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The Montebello Voice an independent gazette spot on July 30, 2021
voices on the 37
Current and former Montebello
residents meet up on Macki-
nac Island in Michigan. Cody
Olander and Laura Calderon
with their daughter Zia, for-
merly of Montebello and now
living in Denver, and Montebel-
loans Susan and Turo Dexter
visited for a long weekend with
Montebello friendfs Sue Allen
and Don Hinman at their sum-
mer home on Mackinac.
[For more about the enchant-
ment of Mackinac Islad, read
Sue Allen’s terrific novel, Water
Beyond the Bridge. Ed.
https://www.mackinacislandmem-
ories.com/product-page/water-be-
yond-the-bridge] M
The ntebel Voice
Mo lo
Simone Biles an independent gazette
Female figure skaters and gymnasts Alexandria, Virginia
are so incredibly skilled, and look so
pretty, that we forget how difficult and This publication accepts no funding or oversight
dangerous this stuff can be. In figure from advertisers, residents, or the Montebello
skating there are pairs routines where Condominium Unit Owners Association. All
her head can be ten feet high, she’s not opinions are encouraged and reflect the diversi-
wearing a helmet, and the ice is as hard ty of views in the community. All articles and
as concrete. He’s flinging her in the air photographs come from Montebello residents. To
while spinning her like a top. receive or contribute to this email-only gazette,
People have already commented on Jam session contact montebellovoice@cox.net or visit
Biles and on female gymnasts. To me I’m looking to get together with musi- on the web at www.montebellovoice.com.
that’s all scary, but especially the un- cians who live in Montebello. I general-
even bars. It would be so easy to crack ly play blues and classic rock, but inter- Editor & Designer
one’s head open. And she not only has ested in just about any type of acoustic
Mikhailina Karina
to come through it alive, but has to look or electric music. I would be interested
perfect while doing so. in putting some set lists out and maybe Contributors
Someone on Fox was complaining writing and recording some music. Rodney Fisher, Dian McDonald,
that Biles owed them more advance no- I play guitar and harmonica and sing.
tice. Like a career-ending catastrophic Get in touch with me at coreywalters@ Sarah Newcomb, Bob Shea,
loss of confidence will always give lots yahoo.com.– Corey Walters M Chester Taylor, Jeanne Tifft,
of forewarning. In her case, it didn’t, Richard Titus, Steve Valdivia,
and the rest is none of our business. –
Richard Titus M Corey Walters
Cover photo by Steve Valdivia
The Montebello Voice 2 July 30, 2021
ride like an egyptian
Words and images by Jeanne Tifft
The Montebello Voice 3 July 30, 2021
ride like an egyptian Our family (Mom, Dad, and three kids) lived in Cairo from 1977 to 1981, during the years Anwar Sadat was president. Those kids, now middle-aged, still regard Egypt as the place where they mostly grew up. One of our favorite pastimes was to drive out to Giza and rent horses to ride in the desert. There were two stables in town: MG and AB. If you started renting from one, you could never rent from the other. It was all very personal. And we never thought of wearing riding hel- mets. Though the pyramids are indeed solid presence on Earth, they reflect changing lights and colors according to the time of day and weather. Sometimes they can seem quite insubstantial and magi- cal. Meanwhile, residents of the adjoining town of Giza went about their business. On the photos: In those days, I was bulk-loading 100 ft. reels of Tri-X film into 36-shot canisters and made a darkroom from the pantry in the Maadi villa where we lived. Dust filled the air, so some of the negatives are scratched and spotted. I’ve cleaned some, but not all. The Montebello Voice 4 July 30, 2021
ride like an egyptian Once we started with MG stables, we continued with them. It was owned by a bunch of broth- ers. The head was Mohammed (back turned, long flowing turban) who I discovered had six toes on each foot when he was shaking the sand out of his shoes. When I exclaimed, he seemed quite proud. I usually rode this nice chestnut mare named Princess. She was a very good horse whom I remember fondly. The Montebello Voice 5 July 30, 2021
ride like an egyptian
You cannot climb Cheops any longer, but in those days it was de rigueur. Every year a few
tourists would climb up and fall down with unfortunate consequences. You could even
spend the night on its flat top, as my teen son did once (without my permission).
Even local goats liked to climb.
Six kids and four parents inside the tomb chamber
of Cheops.
The Montebello Voice 6 July 30, 2021
ride like an egyptian
Riding back to Giza after a day’s outing to Saqqara, 12 miles away. It was a love-
ly ride along the border between the desert and the plantation.
MG stablehands took our mounts out for a roll and a scratch after we had dis-
mounted and turned them in.
The Montebello Voice 7 July 30, 2021
health & fitness
Food and movement for successful aging
By Chester Taylor the two islands, they are characterized Movement is also important as we
by less consumption of red meat, more age to prevent the debilitating effects
S
fish, complex carbohydrates, and un- of sarcopenia. Dr. Cederholm cited
wedish doctor Tommy Ceder- saturated fat. research that showed that within just a
holm, Professor Emeritus, Clin- He pointed to the typical Mediterra- couple of weeks of reducing their num-
ical Nutrition & Metabolism, nean diet with ample olive oil and nuts ber of daily steps from 6,000 to 1,500,
Uppsala University, and Senior Con- as a healthy one. Studies have shown study subjects could lose 400 grams of
sultant, Inflammation & Ageing, Karo- that eating this diet reduced cancer by leg muscle. As you lose muscle, you lose
linska University Hospital, Stockholm, strength and become less mobile.
in a talk via ZOOM to a group in Resistance training is also im-
Washington, D.C. this past spring, portant to seniors. It improves
stated that research has significantly muscle strength, increases bone
improved our knowledge of the im- mineral density (and prevents
portance of nutrition and exercise bone loss), helps maintain balance
for our bodies, particularly as we that can prevent falls and lower
age. We have been able to reduce blood pressure. Physical activity
infant mortality through improved helps the brain get the oxygen and
nutrition and lower mortality from nutrients it needs, making it possi-
chronic disease due to better life- ble to think more clearly, concen-
styles, including better food choices. trate better, and improve memory.
Dr. Cederholm noted a couple of Dr. Cederholm concluded that
longevity hotspots, Okinawa and as much as a third, reduced type 2 dia- we might not all live to be 122 years
Sardinia, that have been termed the betes risk by one half, and extended av- old – like the French woman Jean Lou-
Blue Zones, areas of the world where erage life span by 10 percent. This diet, ise Calment, who holds the record for
people are healthier and living longer. along with a serving or two of fish each documented longevity – but we can sig-
He stated that in both places people week, boosted mental capacity and nificantly improve our quality of life by
were physically active, social, and ate helped reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s eating healthily and exercising. M
wisely. While the foods are different on and Parkinson diseases.
Stand more and sit less
By Chester Taylor is the leading cause of death in the Unit- ably also sitting and sedentary behavior,
ed States and includes high blood pres- is an important and new health hazard
D
r. Mai-Lis Hellénius, world re- sure, heart attack, stroke, coronary heart of our time.” Dr. Hellénius said. “We
nown medical doctor and life- disease, and other related diseases. hypothesize that a reduction in sitting
style coach from Karolinska Many Americans have fallen into hours is of greater importance than an
University Hospital, recently spoke to the trap of a sedentary lifestyle. Dr. increase in exercise time for elderly risk
members and guests at the Swedish Hellénius says we need more move- individuals.”
American Cultural Union in Wash- ment in our lives. We need to stand Dr. Hellénius briefly described a proj-
ington, D.C. The title of her talk was more and sit less. She emphasized that ect she helped to start in Sollentuna in
“The Latest News About Lifestyle and diet and physical activity decisions to the mid-1980s. They offered the control
Health – What the Research Says.” minimize the risk of cardiovascular dis- group of 7,500 participants free health
Dr. Hellénius was instrumental in es- ease should be based on scientific ev- checks and a prevention program with
tablishing the Lifestyle Center at the idence. The study of physical activity individual lifestyle, counselling, presen-
Cardiology Clinic, Karolinska Univer- and its impact on the body is a complex tation and group activities. After 20
sity Hospital, Solna, in 2007. She has phenomenon. years the control group were compared
spent her career researching and gath- In her research, she discovered that to reference people outside Sollentuna.
ering evidence that supports lifestyle physical activity seemed to have less Those who participated in the study
changes needed for preventing cardio- of an impact than reductions in sitting were at less risk of having a heart attack
vascular disease. Cardiovascular disease time. “There is growing concern that and reduced all-cause mortality. M
not only low physical activity, but prob-
The Montebello Voice 8 July 30, 2021
colleageate
Two generations too late
By Bob Shea killers in any plan. The author empha-
sizes that “success is the culmination
A
of countless small preparations,” and
s the first member of my he spells out in detail what these small
family to go to college, my preparations are prior to and during
questions were endless. four years in college.
Where to apply, what to This book causes the reader to think
major in, have a roommate or not, what about the spectrum of the college expe-
are the funding sources, surviving dorm rience from the viewpoint of someone
life, how to develop study habits, GPA, who can actually say “been there and
and on and on? I was a confused young done that recently, and I was success-
man despite some well-meaning adults’ ful.” He stresses that going to college
best efforts. is not a cookie cutter experience. Dif-
My parents’ standard answer was ferent aspirations, different campus-
“You know best.” Wrong! I did not! es, different levels of preparation, and
They had more faith in me than I had different available funding collectively Tanner McFarland
in myself to make those hard choices, make the experience unique for each
and they had no frame of reference. person “does not know best.”
student and each university, but many
I have recently found a soft-cover Despite my parents’ belief that I did
book that I wish I had owned when I know best, I did not. I had far more
was wrestling with these tough ques- questions than valid answers. I wish to-
tions. It is written by a 25-year-old re- day that I had had this book as a tuto-
cent college graduate who gave it the rial as I debated with myself about how
subtitle of My Personal Textbook of How- to prepare for and succeed as a college
Tos and Don’t Dos of College.The author is student. It is two generations late for
a recent college graduate, and it is time- me.
ly and written in a conversational style The book is available from Amazon:
as if the author were sitting around College Made Easy by Tanner McFar-
with 7 or 8 young people having a bull land. The author also has established
session about college in the language of an annual scholarship with details of
young people seeking advice. how to apply for it buried in the text.
The author has a BS in Biomedical This in and of itself is another good
Engineering and an MBA, and works reason to devour the book.
for a large national corporation. So, A disclaimer: Tanner McFarland is
his advice is based on recent real world my grandson and lives in Maine. He
experience in today’s world of higher would probably be embarrassed that I
education and what lies beyond the di- wrote this, but his approach to college
ploma. It is current and spot on. preparation and success is too valu-
There are 21 well-laid out chapters able to not be shared with others who
covering the gamut of questions from could benefit from his sage and timely
before school, packing up, money, col- wisdom. Unfortunately, it is two gener-
https://www.tannermcfarland.
lege myths, dining halls, friends to your ations too late for me.
com/collegemadeeasy
major and what is possible. If every Sorry Tanner. Grampa is proud of
individual question is not answered you! M
of the questions are universal. Despite
in the book, the discussions cause the the variations, I would suggest that this
reader to think through the whole pro- book is an invaluable resource for any
cess and find answers to questions he or young person who is struggling with
she might not have even considered. In dreams of a college education and for
the words of the late Donald Rumsfeld, the parents or grandparents who might
the former Secretary of Defence, it is want to help the decision-making pro-
the “unknown unknowns” that are the cess. Believe me, the confused young
The Montebello Voice 9 July 30, 2021
car & driver
Life with my Ziggy car
By Sarah Newcomb sics, and the third seemed a middle -of- start contraption, I was rescued mul-
I
the-road choice to me. Of course, buy- tiple times. I cannot imagine why this
did not imagine my life ers could wait several weeks for more man did not murder me. I finally gave
was going to change 2017 Ziggys to come in. No driving any up asking him and suffered through the
that December morn- of the actual vehicles here, even after interminable waits for the auto club. I
ing in 2016. I thread- buyers had purchased them. was just too embarrassed to ask him to
ed my way in my 2002 The Ziggy company was conduct- help me again.
Ziggy car through our ing a nationwide media campaign I can tell you, my mechanical knowl-
Old Town back streets to introduce the new 2017 Ziggys. It edge is zero. Maybe even minus. Still, it
toward the Farmers’ Market. A young emphasized all the new safety systems did not seem logical over several visits
driver ran into me. My insurance com- the 2017 Ziggys offered along with im- to our Alexandria Ziggy dealership –
pany totaled my well-loved, carefully proved styling and luxury. Visits to the including two replacement batteries –
maintained, low-mileage SUV due shed created a lot of buzz with prospec- why this would be happening in a new
simply to its age. I had planned to drive tive buyers trying to get one of the three car. Ziggy’s people put the responsibili-
it forever. So no car. And no rental. available vehicles that day. Desperate, ty on me. They said I must drive the car
A wonderful Montebello neighbor I bought the middle option from very every single day. This was all my fault.
volunteered to drive me to Maryland obnoxious salesmen. I had to keep my That did not make sense to me.
to visit a large Ziggy car How many people park
dealership. I planned to at the airport, go on a
buy a reduced price 2016 week’s vacation, return
Ziggy, since December and drive home without
marked the end of that having to call the auto
model year. The 2016 club to get them started
Ziggys did not meet my again?
most important, in fact So I contacted my
my only, purchasing cri- friend in New York who
terion: the back seats is a (brilliant) mechanic.
would not fold complete- He listened attentive-
ly flat. I needed a total- ly to my description of
ly flat surface to install the Ziggy’s tricks. The
crates for my dogs to mechanic concluded
safely ride with me. that loading the 2017s
The 2017 Ziggys had with new electrical sys-
just come out. Reluctant- tems created a “parasitic
ly, I drove a rental back draw” somewhere in the
to Maryland to look at them. The deal- rental car while the dealership prepped car. Some system running drew down
ership had exactly three new Ziggys. my new Ziggy. the battery when the car was sitting
The new models were kept in a shed Driving my new Ziggy home was a parked between trips to the store.
stationed behind the dealership. Sales- real trip. I quickly realized it was a boat. Now the question has become what
men were escorting interested buyers All the high-tech extras did not com- to do with my Ziggy. Pushing it into
into the shed to look at the three mod- pensate for the driver’s lost ability just the Potomac seems the best option at
els, as if the cars were classified guided to look around. Over the next several times. It probably is not the best solu-
missles. No driving anything. And no, I years, the Ziggy played tricks on me. Its tion. Maybe I should try to fix this us-
am not making this up. favorite trick was not starting. I would ing a service bulletin my friend gave
Anyone who wanted a car could buy come out desperate to go somewhere me. But dealers say this is all my fault.
one of these three 2017 Ziggys in the (like the grocery store) and find no ac- So I ponder trying to afford another ve-
shed. One was a top-of-the-line family tivity from its engine. hicle. You can be sure of this: it won’t be
cruiser, the next was a totally stripped Thanks to yet another Montebello a Ziggy. M
down regular model with minimum ba- neighbor, who owned a portable jump-
The Montebello Voice 10 July 30, 2021spectacular wetlands
New book captures pictorial and local history
By Rodney Fisher
How this book idea come about
My wife, Candace, and I started
walking at HM regularly a few years
ago. Since we love forest bathing, we
just fell in love with the park. In August
of 2018 we were talking and I decid-
ed to do a pictorial of HM. What sur-
prised me was that no one had created a
pictorial of Huntley Meadows already.
It reminded me of a story about USC
professor Leo Buscaglia who wrote a
book on love. He thought that certainly
the copyright for the title “Love” had
long ago been taken because scores
books on love had been written. But to
his delight, he found he was the first.
And I was equally happy.
Since then, it has been one trip after
another in searing heat, bone chilling
cold, many perfect days and 8,000 pho-
tos to show for it. Each visit is unique
Passion for photography What I was seeking
and worth the effort. The landscape I have been taking photographs for The widest range of images from
changes over the year as water levels fun for a long time. During a high broader landscapes (which have al-
rise and drop and beavers modify the school summer job, a coworker came in ways been my favorites) to individu-
course of water flow. Recently, a wad- so excited about a 35mm camera he just al animals. I wanted a representative
ing bird, a Roseate Spoonbill, has been purchased. He made it sound so good, cross-section of images and subject in
drawing crowds of photographers and especially when it described the quality order to tell a good general story. The
others who appreciate beautiful birds. of photos it would take. He couldn’t get park’s history had already been told. I
There is a polite camaraderie among over the ability of the camera to take a wanted to add a few background details
regular visitors. Often, when there is a photo in 1/1500 of a second. Although to the narrative.
bird sighting for example, someone in I knew nothing about 35mm photogra-
Chosing from 8,000 photos
the group will point out its location to phy, he was some salesman and I went
those passing by and photographers out to get my own. Disappointingly, I always had my favorites organized
quietly move to get the best shot. One most of my photos came out bland un- by season and subject. I often managed
day recently, a mother and her daughter til one day I had them developed at a to take another that was an improve-
were observing the easily overlooked, Ritz Camera. The difference in qual- ment over the original. Even when I
such as moth larvae. Her daughter ity was jaw-dropping. I once recalled thought I was done, a new visit would
saw us walking in her direction on the hearing someone describe his summer provide another image for me to in-
boardwalk and she thoughtfully point- job working at one of the discount fast clude.
ed out a very small green tree frog that film processing stores. He said they al-
we would have missed. And regularly, ways cut corners and were told to turn
The book is available for pre-orders
you will come across visitors who are around orders fast, regardless of quali-
on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books
on focused walks, not engaging with ty. Recalling that story, and out of cu-
A Million, and Target. M
others but enjoying private moments in riosity, I brought in some negatives to
the safe and open space. We are so glad be reprinted. The drab photos had new
that this park is for anyone’s enjoyment life, and although more expensive, were
and edification. consistently much higher quality. And
so worth it.
The Montebello Voice 11 July 30, 2021spectacular wetlands
Photos by Rodney Fisher
The Montebello Voice 12 July 30, 2021walks ‘n wags
Photos by Dian McDonald
and Steve Valdivia
The Montebello Voice 13 July 30, 2021happenin’
Sponsored by the Activities Committee
Join the community on
Saturday, July 31st from
6:30pm to 9:30pm on Picnic Hill
Come join the next Music On
The Hill Night. This evening
will feature classis Soul/Funk
music. Bring your tablecloths
and citronella candles.
**No traffic, tolls, or admission
fee**
Irreverent Films Series
Picnic Hill 7:30 p.m.
July 30 Life of Brian
August 6 Cat Ballou
August 13 Dr. Strangelove
August 27 Monty Python and the Holy Grail
September 3 Best in Show
The Montebello Voice 14 July 30, 2021final glance The Montebello Voice 15 July 30, 2021
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