SANTA BARBARA – AND ITS SPANISH HERITAGE

Santa Barbara is a charming town showing off its Spanish heritage.

*An old mission from the late 1700’s. Pictured below is the laundry trough where local Indians washed linens and clothes. The water was supplied by an aqueduct which ran several miles from a source in the nearby mountains.

*A spectacular county courthouse dedicated in 1929, built in mission style with elaborate patterned tiles and enormous murals depicting the Spanish landing in
Santa Barbara. For almost 160 years the courthouse site has been the home of local government and a place of civic pride and celebration.

*A surfeit of red tiled roofs all over town and visible from the courthouse bell tower.

In the midst of this Latin American architecture, we satisfied our longing for something not easily available in the Adirondacks -- Vietnamese food!

MARINA DEL REY: LEVINE COUSINS GATHER

A treasure trove of Levine relatives have recently been uncovered by Jane’s brother, Michael, and a second cousin, Doris Levinson – from careful searches on ancestry.com and other genealogy sources. Arthur Levine (Jane’s dad) now has 485 on his geni.com tree, while before his known relatives were few, primarily from the family of his identical twin brother!

Mostly, the Levines are an incredibly successful, friendly and cheerful lot. They go from an ambassador to a TV producer, from a baseball journalist to a professional baseball manager, from physicians to real estate developers. Their ranks include teachers, social workers, lawyers, stay-at-home moms and others in a variety of creative fields and new enterprises of the 21st century.

The progenitors of this cousinly group -- Noah Levine (1839-1910) and Rachel/Gruna (Levy) Levine (1842-1910) emigrated with 5 sons and 4 daughters** from Belarus to America - the land of opportunity. Clearly, their descendants have sought to make the most of the American dream.


**Very sadly, their eldest daughter, Sima Levine Hochberg, remained in Europe and was slaughtered in 1942 by the Nazi forces.


In the family photo, L to R - Len Hochberg, Kathy Hochberg, Gail Scherr, Ken Krainman, Jane Lewit, Doris Levinson, Bob Lewit, Dave Levinson




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GETTY MUSEUM – ENDURING PHILANTHROPY

J. Paul Getty (1892-1976) founded the Getty Oil Company. Using his immense wealth, Getty avidly collected art and antiquities.

The modern Getty Center in Santa Monica houses most of Jean Paul Getty’s eclectic art collection from medieval manuscripts to impressionist paintings. Pictured is our friend, Nina Diamond, a writer for the museum. The Getty Villa, a replica of the Villa dei Papiri from Herculaneum, sits on a hilltop in Malibu, about 20 minutes north on the Pacific coast. This structure, which Getty designed but never saw, houses his collection of Greco-Roman art, sculpture and architecture. Both locations reflect the success of the donor in structuring his foundation to fulfill his intent after his death – a remarkable art collection which carries his name in perpetuity.

PHOTOGRAPHS
At the Getty Villa- Harp Player, marble, early Cycladic, c. 2700-2300 BCE
At the Getty Center - Irises, Vincent Van Gogh, Saint Remy, France, 1889

A SCHOLAR & HIS OFFICE

Bob Eisenman, a brilliant high school friend reminded me how the creative mind can think outside the box

Though he left high school after junior year to enroll early in a 5 year program at Cornell in Engineering and Physics, Bob refocused his interests and is now a renowned scholar of the ancient Middle East. His work focuses on the early Christian period, especially the Dead Sea Scrolls and their tie to the gospels. To learn more, check The Dead Sea Scrolls and the First Christians and/or James the Brother of Jesus, along with his other scholarly writings.

What is this dismal looking boat anchored at the Long Beach public marina? It’s Bob’s idea of the least costly real estate along the water -- a boat that stays in port and serves as his professional office.













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FRIDAY NIGHT AT BETH ISRAEL

Hosted in Del Mar by our life-long friends, Liz & Alan Rubin (seen here in Torrey Pines Preserve). Jane’s mother went to Smith College with Alan’s mother in the 1920’s. As close to family without being so. Their daughter, Emily Jennewein, is President of the largest reform synagogue in the San Diego area. At Friday night services, we heard Professor Kenneth Stein discuss the left, anti-Israel attitudes on campus, anti-Zionism as the new anti-Semitism, and how these issues play out at colleges and universities. Not a pretty picture.

SAN DIEGO - THE TITANIC EXHIBIT

Another driving trip to explore the wonders of America. This time, having shipped our car from Brant Lake to San Diego, we drove north along the Pacific Coast to Hood River OR.

The Titanic Exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum commemorates the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the luxury liner. So much to learn from the artifacts brought up from the deep (10,500’ below). Message: Beware of going full steam ahead into waters with uncharted, potentially lethal obstacles. Slow down, think, and then exercise caution for there may be unintended consequences. Great ships can sink.

NEW YEARS LUNCH

Our new years party was a great success due to a few factors
1. The winter setting overlooking the lake
2. By this time, everyone wanted to eat not at their own home and was delighted to join us for fare catered by the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor, along with local cider, and guest-baked desserts.
3. Everyone was delighted to broaden his/her horizons as we brought together family & friends from Horicon, Chestertown, Pottersville, Friends Lake, and Johnsburg. Our group included owners of Stone Bridges and Caves, Railroads on Parade, a licensed massage therapist, camp owner, and other interesting folk.