Life After 50 July 2016

LOS ANGELES METRO JULY 2016

southern california

lifeafter50.com

G R E A T

SUMMER GET-A-WAYS

TRIPS & EVENTS TONI TENNILLE

LIFE AFTER THE CAPTAIN

REMEMBERING

Dion

Spiritually connected, creatively relative, and constantly soaring

Buddy Holly

Contents

July 2016

10

18

26

Cover Profile

Departments

10 Dion

6 50-Plus: What You Need to Know

30

The rock ‘n’ roll legend – spiritually connected, creatively relative and constantly soaring.

A quick look at things 50-plusers should be aware of.

Features

The importance of replacing missing teeth.

18 Summering In SoCal Fifty great things to do this summer in the Southland.

26 The Look Of Life After 50 – Toni Tennille

Her new life, in uncharted waters without the Captain.

30 The Hallowed Hall Of Must-Knowtables – Buddy Holly Legendary notables that everyone, of every age, should know.

8 Health After 50

34 Let’s Get Out

Looking to get out and about? Our July/August calendar has some great suggestions.

38 Rick Steves’ Travels

Discover the aristocratic get-a-ways of Portugal.

42 And Finally…The Bookworm’s Best, A Look Back and Just A Thought Before We Go

A book suggestion, memory, and a little something to leave you with.

Cover photo by David Godlis, courtesy of Bob Merlis / M.F.H. All material published within this issue of Life After 50 and on www.lifeafter50.com is strictly for informational and educational purposes only. No individual, advice, product or service is in any way endorsed by Life After 50 or Southland Publishing, Inc. or provided as a substitute for the reader’s seeking of individualized professional advice or instruction. Readers should seek the advice of qualified professionals on any matter regarding an individual, advice, recommendations, services or products covered within this issue. All information and material is provided to readers with the understanding that it comes from various sources from which there is no warranty or responsibility by Life After 50 or Southland Publishing, Inc. as to its or their legality, completeness or technical accuracy.

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Editor’s Note...

Happy Fourth, my fellow less-than-perfect, naïve adolescents

T

his month, our nation turns 240-years-old, which means compared to other countries in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we’re barely into our adolescence.

From the day of our nation’s birth – July 4, 1776 – we have done some incredible things: incredibly great things, incredibly horrific things, incredibly brilliant things and incredibly stupid things. Throughout the history of this world, that is what every person, country, organized government, religion, educational institution, corporation and business has done: good things, bad things, smart things and dumb things.

As we turn 240, we are far from perfect, but being perfect was never the goal. Back on our 12th birthday, as our Constitution was ratified by our Founding Fathers, their resolve was never to form a “perfect Union,” but to constantly strive towards forming a “more perfect Union.”

Have we succeeded at establishing justice, insuring domestic tranquility, providing for common defense, promoting general welfare, and securing the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity? To a large extent, we have – as well, if not better, than any other country on Earth. Have we also dropped the ball on all those things at times? Absolutely…and we still do… and always will. It’s all a part of imperfect humans striving towards being a bit more perfect.

This year, as we celebrate our country’s birth, it’s easy to overlook all the good we have accomplished, what with so many negative stories dominating the news and issues that frustrate and aggravate Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Socialists and Independents alike.

We all have family members, friends and acquaintances who identify with those aforementioned political parties, as well as those who either don’t care about or deplore the whole lot of them. But it is important to constantly remind ourselves that our political affiliations should be kept in perspective and that they pale behind who we are first and foremost: Americans.

It is, of course, a treasured gift that we Americans can have open discourse and debate with one another, but we should never let that debate blind us to the fact that we are all striving for the same thing – to constantly move towards being a little more perfect.

So as you come together with your friends and family for the traditional Fourth of July fare, try to keep in mind that during a contentious presidential campaign, abandoning respect for one another, engaging in name-calling or discounting others’ beliefs are all fruitless endeavors. Remember, neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump nor anyone else is ever going to do what no president from Washington to Obama has done – bring about unified and national perfection. If we ever allow ourselves to think that – that any one of us or our political parties and their representatives have all the answers to bring about perfection – we’re simply being naïve. Although, come on, who could really blame us for harboring a little naïvete? I mean, no matter what our age, as Americans, we are all still adolescents, each in our own way, striving for just a little more perfection.

David Laurell, Editor-in-Chief

4 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

Publisher Valarie Anderson Editor-in-Chief David Laurell Associate Editors Steve Stoliar Claire Yezbak Fadden Art Director Michael Kraxenberger Editorial Assistant Max Andrews Controller Kacie Cobian Human Resources Andrea E. Baker Business Manager Linda Lam Billing Supervisor David Garcia VP Of Operations David Comden

To contact our editorial department: (818) 563-1007

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©2016 Southland Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved

A July Thought

“America is a tune.

It must be sung together.”

– Gerald Stanley Lee

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50

The Scoop On Ice Cream

PLUS

What You Need To Know

By Claire Yezbak Fadden and Max Andrews

Shining Shades Of Gray

I

n celebration of her 75th birthday, actress Linda Gray opens up about her life in her new book. In “The Road to Happiness Is Always Under Construction,” (Regan Arts, 2015) Gray shares deeply personal stories with wit, humor and candor. She reveals how she’s learned to embrace every day as a blessing and to treat herself with the same kindness she bestows on friends and strangers alike. Along with wisdom, Gray offers practical tips about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, how to strengthen and detoxify your body, liberate your mind, and uplift your soul. Her message - “to give, love and shine, baby, shine” – will fill readers with inspiration to live life to the fullest and never stop pursuing honesty and joy.

Fifty Candles

F

ifty years ago this month, Medicare went into effect offering health insurance to nearly all Americans age 65 or older. After 13 unsuccessful attempts, tennis star Billie Jean King won her first of what would end up being a total of six Wimbledon Grand Slam single titles. On July 4, President Lyndon Johnson signed the landmark Freedom of Information Act while vacationing at his Texas ranch. The Supremes recorded the hit single, “You Can’t Hurry Love” at Hitsville U.S.A., and New York Yankees Manager Casey Stengel was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Notable personalities born in July 1966 who are celebrating their 50th birthday this month include comedian Jim Gaffigan, actors Dean Cain and Matthew Fox, country singer Martina McBride, chef Sandra Lee, musician Stone Gossard, radio personality Chuck Nice, illustrator Brian Selznick and actresses Debbe Dunning and Claudia Wells.

6 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

I

n 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month (this year, that’s July 17) as National Ice Cream Day. Enjoyed on a regular basis by more than 90 percent of the nation’s population, more ice cream is produced in California than in any other state.

As for the most popular flavor in the U.S., according to the International Ice Cream Association, vanilla is the hands-down winner.

Knowing Who We Are

I

n 1946, about 3.4 million babies were born in that first year of what would become known as the “baby boom.” That means some 2.5 million boomers are turning 70 this year. During those 70 years, life in the U.S. has changed dramatically. Boomers grew up in a country where Caucasians were a 90 percent majority. Today, Caucasians are on their way to becoming a minority in America, according to Paul Taylor, author of “The Next America: Boomers, Millennials, and the Looming Generational Showdown” (PublicAffairs, 2014).

Those turning 70 this year can expect to live another 15 years thanks to improvements in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. From a financial standpoint, the median family income of Americans, adjusted for inflation, rose from $27,000 in 1946 to $62,000 today. Still, more than four out of 10 Americans reaching 70 this year risk running out of money in retirement. Because of this, many more boomers are inclined to stay on the job than previous generations. By 2022, nearly a quarter of people 70 to 74 will still be working.

Since 1946, American women in the workforce have soared from 31 percent in to 57 percent today, and the percentage of 70-plus women who are still working is expected to rise from 30 percent to 39 percent by 2024.

For LGBTQ Americans born in 1946, life has been a journey toward acceptance. Not long ago, LGBTQ rights divided the country. Today, a majority of Americans say they are accepting of homosexuals and even gay marriage, whether they are Democratic or Republican. Which is interesting, since boomers born in 1946 remain as divided politically as the rest of the nation. Almost as many Americans turning 70 this year identify themselves as Republican (36 percent) as Democratic (38 percent).

A Little More You Need To Know

Where You Need To Go Music Under the Stars

The Most Important Thing To Know This Month

July is Pool Safety Month

S A

ll over Southern California, music is filling the summer air and much of it is free! Enjoy several concerts this summer with musical choices from the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, disco, country, reggae and military brass sounds. Pack a picnic basket, some lawn chairs and a blanket and head outdoors for music under the stars. Here’s a list of just some of the many city-sponsored concerts dotting the southland from Calabasas to Coronado. For concerts in your area, contact your local parks department or Chamber of Commerce.

Agoura Hills: Summer Concerts in the Park, 6 p.m. (except July 24), Sundays through August 21, Chumash Park, 5550 Medea Valley Dr., www.agourahillsrec.org.

Calabasas: Sun Sets, 6 p.m., select Sundays through August 28, Calabasas Tennis and Swim Center, 23400 Park Sorrento., www.cityofcalabasas.com.

Coronado: Coronado Concerts, mostly 6 p.m., Sundays through September 11, Spreckels Park, 7th St. and Orange Ave., www.coronadoconcert.com.

Long Beach: Long Beach Summer Concert Series, 6:30 p.m., Fridays through August 5, El Dorado West, 2800 Studebaker Rd., www.longbeach.gov.

Manhattan Beach: Concerts in the Park, 5 p.m., Sundays through Sept. 4., Polliwog Park, 1601 Manhattan Beach Blvd., www.ci.manhattan-beach.ca.us.

Newport Beach: Concerts on the Green, 6 p.m., July 31, August 21 and September 11, Newport Beach Civic Center, 100 Civic Center Dr., www.newportbeachca.gov.

Santa Monica: Twilight Concerts on the Pier, 7 p.m., Thursdays through September 8, 200 Santa Monica Pier, www.santamonicapier.org/twilightconcerts.

Santee: Concerts in the Park, 6:30 p.m., Thursdays through August 25 (except July 7), Town Center Community Park East, 550 Park Center Dr., www.ci.santee.ca.us.

Tustin: Concerts in the Park, 6 p.m., Wednesdays through August 10, Peppertree Park, 230 W. First St., www.tustinca.org.

ummer is in full swing, which means many Southern Californians are enjoying poolside family time. If you’re planning poolside fun, think safety first. Drowning takes the lives of more California toddlers than any other kind of accident. Children who manage to survive a near-drowning often suffer permanent brain damage from lack of oxygen.

Children one- to four-years-old are at greatest risk. They are very active and curious, and they learn new skills every day.

One day, they suddenly learn how to open the sliding door and wander from the house to the pool and spa area. A child may fall in and drown silently without calling out for help.

The whole event can happen in just a minute or two. Most of these drownings take place at the homes of parents, relatives or neighbors. Fortunately, you can prevent toddler drowning by combining adult supervision and safety barriers.

The California Swimming Pool Safety Act requires at least one approved safety barrier be in place for all pools and spas built after January 1, 1998 and for any pools being remodeled.

Property owners with swimming pools constructed prior to 1998 should voluntarily install barriers around the pool that meet these standards. Here are some other potentially life-saving tips: • Keep children in direct sight at all times.

• Never leave a young child alone in or around a pool, spa or wading pool, even for a few seconds.

• Get into the habit of keeping doors and gates leading to the pool or spa closed. Never prop doors or gates open.

• Be especially alert of a child’s whereabouts and, if a child is missing, always look first in the pool or spa.

• Keep rescue equipment (safety ring, long pole) and a cordless phone next to the pool or spa.

For more information about California’s swimming pool safety requirements, click on the California Department of Public Health at www.cdph.ca.gov.

New Words You might not find all of these words in a dictionary yet, but they’re a part of the everyday American vocabulary. Here’s what they mean.

Fignature: A signature captured on a tablet or other mobile device’s touchscreen to approve credit card transactions that was written with a finger used as a stylus.

Mic Drop: Used to emphasize that a discussion, performance or speech is over after a decisive, remarkable or impressive point has been made.

Sassitude: A sassy, saucy attitude, conduct or demeanor.

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 7

Health After 50

By Dr. Saj Jivraj, prosthodontist, Anacapa Dental Art Institute Dr. Jivraj is a leading prosthodontist who practices at Anacapa Dental Art Institute in Oxnard, California. He has over two decades of experience in the field of dentistry and prosthodontics and is considered one of the leading prosthodontists in the country.

For more information click on www.anacapadental.com.

The Importance of Replacing Missing Teeth According to a recent article in the Journal of The American Dental Association, about five million Americans have teeth that are avulsed or “knocked out” each year, with up to 39 percent of these teeth lost to sports injuries or accidents. Many more teeth are lost each year due to periodontal disease, the aging process, or health issues. However, with the latest technology, there is no reason for anyone to risk the potentially devastating complications of tooth loss.

The Health Risks Of Missing Teeth

Missing teeth can negatively affect one’s appearance and self-esteem, but replacing missing teeth is more important than just cosmetic. When a tooth or multiple adult teeth are lost, it is critical to replace them as soon as possible to avoid potentially serious dental and medical issues. Since each tooth plays a key role in the mouth, filling gaps left by missing teeth will prevent more serious problems from occurring.

Tooth loss often causes other teeth to shift. This leads to misalignment and can cause jaw pain and other issues. Shifted teeth are also difficult to clean, often causing cavities and even gum disease. Excessive wear can be caused by misalignment of teeth due to shifting. Bone loss also occurs when a tooth is no longer rooted in the bone. In many cases, this bone loss is progressive.

Dental Implants and CAD CAM Design

For the majority of patients, permanent dental implants are the best way to fill the gaps left by lost teeth. Implants are placed into the jawbone where the tooth or teeth were lost, and after the bone heals, a naturallooking tooth is attached to each implant. Today, computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture (CAD CAM) generated teeth can be made right in a dental office that has this new technology and the teeth can be replaced the same day. With the latest technology in CAD CAM technology, there is no reason for anyone to risk the potentially devastating complications of tooth loss.

All On 4 Allows Replacement of Multiple Teeth in One Day

For patients who have lost multiple teeth, All On 4 implants can be used to replace the entire upper and/or lower teeth, with each arch using just four strategically placed implants or anchors, rather than using individual anchors for each implant. All On 4, also known as “Teeth In One Day,” can benefit almost any patient, especially if they don’t have enough bone for traditional dental implants. Patients don’t have to go through extensive bone-grafting procedures, which were often required in the past. All On 4 can give patients new teeth in a day in most cases, allowing them to enjoy eating and normal activities quickly.

All On 4 dental implants are put in place using a minimally invasive technique, which is one of the elements that make it possible to complete this smile restoration in just one day. Once the implants have been secured in place, the temporary teeth are screwed into place and patients can see how their new smile will look and feel.

8 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

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COVER PROFILE

Dion

Eight decades into his career, the rock ‘n’ roll legend is spiritually connected, creatively relative and constantly soaring Story by David Laurell Photos courtesy of Bob Merlis / M.F.H. and David Godlis

H

e began singing at the age of five, was performing and recording professionally by the time he was in his teens, and was an established star before he was 20.

A

long with a string of hit songs and a prolific recording and touring career that is now in its eighth decade, he holds the distinction of being one of only four singers other than John, Paul, George and Ringo to appear on the cover of a Beatles’ album. Revered by fans and aficionados of rock ‘n’ roll (John Lennon having been one of them) as one of the founding fathers of the genre, his music – and very life – has been a gift to the world and himself that could have easily been lost on a cold February night in a field on the outskirts of Clear Lake, Iowa.

Dion Francis DiMucci, who would become professionally known mononymously as “Dion,” was born in the Bronx, New York, on July 18, 1939. Attracted to country music and the blues from the time he was very young, the teenaged Dion became fascinated by the burgeoning musical styles of the 1950s: doo-wop, rock ‘n’ roll and R&B. Going on to become one of the most popular American performers of the pre-British Invasion era, he chalked up more than a dozen Top 40 hits in the late 1950s and early ‘60s, which included 1959’s “A Teenager in Love” and 1960’s “Where or When” with his group, The Belmonts. The following year, as a solo artist, he continued to score hits such as 1961’s “Runaround Sue” and “The Wanderer,” 1963’s “Ruby Baby” and “Donna the Prima Donna,” and the Dick Holler-penned 1968 tribute to assassinated American leaders, “Abraham, Martin, and John.”

While still with The Belmonts, Dion frequently toured with other stars.

On February 2, 1959, after a Winter Dance Party tour performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa with Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, Jr., Dion passed on joining that trio on a chartered four-seater plane to Fargo, North Dakota because of the cost.

Opting to join other members of the tour for an all-night bus ride, they arrived in Fargo the following morning to learn that the plane carrying Holly, Valens and the Bopper had crashed just minutes after taking off, killing all on board.

Deeply affected by this experience and constantly wondering why his life was spared, Dion would spend years wrestling with a heroin addiction and seeking spiritual guidance that led him to becoming a born-again Christian.

In 1968, having left New York with his family for Florida, he successfully kicked his heroin habit and continued to evolve spiritually, record and perform. Inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, he has most recently released a single, “New York Is My Home,” with Paul Simon, which is included on his latest album, “New York Is My Home,” released in February.

Preparing to celebrate his 77th birthday this month, Dion now lives in Boca Raton, Florida with his wife, Susan. He enjoys spending time with his three adult daughters, who are all teachers and live nearby, and continues his longstanding commitment to his own sobriety as well as helping others who are going through addiction recovery.

Life After 50 recently spent time with Dion, beginning our conversation by asking what his typical day consists of: Dion (D): I’m a man of prayer and I’m very Catholic. My life is a dialogue with God. That’s where my strength and health comes from, and so that is a big part of my everyday life. I start my day by saying a prayer. Then I tell my wife that I love her and I go out for a walk or something. I have friends at the gym and I try to get there two or three times a week. I putz around, do a little weights, but mostly I talk to people. I’ll go out to dinner with my wife and the kids. Sometimes I have some business to tend to – a meeting or something – and there is a community of men I do a lot of ministry stuff with. So I have a life. I’m not the kind of performer who has to be on the

road to know who I am. I don’t need to be in the spotlight to know who I am. I know who I am.

Life After 50 (LA50): You mentioned how important your faith is in your life. Let’s talk about that – after being involved with other denominations for many years, you returned to the faith of your youth – Roman Catholicism.

D: I read myself back to the Catholic Church in the late 1990s after I visited my old parish in the Bronx – Our Lady of Mount Carmel. I came to believe that the church is the foundation of truth. I had read in First Timothy that the church of the living God is the pillar and foundation of the truth. When I read that, I began asking ministers of different denominations what they thought was the foundation of truth and they gave me different answers: the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, Jesus. But Timothy wrote that it was the church. So I began looking into what church he was talking about. I got deeply into the writings of the apostolic fathers, like Ignatius, and in those writings, over and over, I saw the Catholic Church. I didn’t see the Baptist Church or the Lutheran Church – I didn’t see the Presbyterian Church or Calvary Chapel, where I went for a long time. I don’t put any of those denominations down; they all have their place and were a big part of grounding me in my faith and in scripture. But for me, the Catholic Church gave me a connection

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 11

beyond what I had found anywhere else. When you attend mass, there are three readings: the Old Testament, the letters of the apostles, and the Gospel.

It’s very scriptural. It’s not the commentary of the pastors that you find in other churches. It’s God’s word. The Catholic Church is scripturally-based – grounded in the scripture. I felt the Lord led me back to the Catholic Church, but I don’t feel I ever left any other church or denomination. I just stepped into the fullness of the Catholic Church where I found my connection.

LA50: The fact that you are sitting here with us today and are not a longgone memory of the beginnings of rock ‘n’ roll is the kind of miracle or destiny that serves as the impetus for a spiritual search. How much did the crash of that plane – that you could have very well been on – affect you and change you?

D: Well, I’m very grateful for my life – that I’m here. The loss of Buddy and the Booper and Ritchie had a profound impact on my life on so many different levels. I feel like they have always been with me and are still with me. In my faith, we believe relationships never die. They keep on going and even moving forward. But from the day that plane went down, my life has been one of many profound questions: Why was I spared? Why am I here? What am I supposed to do with my life? Where am I going? What is it all about?

12 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016 PAL_006252_01_Sr_Print_4.625x11.5_R4_FINAL_CFR.indd 1

6/23/16 5:50 PM

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LA50: Can you share your memories of the moment you learned their plane had gone down?

D: I haven’t had a drink or a drug in 48 years. With the help of lot of people – with God’s help – I was able to take responsibly for my actions and I love sharing the solution I found with other people The only difference between me and the guys in prison who I work with is that they got caught and I didn’t. But dealing with addiction – overcoming it – is about renewing your commitment to being personally responsible every day. Being responsible always makes me think of my grandfather, who came from Italy in 1906 with like 10 cents in his pocket when he was 16. I remember when I was eightyears-old, he took me to downtown New York. We stood there in Battery Park and he said: “Dion, that’s the Statue of Liberty out there.” He told me that he thought they should also erect another statue called the Statue of Responsibility. He said: “With great freedom comes great responsibility.”

I’ll never forget that.

LA50: Let’s talk music. While you have given the world so many great rock ‘n’ roll hits, one song stirred emotions and touched people like no other – “Abraham, Martin and John.” Did you ever meet President Kennedy or Martin Luther King, Jr. or Bobby Kennedy?

D: I never met any of them. I have never even met or talked to any of their family members. But I’m proud of that song. It was a healing song for me – for the nation. It wasn’t political at all. It was a song that said you could kill the dreamers but you couldn’t kill the dream – that the dream would always live – that someday we could all come together and solve problems and make the world a better place.

LA50: Along with your being an icon in the world of rock ‘n’ roll, you also have the distinction of being one of four singers – Bob Dylan, Stuart Sutcliffe, Bobby Breen, and you – whose picture has appeared on a Beatles’ album cover. There you are on the cover of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” surrounded by Terry Southern, Tom Mix, Tony Curtis and Oscar Wilde. How did that come about?

D: I met John Lennon shortly after The Beatles first came to America. I actually met John and Ringo in a New York men’s clothing store. John and

Andrea Goss and the 2016 national touring cast of Roundabout Theatre Company’s CABARET. Photo by Joan Marcus

LA50: In the ensuing years, you became addicted to heroin. We have, sadly, over the years, seen so many great musicians lose their battle with heroin. But you beat it, and have even been dedicated to helping others, mostly prison inmates, who are dealing with addition.

TIME OUT NEW YORK Andrea Goss and the 2016 national touring cast of Roundabout Theatre Company’s CABARET. Photo by Joan Marcus

D: I remember the last time I saw them – shortly before they took off. Buddy had charted this four-seater plane and there were a lot more of us on the tour than four. So he called me and the Bopper and Ritchie in and said we would do a coin toss to see who would go by plane and who would go by bus. I won the toss – to go on the plane. But then Buddy said my share for the charter fee would be $36. That was a lot of money back then – what my parents paid for their monthly rent. I just couldn’t justify that amount of money and so I bowed out. We said goodbye, and that was it. They left and soon after, we packed up and left. We drove all night – a freezing cold night – and when we got to Fargo the next morning, I walked into the hotel lobby and Sam Geller, who was the tour manager, was there and he was white. He said: “They didn’t make it.” I thought he meant they just didn’t fly out or something and would be coming later. I didn’t get it. But then I saw all these people huddled around this little old black-and-white television. I walked over and they were watching a news report that three rock ‘n’ roll stars had been killed in a plane crash. I was numb. I remember walking back out to the bus in a daze. I was the only one on the bus, sitting there with Buddy’s guitar. Ritchie’s blue vest was hanging across from me and the Bopper’s hat was on a rack right over me. I was just baffled. Getting to tour with those guys had been the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I was just 19, and here I was, out on the road rocking and rolling with these guys. It was heaven to me. So my memories: Man, I felt like the rug was ripped out from under me. I remember coming out of that bus and it was all so weird. It had been freezing cold, and yet, as I stood there, it was like a summer day. The sun was shining and it had gotten very warm all of a sudden. It was surreal.

Their lives and deaths really affected me in a dramatic way.

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Please Call me to let me know what you have and for information on other Collectable items DAVID: 310-967-9349

I bought the same leather jacket. I still have that jacket, and John wore his on the cover of “Rubber Soul.” Anyway, when we met in that clothing store, he told me how they used to sing “Ruby Baby” when they first started out, playing in Hamburg, Germany. He told me he really loved that song and my version of it, that had just come out. So when they did “Sgt. Pepper,” they cut my head out from the picture that was on the “Ruby Baby” record and used it on the cover. I always thought that was John’s doing, because he loved that song. I had no idea they were doing that till it came out. I was at a party one night in the Bronx – that was when I discovered I was on the cover.

THE MOTHER OF ALL MUSICALS

LA50: You have been on the music scene for eight decades. Not many people can say that. So what’s your read on the state of today’s music?

“Rightly considered one of the greatest musicals of all time.”

D: I’m blown away by the talent out there, but sometimes I feel like a little more style could go a long, long way. You take a Johnny Cash or a Bob Dylan or a Joan Baez – people whose style – whose voices made them musical expressionists. There was a lot of style and magic in our day – The Beatles, The Stones, Chuck Berry, Little Richard. There is not much magic out there today. There’s a lot of talented people, but a lot of what they do seems to be too technical. I love Eminem. I don’t understand some things he does, but I get it! I can hear it. I can hear it when a musician has the magic – the artistic soul – artistic magic. I can tell when you are really feeling the person behind the record. I think when music gets too technical, you lose the magic of the artist. It comes from them, but I don’t know if it comes through them, if you get what I mean.

– HuffPost Entertainment

A MUSICAL FABLE Music by

Lyrics by

LA50: You have a new album out – “New York Is My Home” – which is a tribute to your hometown. So how does a song like “Can’t Go Back to Memphis” end up on an album about the Big Apple?

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D: [laughing] Yeah, well, that’s what happens when a New York boy goes to Memphis. It gets into your blood. If you love music – the early blues and country that evolved into rock ‘n’ roll – you are stirred by that city. But all the songs on the new album with the exception of that one and “Visionary Heart” have to do with New York. “Visionary Heart” is about Buddy Holly. He truly was a visionary and the song is an imagined conversation I had with him. If he had lived, he would have been a major force in music – not that he isn’t. He was thoughtful and stately and decisive. He was a

beautiful guy – very grown up for his age. Along with being a singer, he was into publishing and had founded a studio before he was 22. He was an amazing guy who greatly impressed me.

LA50: He had the magic!

July 5 - August 31, 2016

D: [laughing] Buddy definitely had the magic!

140 Fine Artists, Live Music, Workshops, Events + More!

LA50: You have always had such a passion for New York City, so why have you made your home in Florida for so long?

D: I moved to Florida, because I thought it would be a better place for my daughters to grow up in, but New York is still in my blood. I still got to have my time on the concrete, which is why I keep a place there. New York will always be my home. I have a song on the new album, the title track – “New York is My Home” – which is my love song to the city. New York City will always be God’s country to me. No canyons and forests. For me, God’s country will always be sirens and screeching subways and ethnic crowds. It’s not a rah-rah Frank Sinatra-type song, nor a Billy Joel thing, or a Lou Reed gritty underbelly side of New York song. It’s a personal and poetic tribute to my city. The song “The Apollo King” is about me going to the Apollo Theater with my friends as a kid to see Big Al Sears and Jimmy Reed. “I’m Your Gangster of Love” is about the guys I grew up around in the Bronx. Our apartment was across the street from George’s Bar, and all these guys – these wannabe gangsters – would hang out there with their shiny suits and the collars out and the chains. The theme of these type of guys has shown up in a lot of my songs throughout my career – “The Wanderer” back in the ‘60s and “King of the New York Streets” which I did in the ‘80s. Those guys keep reccurring in my songs, but as the years go by, they’re presented from a different perspective.

LagunaFestivalofArts.org

A R T I S T: WILLIAM R. BRION

LA50: You are joined on “New York is My Home” by Paul Simon.

How did that collaboration come about?

D: Well, you know, Paul and I have been longtime friends. So when I wrote “New York is My Home,” I thought of Paul and knew I wanted him to be part of it. I just knew I had to sing that song with him. We share a love of rock ‘n’ roll music – the way it was done back in the day. We grew up with it. So he heard the song and fell in love with it and added his own distinctive touches to it. He’s from Queens and I am a boy from the Bronx, so it was a labor of love by two real New Yorkers.

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July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 15

“… when it comes to remaining creative and engaged and being connected spiritually – there is no limit. No matter what your age, you can still soar.”

LA50: You will be turning 77 this month. As the years have passed, have you adopted any philosophy about aging?

D: I don’t think about age. I think about moving forward. I’m a guy who loves life and loves people. That’s what keeps me young. I’m not afraid of the future. Throughout my career, people wrote that I was reinventing myself or reimagining myself. Whenever I would read stuff like that, I would think: “What BS. I’m not reimagining anything. I’m just growing.” I learned a long time ago to eliminate the stuff that doesn’t belong in my life – the unimportant stuff that doesn’t help me grow, and to get closer to the stuff that is really important to me. I get very passionate about life and the creative process – the magic I talked about. To me, creating is like breathing. When I’m creating, I feel like I’m under a spout being showered in glory. I am so very grateful for the gift of music, because it keeps me young.

LA50: Sounds like you consider your creativity to be a Fountain of Youth.

D: Yeah, okay, that works. Creating sends me into the fourth dimension. It’s so important to be doing something you love. I see people who are in fear of

16 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

aging. Hey, everybody has fears, but it’s not good for fear to have you. You have got to find a way to get through your fears or they consume you. Age is a beautiful thing to me. I feel better now than I ever have. I feel that my faith keeps me young. Not being isolated from friends, being plugged in to my family and to God, that’s what keeps me going. I’m over 50 by quite a few years, but I still feel relevant, and in some ways, more relevant than when I recorded “The Wanderer” and “Runaround Sue” and “Abraham, Martin and John.” The reason I am relevant is because I live in the present. Look, there’s a lot to be said for youth – the energy and the drive to prove to the world what you got. But there’s also a lot to be said about being 77. With age comes the wisdom of knowing who you are. As we get older, we may get slower physically, but when it comes to remaining creative and engaged and being connected spiritually – there is no limit. No matter what your age, you can still soar.

For more information on Dion and his new album, “New York is My Home,” click on www.diondimucci.com.

Pack a picnic or grab a bite to eat from Gourmet Food Trucks at the concerts, starting at 5 pm!

Park your car and take the free Beach Shuttle or the WaterBus ($1 EA way) to the concerts!

50

Great Things To Do This Summer

(Or Anytime) In The Southland

By Claire Yezbak Fadden

Santa Barbara Wake Up With The Butterflies: The Goleta Butterfly Grove, Goleta Go on an early-morning nature walk through this city-run butterfly preserve and watch butterflies come to life as the sun rises. The area’s bounty of olives, walnuts, grapes, almonds, oranges, lemons and Japanese persimmons create a favorable setting for the yearly visitation of monarchs. During the cool morning, you can see the largest amount of butterflies, however, they are most active on warm afternoons.

The Grove is open for viewing every day sunrise to sunset. Wear sturdy shoes and bring your binoculars.

The Goleta Butterfly Grove, Sperling Preserve, Ellwood Mesa, 7559 Palos Verdes Drive, Goleta. (805) 961-7571, www.goletabutterflygrove.com.

Step Back In Time: Heritage Square, Oxnard Spectacular Victorian and Craftsmanstyle houses, once owned by Oxnard pioneer families, are proudly displayed in a lushly landscaped square block of historic downtown.

Eleven homes, a church, water tower, pump house and storehouse have been moved to a single block and restored to their original condition. Guided tours (weather permitting) are offered Saturdays and Sundays.

Heritage Square Visitor Center, 715 South A Street, Oxnard, (805) 483-7960, www.heritagesquareoxnard.com.

F

rom Ventura to San Diego, Malibu to Palm Springs, we Southlanders are blessed to reside where others vacation. It’s easy to take for granted the bounty of cool, fun and unusual activities available year-round. Often, unless someone is visiting, we don’t take the time to sightsee and enjoy the abundance that is our home.

To give you a nudge, we’re suggesting 50 local treasures – some you may have overlooked, others you may have forgotten -- all within a short drive. Enjoy them this summer or most any day of the year. After all, we can be tourists in our own backyard anytime.

18 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

Savor The World’s Botanicals: Gardens of the World, Thousand Oaks True to its name these beautiful grounds, built to commemorate various cultures, invite you on a botanical trip around the world.

From the Japanese Garden with its delicate balance and harmony of Asian culture captured in a peaceful setting surrounding an authentic Japanese Pagoda to the

French Garden with its magnificent, cascading waterfall, it’s easy to be immersed in the world’s splendor.

The Mission Courtyard honors the early history of California with a replica of the famous Mission Trail in its authentic Mission Courtyard. No garden experience would be complete without an explosion of color found only in the English Perennial and Rose Garden. For romantics, take a stroll under a grape arbor nestled among distinctive cypress trees, indigenous to the famed gardens of Italy. Check out an authentic replica of an American Bandstand providing a stage for concerts in the park that can be enjoyed from the grassy amphitheater beyond.

2001 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks. (805) 557-1135. www.gardensoftheworld.info.

Cruise With Nature: Cachuma Lake Nature Cruises Park naturalists guide this twohour lake cruise following nature’s providence to reveal the area’s natural and cultural riches. In all seasons, the lake is a thriving habitat for a great variety of wildlife, birds, fish, trees and plants. The winter brings out resident and migratory Bald Eagles and waterfowl. In the spring and summer, wildflowers spangle the hills, resident birds can be seen displaying and building nests and fawns appear with does. Reservations needed.

Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, 1 Lakeview Drive, Santa Barbara. (805) 568-2460, www.countyofsb.org/parks/cachuma.sbc.

Olive Oil Tasting: Los Olivos, Santa Ynez Valley You may come for the wine tasting, but don’t leave until you’ve sampled the infused olive oil flavors, such as strawberry and basil. Boasting expansive views of Santa Barbara County’s vineyards and horse ranches, the village is noted for its love of the arts, wine tasting, unique shopping, epicurean restaurants, fun festivals and antique hunting. The beautifully accessible town is dotted with a

variety of shady trees and gardens, in addition to historic architectural gems.

Don’t leave before downloading their historical walking map to help with your exploration.

Grand Avenue, Los Olivos. www.losolivosca.com.

Take On Twists And Turns: The Borchard Park Labyrinth, Newbury Park For some, a labyrinth is a metaphor for life’s journey complete with a series of spirals, ups and downs and cycles. Of course, there are twists and turns you don’t expect. Walking through the winding paths of this 60-foot-diameter labyrinth can reduce the left-brain concepts of logic, analysis and fact-based cognition in order to foster creativity, intuition, and imagination. If you follow the twists and turns to the center and back out again, you will have completed a half-mile walk Borchard Park,190 North Reino Road, Newbury Park, (805) 381-2791.

Grab Your Binoculars And Go Birdwatching: Channel Islands National Park, Ventura This important breeding and nesting area is a protected habitat supporting a wide variety of birds, distinct in many ways from the birds of the adjacent mainland. You can view birds from land as well as aboard boats. Also, local chapters of the Audubon Society occasionally sponsor boats trips around the islands to view seabirds.

Due to limited beach access on some islands, shorebird viewing is best done on Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel Islands. Download the “Bird Check List” at the National Park Service website.

1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, (805) 658-5730, www.nps.gov/chis/ planyourvisit/birdwatching.htm.

See Some Small Sculptures: Museum of Ventura County, Ventura For over five decades, artist and historian George Stuart has created more than 400 stunning, one-quarterlife-size figures. Internationally renowned for their exquisite detail and historical accuracy, the figures represent important personalities of many historical periods. Along with American founders and patriots, groups of figures illustrate French, English, Russian, Chinese and Italian history and the conquest of the Americas. Exhibited on uninterrupted rotation since 1979, these sculptural portraits illustrate George Stuart’s often irreverent and always entertaining historical monologues,

which he delivers regularly at the museum.

100 East Main Street, Ventura, (805) 6530323. http://venturamuseum.org.

Grab The Brass Ring.

Village Carousel and Arcade, Ventura Harbor Take the grandkids, or the kid-insideof-you for a ride on the merry-goround. Pick a horse, a camel, a pig or any of the 30 different carousel animals circling on the only operating full-sized carousel in Ventura County.

Afterward, try you luck at any of the arcade games and be rewarded with tickets for prizes. Taste some homemade fudge or bite into a caramel apple. Still yearning for something sweet, head nearby to the Coastal Cone ice cream shop for a lick of their world-famous Pineapple Dole Whip.

1567 Spinnaker Dr. #100, Ventura. (805) 644-3234, www.venturaharborvillage. com, (805)658-2837, www.coastalcone. com.

Experience Botanical Nirvana. Lotusland, Montecito This 37-acre estate of the late Madame Ganna Walska showcases an enormous diversity of exotic plants from around the globe arranged in 25 theme gardens including the Blue Garden, the Theatre Garden and a Japanese garden. Walska owned the property from 1941 until her death in 1984 and spent those years designing unusual display gardens with extraordinary collections including rare cycads, cacti, palms and euphorbias. Additional gardens feature ferns, aloes, lotuses, water lilies, bromeliads and their newest additions, the Palmetum and Insectary Garden. There is a topiary garden, a horticultural clock and a Neptune fountain as well. This public garden operates in a private, residential neighborhood. Reservations are required. Directions to the visitor entrance are mailed with tour confirmation.

(805) 969-9990, www.lotusland.org.

Los Angeles Access Famous Architecture: Hollyhock House, Los Angeles American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, designed and built several houses in the Los Angeles area, but his first was Hollyhock House.

Built between 1919 and 1921, it represents Wright’s earliest efforts to develop a regionally appropriate style of architecture for Southern California. Commissioned by oil heiress Aline Barnsdall, the home

is named for Barnsdall’s favorite flower. The hollyhock is a recurring motif throughout the structure.

Wright referred to it as California Romanza, using a musical term meaning “freedom to make one’s own form.” Hollyhock House is now the centerpiece of the Los Angeles Barnsdall Art Park and the most accessible Wright house in the city.

4800 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, (323) 913-4030.

Vintage Vinyl: Canterbury Records, Pasadena This old-fashioned record shop is a haven for vinyl hunters who enjoy the search as part of their music-buying experience. For those who believe vinyl’s mahogany-rich sounds are better than digital, dig into a treasure trove of vintage records from Bowie to blues as well as current releases.

Founded in 1956 by Leonard Gordon, the store’s expansive collection includes rock, indie rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, classical, shows, vocals, big band, country, folk and bluegrass.

805 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, (626)792-7184. www.canterburyrecords.com.

To Infinity And Beyond: The Broad, Los Angeles This newly opened contemporary art museum founded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad is home to the 2,000 postwar and contemporary works of art. With its innovative “veil-and-vault” concept (a structural exoskeleton housing), the 120,000-square-foot, building features two floors of gallery space.

On view on the first floor is Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room, a mirror-lined chamber housing a dazzling and seemingly endless LED light display. This experiential artwork has extremely limited capacity, accommodating one visitor at a time for about a minute, and requires a separate free, timed-ticket.

221 S. Grand Avenue. (213) 232-6250, www.thebroad.org.

Get A Worm’s-Eye View: Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, San Pedro With its spectacular natural setting adjacent to Cabrillo Beach Coastal Park and the Port of Los Angeles, this aquarium displays the largest collection of Southern California marine life in the world. Three major environments -- rocky shores, sand and mud, and open ocean – are showcased in interpretive and live exhibits. See how ocean animals and plants live in each habitat, from seaweeds to worms to whales, and learn how they adapt to protect themselves, obtain food and

reproduce. In the Exploration Center explore the habitats of the Cabrillo Coastal Park. Examine your role in the watershed and get a worm’s-eye view of the mud.

3720 Stephen M. White Drive, San Pedro, (310) 548-7562, www.cabrillomarineaquarium.org.

Horseback Riding In The Hills: Sunset Ranch, Los Angeles From this 5,000-acre park in the heart of Los Angeles, a one-hour tour moseys through the hills of Griffith Park where you’ll see the famous Hollywood sign, Griffith Observatory and Downtown Los Angeles. A two-hour tour takes riders to the top of Mount Lee, the highest point in Griffith Park. Take in panoramic vistas of Los Angeles from downtown to the beach, the mountains to Catalina and Mount Wilson to Santa Monica.

3400 N Beachwood Drive, Los Angeles, (323) 469-5450, www.sunsetranchhollywood.com.

Neon At Night: Museum of Neon Art’s Neon Cruise, Glendale Board a convertible British bus for a guided, nighttime tour through Downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood spotlighting neon signs, movie marquees and permanent installations of contemporary neon art. On this narrated tour developed in 1985, you will see outstanding examples of contemporary neon art as well as innovative electrical advertising. Saturdays, dates vary.

There’s even holiday neon cruises. Be sure to make reservations. Stop by the July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 19

Orange County

museum Thursday-Sunday to view their collection including historic neon signs such The Brown Derby, Chris and Pitt’s Bar-B-Q and the Pep Boys: Manny Moe & Jack.

Museum of Neon Art, 216 S. Brand Boulevard, Glendale. (818) 696-2149. www.new-neonmona.org.

Go Prehistoric: La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles Hancock Park was formed in urban Los Angeles around this group of tar pits, made from natural asphalt seeping up from the ground for tens of thousands of years. The bones of animals trapped in the tar were preserved. A registered National Natural Landmark, the museum hosts a variety of educational experiences including a fossil lab where scientists work uncovering new Ice Age fossils. Mammoths, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, giant sloths and other prehistoric animals found at this location are on display. Don’t miss the 3D film, “Titans of the Ice Age” depicting how creatures became trapped in tar, preserved in time and are still being unearthed today.

5801 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, (213) 763-3499, www.tarpits.org.

Think Big Ideas: The Huntington Library, San Marino Located in the Library Exhibition Hall, the permanent exhibit “Beautiful Science: Ideas that Changed the World” showcases some of science’s greatest achievements, from Ptolemy to Copernicus, Newton to Einstein.

Staged in the 2,800-square-foot Dibner Hall of the History of Science, the exhibition highlights four areas of exploration: astronomy, natural history, medicine and light. A gallery on each focuses on the changing role of science over time, particularly the astonishing leaps in imagination made by scientists over the years and 20 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

the importance of written works in communicating those ideas.

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, (626) 405-2100, www.huntington.org.

Visit The Backlot: Warner Bros.

Studio Tour, Burbank Walk backlots that have served as the exterior sets for such classic films as “Casablanca” and “Batman.” Enter a soundstage to see where current hit shows are made. With 10 backlots and 30 soundstages, some of the most iconic performances in Hollywood history come to life on the studio’s 110-acre backlot. With actual filming happening all around, no two tours are the same. Visit Stage 48: Script to Screen and uncover key phases of the entertainment production process. From the writers’ lounge to the Warner Bros. Legacy Room, this 45-minute, self-guided experience is an immersive and interactive look at how the magic of Hollywood is made.

Warner Bros. Studios, 3400 W. Riverside Drive, Burbank, (877) 492-8687, www.wbstudiotour.com.

Meet Royalty: The Queen Mary, Long Beach The Queen Mary’s history is full of action, adventure, romance and ghostly activity, beginning with her groundbreaking construction and royal launch as the most luxurious and technologically advanced ocean liner at the time. As you explore the ship from bow to stern, guides share unique stories, facts and insights. Don’t miss “Diana: Legacy of a Princess.” This exhibition showcases a priceless collection of evening gowns, dresses, personal accessories, photographs, heirlooms and other cherished memorabilia belonging to a woman remembered for her charm, compassion, timeless beauty and classic style.

1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, (877) 342-0738, www.queenmary.com.

Walk On The Wild Side: Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, Silverado Explore this 12-acre, rural nature center on the outskirts of Orange County. The preserve provides a richness of habitat types that support abundant and diverse wildlife. Owned and operated by CSU Fullerton, there are three nature trails to traverse as you observe flora and fauna native to Southern California. Stop by the Natural Science Center for more informative exhibits and hands-on activities. Download trail guides and other helpful brochures to assist in your observations of birds, animal tracks and plant scents. Closed Mondays and major holidays.

29322 Modjeska Canyon Road, Silverado.

(714) 649-2760. www.tuckerwildlife.org.

Rev Your Engine: Marconi Automotive Museum, Tustin Car enthusiasts revel at the chance to see a 1966 Corvette Stingray, a 1956 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud or a 1929 Ford Model A. These are just a sampling of automobiles from around the world on display at this museum that was once the site of a salad oil manufacturer. The exhibits include super bikes, open-wheel racing cars, muscle cars, vintage racing cars and exotic high-performance vehicles.

Founded by Dick Marconi and opened to the public in 1994, the museum building was initially purchased to house Marconi’s open-wheel race team. The museum is open for selfguided tours Monday through Friday.

1302 Industrial Drive, Tustin, (714) 2583001, www.marconimuseum.org.

Bark At The Park: Huntington Dog Beach, Huntington Beach This mile-long stretch of beautiful beach welcomes dogs and their owners. The wide-open, secluded sandy area below the cliffs is a haven for dogs to play, run and enjoy the ocean. Dispensers with dog bags are available throughout the beach to assist owners in scooping. If your dog is new to this experience, keep him on a leash until you’re certain he will react to the surroundings and other dogs and people. Pacific Coast Highway between Seapoint Avenue and 21st Street, Huntington Beach, (714) 841-8644, www.dogbeach.org.

Meet An Artisan: Village Art Faire, San Clemente This decades-old San Clemente tradition was born from a desire to put gifted artists and craftspeople in touch with their local community. Now the

faire includes artists from all over Southern California. Some 60 artisans display a beautiful selection of hand-crafted work including photography, fine art, jewelry, woodwork, botanicals, apothecary, leather, wearables, ceramics, home decor, fused/blown glass and metal work. Held the first Sunday of each month. Avenida Del Mar, downtown San Clemente. www.villagesanclemente.org.

Tromp Along The Trail: Community Day, Back Bay Science Center, Newport Beach Some 750 thousand people live in Newport Bay’s watershed, which incorporates nine densely populated and urbanized cities. Tour this science center that provides educational programs emphasizing estuarine and marine ecology, connecting these concepts to the greater watershed.

Kids can participate in hands-on activities to learn more about the ocean. Just show up; there’s no reservation needed. Sundays.

600 Shellmaker Road, Newport Beach, (949) 640-9958, www. backbaysciencecenter.org.

Encounter Early Californians: Mission San Juan Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano This “Jewel of the Missions” has been the center of Orange County since its founding by Padre Junipero Serra in 1776. Today it is one of California’s most important historical, cultural and educational centers. The mission is the seventh of 21 Spanish missions established in California by Franciscan Padres. Spain controlled California until 1821, when Mexico won its independence. On your tour, take special note of the early adobe barracks, the friars’ quarters, the olive millstone, the aqueduct system, and the original Stone Church. The mission hosts events nearly every weekend from concerts under the stars, to garden displays, fashion shows and living history reenactments.

26801 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, (949) 234-1300, www.missionsjc.com.

Be Entertained By A Buccaneer: Pirate’s Dinner Adventure, Buena Park Ahoy, matie! Set sail for adventure in this swashbuckling display of special effects, aerial artistry, swordplay and dynamic duels, performed while you’re enjoying a four-course feast fit for a pirate king. The action is set aboard an 18th century Spanish galleon adrift in a 250, 000-gallon lagoon. Lads, lasses and scallywags of all ages don costumes to bring

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 21

the adventure to life with up to 150 volunteers participating in this interactive dinner show.

strength of 99,000 pounds, making it a safe and fun experience for everyone.

Take A Selfie Sitting At The President’s Desk: The New Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, Yorba Linda The Oval Office, the most famous office in the world, will be faithfully and exactly replicated. Opening October 14, as part of the new museum, this centerpiece will include exact replicas of the historic Wilson Desk, iconic bust of Abraham Lincoln, portrait of George Washington and deep-blue carpet with the presidential seal woven in the middle and curtains in the rich yellow Pat Nixon called “California gold.” The grounds also include the home in which Richard Nixon grew up and is the burial site of the 37th president and his wife, Pat.

San Diego Area

Go Headstone Hunting: Historic Yorba Cemetery Tours, Yorba Linda Located in the neighborhood Woodgate Park, the Yorba Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Orange County. Now operated by Orange County Parks, the cemetery was established on land originally part of Bernardo Yorba’s 13,000-acre Rancho Cañon de Santa Ana, granted to him in 1834. After his death in 1858, Bernardo’s will deeded property to the Catholic Church containing the San Antonio Chapel and the cemetery. Residents of the Santa Ana Canyon, many of them descendants of pioneering rancho-era families, were buried at this cemetery from 1860 till the cemetery’s closure in 1939. Tours are offered the first Saturday of the month except May.

Remember The Dream: Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade, San Diego This linear park stretches from Market Street to Petco Park and connects Children’s Museum Park, Children’s Park and Gaslamp Square. The treelined promenade features a hedge maze beginning on Market Street leading to an abstract sculpture as a fountain and water feature. The Promenade also includes other public art paying tribute to Dr. King’s memory. A favorite of pedestrians, joggers and bicyclists, this is the site of an annual multi-cultural festival held on Martin Luther King Day.

7600 Beach Boulevard, Buena Park, (714) 690-1497, www.piratesdinneradventure.com.

18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 993-5075, www.nixonfoundation.org.

Historic Yorba Cemetery, Woodgate Park, Yorba Linda.

(714) 973-3190, www.ocparks.com.

Float Among The Clouds: Great Park Balloon, Irvine As one of the largest tethered helium (not hot-air) balloons and the first of its kind in the United States, the Great Park Balloon is an iconic attraction.

Serving as a public observation deck for the Great Park’s development the balloon offers an unmatched 360° view that spans 40 miles on a clear day. Standing 118 feet tall with a volume of 210,000 cubic feet, it holds up to 30 passengers in its 1,810-pound gondola. Flying at an altitude up to 400 feet, it is always tethered to the ground by a steel cable with the 22 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

Orange County Great Park, 6950 Marine Way, Irvine, (866) 829-3829, www.cityofirvine.org/orange-countygreat-park.

Get Blown Away: iFly Indoor Skydiving, San Diego Ever wanted the thrill of skydiving without the plane? Then indoor skydiving may be for you. This simulation of true freefall conditions in a vertical wind tunnel is where the dream of flight becomes a reality.

Experience the feeling of skydiving as you float on a smooth cushion of air.

There’s no parachute, no jumping and nothing attaching you to planet Earth.

Just you flying in the air. The entire experience takes about 90 minutes and is the equivalent of one-anda-half skydives.

2385 Camino Del Rio North, San Diego, (619) 432-4359, www.iflyworld.com/san-diego.

West Market Street to Petco Park, paralleling Harbor Drive, downtown San Diego, www.civicsd.com.

Linger In A Lagoon: Agua Hedionda Lagoon and Discovery Center, Carlsbad This 400-acre lagoon is home to a wide array of flora and fauna. There is a wide variety of ways to appreciate its water resources including day camps, recreational boating, a mussel and oyster aquaculture facility, a white-sea bass hatchery and a power-generating plant. At the Discovery Center, learn anything and everything about the Agua Hedionda Lagoon and related water, wildlife and environmental issues. The Center hosts numerous festivals, lectures, seminars and programs throughout the year. Join their bird walk offered every third Sunday of the month.

1580 Cannon Road, Carlsbad, (760) 8041969, www.lagoon.aguahedionda.org.

Enter A Floating City At Sea: USS Midway Museum, alongside Navy Pier, San Diego Imagine life at sea aboard one of America’s longest-serving aircraft carriers. You’ll walk in the footsteps of 225,000 Midway sailors who served our country and upheld the American ideals of strength, freedom and peace.

Spend the day exploring more than 60 exhibits with a collection of 29 restored aircraft. The self-guided audio tour, narrated by Midway sailors, brings the carrier’s history to life. If you dare, “take to the sky” aboard one of two flight simulators.

USS Midway Museum, 910 North Harbor Drive, San Diego, (619) 544-9600, www.midway.org.

Make Some Music: The 25th Street Musical Bridge Song Rail on the 25th Street Bridge, Golden Hill As a child, if you ever ran a stick along a picket fence, you’ll love the railing separating the sidewalk from the traffic on the west side of the bridge. Within its rails hides a song. Artist Roman de Salvo created this carillon, a series of chromatic bells that plays a tune when struck in sequence. This functional and beautiful work of art melds safety and music in an unusual way. It’s also a symbol of bridging the Golden Hill and Sherman Heights neighborhoods.

Bring a stick or something hard to hear “Crab Carillon,” as you stroll by. The tune plays the same in either direction.

25th Street Bridge Spans State Route 94, Golden Hill.

Scream For Ice Cream: Niederfrank’s Ice Cream, National City Lots of things have changed during the past 68 years, but making ice

cream is still made pretty much the same as it was in 1948 when Elmer Niederfrank opened this street-front store. Niederfrank developed most of the flavors one at a time and his 10-gallon batch freezer is still an equipment mainstay. Everything including the ice cream, the familyrecipe waffle cones and the blend-in flavors, is made on site. Try some classics, like butter-rum pecan or the coffee almond fudge. More adventurous? Experiment with such tastes as avocado-pistachio, blood orange and merlot sorbet. Of course, your familiar favorites--chocolate, vanilla and strawberry—are also ready to be scooped.

726 A Avenue, National City, (619) 4770828, www.niederfranksicecreams.com.

Discover What Inspires You: The Living Coast Discovery Center, Chula Vista This San Diego Bay natural treasure is a nonprofit zoo and aquarium situated on the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. The Center provides an ideal setting to explore the animals and plants in this coastal region. At feeding time, learn from keeper presentations about sharks, rays, turtles, Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles. With a diverse collection and hands-on, interactive exhibits, you’ll be inspired to sign up for a VIP encounter where you can say hello to an owl or maybe touch a snake.

1000 Gunpowder Point Drive, Chula Vista, (619) 409-5900, www.thelivingcoast.org.

Dig In: San Diego Archaeological Center, Escondido Garner a greater understanding of the tools, processes and research involved in the field of archaeology.

Specifically, the archaeology of the San Diego region from 10,000 years ago to present day. In the Stone

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Stories exhibit, strikingly beautiful Kumeyaay ollas from Cleveland National Forest provide a backdrop for a discussion on pottery in the archaeological record. Gallery guides are available to extend the learning experience. Opening this summer is an exhibition dedicated to Fort Guijarros, the first defensive structure built by the Spanish military to protect San Diego Harbor. Over the years, the fort became home to soldiers, Yankee whalers and fisher folk, and is now an integral part of Ballast Point.

16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, (760) 291-0370, www.sandiegoarchaeology.org.

Go To The Beach: The Children’s Pool, La Jolla This picturesque beach with a panoramic view is partially protected by a seawall. The original intention was to create a fully protected swimming area, but recently, sand has filled in much of the area inside the wall. The beach is a favorite viewing area for harbor seals. There are several small beaches nearby including Wipeout Beach to the south and Shell Beach to the north. The Children’s Pool is one of nine beaches that has a permanent San Diego lifeguard station.

850 Coast Boulevard, La Jolla, (619) 221-8899.

Focus On Xeriscape: The Water Conservation Garden, El Cajon There’s no better way to learn how to make your home gardens beautiful and drought tolerant, than a visit to this conservation mecca. Composed of a series of demonstration garden spaces, the six-acre campus showcases drought-tolerant plants from around the world and the many different garden styles possible with this expansive plant palette. For ideas and inspiration, explore exhibits such as the Native Habitat Garden, the Compost Exhibit, the Veggie Garden and the Succulent Garden. Take a free, docent-led tour offered Saturdays and learn new techniques in one of the many classes. All aspects of watersmart gardening for the Southern California region are covered in our exhibits.

12122 Cuyamaca College Drive West, El Cajon, (619) 660-0614, www.thegarden.org.

Inland Empire Get Your Kicks: The California Route 66 Museum, Victorville Slip back to the 1950s inside a replica diner or “be cool, man” taking a photo in front of a VW Love Bus wearing hippy wigs and sunglasses. Jump up 24 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

onto a 1917 Model T Ford and hum a few choruses of “For Me and My Gal” or “Over There.” This interactive museum boasts some 4,500 square feet filled with memories, malt shops and nostalgia. And for those with a good sense of humor, there’s an outhouse built for a once-in-a-lifetime selfie.

16825 South D Street, (760) 951-0436. www.califrt66museum.org.

Meet A Mystery Writer: Temecula Valley Museum, Temecula Erle Stanley Gardner created Perry Mason, the master of courtroom drama. A Temecula resident from 1937 until 1970, Gardner wrote 82 “Perry Mason” mysteries. His series was adapted first for radio then for TV, resulting in 271 episodes running from 1957 until 1966. Get familiar with Gardner through some 6,000 of his photographs and a vast collection of memorabilia including a permanent reproduction of Gardner’s Temecula office. In addition to walking tours, hands-on experiences and visiting exhibitions, the museum hosts a variety of activities year round.

28314 Mercedes Street, (951) 694-6450. www.temeculavalleymuseum.org.

Be A Miner: Calico Ghost Town, Yermo This Old West mining town was founded in 1881 during the largest silver strike in California. Its 500 mines produced more than $20 million in silver ore over a 12-year span. When silver lost its value in the mid-1890s, Calico lost its population.

Miners abandoned the area that once gave them a good living, turning it into a ghost town. In town, explore an authentic silver mine, hop on a train like one running during those early mining days for an historical tour or pan for gold just like the miners did.

Calico is part of the San Bernardino County Regional Parks.

36600 Ghost Town Road, Yermo, (800)-862-2542, (760) 254-3719, www.calicoattractions.com.

Experience Life On The Farm: Amy’s Farm, Ontario Ever wondered what life on a farm would be like? Now you can find out. This fun, unique experience for all ages invites you to milk a cow, feed the pigs, smell fresh herbs, stroll through a sustainable garden and even groom a horse.

7698 Eucalyptus Avenue, Ontario, (844) 426–9732, www.amysfarm.com.

Taste Old World Romance: Mission Inn Hotel, Riverside From a modest start in 1876 as an adobe guesthouse, the Mission Inn grew into a veritable castle of turrets

and ornate tile domes, archways and lush garden courtyards. For more than a century, its grandeur has drawn glitterati and big names. In fact, Richard and Patricia Nixon were married at the inn and Ronald and Nancy Reagan honeymooned there.

Learn about the grand architecture and history during daily docent-led tours.

3649 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, (951) 788-9556, www.missioninn.com.

Encounter Prehistoric Creatures: Galleta Meadows Sky Art, Borrego Springs Go on safari amid life-size metal sculptures depicting creatures that once roamed the Anza-Borrego Desert some six-and-a-half million years ago.

More than 100 sculptures, the work of artist Ricardo Breceda, are spread across private parcels of land, known as Galleta Meadows, in the Borrego Valley. The art features creatures that once lived here, creatures that still do, and some that were created entirely in the imagination of Breceda. Print a map of sculpture locations from the website.

786 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs, (760) 767-5555, www.galletameadows.com.

Walk In A Hero’s Footsteps: March Field Air Museum, Riverside Whatever your age or background, the sleek fighters, bombers and cargo aircraft exhibited will fascinate.

With a rich variety of aircraft and artifacts, this museum promotes an understanding of mankind’s reach for the skies and March Field’s pivotal role in the development of flight.

Step through a World War I trench line under the shadow of the world’s fastest manned aircraft, the SR-71 Blackbird. Walk through a Vietnamera Fire Base surrounded by a brace of helicopters. Stand beneath the wings of a massive B-52 Stratofortress.

22550 Van Buren Boulevard, Riverside, (951) 902-5949, www.marchfield.org.

Take It To The Street: VillageFest, Palm Springs Visitors and locals mingle in this entertaining, fun street party. Every Thursday evening, Downtown Palm Springs transforms into a diverse array of artists, artisans, entertainers and purveyors of fresh fruits and veggies, flowers, jewelry, snacks and sweets. Add all that to the great shops, restaurants, clubs, and entertainment venues and you have a fabulous street event.

Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, (760) 320-3781, www.villagefest.org.

Step Among The Stars: Palm Springs Walk of Stars, Palm Springs This historical landmark founded in 1992 honors individuals who contributed to the charm, worldwide prominence and name recognition of Greater Palm Springs. The first Golden Palm Stars embedded on the sidewalks of were awarded to Earle C. Strebe, William Powell, Ruby Keeler, Charlie Farrell and Ralph Bellamy.

Some names you’ll recognize on your stroll include Sonny Bono, Bob and Delores Hope, KC and The Sunshine Band, Harpo Marx, Lindsay Wagner and Adam West. Palm Canyon Drive, Tahquitz Canyon Way and Museum Drive, Palm Springs. www.palmspringswalkofstars.com.

Make A Date: Shields Date Garden, Indio When Floyd and Bess Shields began their date farm in 1924, Floyd gave lectures in the garden to visitors.

Today those lectures are incorporated into a 15-minute film “Romance and Sex Life of the Date” airing continuously during store hours.

Take a stroll along a garden path that winds through the17-acre date farm, depicting 14 scenes and 23 statues that chronicle Christ’s life.

80-225 U.S. Highway 111, Indio, (760) 3470996, www.shieldsdategarden.com.

Historic Architectural walking tours

EXPLORE HISTORIC SAN DIEGO Join SOHO for a walk! Let San Diego’s historic architecture experts guide your group. Customized tours can include any of our five museums with a menu of tours to choose from. Ask us how to create your own historic home tour with multi-museum tour packages & ticket discounts.

Save Our Heritage Organisation www.SOHOsandiego.org • (619) 297-9327 www.facebook.com/SOHOSanDiego

California Eye Doctors Help Legally Blind To See High Technology For Low Vision Patients Allows Many To Drive Again the wet form is caused by blood vessels leaking fluid. Treatment is aimed at stopping the leak and preventing further leaks.

The vision cannot be regained in either type. This is where low vision glasses can help.

Patient using prismatic low While there is currently no vision glasses for reading. cure, promising research is For many patients with being done on many fronts. macular degeneration and “My job is to figure out other vision-related conditions, everything and anything the loss of central visual possible to keep a person detail also signals the end to one of the last bastions of independence - driving.

California optometrists, Dr. Richard Shuldiner and Dr. Harold Ashcraft are using miniaturized telescopes which are mounted in glasses to help Patient using telescopic glasses people who have lost vision to drive and read signs. from macular degeneration functioning” says Dr. Ashcraft, and other eye conditions. a low vision optometrist in Los “Some of my patients Angeles. Even if it’s driving. consider me the last stop for “The major benefit of bioptic people who have vision loss” telescope low vision glasses is said Dr. Shuldiner “most magnifying road signs, traffic people don’t know that there lights and other distance objects are low vision optometrists necessary for safe driving”. who have extensive experience Dr’s Ashcraft and Shuldiner in helping those with vision are members of The International loss.We help people with Academy of Low Vision macular degeneration, diabetic Specialists (www.IALVS.com) retinopathy, RP and other eye and have extensive experience diseases regain function and in working with the visually independence.” impaired.

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Toni Tennille

Now in uncharted waters without the Captain, she has found a happiness and joy that eluded her in marriage

S

Story by David Laurell • Photos by Flip Minott

ince the musical marriage of Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé generated hit songs in the late 1950s and early 1960s, married couples have played an important role on the musical landscape in every following decade. The list of duos, coupled by both marriage and music, is legendary: Johnny Cash and June Carter, Sonny and Cher, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, and so on.

Nestled within the assemblage of those married music-makers is the husband-and-wife duo of Daryl Dragon and Cathryn Antoinette “Toni” Tennille, better known to the world as the Captain and Tennille.

The musical duo, who released five albums that went gold or platinum and scored numerous hits including “Love Will Keep Us Together,” “Do That to Me One More Time” and “Muskrat Love,” also hosted a popular variety series on ABC in the late 1970s. As the 1980s and ‘90s rolled by, Tennille also released numerous solo albums and then, in 2014, after 39 years of marriage, Tennille left Dragon

26 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

for a very different life with her award-winning Australian shepherd dogs in Lake Mary, Florida.

Having recently released an extremely candid book, “Toni Tennille: A Memoir” (Taylor Trade, 2016), that lifts the curtain on her relationship with Dragon, which, unlike the public image of a happy couple they presented to the world, was instead one in which Tennille was a lonely woman constantly struggling against the controlling and often bizarre behavior of her emotionally inaccessible husband.

Tracing her life from her early days in the segregated South and dealing with her father’s alcoholism, to her rise to fame in the world of pop music, Tennille’s story is one of a woman, now 76, who is no longer one-half of a famed couple that always identified her. It is a story of how she has transformed herself into a stronger woman for all she has experienced during her amazing life – the good and the bad. She says her reason for telling her story in such an open and revealing way is because she hopes it will help others who feel trapped in a toxic relationship and make them realize it is never

too late to break away and reclaim your life and joy.

Life After 50 recently visited with Tennille, beginning our conversation by asking about the internal conflicts she wrestled with in deciding to write a book so personal, candid and revealing.

Toni Tennille (TT): I thought about it a lot before I started writing. I felt that having lived for 75 years and having had the opportunity to work with musicians like Pink Floyd and Neil Sedaka and The Beach Boys, I had a story to tell. But my story is not one full of all sorts of scandalous things, so I wondered if anyone would really be interested.

I had thought about writing a book for a long time, but just couldn’t bring myself to sit down and actually do it. As long as Daryl and I were together, I knew I couldn’t do it because I didn’t know how my story would end. I mean, my story with him. As for my story, I still don’t how it will really end [laughs]. Hopefully, I’ll have a few more years ahead of me. So after I left Daryl, I felt the time was right to do the book. Now, I’m not a disciplined

writer. I’m a good writer – good with lyrics – but as far as writing a book, that is very different than writing a song. My niece, Caroline St. Clair, my sister’s youngest daughter, is an excellent writer and has written a few novels for young adults that have just knocked me over. So I trusted her to work with me on my story. It was a story I really wanted to tell, because I think it can be of help to other women who, like me, know that they should get out of a relationship or a marriage, but just don’t know how to go about it, or are too afraid to get out. I want them to know, no matter what they are going through or their age, it’s never too late.

LA50: There have been many people who used to watch you and Daryl and questioned what made your relationship click. You were so very different from one another. Many seem to have thought, while it wasn’t evident, you two must have had some very private magic that made it work.

TT: Wow, that’s a very interesting observation.

I think it was something that people did pick up on. The thing Daryl and I had that worked – that clicked – was the music. He inspired me and my creative output more than anyone else; and I think I also sparked his creativity. But there was a stark difference between the music and the way we connected as people – as a couple.

LA50: You write in your book that throughout your marriage, Daryl was: “like a locked door with only little slivers of light shining around the edges.” What a line. What a song that would make!

TT: [laughs] Yeah, well, I don’t think I’d be ready to write that one anytime soon. But that line really is the perfect description of Daryl from the first time I met him. He never changed. I was Miss Romantic, and yet I was attracted to dark, creative guys. When I met Daryl, I saw him as being deep and mysterious and dark, and as a hopeless romantic, I said: “This is it!” I was convinced, beyond all reason, that I could bring him into the light. I just knew I could help him break through his darkness and be filled with joy.

LA50: And yet, on a night that should have been filled with joy like none other – the night you two won your Grammy Award – you write that Daryl was like: “a remote stranger passing by through the fog.”

TT: [sighs] His barrier – whatever was in place that protected him from feelings or emotions – I could never penetrate it and never saw anyone else who could either.

LA50: After reading your book, many may well question why, and even how, you stayed with him for so long.

TT: I was hesitant about ending our marriage, because I thought it would be so disappointing to our fans. It was only when my therapist said: “Look, this is your life. No one else’s.” That’s when I realized I had to do what I had to do. But, oh boy, it was tough,

and I guess the real answer is that I was stubborn and a hopeless optimist. I kept thinking: “Maybe tomorrow I’ll break through. Maybe the next day he’ll come around.” “Maybe next month” became “Maybe in six months.” I just kept thinking the time would come that I would find the key. I kept believing that would happen and never stopped working at it until finally, after decades, I came to terms with the fact that I would never be able to break through. He never loved me in the way I wanted to be loved. But I know he thought I was a good person and a wonderful singer. He really respected me as a singer, a songwriter and a musician. That carried me along for a long time.

Daryl pushed me to be the bubbly outgoing person I was onstage. He knew I’m more reserved and quiet – which I think comes as a surprise to people who only know me as a performer. He really pushed me and I know, professionally, without Daryl, there would not have been a Toni Tennille.

So despite the issues we had, it was very hard to end the marriage.

LA50: What is your relationship with him today?

TT: We talk. But I feel bad for him – for me – for us. I feel bad that I was never able to break through to him like I wanted to. I wanted him to be wonderful. I wanted us to be wonderful. But there comes a point when you have to accept things as they are and not as you want them to be.

I started to see a therapist, because I knew I could not live the rest of my life the way I had lived for so many years.

LA50: What do you think Daryl will think of your book?

TT: When I told him I was doing the book, he said: “You’ve always been a straight shooter and it is fine with me.” I told him it was just going to be an honest account of things from my perspective – my opinion, my point of view of our relationship. I have also encouraged him to do a book of his own, because I’m sure people would love to hear his side of the story – his point of view. But I don’t think he will ever do that.

LA50: Toni, what advice would you offer to someone who is in a marriage that is not working and contemplating a late-in-life divorce?

TT: You have to talk with someone who is not a part of your life, a professional therapist who can be objective and help you get back on the right road. Therapy really helped me. You can’t look at it as being weak – that you failed. You have to get help in any way you can. You have to get to a place in which you can take back your life and move forward.

LA50: You moved forward to Florida. What are your days like now?

TT: I wish I could say they are thrilling or exciting, but my life is just a regular quiet life – very uneventful. I’m not a social butterfly. I have my sister here and a small group of friends that I like to get together with and play bridge. It’s not an exciting life, but it’s one that makes me happy.

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 27

LA50: Your dogs also seem to play a big part in your happiness.

TT: Oh my yes, Bee Bop and Lula are my babies. I have Australian shepherds and they are my great joy. I got into them when I lived in Prescott, Arizona. I worked with them as therapy dogs and we would visit hospitals. I just love them.

LA50: Talk about what you do to stay in shape.

TT: Nothing! [laughs]. I haven’t exercised since the 1970s, when I did the “Battle of the Network Stars.” I had to really get into shape for that.

When I was younger, I was always a hiker and a mountain climber, but today I just climb up on the sofa with my dog [laughs.] But the one thing I do is I’m a healthy eater.

LA50: As the years have gone by and your life has changed so dramatically, have you adopted any thoughts or philosophy on getting older?

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TT: I want to be as healthy and strong as I can be for as long as I can be. I want to build on the happiness and joy I am finding at this point in my life. One of the things that has really been on my mind a lot is what contribution I can make at this time of my life. I’m not sure yet. I’m thinking that maybe with my book out, people in a difficult relationship will read about what I went through and relate, and maybe take stock of where they are in their lives. I hope I can do something to help people.

But exactly what direction I’ll go in, I just don’t know. I’m just going to see where the road takes me.

LA50: Would performing or recoding be in your future? To paraphrase a Captain and Tennille song: Would you consider doing it to us one more time?

TT: [laughing] Oh, I don’t know. I’m not really a self-starter, especially now that I’m 76. I also don’t want to sing if I can’t be at my best. Would I do it one more time? Well, I’d kind of be lost without someone to accompany me. That’s the big thing. After all those years, it would be very difficult for me to perform without Daryl. I won’t say absolutely not, but honestly, I’m at a point in my life in which I’m living in the present – enjoying each day, happy, joyful – and I simply don’t know what’s ahead for me and where the road will take me. I just don’t know.

For more information on Toni Tennille and her new book, click on www.tonitennille.net.

28 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

Beverly Hills Dental Health and Wellness

Treat the Whole not the Hole There are over 500 species of bacteria, as well as parasites, viruses, and yeasts that live in your mouth. They are opportunists, so if they find a place to hide, such as in an old root canal tooth, underneath a bad fitting crown, or even inside a space where the tooth was removed, it can make you sick. Dental infections such as gum disease have been linked to diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, cancers, pneumonia, and Alzheimer's. Why? Because bacteria do not stay in the mouth—they travel. Bacteria can travel to the lungs, heart, and joints, until they find a place to call home.

Your mouth is the gateway to your health, and is connected to the rest of your body and organs. If you are suffering from any medical condition, including diabetes, chronic fatigue, autoimmune problems, or digestive issues—it is imperative that you have your oral condition checked by a biological dentist. With the advancements in digital technology, we can now do 3-D imaging of your jaw and see any underlying infections that can cause disease. Salivary diagnostics allows us to detect the "bad" bacteria living in your mouth with a simple swish.

I have been working closely with several integrative physicians so we can treat the whole body. What we have found is when the mouth is ignored—patients do not get better, and the other way around.

Chewing is an important part of our health. If you are missing teeth or wearing a denture, you're not breaking down food properly, and nutrients cannot be absorbed. Deficiencies can lead to fatigue, constipation, skin problems, and poor healing. With advancements in dental implants, we now offer both titanium and ceramic options, which can restore your smile in one day. Nutritional support is a must during your recovery time, and is something that we take very seriously in our office. Many of our patients are back to work the next day smiling with confidence.

“ Your mouth is the gateway to your health.”

Sanda Moldovan, MS, DDS, CNS is an internationally recognized speaker, award-winning periodontist, author, and television personality. She is a double board certified periodontist and nutritionist, and a consultantant on oral health, periodontics, nutrition, and anti-aging.

Dr. Sanda’s office is mercury free (silver amalgam filling free) and mercury-safe. She is committed to practicing safe and healthy dentistry, and using her public visibility to educate and create greater awareness of the importance of how a healthy mouth translates into a healthy body.

465 North Roxbury Drive, #911 Beverly Hills, California • 90210 (Phone) 310.275.4180 www.drsandamoldovan.com

Sanda Moldovan, MS, DDS, CNS Double Board Certified Periodontist and Nutritionist Diplomate of the American Academy of Periodontology

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 29

T H H  M-K

By Steve Stoliar Illustration by Mark Hammermeister

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H

In his iconic 1971 song, “American Pie,” folk singer Don McLean sings of “the day the music died.”

He was referring to February 3, 1959 – the date a small plane crashed, killing 22-year-old Buddy Holly and fellow musicians Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. But what was so special about Buddy Holly that the day he died, has been called the day the music died?

C

harles Hardin Holley was born in Lubbock, Texas, on September 7, 1936. He was the fourth child of Lawrence Odell “L.O.” Holley and Ella Pauline Drake. Every member of the Holley family – including older brothers, Larry and Travis, as well as sister Patricia – could either sing, play an instrument, or both, and they performed regularly in local talent shows. Charles – or “Buddy” as he was called from a very early age – learned how to play the violin and joined in the family jamborees.

When he was 11, Holley started taking piano lessons, but his heart wasn’t in it. He much preferred his brother Larry’s guitar. His early musical influences included such legendary country music artists as Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Snow. Holley and his fellow guitar-playing friend, Bob Montgomery, spent every moment they could listening to “Grand Ole Opry,” “Big D Jamboree” and “Louisiana Hayride” over the radio, playing along as best they could.

In 1953 Holley and Montgomery teamed up to form “Buddy and Bob” and started performing on the local “Sunday Party” radio show, as well as live gigs in and around Lubbock. Holley was also listening to radio stations that played rhythm and blues, and he began incorporating those sounds into his playing and singing.

After graduating from high school, Holley decided to pursue a professional musical career. In 1955, a young Elvis Presley performed in Lubbock, further

cementing Holley’s decision to be a musician. He actually opened for Presley twice at the Fair Park Coliseum and at the local Cotton Club. By this time, he was working with Larry Welborne on stand-up bass and Jerry Allison – whom he had met in high school – on drums, and his style had officially changed from countrywestern to that newfangled sound that was becoming known as “rock ‘n’ roll.”

In October of 1955, promoter Pappy Dave Stone – who had booked Presley’s gigs in Lubbock – arranged for Holley to be the opening act for the already popular Bill Haley and His Comets, and to be seen by a Nashville talent scout named Eddie Crandall. Crandall liked what he saw and heard and arranged for a demo tape of Holley’s songs to be sent to Paul Cohen of Decca Records. Cohen agreed with Crandall’s assessment and signed Holley to be with Decca – misspelling his last name “Holly” on the contract. The misspelling stuck, and so he would forever be known professionally as Buddy Holly.

In January of 1956, Holly did his first recording session for Decca, but was disappointed that the record label would be choosing the arrangements and the studio musicians. In April of that year, his first single, “Blue Days, Black Nights” was released to tepid sales. Grand Ole Opry manager Jim Denny arranged for Holly to tour with country legend Faron Young as his opening act, billed as “Buddy Holly and the Two Tones.”

A second single, “Modern Don Juan” was released in January of 1957, which

This feature is intended for you to clip and give to your children or grandchildren because…they must-know!

30 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

also sold poorly. As a result, Decca ended their contract with Holly – and told him he couldn’t record any of those same songs for any other label for five years.

Holly then approached Norman Petty, who had produced Buddy Knox’s “Party Doll,” and they arranged to record a song Holly had written with his pal, Jerry Allison. It was called “That’ll Be The Day” – inspired by a phrase John Wayne often uttered in the then-current Western “The Searchers” – with Allison on drums, Joe Mauldin on bass, Niki Sullivan on rhythm guitar – and Holly on lead guitar.

Petty sent the record to Brunswick Records in New York City, but since Holly was still technically under contract to Decca, the name “Buddy Holly” didn’t appear on the record. Instead, it was credited to “The Crickets” – a name Allison had come up with. Brunswick released the single by The Crickets, and then Holly and Petty learned that Brunswick was, in fact, a subsidiary of Decca Records! As a result, subsequent records by The Crickets would be released on the Brunswick label, while Coral Records – yet another Decca subsidiary – would release songs credited to Buddy Holly.

“That’ll Be The Day” was released in May of 1957, coinciding with a tour that included Washington D.C., Baltimore and New York City. They even played Harlem’s storied Apollo Theatre – but only after they included Bo Diddley in their shows. By the early fall of 1957, their song had become an unqualified hit record, topping the U.S. charts and even becoming number one on the U.K. Singles Chart for three weeks.

In September of 1957, Coral released the single “Peggy Sue,” with Buddy Holly credited as the performer.

By October, the single was number three on Billboard’s pop chart, number two on their R&B chart, and had hit number six in the U.K. By now, the strange split in recordlabel credits had merged into the unified “Buddy Holly and the Crickets.”

While touring in Oklahoma City in late 1957, Petty arranged for a recording session so they’d have enough songs to fill an entire LP album. The result was “The Chirping’ Crickets,” which was released in late November.

It contained such memorable Holly compositions as “Oh Boy!” “Not Fade Away,” “Maybe Baby,” and “Send Me Some Lovin’,” along with the already popular “That’ll Be The Day.” The album – and its separately released singles – topped the U.S. and U.K. charts as Holly, with his unique “hiccupping” singing style, became ever more popular.

On December 1, 1957, Buddy Holly and the Crickets performed “That’ll Be The Day” and “Peggy Sue” on the immensely popular “The Ed Sullivan Show,” cementing their national fame. They returned to the Sullivan show in January of 1958, shortly after recording another hit single, “Rave On,” and then departed for a tour of the U.K. In May of 1958, the group, which now included Tommy Alsup on lead guitar, recorded “It’s So Easy” and “Heartbeat.”

During a visit to the New York offices of Peermusic Publishing, Holly met the Puerto Rican-born Maria Elena Santiago, who was working there as a receptionist. He proposed to Maria on their first date and they were wed on August 15, 1958. Petty disapproved of the marriage because of its potential negative impact on female fans and urged him to keep it a secret. As a compromise, Maria went along on tours – but was referred to as the band’s secretary, rather than the leader’s wife.

In September, Holly recorded “Reminiscing” and “Come Back Baby,” as well as trying his hand at producing a record featuring a Lubbock disc jockey named Waylon Jennings.

Due to Maria’s influence, Holly developed an interest in more ethnic, jazz-flavored music and they took an apartment in New York’s Greenwich Village, where he recorded “Crying, Waiting, Hoping” and “What To Do.” The following month, backed by an 18-piece orchestra, he recorded “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore,” “Raining In My Heart” and the ballad “True Love Ways” for Coral Records.

In December of 1958, Holly ended his relationship with Petty – and with the Crickets. His first solo venture was a Winter Dance Party tour featuring Waylon Jennings on electric bass, Tommy Allsup on guitar and Carl Bunch on drums along with

Dion and The Belmonts, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson.

The first stop on the Dance Party tour was Milwaukee, Wisconsin on January 23, 1959. Getting from one gig to another in unheated buses – in the dead of winter – was problematic. As a matter of fact, Bunch had to be hospitalized for frostbite on his toes. To make things a little easier for the trip to Clear Lake, Iowa on February 2, Holly chartered a four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza airplane for Jennings, Allsup and himself.

After the show in Clear Lake, the next stop on the tour would take them to Fargo, North Dakota. The decision on who would get to fly instead of endure the cold bus trip has gotten a bit foggy over the years but, one widely accepted version is that Allsup lost a coin toss and gave up his coveted seat to Valens.

Jennings gave up his seat – willingly – to J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, who had the flu and couldn’t handle traveling in a freezing bus, and Dion DiMucci, of Dion and the Belmonts, who had also won a seat on the plane in a coin toss, opted out because of the $36 fare (equivalent to over $300 in today’s money) which was an indulgence he couldn’t justify.

Tragically, the plane took off in rough weather and crashed shortly after takeoff, killing the pilot and everyone on board instantly.

At his funeral, Holly’s pallbearers included Jerry Allison, Niki Sullivan, Bob Montgomery, and Phil Everly. He was buried in the City of Lubbock Cemetery.

His epitaph features the correct “Holley” spelling of his last name, as well as a carving of his Fender Stratocaster guitar.

Buddy Holly may have died on that fateful day, but contrary to Don McLean’s lyrics, his music lives on –and always will.

LEARN MORE • “Rave On: The Biography of Buddy Holly” by Philip Norman (Simon and Schuster, 2014).

• “The Day the Music Died: The Last Tour of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper And Ritchie Valens” by Larry Lehmer (Schirmer Trade Books, 2003) * “Remembering Buddy: The Definitive Biography”

by J. Goldrosen (Studio Publishers, 1987)

Mark Hammermeister is an award-winning artist. His work is available for purchase at www.markdraws.com July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 31

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

44th Annual

Cancer Convention FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONALS

Sept. 3, 4, & 5, 2016 Sat., Sun. & Mon. – Labor Day Weekend

SHERATON UNIVERSAL (Across from Universal Studios Hollywood)

LEARN ABOUT THE PREVENTION & CONTROL OF CANCER THROUGH NUTRITION, TESTS & NON-TOXIC CANCER THERAPIES SUCH AS LAETRILE, GERSON, HOXSEY, POLY-MVA, ENZYMES & IMMUNOTHERAPY FROM MEDICAL DOCTORS, CLINICAL RESEARCHERS, NUTRITIONISTS & AUTHORS. ALSO, LEARN ABOUT CHELATION, DMSO, OXYGEN, HERBAL, CELLULAR & ELECTRO-MAGNETIC THERAPIES. IN ADDITION, NATURAL THERAPIES FOR HEART, DIABETES, ARTHRITIS, MS & EYE DISEASES.

40 Speakers, 5 Movies & 80 Exhibits $40.00/Day Pay at Door For All Events For Doctor Referrals and Programs contact:

CANCER CONTROL SOCIETY (323) 663-7801

www.cancercontrolsociety.com

DOCTOR’S SYMPOSIUM – Tuesday, September 6 CEU’s for Nurses & Dentists $45.00/Day 32 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

Generations of Trust for Generations to Come.®

SENIOR SERVICES DIVISION SENIORS -

Hire A Specialist If the thought of moving, finding new accommodations, downsizing personal possessions and arranging the move seem overwhelming – hire a specialist.

Sherry Ramos LA/SFV (818) 429-2793

Mikki Porretta Arcadia (626) 462-2416

Evelyn & Jim Reichgelt Glendale (818) 259-8331

The agents in Dilbeck’s Senior Services Division all have a Senior Real Estate Specialist Designation and are trained to recognize special needs, provide solutions and understand the various living arrangements available to seniors. They will help you get started and make your entire transition as easy as possible.

Call an agent in any of Dilbeck’s offices close to you. The consultation is free, no obligation.

Kay Davis San Gabriel Foothills (818) 949-7667

Zandria (Zan) Bernhardt Westlake Village (818) 292-2489

MarieClaire Moulet San Gabriel Valley 818-515-4904

Rita Padilla San Gabriel Foothills 626-462-2460

Specializing in Seniors Buying or Selling Real Estate

Save Your Parent’S Home

from medi-cal You must act now while your parent is alive and before new legislation takes effect.

• Medi-Cal Planning • Estate Planning free consultation JosePH c. Girard, attorneY at laW (310) 823-3943 | www.LAElderLaw.com July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 33

Let’s Get OUt A Preview of Upcoming Events for July/August By Claire Yezbak Fadden

eNteRtAINMeNt FRIDAY, JULY 15 DISGRACED Amir is a corporate lawyer and Emily an artist, and though Amir was born in Pakistan and raised Muslim, he has left his heritage behind.

The couple hosts a small dinner party and soon, before anyone can stop it, polite protocol is abandoned and the talk turns to religion, politics and sex. Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Through July17. $25$85. (213) 628-2772. centertheatregroup.org.

GREY GARDENS Set in East Hampton, New York, this is the story of Big Edie and Little Edie, the eccentric

aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The two journey from 1940s glamorous aristocrats to notorious recluses of the 1970s living in a crumbling house filled with memories and cats. Rachel York and Betty Buckley star. Center Theatre Group/ Ahmanson Theatre at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Through Aug. 14.

Dark Mondays. $25-$130. (213) 628-2772. centertheatregroup.org.

THE LITTLE MERMAID A discontented mermaid, Ariel, dreams of the world above the sea, and sacrifices her beautiful, captivating voice in search of true love and a sense of belonging. Cabrillo Music Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Kavli Theatre, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Prices vary. Through July 24. cabrillomusictheatre.com.

SATURDAY, JULY 16 TOM Ellen Geer’s free adaptation with music brings new eyes to Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Stowe’s great novel demanded freedom and equality for all, changing forever how Americans viewed slavery, galvanizing the abolition movement and contributing to the outbreak of the Civil War. Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. Dates vary through Oct. 1. $10-$39. (310) 455-3723. theatricum.com.

SUNDAY, JULY 17 AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC LATE NIGHTS Journey through the Pacific Ocean to meet over 11,000 animals, after-hours. Activities include meeting more than 150 sharks that can be touched. Short films will be shown in the Ocean Theater throughout the evening. The Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach.

Sundays through Sept. 4. $15 after 5 p.m.

(562) 590-3100. aquariumofpacific.org.

WESTERN MUSIC ASSOCIATION SHOWCASE Musicians and cowboy poets perform stories and songs of the romantic days of the Old West, contemporary music of the American West and songs of the open range and the American cowboy. The Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, Los Angeles. $6-$10. (323) 667-2000. theautry.org.

LA/Ventura

July/August enchanted forest inhabited by lovers both fairy and human. Shakespeare conjures a world of wonder, magic and romance where comical misunderstandings and the pain of unrequited love are resolved, and all is reconciled through midsummer night revelries and the enduring power of nature. Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. Dates vary through Sept. 25. $10$39. (310) 455-3723. theatricum.com.

GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS Flute recital. Sanctuary of Glendale City Church, 610 E. California Ave., Glendale, Glendale. Free. (818) 242-2113. glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com.

THURSDAY, JULY 21 SIZZLING SUMMER NIGHT This all-ages outdoor dance party features the best salsa and Latin fusion bands in Los Angeles, plus dance lessons that are sure to get some feet moving. The Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, Los Angeles. Thursdays through Aug. 18. $6-$10. (323) 667-2000. theautry.org.

MUSIC ON THE MAIN SUMMER JAZZ Bring your friends, picnics and folding chairs and savor the season of summer jazz.

Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge. Thursdays through Aug. 18. $6-$9. (818) 949-4200. descansogardens.org.

ONE OF THE NICE ONES Do you really get ahead by being nice?

Maybe. Maybe not. The Echo Theater Company @ Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave, Atwater Village. Weekends through Aug. 14. $25. (310) 307-3753. echotheatercompany.com.

MONDAY, JULY 18 ROMEO AND JULIET Director Ellen Geer illuminates the continued relevance of this 500-year-old play, setting Shakespeare’s tale of forbidden love and warring families in East Jerusalem — a city beset by age-old prejudices, street violence and religious differences. Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. Dates vary through Oct. 2. $10-$39.

(310) 455-3723. theatricum.com.

TUESDAY, JULY 19

FRIDAY, JULY 15

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

This scamming, scheming, double-crossing musical hit centers on two con men living on the French Riviera - the suave and sophisticated Lawrence Jameson (Davis Gaines) and Freddy Benson (Benjamin Schrader). After meeting, they unsuccessfully attempt to work together only to find that this small French town isn’t big enough for the two of them. So they make a bet: the first one to swindle $50,000 from a young heiress (Rebecca Johnson), triumphs and the other must leave town. Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton, Long Beach. Dates vary through July 24. $20-plus. (562) 856-1999, ext. 4. musical.org.

34 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

WORLD RHYTHMS SERIES Celebrate the rich diversity of music from around the world. Bring a picnic. Lawn seating is first-come, first-served. Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge.

Also July 26. 4. $6-$9. (818) 949-4200. descansogardens.org.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20 A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM The most magical outdoor setting in Los Angeles is once again transformed into an

THE YARDBIRDS The Canyon, 28912 Roadside Dr., Agoura Hills. $28-$38. (818) 879-5016. canyonclub.net.

SUNSET CONCERTS: THASO AND THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN Guests may bring their own food. No outside alcoholic beverages or chairs are permitted.

Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. Free admission.

(310) 440-4500. skirball.org.

FRIDAY, JULY 22 ROARING NIGHTS AT THE L.A. ZOO This summer music series for guests ages 18 and up features a live band, DJ dance party, food trucks, full-service bars, pop-up zookeeper talks, animal encounters and visits to zoo animal habitats. Enjoy the “Animal Artistry Paint Party” and paint a favorite animal on a small canvas to take home as a

CALeNDAR

July/August LA/Ventura

eXHIBItIONs

souvenir. The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Griffith Park, 5333 Zoo Dr., Los Angeles. Also Aug. 26. $25. (323) 644-6042. lazoo.org.

MAO TO NOW: PHOTOGRAPHS

BY STEPHEN VERONA More than 30 images documenting striking changes comparing Chinese society in 1980 with 2014. The Fowler Museum at UCLA, North Campus, Los Angeles. through Sept. 11.

Free. (310) 825-4361. fowler.ucla.edu.

RECORDED IN HOLLYWOOD: THE MUSICAL John Dolphin made his mark on the national music scene long before Motown ever existed. He opened his Dolphin’s of Hollywood record shop on legendary Central Avenue in 1948, where he launched and helped build the careers of some of the biggest names in music. Kirk Douglas Theatre, 820 Washington Blvd, Culver City. $39-$59. Dates vary through Aug. 7. (213) 972-4488. recordedinhollywood.com.

SATURDAY, JULY 23 HAPPY TOGETHER TOUR Features the Turtles, Chuck Negron, Mark Lindsay, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, the Cowsills and the Spencer Davis Group. Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. $44-$85. (888) 645-5006. sabantheatre.org.

TUESDAY, JULY 26 VENTURA BLUEGRASS JAMS Milano’s Italian Restaurant, Patio, Ventura Harbor Village, 1559 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura. (805) 658-0388. milanositalianrestaurant.com.

AUGUST WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3

FRIDAY, JULY 29

SINBAD

One of the top 100 standup comedians of all time, Sinbad has built a loyal following by taking audiences’ painful trials or embarrassing tribulations of day-by-day life, throwing them back in their faces, and causing an uproar of comedic hysteria. He makes it sound profound without being profane. Sinbad is internationally known for starring in hit movies like “Jingle All the Way” and “Houseguest” as well as his own series, “The Sinbad Show.” The Rose @ Paseo Colorado, 245 E. Green St., Pasadena. $28-$48. (888) 645-5006. roseconcerts.com.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7 FREE FIRST SUNDAY Free admission to the Museum of Ventura County including its galleries and any special events. Museum of Ventura County, 100 East Main St., Ventura. First Sunday of each month.

(805) 653-0323. venturamuseum.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9 VENTURA BLUEGRASS JAMS Milano’s Italian Restaurant, Patio, Ventura Harbor Village, 1559 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura. (805) 658-0388. milanositalianrestaurant.com.

GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS Cellist Mary Anne Steinberger, with pianist Alan Steinberger. Music of Vaughan Williams.

Sanctuary of Glendale City Church, 610 E. California Ave., Glendale, Glendale. Free.

(818) 242-2113. glendalenoonconcerts. blogspot.com.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5 HELLO DOLLY! Before dating apps and online matches, there was Dolly Levi. Join this cast of characters as they take to the streets of 19th century New York, looking for love, only to discover it was within reach the entire time. Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach. Through Aug. 7. prices vary. (714) 589-2770. 3dtshows.com.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11 SUNSET CONCERTS: M.A.K.U. SOUNDSYSTEM Guests may bring their own food. No outside alcoholic beverages or chairs are permitted.

Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. Free admission.

(310) 440-4500. skirball.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13 DRAMA QUEENS FROM HELL A washed up TV actress, an African American political activist and a pre-op transwoman compete for the role of Norma Desmond in a remake of “Sunset Boulevard.” This rollicking farce skewers Hollywood, ageism, political correctness and everything else.

Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.,

Los Angeles. Weekends through Sept. 25. $25-$30. (323) 960-7787. plays411.com/ dramaqueens.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14 ALL THAT’S JAZZ A twelve-voice a cappella group performs classic jazz favorites like “When Love Walked In,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.” Westchester United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 8065 Emerson Ave., Los Angeles. $10. (310) 670-3777. westsidevoices.com.

CINDY SHERMAN: IMITATION OF LIFE This special exhibition features an expansive representation of Sherman’s photographs from throughout her influential career, as well as “Office Killer,” the 1997 feature film directed by the artist. The Broad, First Floor Gallery, 221 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Through Oct. 2. Dark Mondays. Free. thebroad.org.

GEOGRAPHIES OF WONDER: AMERICANS AND THE NATIONAL PARK IDEA Part 1: Origin Stories of America’s National parks 1872-1933. This year is the centennial of the National Park Service and two consecutive exhibitions explore the origins and evolution of the national park idea. The first exhibition highlights Americans’ early encounters with natural scenic wonders such as Niagara Falls and the Hudson River Valley, and follows the story through the creation of the first national parks, including Yellowstone and Yosemite. The Huntington, MaryLou and George Boone Gallery, 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino. Through Sept. 3. $19-$25. huntington.org.

SECOND SUNDAY CONCERT Pasadena Central Library, 285 E Walnut, Pasadena. Free. (626) 398-0658.

FLYING HORSES AND MYTHICAL BEASTS The Magical World of Carousels. This touchable exhibition features items from the renowned Bray Collection, which spans the history of carousels, from the mid-19th century to modern day, with many examples from the Golden Age of Carousels, 1861-1920.

Menagerie carvings from Europe, England, the United States and Mexico, of brilliantly painted and gilded horses, lions, elephants, giraffes, sea serpents and others. Pasadena Museum of History, 470 W. Walnut St., Pasadena. Wed.-

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 35

CALeNDAR

July/August LA/Ventura L.A. Live, Fourth Floor, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles. Through Spring 2017. $12-$13.

(213) 765-6803. grammymuseum.org.

Sun. through Aug. 28. $5-$7. Wed.-Sun. (626) 577-1660. pasadenahistory.org.

DINOSAURS: UNEXTINCT AT THE L.A. ZOO Seventeen life-size, life-like prehistoric creatures are on display in an all-new exhibit. Animatronic dinosaurs, brought to life with electronic “brains,” provide a rare chance to discover a lost world from millions upon millions of years ago. This exhibition includes a fossil dig, a Stegosaurus robot with controls you can operate and a climbable Pachyrhinosaurus. Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Griffith Park, 5333 Zoo Dr., Los Angeles. Sat.-Sun. through Oct. 31. $20.

(323) 644-6001. lazoo.org.

REVOLUTIONARY VISION Explore the intertwined legacies of f/64, California’s premier photo-modernist group, and Richard Misrach, one of the state’s most well-known contemporary photographers.

Includes works by Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Richard Misrach, Edward Weston, and others who present changing visions of the Western landscape. The Autry National Center, Norman F. Sprague, Jr. Gallery, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, Los Angeles.

Through Jan. 8, 2017. $6-$10. (323) 6672000. theautry.org.

BRETT WESTON: SIGNIFICANT DETAILS This exhibition focuses on Brett Weston’s (1911-1993) close-up photography. The works share the high-contrast and graphic qualities of Weston’s panoramic photographs while emphasizing the tendency toward abstraction and extremes in tonality that Weston explored through his nearly-60-year career. Pasadena Museum of Art, 490 East Union Street, Pasadena. Through Sept. 11. $5-$7. Wed.Sun. (626) 568-3665. pmcaonline.org.

CHASING DREAMS: BASEBALL AND BECOMING AMERICAN From Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax to Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, Fernando Valenzuela and Ichiro Suzuki, these players didn’t just play the game—they changed it. Through more than 130 original objects—including game-worn uniforms, films and historic footage, awards, baseball cards and signed memorabilia--this exhibition pays tribute to these major league game changers. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. Through Oct. 30. $7-$10. (310) 440-4500. skirball.org.

CLAIRE FALKENSTEIN: BEYOND SCULPTURE Though her enduring reputation rests on her sculpture, Claire Falkenstein (1908–

36 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

JOSE MONTOYA ABUNDANT HARVEST A retrospective celebrating the life, art and activism of José Montoya (1932-2013).

This comprehensive survey includes nearly 2,000 drawings along with paintings, poems, sketchbooks, video footage, music and other ephemera. Together they demonstrate how Montoya captured the spirit of the times, and documented some of the most important

civil rights and labor movements of the 20th century. The Fowler Museum at UCLA, North Campus, Los Angeles. through July 17. Free.

(310) 825-4361. fowler.ucla.edu.

Get the Word Out. E-mail your announcements to Claire Fadden, cfadden@lifeafter50.com 60 days prior (or even earlier) to your event. Include a brief description, location, date, time, cost, phone and website. Submission does not guarantee publication.

1997) began and ended her career as an inventive painter. Her body of work also includes printmaking, jewelry, glass, film, stage sets for dance, public murals, fountains and monumental architectural commissions.

The retrospective assembles preeminent examples from each media, presenting the full range of one of America’s most experimental, productive and wandering 20th-century artists. Pasadena Museum of Art, 490 East Union Street, Pasadena.

Through Sept. 11. $5-$7. Wed.-Sun. (626) 568-3665. pmcaonline.org.

RESPECT! OTIS REDDING AND THE REVOLUTION OF SOUL This exhibition offers a unique look at the influential career of the legendary King of Soul, and the lasting impact he made on music and pop culture in such a short period of time. The Grammy Museum at L.A. Live, Fourth Floor Mike Curb Gallery, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles. Through Sept. 15. $12-$13. (213) 765-6803. grammymuseum.org.

SHINING LIKE A NATIONAL GUITAR The 1920s were an exciting time for breakthroughs in entertainment technology, with the prominence of radio and talking movies. However, electric amplification of musical instruments was still rare and unreliable. Guitarists struggled to play a melody over the sound of other instruments.

This was the challenge that George Beauchamp, a vaudeville Hawaiian guitarist, presented to John Dopyera, a musical instrument designer and repairman in Los Angeles. Following a few failed attempts, Dopyera developed a unique acoustic resonator instrument using a spun aluminum cone instead of a wooden top to amplify the vibrating strings, resulting in a louder, sweeter sounding instrument. The Grammy Museum at

ART OF THE AUSTRONESIANS

The Legacy of Indo-Pacific Voyaging. With nearly 200 works on view, this exhibition explores the history and development of the arts and cultures of the Austronesian-speaking peoples—from their prehistoric origins in what is now Taiwan to their successive seafaring migrations over millennia throughout the Philippines, Indonesia, the Pacific and beyond. The Fowler Museum at UCLA, North Campus, Los Angeles. through Aug. 28. Free. (310) 825-4361. fowler.ucla.edu.

Pasadena Weight Loss

By Dr. Claude Matar © Pasadena Weight Loss Center Pasadena Weight Loss Center, 774 N. Lake Ave., Pasadena, CA 91104, (626) 844-4686

Something for Everyone at North Coast Rep

Health, Energy & Vitality Many people begin noticing changes in their health, energy and vitality when they reach middle age. Weight gain, which is also very common during this period, can aggravate existing health problems and cause new ones.

When it comes to winning the middle-aged weight gain battle, understanding how and why the body puts on those extras pounds as we get older is an important first step.

Yes, It’s True: Bodies Change As We Age middle-age weight gainBodies change over time, both externally and internally. For many older adults, internal changes include an increase in fat around the mid section, which is unsightly and dangerous, and a decrease in both muscle and bone density.

As our estrogen (women) or testosterone (men) levels start to drop, the fat will begin shifting to the body’s mid-section.

Body fat, especially belly fat, if not addressed effectively using natural means, can put you at a higher risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, strokes and in menopausal women: breast cancer. In addition to: gallstones and gall bladder disease, degenerative arthritis of the knees, hips, and the lower back, and sleep apnea (failure to breathe normally during sleep, lowering your blood oxygen).

Body Fat & Calories As a general look, body fat increases when you eat more calories than you are burning up. one appleA calorie is a unit of energy – the amount of energy we get from what we eat or drink. For example, one apple = 75 calories = 75 units of energy. The body needs calories (energy) to survive.

Calories are “burned” through a process called metabolism. During metabolism, the oxygen in your body releases the energy units from the food you ate or fat you store. This energy is used by the body for digestion, breathing, thinking, circulation and many other functions.

How many calories your body uses to keep itself running depends on various factors, including age, sex, body size and activity level.

Read the detailed SUCCESS STORIES our clients have shared and give us a call at (626) 844-4686 to schedule an in-depth testing and a consultation with me (for only $95) to find out why your body is not losing weight and what exactly you can do about it.

JULY 13–AUG 7 and AUG 11–14* *Six additional performances at California Center for the Arts, Escondido

Conceived by Richard Maltby, Jr. & Murray Horwitz Directed by Yvette Freeman

The Male Intellect

August 10 & 12, 8:00pm | August 13, 2:00pm Laugh non-stop as Robert Dubac embarks on a quest to answer the age old question, “What do women want?” The New York Times says “Hilarious... a one man tour de force!” It is hands down one of the funniest solo shows you will ever see.

The Book of Moron

August 11 & 13, 8:00pm | August 14, 2:00pm If you are yearning for some satire that cuts with a clever intelligent edge; then buckle up for a hilarious joy ride over the pot-holed highways of cultural hypocrisy. It’s comedy on steroids.

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Rick Steves’ Travels The Aristocratic Get-a-ways of Portugal RICK ST EVES’ T RAVELS

By Rick Steves

I

t’s a funny thing about aristocracies. They always seem to get the best properties: the French kings and queens had Versailles near Paris, the Habsburgs retreated to Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace, and the British monarchs still have too many castles to count.

While less well-known, Portugal’s imperial retreats, located within an hour or so from Lisbon, give visitors a look at the country’s royal and Moorish past, including fantasy castles set amid exotic tropical plants, a craggy hilltop dusted with Moorish ruins, and a queen’s tiny medieval walled town.

Just 15 miles northwest of Lisbon, the plush and lush town of Sintra is a perfect day-trip destination (frequent trains get you there in 40 minutes). For centuries, Portugal’s aristocracy considered Sintra the perfect summer escape because of its proximity to Lisbon – and its higher and cooler elevation. Those with money and a desire to be close to royalty soon followed, building a thicket of grand residences amid luxuriant hillside gardens. Lord Byron called this bundle of royal fancies and aristocratic dreams: “A glorious Eden.”

Portugal’s National Palace sits in central Sintra. This oldest surviving royal palace in Portugal housed kings and queens for 500 years, and today’s government still uses it for official receptions. It’s a lavish showpiece, with rooms wallpapered with colorful glazed tiles called azulejos. The ceilings alone are gorgeous and richly detailed with cavorting mermaids, rambunctious magpies (a royal rebuke against gossips), and a proud coats-of-arms.

38 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

Sintra’s other main sights – a once-upon-a-time Moorish castle and the idiosyncratic Pena Palace – are a long, uphill walk from the center. It’s easiest to ride up on the shuttle bus that loops them together and then stroll down through the palace’s luxurious garden.

Visitors approach the 1,000-year-old ruins of the Moorish castle along a forest path that’s alive with the winds of the past. Once you break out of the woodland and climb to the top of the surviving ramparts, you’ll see why the Moors picked this spot for defensive purposes. Today its panoramic Atlantic views and cooling breezes are made to order for a picnic.

On a neighboring hilltop sits the Versailles of Portugal – the magical Pena Palace, more colorful than a box of Legos. In the mid-19th century, the flamboyant Prince Ferdinand built this fantasy, mixing architectural styles into a crazy, Neofortified casserole of Gothic towers, Renaissance domes, Moorish minarets, and Disney playfulness.

The palace’s elegantly cluttered rooms are just as they were in 1910, when the king fled during a popular revolt.

Just beyond Sintra, the rugged and picturesque Cabo da Roca is a pleasant side trip to your side trip. It’s perched high on a headland at the westernmost tip of Portugal – and Europe. There’s little more here than a small shop, a café, and an endless ocean vista. Here’s your chance to be the last person in Europe to see the sun set and their tiny tourist office sells a “proof of being here” certificate.

If you turn north from Lisbon, you can’t miss postcard-perfect Óbidos (buses leave Lisbon hourly for the ride). This little jewel of a town sits atop a hill, its 14th century wall corralling a bouquet of narrow lanes and flower-bedecked whitewashed houses. Now protected by the government from development, Óbidos is perfect for photographers and romantics. Stepping through the main gate, you’ll feel a bit like Dorothy entering a medieval Oz. Though there’s a castle here (now a pricey hotel), the main sight is the town itself. Wander the geranium-scented streets, climb the town walls, and sample some ginjinha (cherry liqueur) in a chocolate cup that is sold in shops along the main street. Then leave the tacky tourist area behind to explore the cobbled side streets.

A 10-minute drive or taxi ride from Óbidos is Caldas da Rainha, famous for its therapeutic springs.

Queen Leonor reputedly popularized this spot in the mid-15th century, when she stopped in for a soak in a sulfurous pool. For centuries, the “Queen’s Baths” attracted royalty looking for rheumatism cures. A venerable hospital now sits on the source of those curative waters. The charming old center is more workaday than Óbidos, but Caldas da Rainha provides a good glimpse of everyday Portugal, with the charm punched up just a notch.

Portugal’s kings and queens operated less opulently than other European royalty, but these, and other sights closely associated with them must be experienced.

Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and radio.

You can e-mail him at rick@ricksteves.com and visit his website at www.ricksteves.com.

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THE WEEK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD:

NIXON, CHINA AND THE ARTs South Coast Plaza and the New Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum, along with renowned arts institutions, will present a one-of-akind exhibition June 24 to August 18 celebrating significant arts and cultural developments resulting from President Richard Nixon’s historic 1972 trip to China — the first time a U.S. president visited that nation.

“The Week That Changed the World: Nixon, China and the Arts,” will be on display this summer at South Coast Plaza’s Jewel Court. The exhibition is an unprecedented collaboration by South Coast Plaza and the New Nixon Library with The Getty, Carnegie Hall, Bowers Museum, Orange County Museum of Art, Pacific Symphony, Philharmonic Society of Orange County, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, South Coast Repertory and USC Pacific Asia Museum.

1 LIFEAFTER50.COM FEBRUARY 2015 40 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

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And Finally...

The Bookworm’s Best A Life After 50 book review

by Terri “The Bookworm” Schlichenmeyer

Political Suicide

By Erin McHugh

H

ave you decided who will capture your vote for president come November? If so, don’t be too surprised if between now and Election Day, your candidate does something that makes you change your mind.

During any given moment of a political campaign, a candidate can say or do something that can dramatically, or even fatally, doom their prospects, and in her new book, “Political Suicide,” Erin McHugh, highlights many of the self-inflicted things pols have done to bring about their political demise.

Why are politicians on every level so apt to make career-ending mistakes? The answer is simple, says McHugh: “They are human.”

There are surely times when people like to think otherwise, but the truth is that pols are just like the rest of us. They laugh, cry, love – and do boneheaded things. Their greed gets the better of them. Their egos need stroking, and their tempers take over.

Take, for instance, Daniel Sickles.

Though the New York State assemblyman was a known philanderer himself, he was furious to learn his wife also enjoyed a dalliance. Sickles killed his wife’s lover and went to trial, but pleaded temporary insanity, becoming the first person to successfully be acquitted in that manner. Also lucky was a California congressman who killed a man over a lack of breakfast; he likewise served no jail time.

Throughout history, there have been many scandalous quirks in politics. One sitting congressman served from an insane asylum. One was reelected while in jail. And one notable congressman told a megawhopper of a lie to gain his seat, then tried to explain it by saying that he was: “a prisoner of his own story.”

There’s a lot of money in politics – although, it doesn’t belong to the politicians. That, however, hasn’t stopped some of them from helping themselves to some of it – most notably in the case of one state treasurer who, during his tenure in office, pocketed $53 million.

Since the days of our Founding Fathers, there have been scandals aplenty in politics, from sexual shenanigans and drug busts to raciest comments and double-crossing. So if you’re looking for a little levity during this year’s contentious presidential campaign, you’ll find some in “Political Suicide.”

McHugh gives readers lots of true (and outrageous) tales with humor that comes from the situations themselves. She is quick to point out the ridiculousness of what happened, but also puts things into historical and cultural perspective; what’s more, her accounts seem sympathetic now and again, especially when naiveté is involved. That gives readers a nice balance of silly and sad to add to the scandalous.

What’s not to like about that? Nothing, so White House watchers, voters, fed-up folks, and historians alike will enjoy this book. If you need a hint of disgracefully laden lightheartedness between now and November 8, “Political Suicide” should be the ticket that gets your vote.

“Political Suicide” by Erin McHugh, 2016, Pegasus Books, $26.95, 258 pages The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer who lives on a hill with two dogs and more than 12,000 books. You can read more of her book reviews at www.lifeafter50.com. Just click on “Entertainment” and then “Book Reviews.”

A Look Back

Just A Thought Before We Go

I

“From every mountain side, let freedom ring!”

n March of this year, moviegoers were doing the same thing film fans were doing 50 years ago this past spring: flocking to theatres to see a Batman film.

While this year’s offering was “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” in July of 1966, it was “Batman: The Movie” starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin. The film included most of the television series cast including Cesar Romero as The Joker, Burgess Meredith as The Penguin and Frank Gorshin as The Riddler. Julie Newmar, who had been playing the role of Catwoman in the television series, had other commitments and was replaced by Lee Meriwether. The movie, like the campy television series, included the penchant for giving every device the Dynamic Duo used a “Bat-” prefix, used title cards that read “Pow!” Wham!” and “Bam!” during fight scenes, and incorporated parody references on contemporary mid-1960s popular culture.

Well received upon its theatrical opening, one critic wrote: “’Batman: The Movie’” elevates camp to an art form -- and has a blast doing it, every gloriously tongue-in-cheek inch of the way.” The American Broadcasting Company, which aired the television series, first broadcast the film on July 4, 1971. The film was released on VHS three times between 1985 and 1994, and then re-released in 2008 on DVD and on Blu-ray.

42 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

~ Samuel F. Smith

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G R E A T

SUMMER GET-A-WAYS

TRIPS & EVENTS TONI TENNILLE

LIFE AFTER THE CAPTAIN

REMEMBERING

Dion

Spiritually connected, creatively relative, and constantly soaring

Buddy Holly

Contents

July 2016

10

18

26

Cover Profile

Departments

10 Dion

6 50-Plus: What You Need to Know

30

The rock ‘n’ roll legend – spiritually connected, creatively relative and constantly soaring.

A quick look at things 50-plusers should be aware of.

Features

The importance of replacing missing teeth.

18 Summering In SoCal Fifty great things to do this summer in the Southland.

26 The Look Of Life After 50 – Toni Tennille

Her new life, in uncharted waters without the Captain.

30 The Hallowed Hall Of Must-Knowtables – Buddy Holly Legendary notables that everyone, of every age, should know.

8 Health After 50

34 Let’s Get Out

Looking to get out and about? Our July/August calendar has some great suggestions.

38 Rick Steves’ Travels

Discover the aristocratic get-a-ways of Portugal.

42 And Finally…The Bookworm’s Best, A Look Back and Just A Thought Before We Go

A book suggestion, memory, and a little something to leave you with.

Cover photo by David Godlis, courtesy of Bob Merlis / M.F.H. All material published within this issue of Life After 50 and on www.lifeafter50.com is strictly for informational and educational purposes only. No individual, advice, product or service is in any way endorsed by Life After 50 or Southland Publishing, Inc. or provided as a substitute for the reader’s seeking of individualized professional advice or instruction. Readers should seek the advice of qualified professionals on any matter regarding an individual, advice, recommendations, services or products covered within this issue. All information and material is provided to readers with the understanding that it comes from various sources from which there is no warranty or responsibility by Life After 50 or Southland Publishing, Inc. as to its or their legality, completeness or technical accuracy.

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Editor’s Note...

Happy Fourth, my fellow less-than-perfect, naïve adolescents

T

his month, our nation turns 240-years-old, which means compared to other countries in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we’re barely into our adolescence.

From the day of our nation’s birth – July 4, 1776 – we have done some incredible things: incredibly great things, incredibly horrific things, incredibly brilliant things and incredibly stupid things. Throughout the history of this world, that is what every person, country, organized government, religion, educational institution, corporation and business has done: good things, bad things, smart things and dumb things.

As we turn 240, we are far from perfect, but being perfect was never the goal. Back on our 12th birthday, as our Constitution was ratified by our Founding Fathers, their resolve was never to form a “perfect Union,” but to constantly strive towards forming a “more perfect Union.”

Have we succeeded at establishing justice, insuring domestic tranquility, providing for common defense, promoting general welfare, and securing the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity? To a large extent, we have – as well, if not better, than any other country on Earth. Have we also dropped the ball on all those things at times? Absolutely…and we still do… and always will. It’s all a part of imperfect humans striving towards being a bit more perfect.

This year, as we celebrate our country’s birth, it’s easy to overlook all the good we have accomplished, what with so many negative stories dominating the news and issues that frustrate and aggravate Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Socialists and Independents alike.

We all have family members, friends and acquaintances who identify with those aforementioned political parties, as well as those who either don’t care about or deplore the whole lot of them. But it is important to constantly remind ourselves that our political affiliations should be kept in perspective and that they pale behind who we are first and foremost: Americans.

It is, of course, a treasured gift that we Americans can have open discourse and debate with one another, but we should never let that debate blind us to the fact that we are all striving for the same thing – to constantly move towards being a little more perfect.

So as you come together with your friends and family for the traditional Fourth of July fare, try to keep in mind that during a contentious presidential campaign, abandoning respect for one another, engaging in name-calling or discounting others’ beliefs are all fruitless endeavors. Remember, neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump nor anyone else is ever going to do what no president from Washington to Obama has done – bring about unified and national perfection. If we ever allow ourselves to think that – that any one of us or our political parties and their representatives have all the answers to bring about perfection – we’re simply being naïve. Although, come on, who could really blame us for harboring a little naïvete? I mean, no matter what our age, as Americans, we are all still adolescents, each in our own way, striving for just a little more perfection.

David Laurell, Editor-in-Chief

4 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

Publisher Valarie Anderson Editor-in-Chief David Laurell Associate Editors Steve Stoliar Claire Yezbak Fadden Art Director Michael Kraxenberger Editorial Assistant Max Andrews Controller Kacie Cobian Human Resources Andrea E. Baker Business Manager Linda Lam Billing Supervisor David Garcia VP Of Operations David Comden

To contact our editorial department: (818) 563-1007

Account Executives: San Diego County/Orange County Phil Mendelson Phil@LifeAfter50.com Travel/Los Angeles James Thomopoulos James@LifeAfter50.com For advertising/distribution inquiries contact: Valarie Anderson (310) 822-1629 x 121, Valarie@LifeAfter50.com 5301 Beethoven St., Suite 183 LA CA 90066 Valarie Anderson Valarie@LifeAfter50.com 310 822-1629 x 121

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©2016 Southland Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved

A July Thought

“America is a tune.

It must be sung together.”

– Gerald Stanley Lee

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50

The Scoop On Ice Cream

PLUS

What You Need To Know

By Claire Yezbak Fadden and Max Andrews

Shining Shades Of Gray

I

n celebration of her 75th birthday, actress Linda Gray opens up about her life in her new book. In “The Road to Happiness Is Always Under Construction,” (Regan Arts, 2015) Gray shares deeply personal stories with wit, humor and candor. She reveals how she’s learned to embrace every day as a blessing and to treat herself with the same kindness she bestows on friends and strangers alike. Along with wisdom, Gray offers practical tips about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, how to strengthen and detoxify your body, liberate your mind, and uplift your soul. Her message - “to give, love and shine, baby, shine” – will fill readers with inspiration to live life to the fullest and never stop pursuing honesty and joy.

Fifty Candles

F

ifty years ago this month, Medicare went into effect offering health insurance to nearly all Americans age 65 or older. After 13 unsuccessful attempts, tennis star Billie Jean King won her first of what would end up being a total of six Wimbledon Grand Slam single titles. On July 4, President Lyndon Johnson signed the landmark Freedom of Information Act while vacationing at his Texas ranch. The Supremes recorded the hit single, “You Can’t Hurry Love” at Hitsville U.S.A., and New York Yankees Manager Casey Stengel was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Notable personalities born in July 1966 who are celebrating their 50th birthday this month include comedian Jim Gaffigan, actors Dean Cain and Matthew Fox, country singer Martina McBride, chef Sandra Lee, musician Stone Gossard, radio personality Chuck Nice, illustrator Brian Selznick and actresses Debbe Dunning and Claudia Wells.

6 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

I

n 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month (this year, that’s July 17) as National Ice Cream Day. Enjoyed on a regular basis by more than 90 percent of the nation’s population, more ice cream is produced in California than in any other state.

As for the most popular flavor in the U.S., according to the International Ice Cream Association, vanilla is the hands-down winner.

Knowing Who We Are

I

n 1946, about 3.4 million babies were born in that first year of what would become known as the “baby boom.” That means some 2.5 million boomers are turning 70 this year. During those 70 years, life in the U.S. has changed dramatically. Boomers grew up in a country where Caucasians were a 90 percent majority. Today, Caucasians are on their way to becoming a minority in America, according to Paul Taylor, author of “The Next America: Boomers, Millennials, and the Looming Generational Showdown” (PublicAffairs, 2014).

Those turning 70 this year can expect to live another 15 years thanks to improvements in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. From a financial standpoint, the median family income of Americans, adjusted for inflation, rose from $27,000 in 1946 to $62,000 today. Still, more than four out of 10 Americans reaching 70 this year risk running out of money in retirement. Because of this, many more boomers are inclined to stay on the job than previous generations. By 2022, nearly a quarter of people 70 to 74 will still be working.

Since 1946, American women in the workforce have soared from 31 percent in to 57 percent today, and the percentage of 70-plus women who are still working is expected to rise from 30 percent to 39 percent by 2024.

For LGBTQ Americans born in 1946, life has been a journey toward acceptance. Not long ago, LGBTQ rights divided the country. Today, a majority of Americans say they are accepting of homosexuals and even gay marriage, whether they are Democratic or Republican. Which is interesting, since boomers born in 1946 remain as divided politically as the rest of the nation. Almost as many Americans turning 70 this year identify themselves as Republican (36 percent) as Democratic (38 percent).

A Little More You Need To Know

Where You Need To Go Music Under the Stars

The Most Important Thing To Know This Month

July is Pool Safety Month

S A

ll over Southern California, music is filling the summer air and much of it is free! Enjoy several concerts this summer with musical choices from the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, disco, country, reggae and military brass sounds. Pack a picnic basket, some lawn chairs and a blanket and head outdoors for music under the stars. Here’s a list of just some of the many city-sponsored concerts dotting the southland from Calabasas to Coronado. For concerts in your area, contact your local parks department or Chamber of Commerce.

Agoura Hills: Summer Concerts in the Park, 6 p.m. (except July 24), Sundays through August 21, Chumash Park, 5550 Medea Valley Dr., www.agourahillsrec.org.

Calabasas: Sun Sets, 6 p.m., select Sundays through August 28, Calabasas Tennis and Swim Center, 23400 Park Sorrento., www.cityofcalabasas.com.

Coronado: Coronado Concerts, mostly 6 p.m., Sundays through September 11, Spreckels Park, 7th St. and Orange Ave., www.coronadoconcert.com.

Long Beach: Long Beach Summer Concert Series, 6:30 p.m., Fridays through August 5, El Dorado West, 2800 Studebaker Rd., www.longbeach.gov.

Manhattan Beach: Concerts in the Park, 5 p.m., Sundays through Sept. 4., Polliwog Park, 1601 Manhattan Beach Blvd., www.ci.manhattan-beach.ca.us.

Newport Beach: Concerts on the Green, 6 p.m., July 31, August 21 and September 11, Newport Beach Civic Center, 100 Civic Center Dr., www.newportbeachca.gov.

Santa Monica: Twilight Concerts on the Pier, 7 p.m., Thursdays through September 8, 200 Santa Monica Pier, www.santamonicapier.org/twilightconcerts.

Santee: Concerts in the Park, 6:30 p.m., Thursdays through August 25 (except July 7), Town Center Community Park East, 550 Park Center Dr., www.ci.santee.ca.us.

Tustin: Concerts in the Park, 6 p.m., Wednesdays through August 10, Peppertree Park, 230 W. First St., www.tustinca.org.

ummer is in full swing, which means many Southern Californians are enjoying poolside family time. If you’re planning poolside fun, think safety first. Drowning takes the lives of more California toddlers than any other kind of accident. Children who manage to survive a near-drowning often suffer permanent brain damage from lack of oxygen.

Children one- to four-years-old are at greatest risk. They are very active and curious, and they learn new skills every day.

One day, they suddenly learn how to open the sliding door and wander from the house to the pool and spa area. A child may fall in and drown silently without calling out for help.

The whole event can happen in just a minute or two. Most of these drownings take place at the homes of parents, relatives or neighbors. Fortunately, you can prevent toddler drowning by combining adult supervision and safety barriers.

The California Swimming Pool Safety Act requires at least one approved safety barrier be in place for all pools and spas built after January 1, 1998 and for any pools being remodeled.

Property owners with swimming pools constructed prior to 1998 should voluntarily install barriers around the pool that meet these standards. Here are some other potentially life-saving tips: • Keep children in direct sight at all times.

• Never leave a young child alone in or around a pool, spa or wading pool, even for a few seconds.

• Get into the habit of keeping doors and gates leading to the pool or spa closed. Never prop doors or gates open.

• Be especially alert of a child’s whereabouts and, if a child is missing, always look first in the pool or spa.

• Keep rescue equipment (safety ring, long pole) and a cordless phone next to the pool or spa.

For more information about California’s swimming pool safety requirements, click on the California Department of Public Health at www.cdph.ca.gov.

New Words You might not find all of these words in a dictionary yet, but they’re a part of the everyday American vocabulary. Here’s what they mean.

Fignature: A signature captured on a tablet or other mobile device’s touchscreen to approve credit card transactions that was written with a finger used as a stylus.

Mic Drop: Used to emphasize that a discussion, performance or speech is over after a decisive, remarkable or impressive point has been made.

Sassitude: A sassy, saucy attitude, conduct or demeanor.

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 7

Health After 50

By Dr. Saj Jivraj, prosthodontist, Anacapa Dental Art Institute Dr. Jivraj is a leading prosthodontist who practices at Anacapa Dental Art Institute in Oxnard, California. He has over two decades of experience in the field of dentistry and prosthodontics and is considered one of the leading prosthodontists in the country.

For more information click on www.anacapadental.com.

The Importance of Replacing Missing Teeth According to a recent article in the Journal of The American Dental Association, about five million Americans have teeth that are avulsed or “knocked out” each year, with up to 39 percent of these teeth lost to sports injuries or accidents. Many more teeth are lost each year due to periodontal disease, the aging process, or health issues. However, with the latest technology, there is no reason for anyone to risk the potentially devastating complications of tooth loss.

The Health Risks Of Missing Teeth

Missing teeth can negatively affect one’s appearance and self-esteem, but replacing missing teeth is more important than just cosmetic. When a tooth or multiple adult teeth are lost, it is critical to replace them as soon as possible to avoid potentially serious dental and medical issues. Since each tooth plays a key role in the mouth, filling gaps left by missing teeth will prevent more serious problems from occurring.

Tooth loss often causes other teeth to shift. This leads to misalignment and can cause jaw pain and other issues. Shifted teeth are also difficult to clean, often causing cavities and even gum disease. Excessive wear can be caused by misalignment of teeth due to shifting. Bone loss also occurs when a tooth is no longer rooted in the bone. In many cases, this bone loss is progressive.

Dental Implants and CAD CAM Design

For the majority of patients, permanent dental implants are the best way to fill the gaps left by lost teeth. Implants are placed into the jawbone where the tooth or teeth were lost, and after the bone heals, a naturallooking tooth is attached to each implant. Today, computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture (CAD CAM) generated teeth can be made right in a dental office that has this new technology and the teeth can be replaced the same day. With the latest technology in CAD CAM technology, there is no reason for anyone to risk the potentially devastating complications of tooth loss.

All On 4 Allows Replacement of Multiple Teeth in One Day

For patients who have lost multiple teeth, All On 4 implants can be used to replace the entire upper and/or lower teeth, with each arch using just four strategically placed implants or anchors, rather than using individual anchors for each implant. All On 4, also known as “Teeth In One Day,” can benefit almost any patient, especially if they don’t have enough bone for traditional dental implants. Patients don’t have to go through extensive bone-grafting procedures, which were often required in the past. All On 4 can give patients new teeth in a day in most cases, allowing them to enjoy eating and normal activities quickly.

All On 4 dental implants are put in place using a minimally invasive technique, which is one of the elements that make it possible to complete this smile restoration in just one day. Once the implants have been secured in place, the temporary teeth are screwed into place and patients can see how their new smile will look and feel.

8 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

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July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 9

COVER PROFILE

Dion

Eight decades into his career, the rock ‘n’ roll legend is spiritually connected, creatively relative and constantly soaring Story by David Laurell Photos courtesy of Bob Merlis / M.F.H. and David Godlis

H

e began singing at the age of five, was performing and recording professionally by the time he was in his teens, and was an established star before he was 20.

A

long with a string of hit songs and a prolific recording and touring career that is now in its eighth decade, he holds the distinction of being one of only four singers other than John, Paul, George and Ringo to appear on the cover of a Beatles’ album. Revered by fans and aficionados of rock ‘n’ roll (John Lennon having been one of them) as one of the founding fathers of the genre, his music – and very life – has been a gift to the world and himself that could have easily been lost on a cold February night in a field on the outskirts of Clear Lake, Iowa.

Dion Francis DiMucci, who would become professionally known mononymously as “Dion,” was born in the Bronx, New York, on July 18, 1939. Attracted to country music and the blues from the time he was very young, the teenaged Dion became fascinated by the burgeoning musical styles of the 1950s: doo-wop, rock ‘n’ roll and R&B. Going on to become one of the most popular American performers of the pre-British Invasion era, he chalked up more than a dozen Top 40 hits in the late 1950s and early ‘60s, which included 1959’s “A Teenager in Love” and 1960’s “Where or When” with his group, The Belmonts. The following year, as a solo artist, he continued to score hits such as 1961’s “Runaround Sue” and “The Wanderer,” 1963’s “Ruby Baby” and “Donna the Prima Donna,” and the Dick Holler-penned 1968 tribute to assassinated American leaders, “Abraham, Martin, and John.”

While still with The Belmonts, Dion frequently toured with other stars.

On February 2, 1959, after a Winter Dance Party tour performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa with Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, Jr., Dion passed on joining that trio on a chartered four-seater plane to Fargo, North Dakota because of the cost.

Opting to join other members of the tour for an all-night bus ride, they arrived in Fargo the following morning to learn that the plane carrying Holly, Valens and the Bopper had crashed just minutes after taking off, killing all on board.

Deeply affected by this experience and constantly wondering why his life was spared, Dion would spend years wrestling with a heroin addiction and seeking spiritual guidance that led him to becoming a born-again Christian.

In 1968, having left New York with his family for Florida, he successfully kicked his heroin habit and continued to evolve spiritually, record and perform. Inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, he has most recently released a single, “New York Is My Home,” with Paul Simon, which is included on his latest album, “New York Is My Home,” released in February.

Preparing to celebrate his 77th birthday this month, Dion now lives in Boca Raton, Florida with his wife, Susan. He enjoys spending time with his three adult daughters, who are all teachers and live nearby, and continues his longstanding commitment to his own sobriety as well as helping others who are going through addiction recovery.

Life After 50 recently spent time with Dion, beginning our conversation by asking what his typical day consists of: Dion (D): I’m a man of prayer and I’m very Catholic. My life is a dialogue with God. That’s where my strength and health comes from, and so that is a big part of my everyday life. I start my day by saying a prayer. Then I tell my wife that I love her and I go out for a walk or something. I have friends at the gym and I try to get there two or three times a week. I putz around, do a little weights, but mostly I talk to people. I’ll go out to dinner with my wife and the kids. Sometimes I have some business to tend to – a meeting or something – and there is a community of men I do a lot of ministry stuff with. So I have a life. I’m not the kind of performer who has to be on the

road to know who I am. I don’t need to be in the spotlight to know who I am. I know who I am.

Life After 50 (LA50): You mentioned how important your faith is in your life. Let’s talk about that – after being involved with other denominations for many years, you returned to the faith of your youth – Roman Catholicism.

D: I read myself back to the Catholic Church in the late 1990s after I visited my old parish in the Bronx – Our Lady of Mount Carmel. I came to believe that the church is the foundation of truth. I had read in First Timothy that the church of the living God is the pillar and foundation of the truth. When I read that, I began asking ministers of different denominations what they thought was the foundation of truth and they gave me different answers: the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, Jesus. But Timothy wrote that it was the church. So I began looking into what church he was talking about. I got deeply into the writings of the apostolic fathers, like Ignatius, and in those writings, over and over, I saw the Catholic Church. I didn’t see the Baptist Church or the Lutheran Church – I didn’t see the Presbyterian Church or Calvary Chapel, where I went for a long time. I don’t put any of those denominations down; they all have their place and were a big part of grounding me in my faith and in scripture. But for me, the Catholic Church gave me a connection

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 11

beyond what I had found anywhere else. When you attend mass, there are three readings: the Old Testament, the letters of the apostles, and the Gospel.

It’s very scriptural. It’s not the commentary of the pastors that you find in other churches. It’s God’s word. The Catholic Church is scripturally-based – grounded in the scripture. I felt the Lord led me back to the Catholic Church, but I don’t feel I ever left any other church or denomination. I just stepped into the fullness of the Catholic Church where I found my connection.

LA50: The fact that you are sitting here with us today and are not a longgone memory of the beginnings of rock ‘n’ roll is the kind of miracle or destiny that serves as the impetus for a spiritual search. How much did the crash of that plane – that you could have very well been on – affect you and change you?

D: Well, I’m very grateful for my life – that I’m here. The loss of Buddy and the Booper and Ritchie had a profound impact on my life on so many different levels. I feel like they have always been with me and are still with me. In my faith, we believe relationships never die. They keep on going and even moving forward. But from the day that plane went down, my life has been one of many profound questions: Why was I spared? Why am I here? What am I supposed to do with my life? Where am I going? What is it all about?

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LA50: Can you share your memories of the moment you learned their plane had gone down?

D: I haven’t had a drink or a drug in 48 years. With the help of lot of people – with God’s help – I was able to take responsibly for my actions and I love sharing the solution I found with other people The only difference between me and the guys in prison who I work with is that they got caught and I didn’t. But dealing with addiction – overcoming it – is about renewing your commitment to being personally responsible every day. Being responsible always makes me think of my grandfather, who came from Italy in 1906 with like 10 cents in his pocket when he was 16. I remember when I was eightyears-old, he took me to downtown New York. We stood there in Battery Park and he said: “Dion, that’s the Statue of Liberty out there.” He told me that he thought they should also erect another statue called the Statue of Responsibility. He said: “With great freedom comes great responsibility.”

I’ll never forget that.

LA50: Let’s talk music. While you have given the world so many great rock ‘n’ roll hits, one song stirred emotions and touched people like no other – “Abraham, Martin and John.” Did you ever meet President Kennedy or Martin Luther King, Jr. or Bobby Kennedy?

D: I never met any of them. I have never even met or talked to any of their family members. But I’m proud of that song. It was a healing song for me – for the nation. It wasn’t political at all. It was a song that said you could kill the dreamers but you couldn’t kill the dream – that the dream would always live – that someday we could all come together and solve problems and make the world a better place.

LA50: Along with your being an icon in the world of rock ‘n’ roll, you also have the distinction of being one of four singers – Bob Dylan, Stuart Sutcliffe, Bobby Breen, and you – whose picture has appeared on a Beatles’ album cover. There you are on the cover of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” surrounded by Terry Southern, Tom Mix, Tony Curtis and Oscar Wilde. How did that come about?

D: I met John Lennon shortly after The Beatles first came to America. I actually met John and Ringo in a New York men’s clothing store. John and

Andrea Goss and the 2016 national touring cast of Roundabout Theatre Company’s CABARET. Photo by Joan Marcus

LA50: In the ensuing years, you became addicted to heroin. We have, sadly, over the years, seen so many great musicians lose their battle with heroin. But you beat it, and have even been dedicated to helping others, mostly prison inmates, who are dealing with addition.

TIME OUT NEW YORK Andrea Goss and the 2016 national touring cast of Roundabout Theatre Company’s CABARET. Photo by Joan Marcus

D: I remember the last time I saw them – shortly before they took off. Buddy had charted this four-seater plane and there were a lot more of us on the tour than four. So he called me and the Bopper and Ritchie in and said we would do a coin toss to see who would go by plane and who would go by bus. I won the toss – to go on the plane. But then Buddy said my share for the charter fee would be $36. That was a lot of money back then – what my parents paid for their monthly rent. I just couldn’t justify that amount of money and so I bowed out. We said goodbye, and that was it. They left and soon after, we packed up and left. We drove all night – a freezing cold night – and when we got to Fargo the next morning, I walked into the hotel lobby and Sam Geller, who was the tour manager, was there and he was white. He said: “They didn’t make it.” I thought he meant they just didn’t fly out or something and would be coming later. I didn’t get it. But then I saw all these people huddled around this little old black-and-white television. I walked over and they were watching a news report that three rock ‘n’ roll stars had been killed in a plane crash. I was numb. I remember walking back out to the bus in a daze. I was the only one on the bus, sitting there with Buddy’s guitar. Ritchie’s blue vest was hanging across from me and the Bopper’s hat was on a rack right over me. I was just baffled. Getting to tour with those guys had been the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I was just 19, and here I was, out on the road rocking and rolling with these guys. It was heaven to me. So my memories: Man, I felt like the rug was ripped out from under me. I remember coming out of that bus and it was all so weird. It had been freezing cold, and yet, as I stood there, it was like a summer day. The sun was shining and it had gotten very warm all of a sudden. It was surreal.

Their lives and deaths really affected me in a dramatic way.

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“Local collector seeking all kinds of vintage pop-culture memorabilia!

Comic books, movie posters, toys! Plus more!

Primarily 1930s to 1970s and everything in between! please see the pictures for ideas on what I collect!”

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Please Call me to let me know what you have and for information on other Collectable items DAVID: 310-967-9349

I bought the same leather jacket. I still have that jacket, and John wore his on the cover of “Rubber Soul.” Anyway, when we met in that clothing store, he told me how they used to sing “Ruby Baby” when they first started out, playing in Hamburg, Germany. He told me he really loved that song and my version of it, that had just come out. So when they did “Sgt. Pepper,” they cut my head out from the picture that was on the “Ruby Baby” record and used it on the cover. I always thought that was John’s doing, because he loved that song. I had no idea they were doing that till it came out. I was at a party one night in the Bronx – that was when I discovered I was on the cover.

THE MOTHER OF ALL MUSICALS

LA50: You have been on the music scene for eight decades. Not many people can say that. So what’s your read on the state of today’s music?

“Rightly considered one of the greatest musicals of all time.”

D: I’m blown away by the talent out there, but sometimes I feel like a little more style could go a long, long way. You take a Johnny Cash or a Bob Dylan or a Joan Baez – people whose style – whose voices made them musical expressionists. There was a lot of style and magic in our day – The Beatles, The Stones, Chuck Berry, Little Richard. There is not much magic out there today. There’s a lot of talented people, but a lot of what they do seems to be too technical. I love Eminem. I don’t understand some things he does, but I get it! I can hear it. I can hear it when a musician has the magic – the artistic soul – artistic magic. I can tell when you are really feeling the person behind the record. I think when music gets too technical, you lose the magic of the artist. It comes from them, but I don’t know if it comes through them, if you get what I mean.

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LA50: You have a new album out – “New York Is My Home” – which is a tribute to your hometown. So how does a song like “Can’t Go Back to Memphis” end up on an album about the Big Apple?

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D: [laughing] Yeah, well, that’s what happens when a New York boy goes to Memphis. It gets into your blood. If you love music – the early blues and country that evolved into rock ‘n’ roll – you are stirred by that city. But all the songs on the new album with the exception of that one and “Visionary Heart” have to do with New York. “Visionary Heart” is about Buddy Holly. He truly was a visionary and the song is an imagined conversation I had with him. If he had lived, he would have been a major force in music – not that he isn’t. He was thoughtful and stately and decisive. He was a

beautiful guy – very grown up for his age. Along with being a singer, he was into publishing and had founded a studio before he was 22. He was an amazing guy who greatly impressed me.

LA50: He had the magic!

July 5 - August 31, 2016

D: [laughing] Buddy definitely had the magic!

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LA50: You have always had such a passion for New York City, so why have you made your home in Florida for so long?

D: I moved to Florida, because I thought it would be a better place for my daughters to grow up in, but New York is still in my blood. I still got to have my time on the concrete, which is why I keep a place there. New York will always be my home. I have a song on the new album, the title track – “New York is My Home” – which is my love song to the city. New York City will always be God’s country to me. No canyons and forests. For me, God’s country will always be sirens and screeching subways and ethnic crowds. It’s not a rah-rah Frank Sinatra-type song, nor a Billy Joel thing, or a Lou Reed gritty underbelly side of New York song. It’s a personal and poetic tribute to my city. The song “The Apollo King” is about me going to the Apollo Theater with my friends as a kid to see Big Al Sears and Jimmy Reed. “I’m Your Gangster of Love” is about the guys I grew up around in the Bronx. Our apartment was across the street from George’s Bar, and all these guys – these wannabe gangsters – would hang out there with their shiny suits and the collars out and the chains. The theme of these type of guys has shown up in a lot of my songs throughout my career – “The Wanderer” back in the ‘60s and “King of the New York Streets” which I did in the ‘80s. Those guys keep reccurring in my songs, but as the years go by, they’re presented from a different perspective.

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A R T I S T: WILLIAM R. BRION

LA50: You are joined on “New York is My Home” by Paul Simon.

How did that collaboration come about?

D: Well, you know, Paul and I have been longtime friends. So when I wrote “New York is My Home,” I thought of Paul and knew I wanted him to be part of it. I just knew I had to sing that song with him. We share a love of rock ‘n’ roll music – the way it was done back in the day. We grew up with it. So he heard the song and fell in love with it and added his own distinctive touches to it. He’s from Queens and I am a boy from the Bronx, so it was a labor of love by two real New Yorkers.

July 7 - August 31, 2016 Pageant of the Masters A Unique Theatrical Per formance

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July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 15

“… when it comes to remaining creative and engaged and being connected spiritually – there is no limit. No matter what your age, you can still soar.”

LA50: You will be turning 77 this month. As the years have passed, have you adopted any philosophy about aging?

D: I don’t think about age. I think about moving forward. I’m a guy who loves life and loves people. That’s what keeps me young. I’m not afraid of the future. Throughout my career, people wrote that I was reinventing myself or reimagining myself. Whenever I would read stuff like that, I would think: “What BS. I’m not reimagining anything. I’m just growing.” I learned a long time ago to eliminate the stuff that doesn’t belong in my life – the unimportant stuff that doesn’t help me grow, and to get closer to the stuff that is really important to me. I get very passionate about life and the creative process – the magic I talked about. To me, creating is like breathing. When I’m creating, I feel like I’m under a spout being showered in glory. I am so very grateful for the gift of music, because it keeps me young.

LA50: Sounds like you consider your creativity to be a Fountain of Youth.

D: Yeah, okay, that works. Creating sends me into the fourth dimension. It’s so important to be doing something you love. I see people who are in fear of

16 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

aging. Hey, everybody has fears, but it’s not good for fear to have you. You have got to find a way to get through your fears or they consume you. Age is a beautiful thing to me. I feel better now than I ever have. I feel that my faith keeps me young. Not being isolated from friends, being plugged in to my family and to God, that’s what keeps me going. I’m over 50 by quite a few years, but I still feel relevant, and in some ways, more relevant than when I recorded “The Wanderer” and “Runaround Sue” and “Abraham, Martin and John.” The reason I am relevant is because I live in the present. Look, there’s a lot to be said for youth – the energy and the drive to prove to the world what you got. But there’s also a lot to be said about being 77. With age comes the wisdom of knowing who you are. As we get older, we may get slower physically, but when it comes to remaining creative and engaged and being connected spiritually – there is no limit. No matter what your age, you can still soar.

For more information on Dion and his new album, “New York is My Home,” click on www.diondimucci.com.

Pack a picnic or grab a bite to eat from Gourmet Food Trucks at the concerts, starting at 5 pm!

Park your car and take the free Beach Shuttle or the WaterBus ($1 EA way) to the concerts!

50

Great Things To Do This Summer

(Or Anytime) In The Southland

By Claire Yezbak Fadden

Santa Barbara Wake Up With The Butterflies: The Goleta Butterfly Grove, Goleta Go on an early-morning nature walk through this city-run butterfly preserve and watch butterflies come to life as the sun rises. The area’s bounty of olives, walnuts, grapes, almonds, oranges, lemons and Japanese persimmons create a favorable setting for the yearly visitation of monarchs. During the cool morning, you can see the largest amount of butterflies, however, they are most active on warm afternoons.

The Grove is open for viewing every day sunrise to sunset. Wear sturdy shoes and bring your binoculars.

The Goleta Butterfly Grove, Sperling Preserve, Ellwood Mesa, 7559 Palos Verdes Drive, Goleta. (805) 961-7571, www.goletabutterflygrove.com.

Step Back In Time: Heritage Square, Oxnard Spectacular Victorian and Craftsmanstyle houses, once owned by Oxnard pioneer families, are proudly displayed in a lushly landscaped square block of historic downtown.

Eleven homes, a church, water tower, pump house and storehouse have been moved to a single block and restored to their original condition. Guided tours (weather permitting) are offered Saturdays and Sundays.

Heritage Square Visitor Center, 715 South A Street, Oxnard, (805) 483-7960, www.heritagesquareoxnard.com.

F

rom Ventura to San Diego, Malibu to Palm Springs, we Southlanders are blessed to reside where others vacation. It’s easy to take for granted the bounty of cool, fun and unusual activities available year-round. Often, unless someone is visiting, we don’t take the time to sightsee and enjoy the abundance that is our home.

To give you a nudge, we’re suggesting 50 local treasures – some you may have overlooked, others you may have forgotten -- all within a short drive. Enjoy them this summer or most any day of the year. After all, we can be tourists in our own backyard anytime.

18 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

Savor The World’s Botanicals: Gardens of the World, Thousand Oaks True to its name these beautiful grounds, built to commemorate various cultures, invite you on a botanical trip around the world.

From the Japanese Garden with its delicate balance and harmony of Asian culture captured in a peaceful setting surrounding an authentic Japanese Pagoda to the

French Garden with its magnificent, cascading waterfall, it’s easy to be immersed in the world’s splendor.

The Mission Courtyard honors the early history of California with a replica of the famous Mission Trail in its authentic Mission Courtyard. No garden experience would be complete without an explosion of color found only in the English Perennial and Rose Garden. For romantics, take a stroll under a grape arbor nestled among distinctive cypress trees, indigenous to the famed gardens of Italy. Check out an authentic replica of an American Bandstand providing a stage for concerts in the park that can be enjoyed from the grassy amphitheater beyond.

2001 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks. (805) 557-1135. www.gardensoftheworld.info.

Cruise With Nature: Cachuma Lake Nature Cruises Park naturalists guide this twohour lake cruise following nature’s providence to reveal the area’s natural and cultural riches. In all seasons, the lake is a thriving habitat for a great variety of wildlife, birds, fish, trees and plants. The winter brings out resident and migratory Bald Eagles and waterfowl. In the spring and summer, wildflowers spangle the hills, resident birds can be seen displaying and building nests and fawns appear with does. Reservations needed.

Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, 1 Lakeview Drive, Santa Barbara. (805) 568-2460, www.countyofsb.org/parks/cachuma.sbc.

Olive Oil Tasting: Los Olivos, Santa Ynez Valley You may come for the wine tasting, but don’t leave until you’ve sampled the infused olive oil flavors, such as strawberry and basil. Boasting expansive views of Santa Barbara County’s vineyards and horse ranches, the village is noted for its love of the arts, wine tasting, unique shopping, epicurean restaurants, fun festivals and antique hunting. The beautifully accessible town is dotted with a

variety of shady trees and gardens, in addition to historic architectural gems.

Don’t leave before downloading their historical walking map to help with your exploration.

Grand Avenue, Los Olivos. www.losolivosca.com.

Take On Twists And Turns: The Borchard Park Labyrinth, Newbury Park For some, a labyrinth is a metaphor for life’s journey complete with a series of spirals, ups and downs and cycles. Of course, there are twists and turns you don’t expect. Walking through the winding paths of this 60-foot-diameter labyrinth can reduce the left-brain concepts of logic, analysis and fact-based cognition in order to foster creativity, intuition, and imagination. If you follow the twists and turns to the center and back out again, you will have completed a half-mile walk Borchard Park,190 North Reino Road, Newbury Park, (805) 381-2791.

Grab Your Binoculars And Go Birdwatching: Channel Islands National Park, Ventura This important breeding and nesting area is a protected habitat supporting a wide variety of birds, distinct in many ways from the birds of the adjacent mainland. You can view birds from land as well as aboard boats. Also, local chapters of the Audubon Society occasionally sponsor boats trips around the islands to view seabirds.

Due to limited beach access on some islands, shorebird viewing is best done on Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel Islands. Download the “Bird Check List” at the National Park Service website.

1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, (805) 658-5730, www.nps.gov/chis/ planyourvisit/birdwatching.htm.

See Some Small Sculptures: Museum of Ventura County, Ventura For over five decades, artist and historian George Stuart has created more than 400 stunning, one-quarterlife-size figures. Internationally renowned for their exquisite detail and historical accuracy, the figures represent important personalities of many historical periods. Along with American founders and patriots, groups of figures illustrate French, English, Russian, Chinese and Italian history and the conquest of the Americas. Exhibited on uninterrupted rotation since 1979, these sculptural portraits illustrate George Stuart’s often irreverent and always entertaining historical monologues,

which he delivers regularly at the museum.

100 East Main Street, Ventura, (805) 6530323. http://venturamuseum.org.

Grab The Brass Ring.

Village Carousel and Arcade, Ventura Harbor Take the grandkids, or the kid-insideof-you for a ride on the merry-goround. Pick a horse, a camel, a pig or any of the 30 different carousel animals circling on the only operating full-sized carousel in Ventura County.

Afterward, try you luck at any of the arcade games and be rewarded with tickets for prizes. Taste some homemade fudge or bite into a caramel apple. Still yearning for something sweet, head nearby to the Coastal Cone ice cream shop for a lick of their world-famous Pineapple Dole Whip.

1567 Spinnaker Dr. #100, Ventura. (805) 644-3234, www.venturaharborvillage. com, (805)658-2837, www.coastalcone. com.

Experience Botanical Nirvana. Lotusland, Montecito This 37-acre estate of the late Madame Ganna Walska showcases an enormous diversity of exotic plants from around the globe arranged in 25 theme gardens including the Blue Garden, the Theatre Garden and a Japanese garden. Walska owned the property from 1941 until her death in 1984 and spent those years designing unusual display gardens with extraordinary collections including rare cycads, cacti, palms and euphorbias. Additional gardens feature ferns, aloes, lotuses, water lilies, bromeliads and their newest additions, the Palmetum and Insectary Garden. There is a topiary garden, a horticultural clock and a Neptune fountain as well. This public garden operates in a private, residential neighborhood. Reservations are required. Directions to the visitor entrance are mailed with tour confirmation.

(805) 969-9990, www.lotusland.org.

Los Angeles Access Famous Architecture: Hollyhock House, Los Angeles American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, designed and built several houses in the Los Angeles area, but his first was Hollyhock House.

Built between 1919 and 1921, it represents Wright’s earliest efforts to develop a regionally appropriate style of architecture for Southern California. Commissioned by oil heiress Aline Barnsdall, the home

is named for Barnsdall’s favorite flower. The hollyhock is a recurring motif throughout the structure.

Wright referred to it as California Romanza, using a musical term meaning “freedom to make one’s own form.” Hollyhock House is now the centerpiece of the Los Angeles Barnsdall Art Park and the most accessible Wright house in the city.

4800 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, (323) 913-4030.

Vintage Vinyl: Canterbury Records, Pasadena This old-fashioned record shop is a haven for vinyl hunters who enjoy the search as part of their music-buying experience. For those who believe vinyl’s mahogany-rich sounds are better than digital, dig into a treasure trove of vintage records from Bowie to blues as well as current releases.

Founded in 1956 by Leonard Gordon, the store’s expansive collection includes rock, indie rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, classical, shows, vocals, big band, country, folk and bluegrass.

805 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, (626)792-7184. www.canterburyrecords.com.

To Infinity And Beyond: The Broad, Los Angeles This newly opened contemporary art museum founded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad is home to the 2,000 postwar and contemporary works of art. With its innovative “veil-and-vault” concept (a structural exoskeleton housing), the 120,000-square-foot, building features two floors of gallery space.

On view on the first floor is Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room, a mirror-lined chamber housing a dazzling and seemingly endless LED light display. This experiential artwork has extremely limited capacity, accommodating one visitor at a time for about a minute, and requires a separate free, timed-ticket.

221 S. Grand Avenue. (213) 232-6250, www.thebroad.org.

Get A Worm’s-Eye View: Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, San Pedro With its spectacular natural setting adjacent to Cabrillo Beach Coastal Park and the Port of Los Angeles, this aquarium displays the largest collection of Southern California marine life in the world. Three major environments -- rocky shores, sand and mud, and open ocean – are showcased in interpretive and live exhibits. See how ocean animals and plants live in each habitat, from seaweeds to worms to whales, and learn how they adapt to protect themselves, obtain food and

reproduce. In the Exploration Center explore the habitats of the Cabrillo Coastal Park. Examine your role in the watershed and get a worm’s-eye view of the mud.

3720 Stephen M. White Drive, San Pedro, (310) 548-7562, www.cabrillomarineaquarium.org.

Horseback Riding In The Hills: Sunset Ranch, Los Angeles From this 5,000-acre park in the heart of Los Angeles, a one-hour tour moseys through the hills of Griffith Park where you’ll see the famous Hollywood sign, Griffith Observatory and Downtown Los Angeles. A two-hour tour takes riders to the top of Mount Lee, the highest point in Griffith Park. Take in panoramic vistas of Los Angeles from downtown to the beach, the mountains to Catalina and Mount Wilson to Santa Monica.

3400 N Beachwood Drive, Los Angeles, (323) 469-5450, www.sunsetranchhollywood.com.

Neon At Night: Museum of Neon Art’s Neon Cruise, Glendale Board a convertible British bus for a guided, nighttime tour through Downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood spotlighting neon signs, movie marquees and permanent installations of contemporary neon art. On this narrated tour developed in 1985, you will see outstanding examples of contemporary neon art as well as innovative electrical advertising. Saturdays, dates vary.

There’s even holiday neon cruises. Be sure to make reservations. Stop by the July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 19

Orange County

museum Thursday-Sunday to view their collection including historic neon signs such The Brown Derby, Chris and Pitt’s Bar-B-Q and the Pep Boys: Manny Moe & Jack.

Museum of Neon Art, 216 S. Brand Boulevard, Glendale. (818) 696-2149. www.new-neonmona.org.

Go Prehistoric: La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles Hancock Park was formed in urban Los Angeles around this group of tar pits, made from natural asphalt seeping up from the ground for tens of thousands of years. The bones of animals trapped in the tar were preserved. A registered National Natural Landmark, the museum hosts a variety of educational experiences including a fossil lab where scientists work uncovering new Ice Age fossils. Mammoths, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, giant sloths and other prehistoric animals found at this location are on display. Don’t miss the 3D film, “Titans of the Ice Age” depicting how creatures became trapped in tar, preserved in time and are still being unearthed today.

5801 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, (213) 763-3499, www.tarpits.org.

Think Big Ideas: The Huntington Library, San Marino Located in the Library Exhibition Hall, the permanent exhibit “Beautiful Science: Ideas that Changed the World” showcases some of science’s greatest achievements, from Ptolemy to Copernicus, Newton to Einstein.

Staged in the 2,800-square-foot Dibner Hall of the History of Science, the exhibition highlights four areas of exploration: astronomy, natural history, medicine and light. A gallery on each focuses on the changing role of science over time, particularly the astonishing leaps in imagination made by scientists over the years and 20 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

the importance of written works in communicating those ideas.

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, (626) 405-2100, www.huntington.org.

Visit The Backlot: Warner Bros.

Studio Tour, Burbank Walk backlots that have served as the exterior sets for such classic films as “Casablanca” and “Batman.” Enter a soundstage to see where current hit shows are made. With 10 backlots and 30 soundstages, some of the most iconic performances in Hollywood history come to life on the studio’s 110-acre backlot. With actual filming happening all around, no two tours are the same. Visit Stage 48: Script to Screen and uncover key phases of the entertainment production process. From the writers’ lounge to the Warner Bros. Legacy Room, this 45-minute, self-guided experience is an immersive and interactive look at how the magic of Hollywood is made.

Warner Bros. Studios, 3400 W. Riverside Drive, Burbank, (877) 492-8687, www.wbstudiotour.com.

Meet Royalty: The Queen Mary, Long Beach The Queen Mary’s history is full of action, adventure, romance and ghostly activity, beginning with her groundbreaking construction and royal launch as the most luxurious and technologically advanced ocean liner at the time. As you explore the ship from bow to stern, guides share unique stories, facts and insights. Don’t miss “Diana: Legacy of a Princess.” This exhibition showcases a priceless collection of evening gowns, dresses, personal accessories, photographs, heirlooms and other cherished memorabilia belonging to a woman remembered for her charm, compassion, timeless beauty and classic style.

1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, (877) 342-0738, www.queenmary.com.

Walk On The Wild Side: Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, Silverado Explore this 12-acre, rural nature center on the outskirts of Orange County. The preserve provides a richness of habitat types that support abundant and diverse wildlife. Owned and operated by CSU Fullerton, there are three nature trails to traverse as you observe flora and fauna native to Southern California. Stop by the Natural Science Center for more informative exhibits and hands-on activities. Download trail guides and other helpful brochures to assist in your observations of birds, animal tracks and plant scents. Closed Mondays and major holidays.

29322 Modjeska Canyon Road, Silverado.

(714) 649-2760. www.tuckerwildlife.org.

Rev Your Engine: Marconi Automotive Museum, Tustin Car enthusiasts revel at the chance to see a 1966 Corvette Stingray, a 1956 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud or a 1929 Ford Model A. These are just a sampling of automobiles from around the world on display at this museum that was once the site of a salad oil manufacturer. The exhibits include super bikes, open-wheel racing cars, muscle cars, vintage racing cars and exotic high-performance vehicles.

Founded by Dick Marconi and opened to the public in 1994, the museum building was initially purchased to house Marconi’s open-wheel race team. The museum is open for selfguided tours Monday through Friday.

1302 Industrial Drive, Tustin, (714) 2583001, www.marconimuseum.org.

Bark At The Park: Huntington Dog Beach, Huntington Beach This mile-long stretch of beautiful beach welcomes dogs and their owners. The wide-open, secluded sandy area below the cliffs is a haven for dogs to play, run and enjoy the ocean. Dispensers with dog bags are available throughout the beach to assist owners in scooping. If your dog is new to this experience, keep him on a leash until you’re certain he will react to the surroundings and other dogs and people. Pacific Coast Highway between Seapoint Avenue and 21st Street, Huntington Beach, (714) 841-8644, www.dogbeach.org.

Meet An Artisan: Village Art Faire, San Clemente This decades-old San Clemente tradition was born from a desire to put gifted artists and craftspeople in touch with their local community. Now the

faire includes artists from all over Southern California. Some 60 artisans display a beautiful selection of hand-crafted work including photography, fine art, jewelry, woodwork, botanicals, apothecary, leather, wearables, ceramics, home decor, fused/blown glass and metal work. Held the first Sunday of each month. Avenida Del Mar, downtown San Clemente. www.villagesanclemente.org.

Tromp Along The Trail: Community Day, Back Bay Science Center, Newport Beach Some 750 thousand people live in Newport Bay’s watershed, which incorporates nine densely populated and urbanized cities. Tour this science center that provides educational programs emphasizing estuarine and marine ecology, connecting these concepts to the greater watershed.

Kids can participate in hands-on activities to learn more about the ocean. Just show up; there’s no reservation needed. Sundays.

600 Shellmaker Road, Newport Beach, (949) 640-9958, www. backbaysciencecenter.org.

Encounter Early Californians: Mission San Juan Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano This “Jewel of the Missions” has been the center of Orange County since its founding by Padre Junipero Serra in 1776. Today it is one of California’s most important historical, cultural and educational centers. The mission is the seventh of 21 Spanish missions established in California by Franciscan Padres. Spain controlled California until 1821, when Mexico won its independence. On your tour, take special note of the early adobe barracks, the friars’ quarters, the olive millstone, the aqueduct system, and the original Stone Church. The mission hosts events nearly every weekend from concerts under the stars, to garden displays, fashion shows and living history reenactments.

26801 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, (949) 234-1300, www.missionsjc.com.

Be Entertained By A Buccaneer: Pirate’s Dinner Adventure, Buena Park Ahoy, matie! Set sail for adventure in this swashbuckling display of special effects, aerial artistry, swordplay and dynamic duels, performed while you’re enjoying a four-course feast fit for a pirate king. The action is set aboard an 18th century Spanish galleon adrift in a 250, 000-gallon lagoon. Lads, lasses and scallywags of all ages don costumes to bring

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 21

the adventure to life with up to 150 volunteers participating in this interactive dinner show.

strength of 99,000 pounds, making it a safe and fun experience for everyone.

Take A Selfie Sitting At The President’s Desk: The New Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, Yorba Linda The Oval Office, the most famous office in the world, will be faithfully and exactly replicated. Opening October 14, as part of the new museum, this centerpiece will include exact replicas of the historic Wilson Desk, iconic bust of Abraham Lincoln, portrait of George Washington and deep-blue carpet with the presidential seal woven in the middle and curtains in the rich yellow Pat Nixon called “California gold.” The grounds also include the home in which Richard Nixon grew up and is the burial site of the 37th president and his wife, Pat.

San Diego Area

Go Headstone Hunting: Historic Yorba Cemetery Tours, Yorba Linda Located in the neighborhood Woodgate Park, the Yorba Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Orange County. Now operated by Orange County Parks, the cemetery was established on land originally part of Bernardo Yorba’s 13,000-acre Rancho Cañon de Santa Ana, granted to him in 1834. After his death in 1858, Bernardo’s will deeded property to the Catholic Church containing the San Antonio Chapel and the cemetery. Residents of the Santa Ana Canyon, many of them descendants of pioneering rancho-era families, were buried at this cemetery from 1860 till the cemetery’s closure in 1939. Tours are offered the first Saturday of the month except May.

Remember The Dream: Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade, San Diego This linear park stretches from Market Street to Petco Park and connects Children’s Museum Park, Children’s Park and Gaslamp Square. The treelined promenade features a hedge maze beginning on Market Street leading to an abstract sculpture as a fountain and water feature. The Promenade also includes other public art paying tribute to Dr. King’s memory. A favorite of pedestrians, joggers and bicyclists, this is the site of an annual multi-cultural festival held on Martin Luther King Day.

7600 Beach Boulevard, Buena Park, (714) 690-1497, www.piratesdinneradventure.com.

18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 993-5075, www.nixonfoundation.org.

Historic Yorba Cemetery, Woodgate Park, Yorba Linda.

(714) 973-3190, www.ocparks.com.

Float Among The Clouds: Great Park Balloon, Irvine As one of the largest tethered helium (not hot-air) balloons and the first of its kind in the United States, the Great Park Balloon is an iconic attraction.

Serving as a public observation deck for the Great Park’s development the balloon offers an unmatched 360° view that spans 40 miles on a clear day. Standing 118 feet tall with a volume of 210,000 cubic feet, it holds up to 30 passengers in its 1,810-pound gondola. Flying at an altitude up to 400 feet, it is always tethered to the ground by a steel cable with the 22 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

Orange County Great Park, 6950 Marine Way, Irvine, (866) 829-3829, www.cityofirvine.org/orange-countygreat-park.

Get Blown Away: iFly Indoor Skydiving, San Diego Ever wanted the thrill of skydiving without the plane? Then indoor skydiving may be for you. This simulation of true freefall conditions in a vertical wind tunnel is where the dream of flight becomes a reality.

Experience the feeling of skydiving as you float on a smooth cushion of air.

There’s no parachute, no jumping and nothing attaching you to planet Earth.

Just you flying in the air. The entire experience takes about 90 minutes and is the equivalent of one-anda-half skydives.

2385 Camino Del Rio North, San Diego, (619) 432-4359, www.iflyworld.com/san-diego.

West Market Street to Petco Park, paralleling Harbor Drive, downtown San Diego, www.civicsd.com.

Linger In A Lagoon: Agua Hedionda Lagoon and Discovery Center, Carlsbad This 400-acre lagoon is home to a wide array of flora and fauna. There is a wide variety of ways to appreciate its water resources including day camps, recreational boating, a mussel and oyster aquaculture facility, a white-sea bass hatchery and a power-generating plant. At the Discovery Center, learn anything and everything about the Agua Hedionda Lagoon and related water, wildlife and environmental issues. The Center hosts numerous festivals, lectures, seminars and programs throughout the year. Join their bird walk offered every third Sunday of the month.

1580 Cannon Road, Carlsbad, (760) 8041969, www.lagoon.aguahedionda.org.

Enter A Floating City At Sea: USS Midway Museum, alongside Navy Pier, San Diego Imagine life at sea aboard one of America’s longest-serving aircraft carriers. You’ll walk in the footsteps of 225,000 Midway sailors who served our country and upheld the American ideals of strength, freedom and peace.

Spend the day exploring more than 60 exhibits with a collection of 29 restored aircraft. The self-guided audio tour, narrated by Midway sailors, brings the carrier’s history to life. If you dare, “take to the sky” aboard one of two flight simulators.

USS Midway Museum, 910 North Harbor Drive, San Diego, (619) 544-9600, www.midway.org.

Make Some Music: The 25th Street Musical Bridge Song Rail on the 25th Street Bridge, Golden Hill As a child, if you ever ran a stick along a picket fence, you’ll love the railing separating the sidewalk from the traffic on the west side of the bridge. Within its rails hides a song. Artist Roman de Salvo created this carillon, a series of chromatic bells that plays a tune when struck in sequence. This functional and beautiful work of art melds safety and music in an unusual way. It’s also a symbol of bridging the Golden Hill and Sherman Heights neighborhoods.

Bring a stick or something hard to hear “Crab Carillon,” as you stroll by. The tune plays the same in either direction.

25th Street Bridge Spans State Route 94, Golden Hill.

Scream For Ice Cream: Niederfrank’s Ice Cream, National City Lots of things have changed during the past 68 years, but making ice

cream is still made pretty much the same as it was in 1948 when Elmer Niederfrank opened this street-front store. Niederfrank developed most of the flavors one at a time and his 10-gallon batch freezer is still an equipment mainstay. Everything including the ice cream, the familyrecipe waffle cones and the blend-in flavors, is made on site. Try some classics, like butter-rum pecan or the coffee almond fudge. More adventurous? Experiment with such tastes as avocado-pistachio, blood orange and merlot sorbet. Of course, your familiar favorites--chocolate, vanilla and strawberry—are also ready to be scooped.

726 A Avenue, National City, (619) 4770828, www.niederfranksicecreams.com.

Discover What Inspires You: The Living Coast Discovery Center, Chula Vista This San Diego Bay natural treasure is a nonprofit zoo and aquarium situated on the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. The Center provides an ideal setting to explore the animals and plants in this coastal region. At feeding time, learn from keeper presentations about sharks, rays, turtles, Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles. With a diverse collection and hands-on, interactive exhibits, you’ll be inspired to sign up for a VIP encounter where you can say hello to an owl or maybe touch a snake.

1000 Gunpowder Point Drive, Chula Vista, (619) 409-5900, www.thelivingcoast.org.

Dig In: San Diego Archaeological Center, Escondido Garner a greater understanding of the tools, processes and research involved in the field of archaeology.

Specifically, the archaeology of the San Diego region from 10,000 years ago to present day. In the Stone

The Perfect Weekend Getaway Right NEXT Door

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UPCOMING EVENTS Concerts at City Hall

July 5, 12, 19, 26

Rhythm of Riverside Summer Nights in the Park Wed, June 15-July 27, excluding July 6 Movies on Main July 7, 14, 21, 28 In partnership with the City of Riverside

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For Kids: Please bring socks for inflatables and water bottles for hydration. www.RiversideDowntown.org

951.543.6011 | www.wonderofdinosours.com

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 23

Stories exhibit, strikingly beautiful Kumeyaay ollas from Cleveland National Forest provide a backdrop for a discussion on pottery in the archaeological record. Gallery guides are available to extend the learning experience. Opening this summer is an exhibition dedicated to Fort Guijarros, the first defensive structure built by the Spanish military to protect San Diego Harbor. Over the years, the fort became home to soldiers, Yankee whalers and fisher folk, and is now an integral part of Ballast Point.

16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, (760) 291-0370, www.sandiegoarchaeology.org.

Go To The Beach: The Children’s Pool, La Jolla This picturesque beach with a panoramic view is partially protected by a seawall. The original intention was to create a fully protected swimming area, but recently, sand has filled in much of the area inside the wall. The beach is a favorite viewing area for harbor seals. There are several small beaches nearby including Wipeout Beach to the south and Shell Beach to the north. The Children’s Pool is one of nine beaches that has a permanent San Diego lifeguard station.

850 Coast Boulevard, La Jolla, (619) 221-8899.

Focus On Xeriscape: The Water Conservation Garden, El Cajon There’s no better way to learn how to make your home gardens beautiful and drought tolerant, than a visit to this conservation mecca. Composed of a series of demonstration garden spaces, the six-acre campus showcases drought-tolerant plants from around the world and the many different garden styles possible with this expansive plant palette. For ideas and inspiration, explore exhibits such as the Native Habitat Garden, the Compost Exhibit, the Veggie Garden and the Succulent Garden. Take a free, docent-led tour offered Saturdays and learn new techniques in one of the many classes. All aspects of watersmart gardening for the Southern California region are covered in our exhibits.

12122 Cuyamaca College Drive West, El Cajon, (619) 660-0614, www.thegarden.org.

Inland Empire Get Your Kicks: The California Route 66 Museum, Victorville Slip back to the 1950s inside a replica diner or “be cool, man” taking a photo in front of a VW Love Bus wearing hippy wigs and sunglasses. Jump up 24 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

onto a 1917 Model T Ford and hum a few choruses of “For Me and My Gal” or “Over There.” This interactive museum boasts some 4,500 square feet filled with memories, malt shops and nostalgia. And for those with a good sense of humor, there’s an outhouse built for a once-in-a-lifetime selfie.

16825 South D Street, (760) 951-0436. www.califrt66museum.org.

Meet A Mystery Writer: Temecula Valley Museum, Temecula Erle Stanley Gardner created Perry Mason, the master of courtroom drama. A Temecula resident from 1937 until 1970, Gardner wrote 82 “Perry Mason” mysteries. His series was adapted first for radio then for TV, resulting in 271 episodes running from 1957 until 1966. Get familiar with Gardner through some 6,000 of his photographs and a vast collection of memorabilia including a permanent reproduction of Gardner’s Temecula office. In addition to walking tours, hands-on experiences and visiting exhibitions, the museum hosts a variety of activities year round.

28314 Mercedes Street, (951) 694-6450. www.temeculavalleymuseum.org.

Be A Miner: Calico Ghost Town, Yermo This Old West mining town was founded in 1881 during the largest silver strike in California. Its 500 mines produced more than $20 million in silver ore over a 12-year span. When silver lost its value in the mid-1890s, Calico lost its population.

Miners abandoned the area that once gave them a good living, turning it into a ghost town. In town, explore an authentic silver mine, hop on a train like one running during those early mining days for an historical tour or pan for gold just like the miners did.

Calico is part of the San Bernardino County Regional Parks.

36600 Ghost Town Road, Yermo, (800)-862-2542, (760) 254-3719, www.calicoattractions.com.

Experience Life On The Farm: Amy’s Farm, Ontario Ever wondered what life on a farm would be like? Now you can find out. This fun, unique experience for all ages invites you to milk a cow, feed the pigs, smell fresh herbs, stroll through a sustainable garden and even groom a horse.

7698 Eucalyptus Avenue, Ontario, (844) 426–9732, www.amysfarm.com.

Taste Old World Romance: Mission Inn Hotel, Riverside From a modest start in 1876 as an adobe guesthouse, the Mission Inn grew into a veritable castle of turrets

and ornate tile domes, archways and lush garden courtyards. For more than a century, its grandeur has drawn glitterati and big names. In fact, Richard and Patricia Nixon were married at the inn and Ronald and Nancy Reagan honeymooned there.

Learn about the grand architecture and history during daily docent-led tours.

3649 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, (951) 788-9556, www.missioninn.com.

Encounter Prehistoric Creatures: Galleta Meadows Sky Art, Borrego Springs Go on safari amid life-size metal sculptures depicting creatures that once roamed the Anza-Borrego Desert some six-and-a-half million years ago.

More than 100 sculptures, the work of artist Ricardo Breceda, are spread across private parcels of land, known as Galleta Meadows, in the Borrego Valley. The art features creatures that once lived here, creatures that still do, and some that were created entirely in the imagination of Breceda. Print a map of sculpture locations from the website.

786 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs, (760) 767-5555, www.galletameadows.com.

Walk In A Hero’s Footsteps: March Field Air Museum, Riverside Whatever your age or background, the sleek fighters, bombers and cargo aircraft exhibited will fascinate.

With a rich variety of aircraft and artifacts, this museum promotes an understanding of mankind’s reach for the skies and March Field’s pivotal role in the development of flight.

Step through a World War I trench line under the shadow of the world’s fastest manned aircraft, the SR-71 Blackbird. Walk through a Vietnamera Fire Base surrounded by a brace of helicopters. Stand beneath the wings of a massive B-52 Stratofortress.

22550 Van Buren Boulevard, Riverside, (951) 902-5949, www.marchfield.org.

Take It To The Street: VillageFest, Palm Springs Visitors and locals mingle in this entertaining, fun street party. Every Thursday evening, Downtown Palm Springs transforms into a diverse array of artists, artisans, entertainers and purveyors of fresh fruits and veggies, flowers, jewelry, snacks and sweets. Add all that to the great shops, restaurants, clubs, and entertainment venues and you have a fabulous street event.

Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, (760) 320-3781, www.villagefest.org.

Step Among The Stars: Palm Springs Walk of Stars, Palm Springs This historical landmark founded in 1992 honors individuals who contributed to the charm, worldwide prominence and name recognition of Greater Palm Springs. The first Golden Palm Stars embedded on the sidewalks of were awarded to Earle C. Strebe, William Powell, Ruby Keeler, Charlie Farrell and Ralph Bellamy.

Some names you’ll recognize on your stroll include Sonny Bono, Bob and Delores Hope, KC and The Sunshine Band, Harpo Marx, Lindsay Wagner and Adam West. Palm Canyon Drive, Tahquitz Canyon Way and Museum Drive, Palm Springs. www.palmspringswalkofstars.com.

Make A Date: Shields Date Garden, Indio When Floyd and Bess Shields began their date farm in 1924, Floyd gave lectures in the garden to visitors.

Today those lectures are incorporated into a 15-minute film “Romance and Sex Life of the Date” airing continuously during store hours.

Take a stroll along a garden path that winds through the17-acre date farm, depicting 14 scenes and 23 statues that chronicle Christ’s life.

80-225 U.S. Highway 111, Indio, (760) 3470996, www.shieldsdategarden.com.

Historic Architectural walking tours

EXPLORE HISTORIC SAN DIEGO Join SOHO for a walk! Let San Diego’s historic architecture experts guide your group. Customized tours can include any of our five museums with a menu of tours to choose from. Ask us how to create your own historic home tour with multi-museum tour packages & ticket discounts.

Save Our Heritage Organisation www.SOHOsandiego.org • (619) 297-9327 www.facebook.com/SOHOSanDiego

California Eye Doctors Help Legally Blind To See High Technology For Low Vision Patients Allows Many To Drive Again the wet form is caused by blood vessels leaking fluid. Treatment is aimed at stopping the leak and preventing further leaks.

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Patient using prismatic low While there is currently no vision glasses for reading. cure, promising research is For many patients with being done on many fronts. macular degeneration and “My job is to figure out other vision-related conditions, everything and anything the loss of central visual possible to keep a person detail also signals the end to one of the last bastions of independence - driving.

California optometrists, Dr. Richard Shuldiner and Dr. Harold Ashcraft are using miniaturized telescopes which are mounted in glasses to help Patient using telescopic glasses people who have lost vision to drive and read signs. from macular degeneration functioning” says Dr. Ashcraft, and other eye conditions. a low vision optometrist in Los “Some of my patients Angeles. Even if it’s driving. consider me the last stop for “The major benefit of bioptic people who have vision loss” telescope low vision glasses is said Dr. Shuldiner “most magnifying road signs, traffic people don’t know that there lights and other distance objects are low vision optometrists necessary for safe driving”. who have extensive experience Dr’s Ashcraft and Shuldiner in helping those with vision are members of The International loss.We help people with Academy of Low Vision macular degeneration, diabetic Specialists (www.IALVS.com) retinopathy, RP and other eye and have extensive experience diseases regain function and in working with the visually independence.” impaired.

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Story by David Laurell • Photos by Flip Minott

ince the musical marriage of Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé generated hit songs in the late 1950s and early 1960s, married couples have played an important role on the musical landscape in every following decade. The list of duos, coupled by both marriage and music, is legendary: Johnny Cash and June Carter, Sonny and Cher, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, and so on.

Nestled within the assemblage of those married music-makers is the husband-and-wife duo of Daryl Dragon and Cathryn Antoinette “Toni” Tennille, better known to the world as the Captain and Tennille.

The musical duo, who released five albums that went gold or platinum and scored numerous hits including “Love Will Keep Us Together,” “Do That to Me One More Time” and “Muskrat Love,” also hosted a popular variety series on ABC in the late 1970s. As the 1980s and ‘90s rolled by, Tennille also released numerous solo albums and then, in 2014, after 39 years of marriage, Tennille left Dragon

26 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

for a very different life with her award-winning Australian shepherd dogs in Lake Mary, Florida.

Having recently released an extremely candid book, “Toni Tennille: A Memoir” (Taylor Trade, 2016), that lifts the curtain on her relationship with Dragon, which, unlike the public image of a happy couple they presented to the world, was instead one in which Tennille was a lonely woman constantly struggling against the controlling and often bizarre behavior of her emotionally inaccessible husband.

Tracing her life from her early days in the segregated South and dealing with her father’s alcoholism, to her rise to fame in the world of pop music, Tennille’s story is one of a woman, now 76, who is no longer one-half of a famed couple that always identified her. It is a story of how she has transformed herself into a stronger woman for all she has experienced during her amazing life – the good and the bad. She says her reason for telling her story in such an open and revealing way is because she hopes it will help others who feel trapped in a toxic relationship and make them realize it is never

too late to break away and reclaim your life and joy.

Life After 50 recently visited with Tennille, beginning our conversation by asking about the internal conflicts she wrestled with in deciding to write a book so personal, candid and revealing.

Toni Tennille (TT): I thought about it a lot before I started writing. I felt that having lived for 75 years and having had the opportunity to work with musicians like Pink Floyd and Neil Sedaka and The Beach Boys, I had a story to tell. But my story is not one full of all sorts of scandalous things, so I wondered if anyone would really be interested.

I had thought about writing a book for a long time, but just couldn’t bring myself to sit down and actually do it. As long as Daryl and I were together, I knew I couldn’t do it because I didn’t know how my story would end. I mean, my story with him. As for my story, I still don’t how it will really end [laughs]. Hopefully, I’ll have a few more years ahead of me. So after I left Daryl, I felt the time was right to do the book. Now, I’m not a disciplined

writer. I’m a good writer – good with lyrics – but as far as writing a book, that is very different than writing a song. My niece, Caroline St. Clair, my sister’s youngest daughter, is an excellent writer and has written a few novels for young adults that have just knocked me over. So I trusted her to work with me on my story. It was a story I really wanted to tell, because I think it can be of help to other women who, like me, know that they should get out of a relationship or a marriage, but just don’t know how to go about it, or are too afraid to get out. I want them to know, no matter what they are going through or their age, it’s never too late.

LA50: There have been many people who used to watch you and Daryl and questioned what made your relationship click. You were so very different from one another. Many seem to have thought, while it wasn’t evident, you two must have had some very private magic that made it work.

TT: Wow, that’s a very interesting observation.

I think it was something that people did pick up on. The thing Daryl and I had that worked – that clicked – was the music. He inspired me and my creative output more than anyone else; and I think I also sparked his creativity. But there was a stark difference between the music and the way we connected as people – as a couple.

LA50: You write in your book that throughout your marriage, Daryl was: “like a locked door with only little slivers of light shining around the edges.” What a line. What a song that would make!

TT: [laughs] Yeah, well, I don’t think I’d be ready to write that one anytime soon. But that line really is the perfect description of Daryl from the first time I met him. He never changed. I was Miss Romantic, and yet I was attracted to dark, creative guys. When I met Daryl, I saw him as being deep and mysterious and dark, and as a hopeless romantic, I said: “This is it!” I was convinced, beyond all reason, that I could bring him into the light. I just knew I could help him break through his darkness and be filled with joy.

LA50: And yet, on a night that should have been filled with joy like none other – the night you two won your Grammy Award – you write that Daryl was like: “a remote stranger passing by through the fog.”

TT: [sighs] His barrier – whatever was in place that protected him from feelings or emotions – I could never penetrate it and never saw anyone else who could either.

LA50: After reading your book, many may well question why, and even how, you stayed with him for so long.

TT: I was hesitant about ending our marriage, because I thought it would be so disappointing to our fans. It was only when my therapist said: “Look, this is your life. No one else’s.” That’s when I realized I had to do what I had to do. But, oh boy, it was tough,

and I guess the real answer is that I was stubborn and a hopeless optimist. I kept thinking: “Maybe tomorrow I’ll break through. Maybe the next day he’ll come around.” “Maybe next month” became “Maybe in six months.” I just kept thinking the time would come that I would find the key. I kept believing that would happen and never stopped working at it until finally, after decades, I came to terms with the fact that I would never be able to break through. He never loved me in the way I wanted to be loved. But I know he thought I was a good person and a wonderful singer. He really respected me as a singer, a songwriter and a musician. That carried me along for a long time.

Daryl pushed me to be the bubbly outgoing person I was onstage. He knew I’m more reserved and quiet – which I think comes as a surprise to people who only know me as a performer. He really pushed me and I know, professionally, without Daryl, there would not have been a Toni Tennille.

So despite the issues we had, it was very hard to end the marriage.

LA50: What is your relationship with him today?

TT: We talk. But I feel bad for him – for me – for us. I feel bad that I was never able to break through to him like I wanted to. I wanted him to be wonderful. I wanted us to be wonderful. But there comes a point when you have to accept things as they are and not as you want them to be.

I started to see a therapist, because I knew I could not live the rest of my life the way I had lived for so many years.

LA50: What do you think Daryl will think of your book?

TT: When I told him I was doing the book, he said: “You’ve always been a straight shooter and it is fine with me.” I told him it was just going to be an honest account of things from my perspective – my opinion, my point of view of our relationship. I have also encouraged him to do a book of his own, because I’m sure people would love to hear his side of the story – his point of view. But I don’t think he will ever do that.

LA50: Toni, what advice would you offer to someone who is in a marriage that is not working and contemplating a late-in-life divorce?

TT: You have to talk with someone who is not a part of your life, a professional therapist who can be objective and help you get back on the right road. Therapy really helped me. You can’t look at it as being weak – that you failed. You have to get help in any way you can. You have to get to a place in which you can take back your life and move forward.

LA50: You moved forward to Florida. What are your days like now?

TT: I wish I could say they are thrilling or exciting, but my life is just a regular quiet life – very uneventful. I’m not a social butterfly. I have my sister here and a small group of friends that I like to get together with and play bridge. It’s not an exciting life, but it’s one that makes me happy.

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 27

LA50: Your dogs also seem to play a big part in your happiness.

TT: Oh my yes, Bee Bop and Lula are my babies. I have Australian shepherds and they are my great joy. I got into them when I lived in Prescott, Arizona. I worked with them as therapy dogs and we would visit hospitals. I just love them.

LA50: Talk about what you do to stay in shape.

TT: Nothing! [laughs]. I haven’t exercised since the 1970s, when I did the “Battle of the Network Stars.” I had to really get into shape for that.

When I was younger, I was always a hiker and a mountain climber, but today I just climb up on the sofa with my dog [laughs.] But the one thing I do is I’m a healthy eater.

LA50: As the years have gone by and your life has changed so dramatically, have you adopted any thoughts or philosophy on getting older?

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TT: I want to be as healthy and strong as I can be for as long as I can be. I want to build on the happiness and joy I am finding at this point in my life. One of the things that has really been on my mind a lot is what contribution I can make at this time of my life. I’m not sure yet. I’m thinking that maybe with my book out, people in a difficult relationship will read about what I went through and relate, and maybe take stock of where they are in their lives. I hope I can do something to help people.

But exactly what direction I’ll go in, I just don’t know. I’m just going to see where the road takes me.

LA50: Would performing or recoding be in your future? To paraphrase a Captain and Tennille song: Would you consider doing it to us one more time?

TT: [laughing] Oh, I don’t know. I’m not really a self-starter, especially now that I’m 76. I also don’t want to sing if I can’t be at my best. Would I do it one more time? Well, I’d kind of be lost without someone to accompany me. That’s the big thing. After all those years, it would be very difficult for me to perform without Daryl. I won’t say absolutely not, but honestly, I’m at a point in my life in which I’m living in the present – enjoying each day, happy, joyful – and I simply don’t know what’s ahead for me and where the road will take me. I just don’t know.

For more information on Toni Tennille and her new book, click on www.tonitennille.net.

28 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

Beverly Hills Dental Health and Wellness

Treat the Whole not the Hole There are over 500 species of bacteria, as well as parasites, viruses, and yeasts that live in your mouth. They are opportunists, so if they find a place to hide, such as in an old root canal tooth, underneath a bad fitting crown, or even inside a space where the tooth was removed, it can make you sick. Dental infections such as gum disease have been linked to diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, cancers, pneumonia, and Alzheimer's. Why? Because bacteria do not stay in the mouth—they travel. Bacteria can travel to the lungs, heart, and joints, until they find a place to call home.

Your mouth is the gateway to your health, and is connected to the rest of your body and organs. If you are suffering from any medical condition, including diabetes, chronic fatigue, autoimmune problems, or digestive issues—it is imperative that you have your oral condition checked by a biological dentist. With the advancements in digital technology, we can now do 3-D imaging of your jaw and see any underlying infections that can cause disease. Salivary diagnostics allows us to detect the "bad" bacteria living in your mouth with a simple swish.

I have been working closely with several integrative physicians so we can treat the whole body. What we have found is when the mouth is ignored—patients do not get better, and the other way around.

Chewing is an important part of our health. If you are missing teeth or wearing a denture, you're not breaking down food properly, and nutrients cannot be absorbed. Deficiencies can lead to fatigue, constipation, skin problems, and poor healing. With advancements in dental implants, we now offer both titanium and ceramic options, which can restore your smile in one day. Nutritional support is a must during your recovery time, and is something that we take very seriously in our office. Many of our patients are back to work the next day smiling with confidence.

“ Your mouth is the gateway to your health.”

Sanda Moldovan, MS, DDS, CNS is an internationally recognized speaker, award-winning periodontist, author, and television personality. She is a double board certified periodontist and nutritionist, and a consultantant on oral health, periodontics, nutrition, and anti-aging.

Dr. Sanda’s office is mercury free (silver amalgam filling free) and mercury-safe. She is committed to practicing safe and healthy dentistry, and using her public visibility to educate and create greater awareness of the importance of how a healthy mouth translates into a healthy body.

465 North Roxbury Drive, #911 Beverly Hills, California • 90210 (Phone) 310.275.4180 www.drsandamoldovan.com

Sanda Moldovan, MS, DDS, CNS Double Board Certified Periodontist and Nutritionist Diplomate of the American Academy of Periodontology

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 29

T H H  M-K

By Steve Stoliar Illustration by Mark Hammermeister

B

H

In his iconic 1971 song, “American Pie,” folk singer Don McLean sings of “the day the music died.”

He was referring to February 3, 1959 – the date a small plane crashed, killing 22-year-old Buddy Holly and fellow musicians Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. But what was so special about Buddy Holly that the day he died, has been called the day the music died?

C

harles Hardin Holley was born in Lubbock, Texas, on September 7, 1936. He was the fourth child of Lawrence Odell “L.O.” Holley and Ella Pauline Drake. Every member of the Holley family – including older brothers, Larry and Travis, as well as sister Patricia – could either sing, play an instrument, or both, and they performed regularly in local talent shows. Charles – or “Buddy” as he was called from a very early age – learned how to play the violin and joined in the family jamborees.

When he was 11, Holley started taking piano lessons, but his heart wasn’t in it. He much preferred his brother Larry’s guitar. His early musical influences included such legendary country music artists as Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Snow. Holley and his fellow guitar-playing friend, Bob Montgomery, spent every moment they could listening to “Grand Ole Opry,” “Big D Jamboree” and “Louisiana Hayride” over the radio, playing along as best they could.

In 1953 Holley and Montgomery teamed up to form “Buddy and Bob” and started performing on the local “Sunday Party” radio show, as well as live gigs in and around Lubbock. Holley was also listening to radio stations that played rhythm and blues, and he began incorporating those sounds into his playing and singing.

After graduating from high school, Holley decided to pursue a professional musical career. In 1955, a young Elvis Presley performed in Lubbock, further

cementing Holley’s decision to be a musician. He actually opened for Presley twice at the Fair Park Coliseum and at the local Cotton Club. By this time, he was working with Larry Welborne on stand-up bass and Jerry Allison – whom he had met in high school – on drums, and his style had officially changed from countrywestern to that newfangled sound that was becoming known as “rock ‘n’ roll.”

In October of 1955, promoter Pappy Dave Stone – who had booked Presley’s gigs in Lubbock – arranged for Holley to be the opening act for the already popular Bill Haley and His Comets, and to be seen by a Nashville talent scout named Eddie Crandall. Crandall liked what he saw and heard and arranged for a demo tape of Holley’s songs to be sent to Paul Cohen of Decca Records. Cohen agreed with Crandall’s assessment and signed Holley to be with Decca – misspelling his last name “Holly” on the contract. The misspelling stuck, and so he would forever be known professionally as Buddy Holly.

In January of 1956, Holly did his first recording session for Decca, but was disappointed that the record label would be choosing the arrangements and the studio musicians. In April of that year, his first single, “Blue Days, Black Nights” was released to tepid sales. Grand Ole Opry manager Jim Denny arranged for Holly to tour with country legend Faron Young as his opening act, billed as “Buddy Holly and the Two Tones.”

A second single, “Modern Don Juan” was released in January of 1957, which

This feature is intended for you to clip and give to your children or grandchildren because…they must-know!

30 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

also sold poorly. As a result, Decca ended their contract with Holly – and told him he couldn’t record any of those same songs for any other label for five years.

Holly then approached Norman Petty, who had produced Buddy Knox’s “Party Doll,” and they arranged to record a song Holly had written with his pal, Jerry Allison. It was called “That’ll Be The Day” – inspired by a phrase John Wayne often uttered in the then-current Western “The Searchers” – with Allison on drums, Joe Mauldin on bass, Niki Sullivan on rhythm guitar – and Holly on lead guitar.

Petty sent the record to Brunswick Records in New York City, but since Holly was still technically under contract to Decca, the name “Buddy Holly” didn’t appear on the record. Instead, it was credited to “The Crickets” – a name Allison had come up with. Brunswick released the single by The Crickets, and then Holly and Petty learned that Brunswick was, in fact, a subsidiary of Decca Records! As a result, subsequent records by The Crickets would be released on the Brunswick label, while Coral Records – yet another Decca subsidiary – would release songs credited to Buddy Holly.

“That’ll Be The Day” was released in May of 1957, coinciding with a tour that included Washington D.C., Baltimore and New York City. They even played Harlem’s storied Apollo Theatre – but only after they included Bo Diddley in their shows. By the early fall of 1957, their song had become an unqualified hit record, topping the U.S. charts and even becoming number one on the U.K. Singles Chart for three weeks.

In September of 1957, Coral released the single “Peggy Sue,” with Buddy Holly credited as the performer.

By October, the single was number three on Billboard’s pop chart, number two on their R&B chart, and had hit number six in the U.K. By now, the strange split in recordlabel credits had merged into the unified “Buddy Holly and the Crickets.”

While touring in Oklahoma City in late 1957, Petty arranged for a recording session so they’d have enough songs to fill an entire LP album. The result was “The Chirping’ Crickets,” which was released in late November.

It contained such memorable Holly compositions as “Oh Boy!” “Not Fade Away,” “Maybe Baby,” and “Send Me Some Lovin’,” along with the already popular “That’ll Be The Day.” The album – and its separately released singles – topped the U.S. and U.K. charts as Holly, with his unique “hiccupping” singing style, became ever more popular.

On December 1, 1957, Buddy Holly and the Crickets performed “That’ll Be The Day” and “Peggy Sue” on the immensely popular “The Ed Sullivan Show,” cementing their national fame. They returned to the Sullivan show in January of 1958, shortly after recording another hit single, “Rave On,” and then departed for a tour of the U.K. In May of 1958, the group, which now included Tommy Alsup on lead guitar, recorded “It’s So Easy” and “Heartbeat.”

During a visit to the New York offices of Peermusic Publishing, Holly met the Puerto Rican-born Maria Elena Santiago, who was working there as a receptionist. He proposed to Maria on their first date and they were wed on August 15, 1958. Petty disapproved of the marriage because of its potential negative impact on female fans and urged him to keep it a secret. As a compromise, Maria went along on tours – but was referred to as the band’s secretary, rather than the leader’s wife.

In September, Holly recorded “Reminiscing” and “Come Back Baby,” as well as trying his hand at producing a record featuring a Lubbock disc jockey named Waylon Jennings.

Due to Maria’s influence, Holly developed an interest in more ethnic, jazz-flavored music and they took an apartment in New York’s Greenwich Village, where he recorded “Crying, Waiting, Hoping” and “What To Do.” The following month, backed by an 18-piece orchestra, he recorded “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore,” “Raining In My Heart” and the ballad “True Love Ways” for Coral Records.

In December of 1958, Holly ended his relationship with Petty – and with the Crickets. His first solo venture was a Winter Dance Party tour featuring Waylon Jennings on electric bass, Tommy Allsup on guitar and Carl Bunch on drums along with

Dion and The Belmonts, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson.

The first stop on the Dance Party tour was Milwaukee, Wisconsin on January 23, 1959. Getting from one gig to another in unheated buses – in the dead of winter – was problematic. As a matter of fact, Bunch had to be hospitalized for frostbite on his toes. To make things a little easier for the trip to Clear Lake, Iowa on February 2, Holly chartered a four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza airplane for Jennings, Allsup and himself.

After the show in Clear Lake, the next stop on the tour would take them to Fargo, North Dakota. The decision on who would get to fly instead of endure the cold bus trip has gotten a bit foggy over the years but, one widely accepted version is that Allsup lost a coin toss and gave up his coveted seat to Valens.

Jennings gave up his seat – willingly – to J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, who had the flu and couldn’t handle traveling in a freezing bus, and Dion DiMucci, of Dion and the Belmonts, who had also won a seat on the plane in a coin toss, opted out because of the $36 fare (equivalent to over $300 in today’s money) which was an indulgence he couldn’t justify.

Tragically, the plane took off in rough weather and crashed shortly after takeoff, killing the pilot and everyone on board instantly.

At his funeral, Holly’s pallbearers included Jerry Allison, Niki Sullivan, Bob Montgomery, and Phil Everly. He was buried in the City of Lubbock Cemetery.

His epitaph features the correct “Holley” spelling of his last name, as well as a carving of his Fender Stratocaster guitar.

Buddy Holly may have died on that fateful day, but contrary to Don McLean’s lyrics, his music lives on –and always will.

LEARN MORE • “Rave On: The Biography of Buddy Holly” by Philip Norman (Simon and Schuster, 2014).

• “The Day the Music Died: The Last Tour of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper And Ritchie Valens” by Larry Lehmer (Schirmer Trade Books, 2003) * “Remembering Buddy: The Definitive Biography”

by J. Goldrosen (Studio Publishers, 1987)

Mark Hammermeister is an award-winning artist. His work is available for purchase at www.markdraws.com July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 31

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

44th Annual

Cancer Convention FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONALS

Sept. 3, 4, & 5, 2016 Sat., Sun. & Mon. – Labor Day Weekend

SHERATON UNIVERSAL (Across from Universal Studios Hollywood)

LEARN ABOUT THE PREVENTION & CONTROL OF CANCER THROUGH NUTRITION, TESTS & NON-TOXIC CANCER THERAPIES SUCH AS LAETRILE, GERSON, HOXSEY, POLY-MVA, ENZYMES & IMMUNOTHERAPY FROM MEDICAL DOCTORS, CLINICAL RESEARCHERS, NUTRITIONISTS & AUTHORS. ALSO, LEARN ABOUT CHELATION, DMSO, OXYGEN, HERBAL, CELLULAR & ELECTRO-MAGNETIC THERAPIES. IN ADDITION, NATURAL THERAPIES FOR HEART, DIABETES, ARTHRITIS, MS & EYE DISEASES.

40 Speakers, 5 Movies & 80 Exhibits $40.00/Day Pay at Door For All Events For Doctor Referrals and Programs contact:

CANCER CONTROL SOCIETY (323) 663-7801

www.cancercontrolsociety.com

DOCTOR’S SYMPOSIUM – Tuesday, September 6 CEU’s for Nurses & Dentists $45.00/Day 32 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

Generations of Trust for Generations to Come.®

SENIOR SERVICES DIVISION SENIORS -

Hire A Specialist If the thought of moving, finding new accommodations, downsizing personal possessions and arranging the move seem overwhelming – hire a specialist.

Sherry Ramos LA/SFV (818) 429-2793

Mikki Porretta Arcadia (626) 462-2416

Evelyn & Jim Reichgelt Glendale (818) 259-8331

The agents in Dilbeck’s Senior Services Division all have a Senior Real Estate Specialist Designation and are trained to recognize special needs, provide solutions and understand the various living arrangements available to seniors. They will help you get started and make your entire transition as easy as possible.

Call an agent in any of Dilbeck’s offices close to you. The consultation is free, no obligation.

Kay Davis San Gabriel Foothills (818) 949-7667

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MarieClaire Moulet San Gabriel Valley 818-515-4904

Rita Padilla San Gabriel Foothills 626-462-2460

Specializing in Seniors Buying or Selling Real Estate

See our digital issue at

.com

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 33

Let’s Get OUt

San Diego/Orange County/Inland Empire

July/August

A Preview of Upcoming Events for July/August

eNteRtAINMeNt FRIDAY, JULY 15 MACBETH Tempted by an evil prophecy, and encouraged by his wife ever deeper into his own dark ambition, Macbeth murders his way to the throne of Scotland. Shakespeare’s chilling tragedy is filled with ferocious battles, supernatural horrors, famously gorgeous poetry, and some of the Bard’s most vivid characters. The Old Globe, Lowell Davies Festival Theatre (outdoors), 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego. $29plus. Through July 24. (619) 234-5623. theoldglobe.org.

HELLO DOLLY! Before dating apps and online matches, there was Dolly Levi. Join this cast of characters as they take to the streets of 19th century New York, looking for love, only to discover it was within reach the entire time. Plummer Auditorium, 201 E. Chapman Ave., Fullerton.

Through July 31. Prices vary. (714) 589-2770.

3dtshows.com.

RAPUNZEL UNTANGLED What’s a prince to do when the love of his life is stuck in a tower? A comedy, musical and romantic tale of a girl with the ultimate hair

issues. LifeHouse Theater, 1135 N. Church St., Redlands. Weekends through July 24. $16-$20. (909) 335-3037 ext. 21. lifehousetheater.com.

MAESTRO Leonard Bernstein, one of America’s greatest musicians, broke through every artistic ceiling possible to become the world’s musical ambassador. Conductor, composer, pianist, author, teacher, librettist, television star… for Leonard Bernstein, boundaries simply did not exist. Hershey Felder portrays Leonard Bernstein. San Diego Repertory Theatre at the Lyceum Stage, 79 Horton Plaza, San Diego.

Through July 17. $60-$89. (619) 544-1000. sdrep.org.

ORANGE COUNTY FAIR OC Fair Grounds, 88 Fair Dr., Costa Mesa.

Through Aug. 14. Prices vary. (714) 7081500. ocfair.com SATURDAY, JULY 16 SUN AND SEA FESTIVAL The original Imperial Beach Sandcastle Competition headlines the festival featuring world-class, award-winning sandcastle builders fashioning sand creations in a fast-paced, five-hour build. The festival also includes a community parade, pancake

Theatre, 2910 La Jolla Village Dr., La Jolla.

Through July 24. Prices vary. (858) 550-1010. lajollaplayhouse.org.

breakfast, live music, children’s activities, the annual Kids ‘n Kastles competition, a farmers’ market and an international food fair. Imperial Beach, Portwood Pier Plaza and along Seacoast Drive. Imperial Beach. sunandseafestival.com.

THE LAST TIGER IN HAITI In an earthquake-torn tent shack in Haiti, the sounds of kanaval fill the air as a group of restaveks – child slaves – spend the night trading fantastic folktales until the line between reality and fiction blurs. At daybreak, the oldest plans to break free for a new life but discovers the story of his future and past are in the hands of someone else.

La Jolla Playhouse, UCSD Campus, Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre, Mandell Weiss

GYPSY The musical is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist. The story follows the dreams and efforts of Mama Rose, to raise two daughters to perform onstage and casts an affectionate eye on the hardships of show business life. Songs include “Everything’s Coming up Roses,” “Together (Wherever We Go),” and “Let Me Entertain You.” Cygnet Theatre, 4040 Twiggs St., San Diego. Through Sept. 4. $34. (619) 3371525. cygnettheatre.com.

SAWDUST ART FESTIVAL It’s the 50th anniversary of this unique arts and crafts celebration. Experience the creative wonders of nearly 200 Laguna Beach artists in an enchanting outdoor canyon paradise adorned with waterfalls, eucalyptus trees and the best hand crafted art in California.

Sawdust Art Festival, 935 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Through Aug. 28. $8plus. (949) 494-3030. sawdustartfestival.org.

SUNDAY, JULY 17 AMERICAN RHYTHM Actors, singers and dancers along with a band, journey through the last 100 years of great American music. Lamb’s Players Theatre, 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado.

Through Aug. 7. Prices vary. (619) 437-6000. lambsplayers.org.

MONDAY, JULY 18 MOVIE MONDAYS: SELENA Movie-goers, enjoy casual evenings full of funfilled activities, picnic dinners or specialties from popular food trucks and watch a favorite film. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. Free. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org/moviemondays.

FRIDAY, JULY 15

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

As his radical teachings are evermore embraced, Judas increasingly questions the enlightened motives of this new prophet, resulting in betrayal. Christ’s final days are dramatized with emotional intensity, thought provoking edge and explosive theatricality. Propelled by a stirring score, this musical illuminates the transcendent power of the human spirit with a passion that goes straight to the heart.

Welk Resorts Theatre, 8860 Lawrence Welk Dr., Escondido. Dates vary through Aug. 7. $49-plus. (888) 802-7469. welktheatre.com.

34 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

PAGEANT OF THE MASTERS: PARTNERS Enjoy tableaux vivants (living pictures), incredibly faithful re-creations of classical and contemporary works of art using real people posed to look exactly like their counterparts in the original pieces. This year’s theme pulls back the curtain to reveal the significant

CALeNDAR

July/August San Diego/Orange County/Inland Empire Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. Free. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org/ moviemondays.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27 FRANKIE VALLI AND THE FOUR SEASONS Pacific Amphitheatre, 100 Fair Dr., Costa Mesa. $30-plus. (714) 708-1500. pacamp. com.

AUGUST MONDAY, AUGUST 1 MOVIE MONDAYS: FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF Movie-goers, enjoy casual evenings full of funfilled activities, picnic dinners or specialties from popular food trucks and watch a favorite film. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. Free. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org/moviemondays.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20

PETER PAN

Peter and his mischievous sidekick Tinkerbell visit the Darling children’s nursery late one night and with a sprinkle of pixie dust begin a magical journey across the stars.

In the adventure of a lifetime, the travelers come face to face with a ticking crocodile, a fierce Indian tribe, a band of bungling pirates, and of course the villainous Captain Hook. Moonlight Amphitheatre, Brengle Terrace Park, 1200 Vale Terrace, Vista. Dates vary through Aug. 6. $10-$55. (760) 724-2110. moonlightstage.com.

COMEDY AT THE MERC Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc, 42051 Main St., Temecula.

Saturdays. Prices vary. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7 COMPOSTING WORKSHOP Learn how to use your yard clippings as a resource, naturally achieve a beautiful, health yard and garden and reduce your use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Living Coast Discovery Center, 100, Gunpowder Point Dr., Chula Vista. Shuttle to entrance from parking lot. $9-$14. Sundays. (619) 409-5900. thelivingcoast.org.

LIVE JAZZ ON THE PATIO Whitney Shay. Bernardo Winery, Tasting Room Patio, 13330 Paseo Del Verano Norte, San Diego. Free. bernardowinery.com.

MONDAY, AUGUST 8 MOVIE MONDAYS: LABYRINTH Movie-goers, enjoy casual evenings full of funfilled activities, picnic dinners or specialties from popular food trucks and watch a favorite film. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. Free. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org/moviemondays.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9

others without whom the creation of great masterpieces might not have been possible.

The Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters, Irvine Bowl, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Through Aug. 31. $25-plus. (800) 487-3378. (949) 497-6852. foapom.com.

TUESDAY, JULY 19 FESTIVAL OF ARTS FINE ART SHOW Explore this juried fine art show featuring 140 of Southern Orange County’s top artists in an open-air gallery setting. The Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Through Aug. 31. $8-$12. (800) 487-3378. (949) 497-6852. foapom.com.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20 CONCERTS IN THE PARK Relax and enjoy the sounds of great music.

Pack a picnic lunch, bring lawn chairs and blankets. Peppertree park, 230 W. First St., Tustin. Wednesdays through Aug. 10. (714) 573-3326. tustinca.org.

THURSDAY, JULY 21 JAZZ AT THE MERC Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc, 42051 Main St., Temecula.

Thursdays. Prices vary. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org.

STRAIGHT NO CHASER Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay, 2241 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego. $65. (800) 745-3000. humphreysconcerts.com.

SATURDAY, JULY 23 YARDBIRDS The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. Prices vary. (949) 4968930. thecoachhouse.

COUNTRY LIVE! AT THE MERC Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc, 42051 Main St., Temecula.

Saturdays. Prices vary. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org.

SUNDAY, JULY 24

BOZ SCAGGS Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay, 2241 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego. $65. (800) 7453000. humphreysconcerts.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3

CLASSICS AT THE MERC Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc, 42051 Main St., Temecula.

Second and fourth Sundays. Prices vary.

(866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org.

CONCERTS IN THE PARK Relax and enjoy the sounds of great music.

Pack a picnic lunch, bring lawn chairs and blankets. Peppertree Park, 230 W. First St., Tustin. Also Aug. 10. (714) 573-3326. tustinca.org.

MONDAY, JULY 25

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4

MOVIE MONDAYS: ELF Movie-goers, enjoy casual evenings full of fun-filled activities, picnic dinners or specialties from popular food trucks and watch a favorite film. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Renée and Henry Segerstrom

JAZZ AT THE MERC Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc, 42051 Main St., Temecula.

Thursdays. Prices vary. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org.

KANSAS Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay, 2241 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego. $65. (800) 745-3000. humphreysconcerts.com.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 DESPERADO Eagles tribute band performs. The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. Prices vary. (949) 496-8930. thecoachhouse.

CABERET Come hear some of the most memorable songs in theatre history, including “Cabaret,” “Willkommen” and “Maybe This Time.” Leave your troubles outside – life is beautiful at this award-winning musical about following your heart while the world loses its way.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa.

Through Aug. 21. $29-plus. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12 THE B-52s Pacific Amphitheatre, 100 Fair Dr., Costa Mesa. $28-plus. (714) 708-1500. pacamp.com.

July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 35

CALeNDAR

July/August San Diego/Orange County/Inland Empire SATURDAY, AUGUST 13 COUNTRY LIVE! AT THE MERC Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc, 42051 Main St., Temecula.

Saturdays. Prices vary. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14 CLASSICS AT THE MERC Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc, 42051 Main St., Temecula. Second and fourth Sundays. Prices vary. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org.

eXHIBItIONs PETER KRASNOW: MAVERICK MODERNIST Featuring approximately 50 paintings and 20 sculptures, this is the first museum survey of Krasnow’s work in almost 40 years. His largely realist portraits and symbolic carved sculptures, are examples of social realism and Art Deco. His “Demountables” of the ‘30s and ‘40s—hand-carved wood sculptures assembled from interlocking component parts—are organic abstractions drawing on traditions of folk and tribal art. Laguna Art Museum, 307 Cliff Dr., Laguna Beach. Through Sept. 25. Closed Wednesdays. $5-$7. (949) 494-8971. lagunaartmuseum.org.

BAROQUE TO BLING! High Art and Low from the Collection of Donna MacMillan. If the baroque suggests excess, bling is that final, often glittery, enhancement that brings a sense of awe.

This playful exhibition offers an intimate peek into the exuberant collection of one of the region’s most prominent collectors.

Drawn from museum gifts and loans, this display conveys MacMillan’s distinctively ebullient collecting sensibility through cutting-edge art, fantastic fashion design and sculptural jewelry -- all linked by their highly decorative and meticulously-crafted aesthetics. Palm Springs Art Museum, The Galen and the Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden, 72-567 Highway 111, Palm Desert.

Tues.-Sun. through Oct. 16. Free. (760) 3465600. psmuseum.org.

A SUMMER IDYLL: PICTURESQUE VIEWS OF CALIFORNIA This exhibition celebrates summer in the Golden State combining works by historic and contemporary California artists painted over the past 100 years. The Irvine Museum, 18881 Von Karman Ave., Irvine. Tues-Sat. through Oct. 6. Free. (949) 476-2565. irvinemuseum.org.

ANTHONY FRIEDKIN: THE WAVE PORTFOLIO Renowned California photographer Anthony

Friedkin made the 20 black-and-white photographs of his Wave Portfolio between 1977 and 2006, printing them in his own darkroom in Santa Monica. They show waves at Zuma Beach, Venice Beach, Hermosa Beach, La Jolla, Carmel, and Santa Monica. Laguna Art Museum, Upper Galleries, 307 Cliff Dr., Laguna Beach.

Through Sept. 25. Closed Wednesdays. $5$7. (949) 494-8971. lagunaartmuseum.org.

MY HERO: CONTEMPORARY ART AND SUPERHERO ACTION This exhibition allows a glimpse into the secret lives of our most loved superheroes through a sprawling collection of artwork.

Created in a variety of media by artists from the region and around the world, these interpretations range from dark to humorous and familiar to new. The artists in the exhibition pay homage to these universal idols and present critical questions about their God-like stature as they re-imagine and newly interpret iconic superhero imagery.

The Museum @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido. Through Aug. 17. $8. (800) 9884253. artcenter.org.

MINGEI OF JAPAN: TREASURES NEW AND OLD Among donated treasures to be seen for the first time will be important textiles; indigodyed bed-clothes, door-way hangings and

kimono belts. A large selection of mostly-19th century Shinto ema paintings will also be exhibited for the first time. These disarming folk paintings depict familiar and exotic animals, vegetables and people. Mingei International Museum, Balboa Park, 1439 El Prado, San Diego. Through Oct. 2. $7-$10.

(619) 239-0003. mingei.org.

THE LORE BEHIND THE ROAR 100 Years of the San Diego Zoo. Celebrating the centennial of the world-famous San Diego Zoo, this extraordinary family-friendly exhibition tells the story of its humble 1915 beginnings to its evolution as a major tourist attraction and cultural touchstone. Full of interactive features, visitors can ride on a vintage zoo tour bus, hear stories from long-time zoo employees, live the life of a zookeeper, explore the extensive animal and plant collection and learn things they didn’t know about the world’s most popular zoo.

San Diego History Center, Casa De Balboa, Balboa Park, 1649 El Prado, San Diego.

Through Jan. 31, 2017. $6-$8. (619) 2326203. sandiegohistory.org.

MUMMIES OF THE WORLD Through modern science, engaging interactive and multi-media exhibits featuring 3-D animation, explore how mummies are created, where they come from and who they were. Using state-of-the-art scientific methodology, discover how modern science enables researchers to study mummies through innovative and non-invasive ways, offering unprecedented insights into past cultures and civilizations. Bowers Museum, 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana. Through Sept. 5. $10-$15. (714) 567-3679. bowers.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 2

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL

This is the inspiring true story of Carole King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Features a stunning array of beloved songs, including “I Feel The Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “You’ve Got A Friend” and the title song. San Diego Civic Theatre, Third Ave. and B St., 1100 Third Ave., downtown San Diego. Through Aug.7. Prices vary. (619) 570-1100. broadwaysd.com.

36 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

ASAFO FLAGS FROM GHANA On display are 37 colorful flags from West Africa dating to the late 19th and 20th centuries, and feature graphic folk imagery and appliquéd designs over a background of French roller printed cotton cloth. Asafo flags are displayed at funerals, annual festivals and other ceremonial occasions, where they adorn central shrines and are paraded and waved through villages and towns. Mingei International Museum, Balboa Park, 1439 El Prado, San Diego. Through July 17. $7-$10.

(619) 239-0003. mingei.org.

Get the Word Out. E-mail your announcements to Claire Fadden, cfadden@lifeafter50.com 60 days prior (or even earlier) to your event. Include a brief description, location, date, time, cost, phone and website. Submission does not guarantee publication.

Pasadena Weight Loss

By Dr. Claude Matar © Pasadena Weight Loss Center Pasadena Weight Loss Center, 774 N. Lake Ave., Pasadena, CA 91104, (626) 844-4686

Something for Everyone at North Coast Rep

Health, Energy & Vitality Many people begin noticing changes in their health, energy and vitality when they reach middle age. Weight gain, which is also very common during this period, can aggravate existing health problems and cause new ones.

When it comes to winning the middle-aged weight gain battle, understanding how and why the body puts on those extras pounds as we get older is an important first step.

Yes, It’s True: Bodies Change As We Age middle-age weight gainBodies change over time, both externally and internally. For many older adults, internal changes include an increase in fat around the mid section, which is unsightly and dangerous, and a decrease in both muscle and bone density.

As our estrogen (women) or testosterone (men) levels start to drop, the fat will begin shifting to the body’s mid-section.

Body fat, especially belly fat, if not addressed effectively using natural means, can put you at a higher risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, strokes and in menopausal women: breast cancer. In addition to: gallstones and gall bladder disease, degenerative arthritis of the knees, hips, and the lower back, and sleep apnea (failure to breathe normally during sleep, lowering your blood oxygen).

Body Fat & Calories As a general look, body fat increases when you eat more calories than you are burning up. one appleA calorie is a unit of energy – the amount of energy we get from what we eat or drink. For example, one apple = 75 calories = 75 units of energy. The body needs calories (energy) to survive.

Calories are “burned” through a process called metabolism. During metabolism, the oxygen in your body releases the energy units from the food you ate or fat you store. This energy is used by the body for digestion, breathing, thinking, circulation and many other functions.

How many calories your body uses to keep itself running depends on various factors, including age, sex, body size and activity level.

Read the detailed SUCCESS STORIES our clients have shared and give us a call at (626) 844-4686 to schedule an in-depth testing and a consultation with me (for only $95) to find out why your body is not losing weight and what exactly you can do about it.

JULY 13–AUG 7 and AUG 11–14* *Six additional performances at California Center for the Arts, Escondido

Conceived by Richard Maltby, Jr. & Murray Horwitz Directed by Yvette Freeman

The Male Intellect

August 10 & 12, 8:00pm | August 13, 2:00pm Laugh non-stop as Robert Dubac embarks on a quest to answer the age old question, “What do women want?” The New York Times says “Hilarious... a one man tour de force!” It is hands down one of the funniest solo shows you will ever see.

The Book of Moron

August 11 & 13, 8:00pm | August 14, 2:00pm If you are yearning for some satire that cuts with a clever intelligent edge; then buckle up for a hilarious joy ride over the pot-holed highways of cultural hypocrisy. It’s comedy on steroids.

(858) 481-1055 | NorthCoastRep.org

Tickets for Ain’t Misbehavin Aug. 11 – 14: (800) 988-4253 | artcenter.org Group Sales: (858) 481-2155, ext. 202 | 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach July 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 37

Rick Steves’ Travels The Aristocratic Get-a-ways of Portugal RICK ST EVES’ T RAVELS

By Rick Steves

I

t’s a funny thing about aristocracies. They always seem to get the best properties: the French kings and queens had Versailles near Paris, the Habsburgs retreated to Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace, and the British monarchs still have too many castles to count.

While less well-known, Portugal’s imperial retreats, located within an hour or so from Lisbon, give visitors a look at the country’s royal and Moorish past, including fantasy castles set amid exotic tropical plants, a craggy hilltop dusted with Moorish ruins, and a queen’s tiny medieval walled town.

Just 15 miles northwest of Lisbon, the plush and lush town of Sintra is a perfect day-trip destination (frequent trains get you there in 40 minutes). For centuries, Portugal’s aristocracy considered Sintra the perfect summer escape because of its proximity to Lisbon – and its higher and cooler elevation. Those with money and a desire to be close to royalty soon followed, building a thicket of grand residences amid luxuriant hillside gardens. Lord Byron called this bundle of royal fancies and aristocratic dreams: “A glorious Eden.”

Portugal’s National Palace sits in central Sintra. This oldest surviving royal palace in Portugal housed kings and queens for 500 years, and today’s government still uses it for official receptions. It’s a lavish showpiece, with rooms wallpapered with colorful glazed tiles called azulejos. The ceilings alone are gorgeous and richly detailed with cavorting mermaids, rambunctious magpies (a royal rebuke against gossips), and a proud coats-of-arms.

38 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

Sintra’s other main sights – a once-upon-a-time Moorish castle and the idiosyncratic Pena Palace – are a long, uphill walk from the center. It’s easiest to ride up on the shuttle bus that loops them together and then stroll down through the palace’s luxurious garden.

Visitors approach the 1,000-year-old ruins of the Moorish castle along a forest path that’s alive with the winds of the past. Once you break out of the woodland and climb to the top of the surviving ramparts, you’ll see why the Moors picked this spot for defensive purposes. Today its panoramic Atlantic views and cooling breezes are made to order for a picnic.

On a neighboring hilltop sits the Versailles of Portugal – the magical Pena Palace, more colorful than a box of Legos. In the mid-19th century, the flamboyant Prince Ferdinand built this fantasy, mixing architectural styles into a crazy, Neofortified casserole of Gothic towers, Renaissance domes, Moorish minarets, and Disney playfulness.

The palace’s elegantly cluttered rooms are just as they were in 1910, when the king fled during a popular revolt.

Just beyond Sintra, the rugged and picturesque Cabo da Roca is a pleasant side trip to your side trip. It’s perched high on a headland at the westernmost tip of Portugal – and Europe. There’s little more here than a small shop, a café, and an endless ocean vista. Here’s your chance to be the last person in Europe to see the sun set and their tiny tourist office sells a “proof of being here” certificate.

If you turn north from Lisbon, you can’t miss postcard-perfect Óbidos (buses leave Lisbon hourly for the ride). This little jewel of a town sits atop a hill, its 14th century wall corralling a bouquet of narrow lanes and flower-bedecked whitewashed houses. Now protected by the government from development, Óbidos is perfect for photographers and romantics. Stepping through the main gate, you’ll feel a bit like Dorothy entering a medieval Oz. Though there’s a castle here (now a pricey hotel), the main sight is the town itself. Wander the geranium-scented streets, climb the town walls, and sample some ginjinha (cherry liqueur) in a chocolate cup that is sold in shops along the main street. Then leave the tacky tourist area behind to explore the cobbled side streets.

A 10-minute drive or taxi ride from Óbidos is Caldas da Rainha, famous for its therapeutic springs.

Queen Leonor reputedly popularized this spot in the mid-15th century, when she stopped in for a soak in a sulfurous pool. For centuries, the “Queen’s Baths” attracted royalty looking for rheumatism cures. A venerable hospital now sits on the source of those curative waters. The charming old center is more workaday than Óbidos, but Caldas da Rainha provides a good glimpse of everyday Portugal, with the charm punched up just a notch.

Portugal’s kings and queens operated less opulently than other European royalty, but these, and other sights closely associated with them must be experienced.

Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and radio.

You can e-mail him at rick@ricksteves.com and visit his website at www.ricksteves.com.

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THE WEEK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD:

NIXON, CHINA AND THE ARTs South Coast Plaza and the New Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum, along with renowned arts institutions, will present a one-of-akind exhibition June 24 to August 18 celebrating significant arts and cultural developments resulting from President Richard Nixon’s historic 1972 trip to China — the first time a U.S. president visited that nation.

“The Week That Changed the World: Nixon, China and the Arts,” will be on display this summer at South Coast Plaza’s Jewel Court. The exhibition is an unprecedented collaboration by South Coast Plaza and the New Nixon Library with The Getty, Carnegie Hall, Bowers Museum, Orange County Museum of Art, Pacific Symphony, Philharmonic Society of Orange County, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, South Coast Repertory and USC Pacific Asia Museum.

1 LIFEAFTER50.COM FEBRUARY 2015 40 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

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Summer Adventure

AlAskA Homer, AlAskA is located on the shores of beautiful Kachemak Bay surrounded by glaciers, volcanoes and mountains. Homer is a “foodie” and arts community with world class fishing, kayaking, hiking, wildlife viewing and ecotourism capitol of Alaska.”

(907) 235-7740 or www.HomerAlaska.org AlAskA WAters, Inc. is central Southeast Alaska’s premier tour and charter company offering a menu of

tours and services throughout Tongass National Rain Forest for visitors and locals alike.

(800) 347-4462 or www.alaskawaters.com tundrA tours Inc. invites you to relax at the new Top of the World Hotel, to experience the Arctic on a Summer Day Tour and to enjoy the hotel’s restaurant Niggivikput “our place to eat”.

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Relax · expeRience · enjoy Tundra Tours Inc. invites you to relax at the new Top of the World Hotel, to experience the Arctic on a Summer Day Tour and to enjoy the hotel’s restaurant Niggivikput “our place to eat”.

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And Finally...

The Bookworm’s Best A Life After 50 book review

by Terri “The Bookworm” Schlichenmeyer

Political Suicide

By Erin McHugh

H

ave you decided who will capture your vote for president come November? If so, don’t be too surprised if between now and Election Day, your candidate does something that makes you change your mind.

During any given moment of a political campaign, a candidate can say or do something that can dramatically, or even fatally, doom their prospects, and in her new book, “Political Suicide,” Erin McHugh, highlights many of the self-inflicted things pols have done to bring about their political demise.

Why are politicians on every level so apt to make career-ending mistakes? The answer is simple, says McHugh: “They are human.”

There are surely times when people like to think otherwise, but the truth is that pols are just like the rest of us. They laugh, cry, love – and do boneheaded things. Their greed gets the better of them. Their egos need stroking, and their tempers take over.

Take, for instance, Daniel Sickles.

Though the New York State assemblyman was a known philanderer himself, he was furious to learn his wife also enjoyed a dalliance. Sickles killed his wife’s lover and went to trial, but pleaded temporary insanity, becoming the first person to successfully be acquitted in that manner. Also lucky was a California congressman who killed a man over a lack of breakfast; he likewise served no jail time.

Throughout history, there have been many scandalous quirks in politics. One sitting congressman served from an insane asylum. One was reelected while in jail. And one notable congressman told a megawhopper of a lie to gain his seat, then tried to explain it by saying that he was: “a prisoner of his own story.”

There’s a lot of money in politics – although, it doesn’t belong to the politicians. That, however, hasn’t stopped some of them from helping themselves to some of it – most notably in the case of one state treasurer who, during his tenure in office, pocketed $53 million.

Since the days of our Founding Fathers, there have been scandals aplenty in politics, from sexual shenanigans and drug busts to raciest comments and double-crossing. So if you’re looking for a little levity during this year’s contentious presidential campaign, you’ll find some in “Political Suicide.”

McHugh gives readers lots of true (and outrageous) tales with humor that comes from the situations themselves. She is quick to point out the ridiculousness of what happened, but also puts things into historical and cultural perspective; what’s more, her accounts seem sympathetic now and again, especially when naiveté is involved. That gives readers a nice balance of silly and sad to add to the scandalous.

What’s not to like about that? Nothing, so White House watchers, voters, fed-up folks, and historians alike will enjoy this book. If you need a hint of disgracefully laden lightheartedness between now and November 8, “Political Suicide” should be the ticket that gets your vote.

“Political Suicide” by Erin McHugh, 2016, Pegasus Books, $26.95, 258 pages The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer who lives on a hill with two dogs and more than 12,000 books. You can read more of her book reviews at www.lifeafter50.com. Just click on “Entertainment” and then “Book Reviews.”

A Look Back

Just A Thought Before We Go

I

“From every mountain side, let freedom ring!”

n March of this year, moviegoers were doing the same thing film fans were doing 50 years ago this past spring: flocking to theatres to see a Batman film.

While this year’s offering was “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” in July of 1966, it was “Batman: The Movie” starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin. The film included most of the television series cast including Cesar Romero as The Joker, Burgess Meredith as The Penguin and Frank Gorshin as The Riddler. Julie Newmar, who had been playing the role of Catwoman in the television series, had other commitments and was replaced by Lee Meriwether. The movie, like the campy television series, included the penchant for giving every device the Dynamic Duo used a “Bat-” prefix, used title cards that read “Pow!” Wham!” and “Bam!” during fight scenes, and incorporated parody references on contemporary mid-1960s popular culture.

Well received upon its theatrical opening, one critic wrote: “’Batman: The Movie’” elevates camp to an art form -- and has a blast doing it, every gloriously tongue-in-cheek inch of the way.” The American Broadcasting Company, which aired the television series, first broadcast the film on July 4, 1971. The film was released on VHS three times between 1985 and 1994, and then re-released in 2008 on DVD and on Blu-ray.

42 LIFEAFTER50.COM July 2016

~ Samuel F. Smith

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