Odds and Ends 166

No sushi. No sashimi either.

Asaka Grill Express held its Grand Opening last Saturday.

I will publish a personal review after it has been open a couple of months because I don't feel a brand new restaurant should be reviewed before its legs are stronger and the kinks have been worked out.

While the drive thru window and the drive thru lane still exist, currently the drive thru is not open and the owner is still not certain if or when drive thru service will be provided.

The most expensive dinner on the menu is the Salmon Teriyaki at just $8.95.

Appetizers include a bowl of soy beans or sweet potato fries.

What I found very interesting

Terri and I ate at Asaka Grill Express on Monday evening and had a pleasant experience knowing the service and preparation would take a long time because it just opened.

The booths have very high backs and I am a short fellow and when I sat at a booth, my feet didn't make it all the way to the floor. This is the only local restaurant I know of where I can't put my feet on the floor when sitting at a booth.

I wanted to post the inside of the menu along with the covers. Unfortunately the image above was the last image my all-in-one scanned before it sent itself off to the great electronic beyond.

Luckily I now have something Terri has been bugging me about because I hadn't told her what I wanted for my birthday.

Darn it. I just bought a whole set of cartridges for it. In a pinch, I can use Terri's all-in-one when she is not writing, but I haven't done it yet for the menu. It looks like I gave Canon a chance and now I will head back to old reliable HP which I have a big printer for my PC and Terri has an HP all-in-one for her PC.

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The middle of this week saw the parking lot of the new Denny's not completely packed during the times after lunchtime and between breakfast and lunchtime.

As a shock, when I drove by the lots yesterday morning at about 7:20 there were NO CAR in the north parking lot of Denny's and it had been open for an hour and 20 minutes.

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If you are interested in the antics of Marymount or want to read stuff about the eastern portion of the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, please visit www.eastrpv.blogspot.com.

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No activity has been witnessed this whole week at the sites of Amalfitano's Bakery and Pavich's Pizza.

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The Rancho Palos Verdes City Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed zoning changes for residences in the Eastview area.

City Staff recommended that the zoning on residential lots be changed from RS4 to RS5 to bring the neighborhoods in Eastview more in line with the other housing tracts in the city.

This change will mandate that whenever a homeowner wishes to remodel their dwelling, the side yard setbacks must fall in line with the rest of R.P.V. lost that call for a minimum total side yard setback of no less than 15 feet, with at least one setback being not less than 5 feet.

In my neighborhood of 215 lots, City Staff has recommended that variances would be granted because of the history, lot sizes, and because the original Western View Homes, now referred to in the changes as "Mira Vista" was the first tract of houses built in what would eventually be all of Rancho Palos Verdes.

There are plenty of lots in our neighborhood that are larger than many of the other lots in the city, mine included. But because of the 'special nature' and the fact that there are a number of lots in our tract that are smaller than 'normal' for R.P.V. lots I guess our houses get special consideration.

What probably won't find a variance is the fact that with any large remodel of single-family residential units within R.P.V. a two-vehicle garage is the standard and called for in the zoning.

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Beginning tomorrow Saturday, the U.S. Census Bureau will start the canvasing of households where the resident did not return their Census Questionnaires in by mail as instructed.

Census workers will fan out to dwellings that have been noted to gather information about the residents who live in houses where no Census Questionnaires has been returned.

For this operation, the Census Enumerator will ask only 7 questions pertaining to each resident of that dwelling who stayed at the dwelling on April 1, 2010, Census Day.

This has been and will always be the largest operation for the Census.

California and especially areas in the Los Angeles Basin, along with San Bernardino and Riverside Counties received a lower than predicted number of returned Census Questionnaires.

If you receive a knock on your door, please allow the Census Enumerator to do their job and please answer the questions the Census Enumerator asks. It takes less time than filling out the original mailed Questionnaire, has fewer questions for each household member and help create the most accurate population information possible.

Answering the Census is mandated in Article One of the United States Constitution and it is the way the membership of the United States House or Representatives is determined.

Answering the Census can also mean more revenue, jobs, and improvements might come to your community and not answering the Census allows for being left out of projects and funds the community could certainly use.

I am not assigned in areas along the east side of The Hill nor am I assigned to anywhere in San Pedro.

Thank you to all who have already mailed in their questionnaires and thank you very much to those of you contacted between Saturday and by the end of July for helping this country have the most accurate Census count in history.

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Now I bet you know that when there is no mention of Ponte Vista at San Pedro by this point in these "Odds and Ends" it means I have nothing new to report on the Project. But I keep my eyes and ears open.

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Odds and Ends 165

This post begins with good news and some unhappy news.

All looks almost ready for the opening of Asaka Grill next to the new Denny's on Western.

The unhappy news is that it appears work has ceased on both Pavich's Brick Oven Pizza and Amalfitano's Bakery. I will continue to hope for this blog to offer news about those two establishments opening sooner rather than later.

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The city of Rancho Palos Verdes welcomes the Grand Opening of its fourth large food market tomorrow when the second Trader Joe's opens today.

Along with Western Avenue's own Trader Joe's, I hope you spend lots of money at Smart and Final on Western Avenue and sometime shop at Ralph's Fresh Faire on Hawthorne Blvd. if you are in that neck of the woods.

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If you haven't yet attempted to enjoy a great salad at Saladish on Western in The Terraces Shopping Center, you might want to schedule a meal there on the moving fake half log hanging from the ceiling. Chasing salad items that are very tasty and in large portions for not that large of a price just may provide you with some fun during your dining and something to talk about to your friends and neighbors.

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The left turn pocket on northbound Western Avenue at the southern end of The Terraces looks to be getting even more congested because of the placement of the driveways for Denny's and Asaka Grill.

During the afternoon drive time, which I feel lasts from a few minutes before the school day ends till at least 7:00 PM, drivers and their vehicles fill up that pocket to overflowing which backs up northbound Western at times at least as far as Park Western Drive.

Please be reminded that there may be starving drivers and/or passengers attempting to turn into the shopping center where there are several eateries or they are attempting to make a U-turn to get to Denny's and probably in the very near future, Asaka Grill.

Western Avenue is a State Highway and CalTrans is the authority which governs the route.

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For the Rancho Palos Verdes residents who visit this blog, a little bunny told me that the folks at Marymount just might turn in signatures collected to place the initiative for The Marymount Plan, next week.

Filing of the signatures gathered next week is sooner than required and it sets up a decision the members of the City Council must make regarding the proposed measure.

Once at least 2,700 signatures are certified and the initiative is brought before the City Council, The City Council must vote to approve the exact wording of the proposed initiative becoming a new city ordinance thereby approving The Marymount Plan without a vote of the electorate OR they must call for the election. The Council has 30 days to act once the City Clerk certifies the initiative could qualify for a ballot.

The sooner Marymount receives certification of the signatures on the petitions, the better because the ballot measure would be part of the November 2 General Election and not a separate election within 180 days for the call for the election.

Having a separate election for the only item that would pertain to just the city of Rancho Palos Verdes would cost the city's General Fund, generated from taxpayer's more than just being a part of the General Election.

During the last meeting of the City Council the members were asked to create a series of questions that the city's Staff could use as part of a Staff Report that may or may not eventually come out regarding The Marymount Plan's initiative.

I have heard that Marymount is planning to place at least 5,000 signatures into the process for confirmation.

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Odds and Ends 164

I don't have anything new to post directly concerning Ponte Vista at San Pedro.

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The opening date for Asaka Grill is growing closer with the placement of the business' sign and the removal of paper from the windows.

It still looks like they will have a tough time finding parking spaces for their customers as the parking lots continue to fill up at meal times with cars whose drivers and passengers head into Denny's.

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I think we have to admit that work towards the opening of Amalfitano's Bakery seems to have stopped. I haven't noticed any work being done in that space but I remain hopeful that the smell of fresh baked breads and other goodies visit the Western Plaza strip area at some point in the near future.

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For the Rancho Palos Verdes readers and voters, the debate and disagreements about remodeling plans at Marymount College were kicked up more than a notch this week with more announcements about the formation of a group opposed to the proposed initiative that supporters of Marymount College is attempting to qualify for the November ballot.

Save Our City III or SOC III is being formed to oppose not The Marymount Plan per se, but the group opposes the initiative with its process and other facts that illustrate that having a private entity bring legislation to the voters when those voters charged the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council with doing those responsibilities, and authority they voted members of the Council having.

There is a claim that this particular proposed initiative could signal that, if it is passed by voters, it would allow other businesses and groups the consideration that they too could bring issues directly to voters rather than go through the City Council.

Rancho Palos Verdes was created to deal with the fear of rampant over development along the coastline by businesses who had only to get approval from Los County where approval of large developments was fairly easy and standard.

There is also the consideration that if this type of initiative passes it means that others like "The Donald" and folks representing the 'Your' event site might attempt to bypass city processes and approvals for more over development in the city.

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For a matter of trivia, I am still trying to find out what housing tract was the original "East View" or "Eastview".

I know that the tract was built in the unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County so that lets out "The Highlands, San Pedro", "Westmont" "Channel Heights", and "Tarragona".

I can identify my tract, "Western View Homes" as it was the first tract of houses built between Western and Miraleste Drive/P.V. Drive East and it saw residents moving in by May, 1950. I even have a photograph on my East R.P.V. blog from May, 1950 with the accompanying News Pilot article.

I know that Mira Costa Terrace is either the second or third oldest tract of homes and it was commonly called "Caddington" long before Toscanini was built east of Western Avenue into the "Strathmore" area.

"Rolling Hills Riviera" is the largest tract of homes in the area and Mr. Ray Watt. built "Palo De Encino" just south of "RHR" during the time he was also developing Palo Del Amo Woods along Vermont toward Lomita/Torrance.

The approximately 60 homes of "Peninsula Verde" are the north easternmost tract of housing and it sits between Green Hills and Lomita.

This leaves the area that has Crestwood Street Elementary School as its largest single plot of land.

MacArthur, Noble View, Enrose, Bernice, Upland, Bayend, General, Fairhill, Trotwood, Wycliff (but only a tiny portion of it), and at least one other street make up that area that has homes similar to Mira Costa Terrace but also having some houses with single car garages just like 200 of the 215 houses originally built in the Western View Homes development.

So perhaps by a process of elimination, that area may have had its original name as East View or Eastview but I would love to find a photo of whatever tract was built with that name.

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This Saturday night San Pedro's Golden States Pops Orchestra has a Broadway themed concert at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro.

Little Fish Theatre opens "Tooth and Nail" tonight at their theatre located at 777 S. Centre Street, San Pedro.

Have a wonderful week and thank you so much for stopping by.

Our First Visit To Denny's

Well, it took until the fifth morning for us to visit the new Denny's located on Western Avenue in Rancho Palos Verdes.

I don't feel it is fair to make a real review of the entire outing because today marked the first Friday the new Denny's has been in operation.

Some time ago, there was a Denny's restaurant on Western Avenue near the corner of Western and Park Western. When the Ralph's Shopping area was remodeled some years ago, the old Denny's closed.

That Denny's was thought of quite well by it customers and the opening of the new Denny's was highly anticipated for months now, even before most folks knew what was replacing the Planet Kids store.

As it happened, I talked to the assembled wait-staff and managers during a meeting a week ago on a Thursday evening. I wanted to know when the restaurant was opening so I could post that information on several of my blogs.

During a short conversation I had with the head manager and with many ears perked up because of the stranger attending the meeting, I told everyone in the room that their new work location was highly anticipated and they should expect to see large crowds from the opening of the doors.

The entire wait staff, cooks and managers seemed surprised and somewhat shocked when I told them the information. They were all also quite pleased smiles abounded all through the seating area.

As it came to pass, I was not wrong one bit. The Denny's has been packed.

By 8:45 this morning all the seats were filled and there were customers waiting for table openings.

The two sides of the restaurant have parking spaces. Naturally all the spaces were filled. I expect that when the Asaka Grill finally opens there will be an average of ZERO spaces for customers of that site, right next to Denny's.

It looks like the workers at both restaurants will have to park somewhere other than the parking lots for those two places. I hope they don't choose Trudie, Highmore, or Jaybrook, thank you very much.

As you may have expected, there were two cars in the Marie Callender's parking lot as we walked through it. You may want to enjoy Marie Callender's while it is still open because it certainly looks like their customer traffic has dropped off and will continue to drop off as Denny's becomes more well known (not like it really needs it).

Because I should not offer a real review of the place, I do want to share some impressions and comments with the opening week and I think it is going to take a couple of months before a true set of opinions can reveal what normal experiences at Denny's should be expected.

The restaurants hours are as follows;

From 6:00 AM on Friday and until 11:00 PM on Sunday, Denny's will remain open.

All other times Denny's hours are 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM.

It appears that the conditional use permit does not permit Denny's to post the "Always Open" sign found on just about every other Denny's.

Parking is bad and probably that won't go away in the forseeable future. I have seen times when there was parking along Western Avenue, even directly in front of Denny's.

The south parking lot is also going to be used by customers of Asaka Grill once it opens AND if Denny's customers don't take up all the parking. This lot also has some spaces it takes skill to get into and out of. They are the spaces sort of behind the restaurant and near the gate that we found closed preventing a throughway between the two parking areas. I hope Denny's management open the two sets of gates behind the restaurant and leave them open during business hours.

You will be greeted by friendly and I really mean friendly managers and those showing you to your seat. They are a bit rusty with their actions but since there is nothing "normal" about Denny's yet, that is quite fine with me.

I remember with other Denny's that once ordered, it sometimes takes an eternity for the food to arrive. Please be very patient during your visits to Denny's in the coming months. The food you get might be cooled off by the time it finally arrives, but I expect that when the Denny's finds its normality, food will arrive sooner.

We had to request from someone other than our wait staff for the bill. We ended up getting copies from two different employees and did I mention they were friendly?

There is absolutely no reason for Terri and I and whoever visits Denny's while with us, need to add another vehicle to the parking lots.

Since those of you who know what I look like know I still need to lose lots of weight, I was pleasently surprised by the make-your-own Grand Slam. That size of Grand Slam is not the size I remember and I never needed that amount of food I remember filled the plate.

My Grand Slam consited of two regular size eggs, amout the smallest portion of hash browns I have seen in any restaurant in R.P.V. and San Pedro, two sausage links and two pancakes, each about 1/4 to 1/5 the size of my beloved Fluffys enjoyed at Rex's Diner.

The price was $5.99 and other than the eggs being cool, somebody like me need to learn to live better with smaller portions and at a price I can live with.

It looks like tables and chairs could be added to the dining area if the C.U.P. allows for that. But with the parking lots full with the amount of tables and chairs there already, more tables might create problems.

I did write to officials and our city's Traffic Safety Commission about something I observed that I feel could be a safety hazard and a potential for liability with R.P.V.

We saw many Denny's customers heading north on Western making a U-turn from the left turn lane for the south entrance to The Terraces.

Normally, that turning lane is overflowing during commute times and the added number of customers choosing to not go into The Terraces but rather making U-turns will add to the congestion along northbound Western and probably more collisions.

I don't have a solution for my thoughts but I don't think drivers will heed NO U-TURN signs on the medians of Western.

Of course we saw a "true Pedro thing" when we visited Denny's. Even though the restaurant is physically located in Rancho Palos Verdes everybody knows everybody else who live in San Pedro so many of you will meet friends and/or family members when you go to Denny's.

It's just like the Target where many of us can't get through a visit where we don't greet somebody we know.

The consequences of having the new Denny's where it is makes me think that perhaps Marie Callender's will continue to be a very good restaurant for our elderly friends and neighbors.

Many folks who are up in their years find comfort when they take their meals at Marie's. I think it has been that way for years. Whether Marie Callender's can survive what I expect to be a big drop in business is something we won't know for some time.

As for Asaka Grill, I haven't found any notice of when it may open.

Denny's is now the new monster on the Avenue. Folks who eat there will hopefully do other shopping along Western in both San Pedro and R.P.V. I do hope they visit Marshalls' more than they visit Ross. I also hope they visit Trader Joe's more than they visit the store near Peck Park.

For dining pleasure similar to Denny's I hope they visit Coco's over Carrow's and Azteca over Taxco. I certainly don't folks visiting Domenick's and Niccolo's. Eating at Baja Fresh is a good thing. I hope you like the ice cream at 31 flavors more than Coldstone Creamery. All of the above eateries are wonderful, but some of them help our General Fund grow with portions of Sales Tax dollars that flow into R.P.V.

For the high school football and party crowds, having Denny's open all night on Fridays and Saturdays is a good thing. It allows revelers the chance to continue in a safe and comfortable environment and it also provides more food options to those who need to eat because they drank too much alcohol.

For me, sobering up at the IHOP many year ago when it was open late helped. I was all done with that by the time the old Denny's opened or I chose not to cross Western while drunk. It was easier staggering home from IHOP than just about anywhere else.

So please, ENJOY DENNY'S! When it becomes a normal "San Pedro" restaurant, then I think we can make fair reviews. I use "San Pedro" because that is where our hearts still side with.

Odds and Ends 163

Lakeshore Homes is now in its selling stage. This is the condo project at Five Points.

I noticed one unit had blinds on its windows and a second condo had 'SOLD' signs in several of its windows.

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I have known about iStar Financial's reentering into the Ponte Vista at San Pedro Project for several months. I had been keeping that information on the 'down low' because of the rumor I have heard about how many units iStar Financial may try to seek.

I won't publish the contents of that rumor and I hope it remains a rumor and never is realized.

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We are two-0pen, three to go on the five eateries that are along Western Avenue between The Terraces and Summerland.

I don't have any new information about Asaka Grill, Amalfitano's Bakery, and Pavich's Brick Oven Pizza.

I do know that the pizza at Pavich's other shop is outstanding, ethnic, and a real joy to learn about.

If Amalfitano's is anything like its 'older' self-Ramona's Bakery, that will continue an institution of excellence that we have loved for decades.

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On behalf of every Rancho Palos Verdes resident, I apologize that it was probably in the Conditional Use Permit of Denny's to not be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

I think if R.P.V. and especially Eastview voters had been polled or got to vote, we all would have welcomed an "Always Open" Denny's.

I apologize that I didn't make myself better informed about the issue and I should have, would have, could have, done more to seek more hours for Denny's.

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Please do not sign the petition seeking qualification of a November ballot measure dealing with The Marymount Plan.

The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project has 11 of 12 issues voted on and approved and there will probably be agreement about the 12th issue, where the soccer field will be placed, on or before May 4.

That would still leave just one piece different between the Project and the Plan. And when you watch the T.V. commercials, get greeted by petition signature gatherers, receive mailings every few days, please realize it is ALL ONLY about ONE THING DIFFERENT and that is on-campus housing, which Marymount REMOVED from consideration in the Project.

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The New Denny's Is NOT "Always Open"

Yes, the new Denny's is finally open on Western and it is packed!

Yes, the new Denny's is just inside Rancho Palos Verdes unlike the old one that was in San Pedro/Los Angeles.

Yes, you can order a Grand Slam just like at every other Denny's.

NO! You can't eat there at 2:00 AM on a Tuesday morning.

I talked with one of the managers because when I left my home and glanced over to the new Denny's, it looked dark and the sign was not lit, at about 5:30 this morning.

Denny's will be open from Friday Morning until 11:00 PM Sunday night.

On Monday through Thursday and on Sunday, Denny's will close at 11:00 PM.

This may be because of rules for business hours in Rancho Palos Verdes.

There are well over 600 "7-11" stores in the Southern California territory.

Two of the only FOUR "7-11" stores that are not allowed to remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week are the two in Rancho Palos Verdes. I know this is because of codes established in Rancho Palos Verdes.

The Jack in the Box on Western Avenue at Park Western Drive has its drive through open 24 hours a day but I don't know of any other fast food restaurant or convienence store that is open 24 hours a day in R.P.V.

Please visit Denny's often and spend lots and lots of money. Our city's coffers only gets about 9 cents for every sales tax dollar collected, but that helps, too.

Please don't sign the Marymount Plan petition.

FINALLY! More News About Ponte Vista and Rumor Control

Below is an article written my Ms Donna Littlejohn, a reporter for The Daily Breeze.

Ponte Vista back to square one; returns to investor

By Donna Littlejohn Staff Writer

Posted: 04/05/2010 05:43:30 PM PDT

The slow economy has led to San Pedro's long planned Ponte Vista project being turned over to primary investor iStar. The company will now have to revise plans for the project. (Robert Casillas/Staff Photographer)

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For good or ill, few projects get done quickly in San Pedro.

And Ponte Vista - the large-scale housing development planned on 62.5 acres of surplus Navy property - surely is no exception.

Mired in controversy since it was first proposed in 2005, Ponte Vista now has been hit hard by the plunging economy. It has already been through a few incarnations and now is about to present yet another.

Last week, it was announced that the project has been turned back over to its chief investor, iStar Financial Inc., which will again re-evaluate building and density plans for the site on Western Avenue.

"Unfortunately, Ponte Vista has been subjected to the current economic ills affecting the country and because of that, there's been an orderly transferring of the property back to the (primary) lender," said Elise Swanson, who is serving as a consultant to the newest team taking over the development.

Gone is DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners, a subsidiary of Credit Suisse that took over the project after Bisno Development was bumped in December 2008.

Taking over is SFI Bridgeview, LLC, a subsidiary of iStar Financial Inc.

"iStar has just begun an assessment of the status of the project and they're reviewing all the community input from the past," Swanson said, adding the company is putting together yet another new project team for Ponte Vista. "They've just taken title to the property They want to take some time before they come back to the community to make sure there's a thoughtful approach."

The primary disagreement remains over density and traffic impacts. As first laid out in 2005, the project called for 2,300 homes to be built. That was later reduced to 1,950, a number turned down by the Los Angeles Planning Commission.

Before talks were suspended, housing numbers had been bumped down to between 500 and 1,395.

"It's just got to be recognized that we're transportation corridor poor being on a peninsula," said Jerry Gaines of San Pedro who served on the community's Ponte Vista task force.

"The community's been very clear that they want somebody who will address the traffic needs," said John Greenwood of San Pedro, who was chairman of the committee. "I don't think anybody has done that yet."

Vacant Navy homes still sit on the property across from Green Hills Memorial Park. A herd of about 80 sheep and goats graze the property to keep the weeds down and Ponte Vista still maintains an open office in a trailer on the site.

"I would like to see something built, those places are getting worse and worse," Greenwood said. "I'd like to see the right kind of development there."

While the debate over density and traffic has yet to be resolved, Gaines agreed that the property shouldn't continue to sit vacant.

"I'm sure that at some point people realize they don't want a continuous eyesore there," Gaines said. "The community does need housing This is a working asset and it would be ridiculous to watch the sheep out there graze for the next 15 or 20 years."

Swanson said it is anticipated that the new team will be ready to go public with some of their ideas in two to four months.

"They are committed to working with this community to determine what development at Ponte Vista is a `fit,"' she said. "They're very interested in doing a high quality project."

"I keep hoping someone will get it right," Greenwood said of the plans. "We're still waiting."

Gaines noted that the economic climate is vastly different from that in 2005 when developer Bob Bisno purchased the land for $125 million.

The city union members targeted to purchase the future homes have also since fallen on hard times of their own.

Developers have to look at "what's affordable and what's achievable in today's market," Gaines said. "Most of the existing (new housing) stock is leasing rather than selling. But at some point that property needs to be utilized."

donna.littlejohn@dailybreeze.com

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The takeover by iStar Financial Inc. has been known by a few individuals for a few months now. I have refused to publish what I knew about it because I considered it a rumor and I am not comfortable publishing rumors.

I wish the information contained in Ms. Littlejohn's article contained the answers to more rumors that I have known about and perhaps within the timeframe stated by Ms. Swanson, we will learn whether the other rumor(s) I have heard are true.

I do know that there has not been much for staff members of The Los Angeles Department of City Planning do to for many months concerning Ponte Vista and I hope we all learn whether the entire Environmental Impact Report will require recirculation.

The news about Ponte Vista also comes at a time when signatures are being gathered for a proposed initiative dealing with Marymount College and that institution's administrations' attempt to build on-campus housing on Marymount's main campus in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Even though supporters of The Marymount Plan want on-campus housing, they have no intention of closing the off-campus housing site the college owns along Palos Verdes Drive North, not far from the Ponte Vista site.

The Volunteers of America as also moving forward with their plans to open up the dwelling units they own adjacent to both the Marymount off-campu housing site named Palos Verdes North and Rolling Hills Prep School.

News Release from Your Ponte Vista

This news release was published on April 2, 1010 on Ponte Vista at San Pedro's site;

www.yourpontevista.com.

SFI BRIDGEVIEW, LLC ANNOUNCES OWNERSHIP OF PONTE VISTA

Apr 2nd, 2010 by Ponte Vista

April 2, 2010 (San Pedro, CA). SFI Bridgeview, LLC, a subsidiary of iStar Financial Inc., a leading publicly traded finance company focused on the real estate industry, announced today that it has taken ownership of Ponte Vista, a 62-acre residential property located on Western Avenue in the community of San Pedro, in a negotiated transfer of the property.

iStar Financial was the primary lender for the Ponte Vista project since 2005, and will lead the development as it moves through the entitlement process in the City of Los Angeles.

“We look forward to working with Harbor Area residents to build a high-quality, sustainable community that we can all be proud of and enjoy,” said Michael Dorsch, Executive Vice-President at iStar Financial. “We plan to work with the community, Councilwoman Hahn, and the Planning Commission to move the development forward as expeditiously as possible.”

With an asset base in excess of $15 billion, iStar is one of the country’s largest publicly traded commercial real estate finance companies, managing nearly 40 million square feet of high-quality real estate located across the country. iStar, headquartered in New York City with offices in Santa Monica and Irvine, has extensive experience in the Southern California real estate market. Currently, approximately $1.3 billion of the Company’s total assets are located in the Southern California region.

“iStar has closely followed the Ponte Vista development process and understands the concerns that have been raised by area residents over the past several years,” stated Dorsch. “We ask the community for patience while we work to develop a revised plan that reflects the valuable community input that has been voiced in the various hearings and open houses held on the project.”

For more information, please contact the Ponte Vista Community Outreach Office at (310) 241- 0699.

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Sorry gang. I missed checking Your Ponte Vista like I normally do last Friday morning and with Denny's opening and other things, I slipped up.

Saladish is OPEN!

Click over image to enlarge.
Click over image to enlarge.
Saladish, one of the eateries I have been writing about has actually been open for "a few weeks" according to Ms. Jee Lee, one of the owners.

Ms. Lee said that currently, the restaurant is open from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM seven days a week and their Grand Opening is set for April 10, 2010.

Terri and I dined at a counter that looks like half a log. It is suspended from the ceiling and I think a group of mates could have some real fun chasing their salads and wraps as they make the counter swing from side to side.

Terri had the Thai Chicken Wrap and I had the Oriental Chicken Salad. Both of us agreed that they were huge portions.

Terri like less spicy Thai Chicken salads or wraps than the one found at Saladish.

I enjoyed my salad that included peanuts, carrots and didn't have too much dressing on it.

I bought one piece of Garlic Bread to try it out. Terri usually finds the Garlic Bread at Niccolo's to be her favorite. Tonight she shared mine and she told me she prefers the Garlic Bread from Saladish now more that the great bread at Niccolo's.

The most expensive single salad at Saladish is called "The Farm" and it is $8.75. If it is anything like the size of the salad I enjoyed, it is probably just as large.

Individual vegetarian and proteins can be added but there is not a whole lot of meat available other than a few pork-based items and, of course, chicken. The Turkey, Bacon, Avocado salad or wrap contains turkey and that wasn't hard to guess.

My first impressions of Saladish is that is offers tasty food that I can afford. The interior seating could be enlarged to include more tables and I don't know how long the swaying log is going to last. It is a fun thing to play on, but it may not be the most popular thing to eat on.

The staff is friendly and the meals are prepared in a clean environment and mixed individually for each customer.

There is no letter grade posted on the door yet. When the space was occupied by Nona's Kitchen, the highest letter that restaurant could get was a "B" because of venting issues that Mrs. Palazzolo had with her ovens not venting directly up and out of her kitchen. I don't know if that will still be an issue.

So between all five eateries I have been writing about for several months, Saladish was the first to open its doors and I hope their doors remain open for a long time to come.

Saladish is located at 28901 S. Western Avenue in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Their phone number is 310-521-0030.

Their fax number for ordering is 310-521-0324.

Saladish is located on the lowest level of The Terraces shopping center.

Odds and Ends 162

DENNY'S IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN SOMETIME DURING THE DAY, THIS COMING SUNDAY, EASTER SUNDAY!

I talked to a group of managers and wait staff who were attending more training Thursday evening and the top manager told me that he is most likely opening the restaurant sometime during the day this Sunday.

The gentleman had wanted to open the restaurant at a certain time Sunday morning, but he is unable to at this point.

The staff and managers were quite taken with my account about how anticipated this opening has become and how popular the Denny's at the old Western Avenue location was.

Naturally I am hoping that business is booming at the new Denny's and that our city's coffers enjoy increased revenue because the new Denny's is located in Rancho Palos Verdes instead of San Pedro where the old Denny's was located.

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I Do not have any new information about Asaka Grill, Pavich's Brick Oven Pizza, Saladish, or Amalfitano's Bakery.

It appears sadly, that Amalfitano's Bakery is lagging in its construction, growing farther behind the other new eateries.

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During this past week I have talked to another person familiar with Ponte Vista at San Pedro and its development team. This person also stated that they new of no new developments or when anything might be forthcoming concerning the project.

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Early on April 1, the members of the City Council ended their deliberations and voting on motions related to the Marymount College Facilities Expansion Plan.

The Council basically ratified most of the Plan certified by the Planning Commission and supported by City Staff.

One of the twelve points that Council had to deal with was the portion of the Appeal filed by Concerned Citizens Coalilition/Marymount Expansion (CCC/ME) concerning having the college's Athletic Department and soccer field placed at the college's off-campus housing site along Palos Verdes Drive North, called 'Palos Verdes North'.

The Council was again informed by the City Attorney that since Palos Verdes North is located in an area of the San Pedro community and within the city of Los Angeles, the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council has no jurisdiction to mandate anything related to The Plan on property outside the limits of the city of Rancho Palos Verdes.

The Council simply voted to reject that portion of the Appeal filed by CCC/ME.

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Residents of the "Eastview" area of eastern Rancho Palos Verdes were informed of proposed zoning changes in those areas, but the city of Rancho Palos Verdes.

As far as I can tell right now, these changes are more technical in nature but they do change the minimum lot size zoning in these portions of Eastview.

Mr. Kit Fox, a planner with the city of Rancho Palos Verdes is scheduled to speak during the Rolling Hills Riviera HOA meeting on April 13.

I will have more information and knowledge that I can simply understand after that meeting.

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If you are approached by a petition gatherer who wants you to sign a petition that would qualify a measure being placed on this November's ballot in the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, please do not sign it.

However, if you are a registered voter of a city other than Rancho Palos Verdes, go ahead and sign it because your signature should be rejected because you are not a resident of Rancho Palos Verdes.

I have documented several deceptive practices being stated by supporters of the proposed initiative and statements that are factually misleading in literature and during a television advertisement.

You can read more at www.eastrpv.blogspot.com if you care to.

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Odds and Ends 161.5

A news conference has been scheduled for noon today where the new plan for Ponte Vista at San Pedro will be revealed.

BISNO is BACK!

That's right and you read it here first.

Bob Bisno is coming back with a new proposal that has apparently found support from L.A. Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who is running for Governor of the State of California.

And to top everything off, Bob secretely worked with LAUSD so that during the press conference everyone will learn that not only will there be condos at Ponte Vista, there will also be a new high school to relieve over crowding occurring at Narbonne High School.

Here are the details of Bob's new plans:

There will be 1,100 condo units placed around the Ponte Vista site on its north, west, and east sides.

Where the flat area of Ponte Vista is now and where we usually see the goats chomping on the weeds near the shopping center will be a 7,50-seat high school built to relieve over crowding at Narbonne High School.

The design of the buildings on the new school annex will be very similar to the condos and there will be color and style matching between the school buildings and the condos.

During the press conference, Bob will also introduce the people who will own and operate the commercial businesses that will be located in a park-like area adjacent to the school and the condos.

I have learned that there will be a convienence store, dry cleaners, coffee and donut stand, and possibly a gas station included at Ponte Vista.

Ms. Hahn will speak about how Bob's new plans will benefit everyone in the area and she will also demand that the Navy provide space for a new access to Gaffey Street for both Ponte Vista and Mary Star High School.

As more information becomes available, I will create new posts.

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This post has just one more item.

April Fools!

Have a wonderful and fun day!

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