Page 2 August 25, 2016 TORRANCE TRIBUNE Arthur on his journey to get to know his late wife’s past. Beginning with the tiny emeraldstudded elephant which takes him to India, Arthur’s travels resume as he follows leads on charms that include an artist’s palette, a book, a thimble and a heart, Arthur finds himself in places that include New York, London and Paris. As Arthur’s character evolves through his travels, his journey becomes one of his own self-discovery as well as rebuilding relationships with family and friends. Phaedra Patrick’s novel is a sweet story of loss, hope and healing and the challenges we face along the way. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper is the book selection for October’s Evening Book Club that will meet at the El Segundo Public Library on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 6:30 p.m. If you would like to join us in discussing this book, please visit the library to check out a copy. The El Segundo Public Library offers access to its collection of titles in a variety of formats, including traditional hardback, e-books and books on CD. To check out The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, or any other title on your to-read list, please visit the library to apply for your free library card, or please contact the reference staff for further assistance. Reviewed by Julie Todd, Adult Services Manager, El Segundo Public Library. • Entertainment Film Review Check It Out In Directorial Debut “A Tale of Love and Darkness,” Natalie Portman Honors Jewish Heritage By Morgan Rojas Natalie Portman is regarded as one of the most ambitious and hardest working people in Hollywood today. Opting to place her career on hold to attend Harvard University in 1999 (getting her degree in Psychology), she is a perfect example for actors everywhere that one shouldn’t rely on beauty, not even talent alone, to survive in show business. The new film “A Tale of Love and Darkness,” based on Israeli author Amos Oz’s bestselling memoir, further proves her abilities as a triple threat in a film that Portman not only stars in, but adapts and directs. Oh, and did I mention Natalie Portman in “A Tale of Love and Darkness.” Courtesy of Voltage Pictures. the film is in Hebrew with English subtitles? “A Tale of Love and Darkness” is told from the perspective of Amos as an elderly man, reminiscing about his childhood in the budding State of Israel in the 1940s and ‘50s. Amos (Amir Tessler) is a 10-year-old Jewish boy, not yet mature enough to comprehend the politics of the Middle East. He meets a young Arab girl at a party and although they only speak a few words, they are enough for him to understand the conflict around him. His father Arieh (Gilad Kahana), an author with an awareness of the political state of the country, tries to teach his son life lessons every day. His mother, Fania (Portman), puts on a brave face as the matriarch of the household amongst the turmoil, but battles internal forces that eventually become too overwhelming. In tackling the vast historical context of Middle East politics, “A Tale of Love and Darkness” is slower and much denser than any of Portman’s other work. Its appeal is that it is non-commercial, but that doesn’t mean it lacks cinematic inspiration. Some of the most vivid scenes come from the nightly bedtime stories Fania tells Amos. Just as the character Sara in “A Little Princess” created fantasy worlds for her friends while in boarding school, the stories Fania tells are acted out in a similar fashion. This film is not just Natalie Portman’s directorial debut, it has also been her passion project that she worked on for over 10 years. It is an interesting choice for a filmmaker’s debut, as it definitely goes against the grain of formulaic Hollywood films. However, after watching, it seems like no one else could have pulled off this striking balance between romance and melancholy as well as the triple-threat Portman. “A Tale of Love and Darkness” is rated PG-13 for thematic content and some disturbing violent images. 95 minutes. Now playing at the Landmark Theater. • Visit us online: www.heraldpublications.com The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper By Phaedra Patrick El Segundo Library Staff Book Reviews and Recommendations Phaedra Patrick’s debut novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, introduces the reader to a proper older English gentleman The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick. who finds comfort in continuing his routine life, once shared with his late wife, Miriam. Arthur Pepper gets out of bed at exactly 7:30 a.m. every morning, wears the same mustard yellow sweater vest, the same gray pants and waters his fern, lovingly named Frederica, before heading out to his garden. On the one-year anniversary of Miriam’s death, Arthur decides it is time to move on from mourning. While cleaning out her belongings, Arthur finds a mysterious gold charm bracelet, never seen on Miriam’s wrist. As his curiosity is sparked, Arthur breaks out of his very comfortable daily routine, adding spontaneity to his life by embarking on life-changing adventures to distant lands in search of clues that may help him understand Miriam’s past. Each charm has a story to uncover, intriguing Julie Todd. Transit from front page carries out several duties, including: replenishing and recharging local groundwater basins, conducting large-scale groundwater monitoring; preparing technical and hydrogeological studies and surveys; as well as expediting groundwater recovery and cleanup programs. “In September 2015, the City Council adopted a Resolution in support of the Water Replenishment District’s local groundwater augmentation project, known as the Ground Water Reliability Program (GRIP),” states the staff report. “This project will replenish local groundwater in the District’s main replenishment basin- the Montebello Forebay located in the Pico Rivera area.” The project involves the use of enhanced stormwater capture and the treat of any additional recycled water supplies, which will then be used for replenishment purposes in the forebay area. Eligibility for LRP is for MWD members only; however, despite WRD not being an MWD member agency, it is eligible to obtain LRP funding through sponsorship of a member agency. “Torrance, in partnership with Water Replenishment District, has been a recipient of LRP incentives for the last 14 years for the development of the Goldsworthy Desalter Project located at the City Services Facility site,” states the staff report. “The proposed agreement with Metropolitan for LRP funding for the GRIP project is similar in scope to he current agreement for the Goldsworthy Desalter, with Torrance being the sponsoring member agency.” Council Approves Transit Department’s Claim for Transportation Development Act, State Transit Assistance Funds A recommendation by Torrance Transit Director Kim Turner to approve the department’s submittal of its annual claim to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority [METRO] for $6,224,354 in Transportation Development Act funds was approved by the city council. Also approved were $499,722 in State Transit Assistance funds for the Torrance Transit System, both for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. “Annually, the Torrance Transit System is allocated transit subsidy funding as provided by state statute on a formula basis based on external grant monies that finance the operating and capital needs of our transit system,” states the staff report signed by Turner. “These funds are shared by formula with all of the other included and eligible transit systems in Los Angeles County.” METRO allocates funds via its own sources each year, which include: Transportation Development Act [TDA] funds; State Transit See Transit, page 9
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