle Live Auction.

CCWC Lot No. 47

Frank Ostini, owner of the Hitching Post II restaurant in Buellton (the restaurant prominently featured in the wine cult classic movie "Sideways") and his partner Gray Hartley of Hartley-Ostini Hitching Post Wines wanted to create a very special auction lot to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the CCWC.  They created a lot with at least one bottle of wine from every vintage since 1984 reflecting 30 years of winemaking at Hitching Post Wines.  Arranged in multiple issues of 750 ml., 1.5 liter magnums, 3 liter double-magnum bottles and one 5 liter bottle, the overall lot consisted of a whopping 60 bottles of wine, the equivalent of over 100 regular sized (750 ml.) bottles of wine.

Gray Hartley and Frank Ostini
CCWC Lot No. 47
30 Years of Hitching PostWines

This is a world class collection of some of the finest Pinot Noirs ever made in California, or anywhere else for that matter.  I know, because for years Jodie and I along with our wine appreciating friends have have had many wonderful Hartley-Ostini / Hitching Post Wines and Au Bon Climat wines that were all well past their 25th anniversary.  Back in the early 1980's, Au Bon Climat's Jim Clendenen and his partner Adam Tolmach began making Pinot Noirs in the classic style of first growth French Burgundies - more on that story below.  Clendenen's buddies Hartley and Ostini had been making wines, starting with their first batch at their home in 1979 and had adopted many of the same classic French winemaking techniques.  The end result were some beautiful Pinot Noirs that would not begin to reach their potential until they were twenty years old or more.

Old Pinot Noir wines are very special.  As they age, the combination of acidity and just the right level of alcohol allow the fruit to burn off in a very delicate fashion.  While many California wines are made to be consumed while young, during their first five to ten years, these classic wines want to lay down in the cellar and grow old gracefully.  When these California Pinot Noirs get into the 25-30 year maturity level, they present a totally unique and special character that simply has to be tasted and experienced to be understood.

Knowing what a rare opportunity it was to acquire this exhaustive library of Pinot Noir wines, Jodie and I decided to try to win the bid.  At first, Jodie was a bit hesitant to take on a lot with this many large bottles.  We have several 9 liter bottles in our collection from prior year's auctions and it is always a challenge to find events with enough people to justify opening such a big bottle of wine.  Since a 9 liter holds a full 12 bottles of wine, one needs to find an event with 25 or more wine drinking people to open it up.  In this case, I was able to reassure Jodie that there was really only one large bottle, the 5 liter.  The other bottles were all 3 liter or smaller and the three liter bottles (equivalent of 4 bottles of wine) could be put away at a dinner for 8 to 10 people.  So we were in for the bidding.  I don't know who the under-bidder was, but they were pretty aggressive.  Regardless, we persisted, largely at Jodie's urging and finally won the day.  This amazing collection was ours.

The First Bottle

1985 Hitching Post
Santa Ynez Valley
Pinot Noir
Sanford & Benedict Vineyard
Produced and Bottled by Byron Vineyard & Winery
Santa Maria, CA

When Jodie and I got home from the CCWC, we wanted to celebrate by opening one of the older bottles in the lot.  We selected a 1985 Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir.   The Sanford & Benedict vineyard is a legendary vineyard for growing world recognized Pinot Noir grapes.  These grapes were grown at a time when the region was simply recognized as the Santa Ynez Valley. Years later in 2001, the now-famous wine growers in the region marshaled their resources to have the area designated as the Santa Rita Hills AVA.  The area is so successful for growing excellent Pinot Noir grapes because of the hot dry days and the cool moist nights as the ocean fog comes up the valley from Lompoc to quench the sleeping grapes.

Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict created the S&B vineyard in 1970 and operated it as partners for the next decade.  Frank Ostini recalls that the 1985 S&B was their first from the vineyard.  Partners Sanford and Benedict had created a world class Pinot Noir in 1976 at a time when most California Pinots were hardly drinkable.  According to Ostini, "Heads turned around the world - delicious Burgundian styled P/N from the Central Coast of California.  Many of us here took note: Jim Clendenen, Adam Tolmack, Rick Longoria, Brian Babcock, Ken Brown and us (Ostini & Hartley).  Sanford and Benedict would not sell grapes in the early years.  A $25 Pinot was a tough sale in those days and the partnership eventually broke up.  Mildew struck in 1986 hurting the crop yield, so 1987 was the first year for most other wineries to get S&B fruit."

Ostini shared his experience with his first pick of those S&B grapes back in 1985.  "I remember hauling the grapes.  We made 1.5 tons, just 100 cases.  (You have one of the last 6 bottles) There were two picks.  The first pick was in S&B's 1/4 ton bins with no liners.  By the time I got to the Byron winery where we made our wine, juice was dripping on the ground.  On the second pick, I brought a 1/2 ton bin with a plastic liner so no juice was lost."

He continues, "I was so proud of the grapes that I detoured to Au Bon Climat (at the dairy barn near Rancho La Cuna).  Jim and Adam were crushing their first Willamette Valley, OR PN grapes.  Both those batches were the best grapes we had ever seen.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  What an amazing time of discovery and growth."

I pinged Frank and Gray by email when we opened that 85 S&B to let them know that it was drinking very nicely straight out of the bottle.  We had a little trouble with the cork, which is to be expected as old corks can be temperamental.  But we got the bottle properly decanted and I was delighted to see that even after 25 years, there was precious little sediment in the bottle.  Jodie and I took our time over the next three hours, refreshing our glasses with small pours every 30 minutes or so.  As the bottle opened up, the aromas became more pronounced and the tastes on the palate were smooth and rich.

Frank was gratified that we had given him a heads up about drinking this very special bottle of wine and he came back with a really amazing offer.  He wrote:

Jim and Jodie,

We want to give you an official thank you for buying our donation to the Central Coast Wine Classic. We knew when we assembled this, that it was really something special, and actually represents a huge part of our creative lives.  We weren't sure if any bidders would comprehend and appreciate this.

Now that you have it, and you have noticed us on opening your first bottle, it has brought back so many memories that we are anxious to share.  Thanks for your communication, as we realize we have given more than 60 bottles here, and we are willing to continue to comment on each bottle that you open.

If there is any way to give us a few days heads up on your plans to open bottles, we would be happy to supply our stories so that you can share them as you enjoy the wines.  I think we have discovered an amazing and interactive level of giving and receiving of a vertical auction lot.  As Archie and his friend Emeril would say, we are 'Kicking it up a notch!'.  A very special thanks to you for the inspiration.

Best Regards,

Frank Ostini
Chef Winemaker
Hitching Post II Restaurant & Winery
Buellton, CA
www.HPWines.com

To Frank and Gray, Jodie and I give you this reply.  We are thrilled to have this rare collection of the fruits of three decades of your dedicated and creative labors.  We are going to open one of these bottles every month or so, often in the presence of fellow wine lovers.

We will definitely give you the heads up that you requested and once the stories have been told and the wines have been enjoyed, I will chronicle each episode in a continuing story on this blog.  Hopefully, in time it will become somewhat of a living history of and tribute to your efforts.

We look forward to our mutual adventure!

Jim and Jodie Rea

The Central Coast Wine Classic
http://www.centralcoastwineclassic.org/

Hitching Post Wines
http://www.HPWines.com 

Hitching Post II Restaurant
http://www.hitchingpost2.com/

Team Derek

Imagine you wake up one day, groggy from the barrage of drugs and painkillers you have been given.  You are told you were in a bad car accident, that your spine is broken and that you will never walk again.  That is the story of my wife's cousin Derek Berry.

Derek was a young professional soccer player and coach living in El Cajon, California.  One night he got into his car and drove to a fast food restaurant to get something to eat.  Driving home, he reached for his soda, lost control of the car and hit a tree, thus beginning a very difficult new chapter in his life.

For the past several years, with the unbelievable support and assistance of his mother and father, Sharon and Dave King, Derek has fought untold adversities from diabetes, to uncontrollable physical tremors, to internal medication pumps that stubbornly refuse to correctly do what they are supposed to do.  He fought these battles as a full-on quadriplegic, confined to a wheelchair.

He had victories as well.  As a young professional athlete, his academic career was never his foremost priority.  However once his condition became more or less stabilized, he correctly reasoned that the one thing that worked well in his body was his brain.  So he enrolled at San Diego State University where he earned a Business Degree in Accounting with honors.  He went to work for Ernst and Young and followed on with a position at a medical equipment company, but the rigors of long hours and severely limited mobility proved to be too much to maintain on a day-to-day basis.

Graduation Day - SDSU

He also learned how to drive.  He has a limited amount of mobility in his arms.  He has enough movement that he can feed himself and he re-learned how to drive with the assistance of a tricked out van that he completely operates with his hands. It has an automatic ramp that folds out through the side door where he can roll up into the van and then into the driver's position where he locks his wheelchair into place.

Derek's first tricked out van.

During the last few years, he has done some fun things as well, like skydiving out of an airplane.  He went on world cruises with his parents, even though the logistics of traveling half-way around the world in an airplane is a huge challenge for a quadriplegic.

Getting ready to jump

In the wind!

Then one day a couple of years ago, he started a new journey to change his life in yet another major way.  He set out to learn how to walk.  He has been working at a special facility called Project Walk, that specializes in rehabilitation of spinal chord injury victims.  Here are a few photos from earliest days at Project Walk around the end of 2012.

Fast forward to October of 2013 and we have a short video clip of Derek taking a few steps down the red carpet.  This is a dress rehearsal for Project Walk's annual Steps to Recovery event where all of the participants walk down the red carpet accompanied by the cheers of loving onlookers.

He has continued his therapy at Project Walk and now walks over 100 feet every day at his home.  But this therapy is expensive so several of his friends got together to hold the first of several fundraisers to underwrite his rehabilitation.  Known as Team Derek, Derek's friends and family gathered together to make it happen for him.  The event had some exercise activities to entertain the guests.  T-shirts were for sale along with tickets for several raffle prizes and a number of silent auction items.  I won a very cool long-board skateboard in the silent auction.  I don't know how much they raised, but I am sure it was a great start!

Team Derek Logo

Jodie and Derek

Raffle Prizes

So we wish Derek all the best.  He has shown amazing perseverance and determination.  We are looking forward to the day when he jogs up the big hill to our house!

Project Walk Website: http://projectwalk.com/

Prix de West - 2014 - National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

The 41st showing of the Prix de West invitational art exhibition opened at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City on June 13th.  One of the top western art shows in the country, it features the foremost painters and sculptors of western, southwestern, landscape and wildlife genres from across the country.

Jodie and I always enjoy attending the Prix de West to catch up with the collectors, artists and museum folks who have become close friends over the years.  Two days of events include seminars, book signings, receptions, the Prix de West sale, and the awards banquet that features a smaller auction of fine western art.

This year, the big surprise for us was that long time friend and CAC Signature artist Jeremy Lipking was awarded the coveted Prix de West Museum purchase award in only his third outing at the show.

Silence & Sagebrush
64" x 64" Oil on Linen
Jeremy Lipking
Prix de West Museum Purchase Award

Silence & Sagebrush on display at the exhibit

  Here is Jeremy receiving the award medal at the awards banquet and another photo of his wife Danielle and their baby as they look on when the award was announced earlier in the day at the luncheon.

Other award winners included Trust by Carrie L. Ballentyne winning the Donald Teague Memorial Award.  Carrie does phenomenal work in oil, pencil and conté crayon.

Trust
21 1/2" x 16 1/2" Conté
Carrie L. Ballantyne
Donald Teague Memorial Award

Wildlife sculptor Tim Shinabarger won the Major General and Mrs. Don D. Pittman Wildlife Award for "The Mountaineers", a very cool wall mounted sculpture of three Dall Sheep standing proudly on top of a mountain crag.

 

The Mountaineers
52" H x 23" W x 10" D Bronze
Tim Shinabarger
Major General and Mrs. Don D. Pittman Wildlife Award

CAA Artist Loren Entz won the Express Ranches Great American Cowboy Award for his oil painting "When the Work's All Done This Fall".

When the Work's All Done This Fall
48" x 48" Oil on Canvas
Loren Entz
Express Ranches Great American Cowboy Award

George Carlson won the Frederic Remington Award for achievement in a painting for his painting "Ravens of the Palouse" and the Robert Lougheed Memorial Award for the best display of three or more works for "Ravens of the Palouse", "The Tempest" and "Reflections".

Ravens of the Palouse
42" x 42" Oil on Linen
George Carlson
Frederic Remington Award

Finally, John Coleman won both the James Earle Fraser Sculpture Award and the Buyer's Choice Award for his stunning monumental sized "Honeymoon at Crow Fair".  It was definitely a crowd pleaser.

Honeymoon at Crow Fair on display at the Prix de West show
8' 2" H x 80" W x 38" D Bronze
John Coleman
James Earle Fraser Sculpture Award
Buyer's Choice Award

The rooms were full both at the Friday night reception and the Saturday evening sale as buyers worked the room to figure out which works they wanted to put in to purchase.

Linda Teague Biro, daughter of the late and legendary painter Donald Teague gave a wonderful presentation about her father's career entitled "Donald Teague, A Life In Color".  I wish I had the space to completely cover her presentation because it was enlightening, entertaining and quite fascinating.

Linda Teague Biro

"Donald Teague, A Life In Color"

Donald Teague, the artist at work

Pete Biro, Jodie, Seth Hopkins head of the Booth Museum,
Linda Teague Biro and myself

John Geraghty, Special Advisor of the Masters of the American West was in attendance with Jay Grodin, the Chairman of the Masters Committee.  Their attendance was recognized during the banquet.  John, who many years ago was involved with the Cowboy Museum and the Prix de West has been running the Masters of the American West at the Autry National Center for over 15 years.

Juhn Geraghty & Jay Grodin being
recognized at the awards banquet

Jodie with John Geraghty

Another great surprise at the show this year was to learn the Dr. Steven Karr had been selected to be the new CEO of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, replacing Chuck Schroeder.  We initially knew Steven when he was Director of the Southwest Museum, one of the museums in the Autry National Center.  He then moved to San Antonio to start the Briscoe Museum and there saw to the completion of their new world class facility.  We were thrilled to learn that he will be joining the Cowboy Museum and look forward to working with him there.  He was joined throughout the festivities with his lovely wife Carrie.

Dr. Steven Karr being recognized
at the banquet.  His wife Carrie
is seated behind him.

Jodie with Carrie Karr

Of course it is always great to see our many artist, collector and museum friends at the show.  I posted lots of photos of them along with many other images from the show on my website at jimrea.com/zenphoto/PDW2014.  I would like to wrap up with one photo I took of our friend, sculptor Gerald Balciar.  Jerry carved the huge monumental sculpture of a mountain lion climbing down a canyon from a single piece of marble weighing more than 31 tons.  It sits at the end of the main foyer before the entrance of the Gaylord Exhibition Wing.  The sculpture was so tall that he had to sculpt it laying on its side.  The finished sculpture weighs more than 8 tons and stands 15' above its base.  Toward the end of the festivities, I grabbed this shot of Jerry next to his "Canyon Princess"

Canyon Princess with Gerald Balciar

For more photos from the show: 
http://jimrea.com/zenphoto/PDW2014

For images of the art from the Prix de West: 
http://www.nationalcowboymuseum.org/events/pdw/2014/list.aspx?type=all