January, 2005, Volume 7, Issue 1

BALBOA ISLAND CALENDAR

FEBRUARY 14 VALENTINE’s DAY
SAT. MAY 7 BALBOA ISLAND ART WALK
SAT. MAY 14 ALL ISLAND GARAGE SALE 7:30 am—2 pm
SUN. MAY 15 ALL ISLAND GARAGE SALE 7:30 am—2 pm

SHOOTING THE BREEZE . . . . . .Carolyn Carr
As I sit in my office after weeks of rain I am hoping that the sun will shine long enough to get this edition of the Island Breeze delivered. This truly is the January/February edition (some months I just cover myself in case there isn’t time to put out a newsletter) and it has to be delivered before we leave to look at all the beautiful new flooring products in Las Vegas at the end of January. I am grateful that we have had a huge surge in advertisers which has allowed us to print monthly—rather than the quarterly editions we had anticipated. Please support the small business people who advertise here in the Breeze—they are really unique people with unique businesses.
I am glad to see the end of 2004 and the beginning of a new year. It was a weird year with the fiberglass contamination of our house, Mike’s dad passing , several small health issues and then at the end of the year what I call my “travel issues”.
I had been told by a friend not to do much traveling at the end of the year during what is called “Mercury Retrograde” from November 30 until December 13. We usually don’t travel much around the holidays, so I didn’t think much of it. However, I forgot that when you get in a car you “travel”. First, while driving down Newport Blvd. a box springs flew off a truck in front of me—thank goodness I don’t tailgate, so I was able to miss driving over it!
My next mishap happened one morning as I was leaving the Island and my brakes failed on my 13 year old car—again. This happens once in a while when it rains and the mechanic has never been able to discover the cause. Guess I need a new car, but my father taught me to be thrifty—my car still runs great—so why do I need a new one? Dad, being a physician raised in the depression, always paid cash for his cars and his houses—so car payments and house payments are very hard for me. The last time I went to look at a car the salesman asked me what kind of a payment I would like and I managed to choke out, “None”, and left the dealership—guess I need to try it again. In the meantime I have quit driving in the rain, which wasn’t easy these last few months. And of course, I ran into the back of an Island Resident—good thing I have great insurance—my State Farm Insurance Agent has never let me down.
I had to giggle these past few days when the ferry has been closed. The peninsula hasn’t been able to use us as a free parking lot. I have always wanted to have a random day on the Island when everyone took their cars out of their garages and filled our streets so there was NO PARKING for the Catalina Flyer customers who leave their cars here for up to a week!!! Yes, I can dream.
Speaking of giggling, Mark at Starbucks had me going one cold, rainy day last month. I went in early in the morning and ordered a Mocha Frappuccino—he looked at me and said loudly and firmly, “No—it is too cold.” Took me a minute before I realized he was joking!! Much as I am not a fan of chain businesses, I do love the people at our Starbucks. They are warm and funny and they always provide free coffee for Island events, including the All Island Garage Sale. Thanks for being here guys and girls!!!
I loved both my interviewees this month—Joe Lipnik and Janae Nichols—both born in my home state of Michigan—which of course makes them both warm and fascinating people. The Midwest does, however, turn out its share of entrepreneurs though—I am glad I was born in there—even though as of next year I will have been in California 30 years and 30 years in Michigan. How time flies!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

PEOPLE WE SHARE THE ISLAND WITH . . . JOE LIPNIK . . . LIPNIK AND SON

Joe Lipnik is one of the most diverse, unique, energetic, interesting people I have interviewed in the past seven years of writing this newsletter. Born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan he remembers his school, Picture Elementary School, and the fun he had after school— hunting, fishing and wrestling with his friends.
Joe’s dad owned a restaurant, Gene’s, and Joe would go there after hours and have any ice cream sundae he wanted—so began a lifetime love of ice cream.
When Joe was 12 years old his dad moved the family to the San Fernando Valley and he entered North Hollywood Jr. High school. Joe loved sports and earned several letters in golf, football, baseball and track before graduating from North Hollywood High School.
Next Joe signed on with the Army Reserves, and continuing his love of sports became the “Echo Company scorebuster”. Using the skills acquired at an early age in Michigan and in high school, Joe broke several records on the firing range and piled up 487 out of 500 points in Field Training. As Joe said, “The Army was fun for me, I was lucky enough to be between the Korean and the Vietnam Wars—it was a very positive experience.”
After finishing his Reserve commitment Joe entered Pierce Junior College and signed on the Golf Team. His reputation as a “scorebuster” continued—Joe played 18 straight matches without being out of the 70s. Joe says he still plays golf, but wishes it was in that range now!!
Then Joe’s life took the first of many turns. He entered UCLA in Theatre Arts. Joe took voice lessons from a woman in Hollywood for eight months—he sang at nightclubs. One night a man at one of the clubs asked if Joe would record some songs he had written. Joe agreed if the man would also allow him to do some standards for his own demo recording.
Joe also started taking acting classes at Columbia studio’s acting school with people under contract to Columbia. Then he got married. School, acting, singing, and work were a heavy schedule and just when it seemed he would get a firm acting job the financing fell through. With a wife and son to support Joe bought a bar in North Hollywood, but that was not the kind of life he wanted. When his marriage dissolved Joe sold the bar, took the exam and became a Fireman for the Ventura City Fire Department—Like I said this is one diverse guy!!
Joe didn’t like living in Ventura. Having spent childhood Easter vacations on Balboa Island, he had great memories of this area. So when he had a chance to work for the Newport Department and live on the Island—he jumped on it. Joe lived on Pearl Avenue, one of his neighbors was a girl named Karen who he met and married—a true Island love story.
Joe loved working in the Fire Department and moved up to Engineer and then to Captain. He was the first Captain on the scene when we lost the block on Pacific Coast Highway during the late 1970s. He spent eight hours fighting that fire and sometime during that eight hours ruptured a disk. That ended his career.
Joe, like all the firemen I knew in the 1970s, was investing in houses, fixing them up and selling them. He said that was one of the things he admired about his wife Karen—”I would buy a house, tear the front off of it and Karen would make a home for us in the back with plastic flapping in the wind where the walls were missing.” Joe has been married to Karen for 36 years and in that time they have lived in 28 houses—WOW!! I can’t even imagine.
Joe’s back needed a break, so he sold everything and took his family to Europe. They picked up a new van in England and where they spent two months—then off to France and Paris for a couple of months, Germany for a month, and finally ending up in Switzerland where they met up with the 13 and 14-year-old daughters of Island resident Joyce Tomlin from Opal. What a wonderful experience for Joe and the children!!
By this time it was the early 1980s, the family returned to 301 E. Bayfront and Joe resumed his career in house building. They spent seven years at 301 E. Bayfront while Joe built many houses on the Island and was very successful.
However, Joe being Joe, when his children Jennifer and Joey were 9 and 11 he thought they might benefit from a rural atmosphere. So once again he sold almost everything and moved to a log home in Heber Valley Utah with 20 acres and horses, geese, ducks and other wildlife. Joe became a farmer and plowed alfalfa. Life was good.
One day a friend called from Southern California and asked if Joe would help him build a 140 unit apartment. The money was too good to turn down, so Joe commuted from Utah to Southern California until about 1992 when the family returned to Balboa Island. And the rest—as they say—is history. Lipnik and Son is here to stay on the Island. Joe works with his oldest son, Breck, from his first marriage. Joe has built several homes for clients of mine who love their houses and love Joe—and now I know why. Joe says the market here has changed in the past ten years—where it was once people retiring it is now more professionals building primary residences. And he made a point of telling me, “although people complain about the size of the houses, houses today are not nearly as big as when I was building in the late 1980s and we had R2 zoning—the best thing to happen to this Island was going to R1.5”. I always had it in the back of my mind that Joe would be an interesting interview—I just didn’t realize he would be a FASCINATING one!!! So if you want a great builder with a fascinating story call Joe at 714.299.4499.

ENDERMOLOGIE . . . . . . . . JANAE NICHOLS
Janae Nichols was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her dad was the general Manager for Argus and moved here when he was hired by Mattel when Janae was nine years old in 1972.
Janae moved to Huntington Beach with her five brothers and sisters. Being raised in Michigan the “Water Wonderland”, they loved the water—here they spent time on the water in their dad’s boat or in Fawnskin enjoying water sports on Big Bear Lake.
Janae has spent years as a financial planner and most recently worked in the IT field in Silicon Valley. For a long while she was on the cutting edge of the tech world working 80 hours a week and was totally unhealthy. In 2001, after some personal tragedies in which she lost close family members she discovered Endermologie, a lymphatic drainage massage with medical benefits. After undergoing more than 100 sessions she discovered that she was reversing much of the damage years of stress had inflicted on her body. Soon she was studying the techniques and today she is offering Endermologie as part of her natural health and beauty services in her Corona del Mar office, 2711 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar.
Janae describes her ideal client as one is, “curious about innovative ways of regeneration, wellness and beauty. One who desires natural methods of beauty and anti-aging and has decided to pursue a preventative wellness lifestyle.”
Janae loves helping people—especially women—and she feels this is the best way she can fulfill that need. Janae feels like her time has arrived with all the alternative therapies now available and the public beginning to be interested (Ed. note—a recent Newsweek survey indicates that 36% of us use alternative therapies). Janae is passionate about helping people with their health and well-being. From the non-invasive Lumifacial lift to Endermologie that reduces cellulite, helps with weight loss and tones your body to, finally, my favorite, the Infra-Red Therapy that will help eliminate toxins and reduce stress and pain—she is the person that can help!
Janae has two wonderful daughters, Sadie Jean and Allyson. Sadie Jean owns three Curves and married to her 2nd grade boyfriend. Allyson is a photographer who lives in Atascadero and waited until the 9th grade to meet her husband!!
Call Janae at 949. 244.8022 to schedule a Special 1/2 Day of Beauty—Including a Detox Soak, Endermologie and Lumifacial Facelift for only $130.00. A great way to start the New Year!

DEE’s BALBOA ISLAND TALK . . . DEE DAWSON
I Hope all Balboa Islanders had a lovely Christmas and Holiday season. What ever will we all do once the “seasonal frenzy” has cooled?? After Christmas Sale merchandise! I cannot stand the mob scenes at the local malls this time of year—the crowds and rush make me crazy. So I visit Balboa Island Shops.
You won’t want to miss some really fabulous opportunities—many merchants even feature Clearance items market well above the ‘standard’ 50% with some going as high as 60% off and more!! For instance, Our Gang General Store has all of their unique Christmas novelties marked 1/2 off. One of my favorites was the Garden-stake Snowman and message “flakes wanted here”!! As I poked around the store there were other reasonable priced gift items to be found—lipstick-shaped ink pens for only $2.95—remove the shiny red lipstick cap and write with the tube. Also, stop over and be mesmerized by the realistic looking ‘aquarium machine’ at only $22.00 you’ll swear there are actual fish swimming around!! This is a lovely coffee table accessory and instant stress-reducer. (Ed. Note—I bought one—I love it!!) For a more humorous impulse-buy—magnetic memo pads with clever messages—my favorite read “Domestically Dis-abled” - a must-have for the kitchen ’fridge. Drop in soon our you’ll miss some really neat stuff.
Other recommended stops on my Sale Trail were at Island Home, Sculpture’s Gifts, Sandpiper and Seaside Cottage—all stores featured fabulous 1/2 off Clearance on what were truly lovely ’nostalgic ornaments’ - uniquely Balboa Island.
Not to suggest that any of us might have ‘over-indulged’ this holiday season . . . But if your waistbands should happen to be tighter, aren’t you glad there is Karen Leto’s Balboa Island Pilates studio right around the corner?? Check out her assortment of wonderful exercise classes (Mat, Reformer Machines, Yoga and more. . . ). You can begin re-sculpting your body today!! Island Pilates is located at 307 Marine Avenue, rear Courtyard. Phone 949.675.8400 for an appointment.
On Agate, Let’s Go Shopping, is clearing out all their merchandise at 50% off—Purses, Pashminas, and Ponchos. Shoes, Purses, hats, candles, cell phone covers, faux furs and all kinds of clothes and home accessories. This is the sale you have been waiting for. Let’s Go Shopping is at 118 Agate Avenue.
In my last column I recommended using our many fine Island Realtors for Winter Rental needs. This month, I’d like to send out a ‘personal thank you’ to Christine Hehir at Aegir Properties—306 Marine. She is the “Little Island” specialist in town and during November secured me the very last rental available—a perfect pre-holiday move-in which was both easy and painless!! Thanks Christine—you are the best!! Call Christine at 949.675.4000.

BALBOA ISLAND BULLETIN BOARD
BAYFRONT LITTLE ISLAND—Modern 3-story—3 Bedroom—
3 Bath—Jacuzzi Bath—Large Patio—Fire Place. Beautiful Yearly Lease $4500/month 323.876.2723.

TIPS OF THE MONTH
1. Some Foods are Better Bought Organic.
Grown Conventionally these fruits and vegetables have the highest levels of pesticides—they are listed from the most to least contaminated—Peaches, Strawberries, Apples, Spinach, Nectarines, Celery, Pears, Cherries, Potatoes, Sweet Bell Peppers, Raspberries, Imported Grapes.
These are the cleanest fruits and vegetables—listed from the least to most contaminated—sweet corn, avocados, pineapples, cauliflower, mangoes, sweet peas, asparagus, onions, broccoli, bananas, kiwis, papayas. (Source—Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit advocacy group).
2. Headlight use in Inclement Weather. A new law, beginning July, 2005, requires drivers of all motor vehicles except motorcycles to turn on their headlights whenever weather conditions prevent them from seeing another car or person on the highway at a distance of 1,000 feet, or when driving conditions require continuous use of windshield wipers.
3. Aspartame is one of the most toxic substances being consumed today. The FDA has approved the product for mass consumption in spite of overwhelming evidence that aspartame can have neurotoxic, metabolic, fetal and carcinogenic effects.
Aspartame is 40% aspartic acid. Aspartate is a neurotransmitter in the brain. Aspartate is referred to as the “excitotoxin” because of the nerve cell damage that it causes. Many chronic illness have been attributed to long-term excitotoxin exposure including multiple sclerosis, ALS, memory loss, hormonal problems, hearing loss, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, hypoglycemia, dementia, epilepsy and neuroendocrine disorders.
Aspartame is 50% phenylalanine. This is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Human testing has shown phenylalanine levels in the blood are increased significantly in those who chronically use aspartame. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of serotonin to decrease which can lead to depression, schizophrenia and make one more susceptible to seizures.
Aspartame is 10% methanol (aka wood alcohol). An EPA assessment of methanol states that “it is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidated to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic.”
The EPA recommends a consumption limit of 7.8 mg/day of formaldehyde. A one-liter aspartame sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol, seven times the EPA limit. Even my favorite cereal Fiber One had to go—it contains aspartame—and in its worse form—baked over 86 degrees!!
All this information came from an article In the January, 2005 Coast Magazine—by Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy, MD a director at South Coast Medical Center—It is really worth reading the whole article—it will open your eyes!! Think stivia— natural sweetener available at health food stores—even my sugarholic Mike likes it)!!!

ISLAND FLOORING is closed the last week of this month—from Wednesday the 26th until Monday the 1st of February for our annual outing to the Las Vegas Surfaces Convention.
Mike, Kathy and I will come back exhausted, but full of ideas about new products. The Sands Convention Center is filled with two floors of everything imaginable that you can walk on and it takes us the entire three days of walking to see it all. There are also seminars to teach us how to better serve our clients and install our products. It is a rewarding week. The three of us will come back with bags of information if years past are any indication.
Be Sure to visit Island Flooring in February and see what is new.

TIPS FROM BAXTER -
We now have Granite and Marble Cleaner and Polisher to keep your countertops clean and shining. Also don’t forget those fabulous Bona Products for your hardwood floors—I love the smell of the Bona Hardwood Cleaner after they clean the office floors!!
Please Come and Visit me at Island Flooring—I am here almost every day!!!

ISLAND FLOORING
949.675.3456
10% Discount
On All Carpet & Wood
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Island Breeze Newsletters

January, 2005, Volume 7, Issue 1