Exit Through the Gift Shop

Living in a culture obsessed with entertainment and fame means we tend to be obsessed with defining reality as well. We love to learn about true stories that are stranger than fiction, but have become jaded after decades of being played the fool; we resent filmmakers who fabricate documentaries. And a fabricated documentary is just what was suspected with Exit Through the Gift Shop, street artist Banksy’s brilliant documentary about Thierry Guetta, a French store owner who infiltrates the street artist community under the guise of a documentary filmmaker.

When the film was released in 2010 — along with Catfish, a documentary accused of being faked, and I’m Still Here, which was revealed to be a hoax by filmmakers Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck — both critics and viewers immediately suspected that Exit Through the Gift Shop had been faked. After all, Banksy is secretive by nature, wearing a hood and mask on screen and speaking through a voice modulator. And street art, while credible and valuable, is still vandalism. Many wondered if a subversive man famed for his ironic satire could really be trusted as a reliable narrator.

Fact or fiction, Exit Through the Gift Shop is weirdly fascinating. Guetta, who transforms himself throughout the course of the film, is either a genius, a nutjob, or both. The phrase “Is this guy for real?” was invented for men like Guetta, which may have contributed to the skepticism that was leveled at the film. We may never know the truth behind the movie, but that may not matter. Exit Through the Gift Shop is fantastic regardless.

Exit Through the Gift Shop, available on DVD, is rated R for some language. Running time: 87 minutes.

Catfish

In 2010, the documentary Catfish was released in theaters across the country and controversy ensued. Audiences and critics alike questioned whether filmmakers Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman had pulled an elaborate hoax — an intriguing accusation considering Catfish is the story of Schulman’s brother Nev, a New York photographer, uncovering the truth about Facebook fans who aren’t what they seem. Some of the blowback may stem from an ill-conceived marketing plan by distributer Relativity Media, which presented the film as a taut thriller with a shocking ending. In reality, Catfish is a thoughtful investigation of our contemporary online lives. The surprise doesn’t come from a dramatic reveal, but in the way Joost and the Schulman brothers handle the situation and the people they encounter.

As Nev Schulman’s relationship with a family of artists in Michigan grows more intense, his brother and Joost see a story developing and begin filming telephone, text message, and Facebook conversations. Nev becomes an online mentor to Abby, an 8-year-old painter, a friend to her mother Angela, and a long-distance lover to her sister Megan. Nev finds himself falling in love with Megan even though the two have never met. When inconsistencies start popping up in Megan’s stories, Nev and the filmmakers take a road trip to Michigan in order to confront the Midwestern family and uncover the truth.

The trio delves deep into a gray area of humanity: who we are as people versus who we are online, and why we do the things we do. It would have been easy for them to paint this story with a broad stroke, to level accusations and point fingers. It is remarkable that they didn’t — and this is what makes Catfish a fascinating film.

Catfish, available on DVD, is rated PG-13 for some sexual references. Running time: 87 minutes.

by Heidi Trilling

You walk through a French blue-painted doorframe into a charming atmosphere. Lyrical Parisian music draws you in and enraptures you. The air is perfumed. There are seashells and starfish and satin gowns and sachets, floating pearls and silken hats adorned with birds and jewels, and just ahead — sparkling images of the Eiffel Tower.

Mother and daughter: Carol Patin-Gipe (left) and Monica Eblovi of The Posh Moon. Photo: Heidi Trilling.

Is this a dream?

No. It’s real.

You’re on Main Street in Half Moon Bay, and you’ve just entered The Posh Moon.

Since 2001, Carol Patin-Gipe’s exquisite French-themed clothing and accessories boutique has been delighting visitors and turning them into adoring patrons — and friends.

Patin-Gipe and her daughter, Monica Eblovi, celebrate their French heritage by outfitting The Posh Moon with ultra-feminine apparel, French jewelry, chic home décor items and body care products that will pamper each of your five senses.

All this in an atmosphere of a cozy Parisian atelier from another era, with lace curtains at the windows, vintage mannequins, and cloche hats on antique hat racks.

“Well, I’m an incurable romantic and so’s my daughter,” Patin-Gipe says, arranging a ruffled lavender scarf for display. “We love having romantic things here.”

And it shows.

The Posh Moon's shop window, aglow with love. Photo: Heidi Trilling.

Each niche and corner of The Posh Moon is brimming with dainty must-haves decorated with hearts or love poetry or fleur-de-lis designs. Soaps and keepsakes are wrapped like confections in sumptuous gift baskets or in delicate pink organza gift pouches.

Touches of the ocean, which is near and dear to Patin-Gipe and her family, are here too: abalone jewelry, conch shells and seahorse charms.

Even the business cards are enchanting.

Patin-Gipe took Columbine Sur La Lune — an image of a maiden lounging on a crescent moon and dreaming of love — from a 19th century French postcard as the shop’s logo. She, Eblovi, and their shop helpers Nancy Maloney, Kristina Lisper and Gloria Valencia hand-decorate every moon on every business card with iridescent glitter.

To Patin-Gipe, it’s a labor of love.

“Little details add so much romance. And at this time of year — Valentine’s Day — it’s all about romance! It’s our chance to really showcase the things that we love and have here. We get to put them all in the window and be really blatant about it!”

Carol Patin-Gipe fitting a charming chapeau on one of The Posh Moon's youngest customers. Photo: Heidi Trilling.

Eblovi nods in agreement. “Valentine’s Day lets us go all out. … My mom loves the décor and the little glittery, sparkling things. I love hand-painted things and fabrics. … Like this, feel how soft this is.” Eblovi fingers the silken drapery of an elegant shawl. It cascades like water from her hands. “We have this great new designer in Fremont … Carole Wang. Her things are made with bamboo.”

Stylish and sustainable.

The Posh Moon supports earth-friendly, cruelty-free vendors, like Heavenly Suds, makers of pure vegetable glycerin soaps in charming shapes, and Woodsorrel herbal body care products by local licensed herbalist Suzanne Elliott.

“And we don’t do anything that hurts animals,” Patin-Gipe says, emphatically. “All our fur is faux.”

Another hallmark of The Posh Moon: the hand-made items — cards, wall-hangings, scarves, hand-strung necklaces and bracelets, bath products — and most of the clothing lines are made by women.

In the dainty pink dressing room of The Posh Moon, a little bit of Paris. Photo courtesy of A.E. Allport.

“For as long as I could remember, I wanted to own my own business. A store,” Patin-Gipe explains. “We would go on vacation, and I would always find these wonderful little shops, and they were always run by women. I would feel like: ‘Wow! This is what I want to do!’ Because I really love people and beautiful things. I had no business training at all. … I just knew, to my core, that this was what I wanted: to put together a shop of our favorite things and favorite, comfortable clothes.”

And all of Patin-Gipe’s and Eblovi’s favorite clothes are vintage-inspired lines, like Effie’s Heart and Nataya. Or ballet-inspired, like Dance in Paris. All merchandise is cherry-picked by mom and daughter at industry events like the San Francisco gift shows and fashion markets. And on overseas excursions to elegant Parisian boutiques.

“We do the buying together,” says Eblovi. “We’ve realized that if we both love something, we bring it into the shop and it does really well.” Success, by family consensus.

In fact, The Posh Moon is all about family.

Patin-Gipe says: “Putting this shop together was really a family affair. My dad, who was 79 when we opened, was up on ladders, hanging these heavy wall pieces for us. My husband George is our CFO. My daughter Megan and her husband Joe have helped with both interior and graphic design. And my five grandchildren love helping whenever possible. … So, it just makes sense that the vendors — and customers — would become like family, too. It’s so nice to have a community of such talented, lovely women artists and designers.”

Which is not to say that gentlemen aren’t welcome in the shop, too.

Elegant and eco-friendly soaps by Heavenly Suds. Photos courtesy of A.E. Allport.

Eblovi’s photographer husband David provides the shop with beautiful, framed European images.

And many other gentlemen come in looking for that special something for their ladies. But what if they don’t know the right size or style?

“If something doesn’t catch his eye, we do have gift certificates in whimsical little boxes that are really gifts in themselves,” Patin-Gipe says. “We also have a Wish Book. And gentlemen are so delighted when their ladies have picked out several things and have put them in our Wish Book. … It’s like they have a fairy godmother helping them choose the right thing!”

Speaking of fairies …

“I channel the Love Fairy for Valentine’s Day, and give out little treats,” says Patin-Gipe. “It’s just so much fun, and people leave so happy, it just makes us happy, too.”

The Posh Moon hosts other in-store surprises and special events, like Paris flea markets and trunk shows — a recent one enhanced by harpist Pamela Bowen, whose ethereal CD is available at the shop. Patin-Gipe also hosts guided tours of Paris. Check The Posh Moon’s Facebook page for news of shop happenings.

Meanwhile, at the dressing room, Patin-Gipe adjusts a picturesque hat trimmed with a flower on a beskirted fifth-grade girl and then stands back, charmed and smiling. The young girl beams back at her in the mirror, transformed into a Renoir painting.

The Posh Moon’s flattering, feminine fashions bring a turn-of-the-century grace and romance to the fore, bringing out the Parisienne in all of us. And appealing to virtually all age groups.

Patin-Gipe says: “We have customers as young as 10 years old who can fit into the “extra small” sizes. And we have customers in their late 80s — maybe even 90! There’s no age limit in either direction in being feminine and embracing romance and style!”

Eblovi adds: “My mom is great at matching up the right clothes with people!”

“It’s so lovely to see people light up when they try on something that’s just right,” Patin-Gipe says, from behind the counter. She’s gift-wrapping an exquisite rose hatpin in beribboned tissue. When she’s finished, it’s a breathtaking little gift and — like everything else in The Posh Moon — bespeaks romance and magic.

“I believe that kindness is magic, really,” Patin-Gipe says. “I think it’s the key to so much. When I first opened the shop, I thought: If I can make it a happy place and be kind to people, maybe when they leave, they’ll be happier and, you know, touch other people that same way and keep spreading the magic and happiness.”

The Posh Moon is located at 519 Main Street in Half Moon Bay; you can reach the shop at 650-726-3821.

The rose dates back thousands of years and is the most popular flower in the world — and this is the time of year to prune existing roses and to plant bare-root roses.

© Jorge Salcedo | Dreamstime.com

Wet coastal climates can cause fungal diseases that can take the joy out of rose gardening. Start with a “disease-resistant” plant that can stand up to coastal growing conditions. Next, look for a rose that is grown on its own rootstock. The base of the plant should be smooth. A large knot indicates that the rose you want has been grafted, which may cause problems in the future.

Types of Roses

• Hybrid tea roses grow in a bush form, producing one flower per stem.

• Floribunda roses grow in bush form and produces clusters of flowers per stem.

• Landscape or groundcover roses are low growing and spreading. They generally require little pruning and are disease-resistant.

• Climbing roses produce flowers on long, flexible canes that typically grow to 8-12 feet, but in the case of ‘Cecile Brunner’ can reach 40 feet.

• Tree roses are generally 4 feet in height. Miniature tree roses grow to 2-3 feet in height.

Roses to Grow in Coastal Climates

Disease-Resistant Climbers

• ‘Sally Holmes’ will reach 15 feet in mild climates. The single flowers are white with a hint of pink.

• ‘William Allen Richardson’ can be grown as a shrub. As a climber it can reach 12 feet. It has large yellow blossoms with hints of orange and few thorns.

• ‘Shadow Dancer’ is a larger, modern climber with fragrant, two-tone striped pink blooms.

• ‘Climbing Iceberg’ has a long bloom period and large white fragrant flowers. It will reach 8-10 feet.

Rosa californica is a wild rose that is native to California. It is a good choice for woodland and wildlife gardens.

Rosa rugosa is a very thorny plant that is native to Asia. It is disease-resistant and will tolerate salt spray and grow in sand.

English Roses

If you are a fan of English roses, David Austin Roses recommends the following cultivars for coastal climates. Many of these are fragrant and repeat bloomers. Medium refers to roses in the 3-4 foot range, while large refers to 5-8 foot plants.

• ‘The Alexandra Rose’ – Medium shrub rose of single/semi-double coppery pink blooms

• ‘Thérèse Bugnet’ – Tall shrub of double pink roses, wind- and disease-resistant

• ‘Bonica’ – Medium-size Shrub with pale pink blooms

• ‘Carefree Beauty’ – Disease-resistant, medium shrub to low climbing rose, deep pink blooms

• ‘Hyde Hall’ – Large hardy shrub rose, double blooms in medium pink

• ‘Kew Gardens’ – Single form, white petals with yellow center, thornless, upright form

• ‘Knock Out’ – Cherry-red modern shrub rose with single blossoms. Hardy, disease-free and drought tolerant

• ‘Queen of Sweden’ – Soft pink English rose of full/double blooms. Disease-free, upright shrub

Design Tips

Roses want full sun so be sure to plant them in the sunniest part of your garden. They need excellent drainage and resent wet feet, so water early in the morning. Plant away from foundations to maximize air circulation and allow roots room to grow. Create visual impact by planting multiple roses of a single cultivar, and plant multiples of a single color. Pull the colors of your interior out into the garden and select roses in complimentary shades. Mixing plants and colors will diminish the overall impact.

Take time to understand how large each plant will get and plant larger varieties in the back of your beds. Site the more fragrant plants where they can be fully appreciated: near pathways, benches and the front of planting beds. Most importantly, take time to smell the roses!

Laurie Keit is a master composter and owner of Seasonal Celebrations, a garden, flower and event design company. Visit her website at www.seasonalcelebrations.com.

Randy Weber is a lifelong Coastside resident and photo enthusiast. Weber has an extensive library of local images from landscape to wildlife. He can be reached at halfmoonbay photography@gmail.com.

Organic Sugar Scrub. Photo courtesy of Robert Co.

by Joli Allen

You could say Jennifer Segale loves dirt. She owns her own landscape business and if her blog is any indication, she revels in all things that muck in and around terra fina. So it seems fitting that she also owns a second business, Garden Apothecary, where she makes organic bath and beauty products using what comes from the earth.

Organic sugar scrub. Photo courtesy of Robert Co.

Segale’s inspiration for creating her Garden Apothecary beauty products ranges from the god Eros to Casablanca lilies and the vernal equinox. But the philosophy behind her business is harnessed to one aspiration: to heal and educate through plants. This has been her goal since she was 13. “I always knew I wanted to immerse myself in the plant world, and found the growing environmental challenges we face very important to acknowledge,” she says.

With a background in horticulture, Segale initially worked with flowers and farmed locally. Twelve years ago she created her landscaping company, Wildflower Farms, and specialized in designing organically sustainable gardens. Her second venture, Garden Apothecary, grew from her landscape business. “I’ve always been obsessed with everything to do with plants, so crafting bath and beauty products I love, with organic plant bases, was an easy transition,” she says.

All of Segale’s products are made with whole botanicals. She says: “I remember being at a farmers market in San Francisco and seeing some ‘vanilla’ sugar scrub. … Upon further inspection of the ingredients there was no vanilla to be found — only ‘vanilla fragrance’ which, technically, can be anything. I thought to myself, I can do better than this!” The experience sparked her quest for creating luxurious chemical-free products to refresh and nourish the skin. “I love the process of making my products,” she says. “The research and creation is the most fun — tinkering with the different oils and organic flowers, seed pods, beans, stems and leaves. I’ve created a laboratory in my home where I make the products, and I hang out there constantly.”

Organic Water Refresher. Photo: Joli Allen

Segale does meticulous research of all things botanical and natural. “I write professionally for multiple publications in the fields of natural science. So spending late nights researching random seeds, flowers and bugs allowed me to amass an unreasonable amount of info about plants,” she says. This midnight obsession translates into creating products with varied properties. Her online shop includes notes on the ingredients and their properties as well as her inspiration for creating each product. Her commentaries often include whimsical mini-facts for her users; for example, she notes that anise seed has been used to bait mice. For her rose petal scrub she notes that even though there are 250 species of rose, and over 10,000 different hybrid varieties, only three are used for oil extraction.

Some Garden Apothecary specialties are the organic sugar scrubs that exfoliate and moisturize. Segale’s favorite is the Eros scrub, inspired by the god of sexual love and beauty and made with ylang ylang, vanilla bean, anise star pod, bergamot and vitamin E. The French clay mud mask is used for drawing toxins from the skin and also has antibacterial properties, according to Segale. Since our skin’s cell membrane absorbs substances molecularly small enough to pass through it, some rather nefarious chemicals enter. So getting a little muddy with the mask can be a very good thing. Other products include botanical bath powders, water refreshers and tea baths. All are handcrafted in small batches so that they stay fresh and at their full potency.

Jennifer Segale, owner of Garden Apothecary. Photo courtesy of Robert Co.

As if she wasn’t already cultivating enough activity in her life, she also writes a “Dirty Girl” blog about — what else? — all things horticultural. Things like the secret life of marino algae, which form a ball and sink and rise in a column in water. Her observations and asides about bee’s wings, the beautiful but deadly Fly Agaric mushrooms, and gopher attacks on a pittosporum tree reveal her passion for nature. Her blog educates her readers, adding humor and wit to the mix.

With so many occupational pursuits, Segale has to consciously make the time to fit them all in. “Having a slight degree in OCD helps,” she says. “I prioritize my time constantly, multi-task, and know when to delegate work when I need to. I can find myself getting lost in research almost every day — so I created a little sign by my computer that reads ‘Is this income-producing activity?’ It helps me stay on point.”

“I like everything about owning my own businesses,” she says. “The transition has been tough and so much more work than I expected. But having two companies keeps me on my toes and since they are both related to science, I don’t ever feel like I’m doing double work. They really go hand in hand. Being around lots of flowers, dirt, and growing things is not a hard day at the office!”

by  Monique Hodgkinson

What do Desperate Housewives, Jimmy Fallon, Odwalla, Robert Scoble, and many of our Coastside businesses have in common? They all use social media to build an online following. It wasn’t that long ago when technologies like blogging and social media were in their infancy. They were new and novel. Entrepreneurs who recognized the power of these online communication tools used them to put their names on the proverbial map. Social networking was new, interesting and sometimes silly.

Now social media has become ubiquitous, a part of the mainstream. Turn on your television. Twitter and Facebook are everywhere.

Large corporations aren’t the only ones using social media; there are also many small, local businesses that are successfully using these tools to build their businesses. Half Moon Bay Golf Links celebrates on Facebook and Twitter when a golfer hits a hole in one. Recently, while enjoying a frozen yogurt at Brazzle Berry in Half Moon Bay’s Strawflower Village, I noticed a sign with a familiar logo hanging in the window. It said, “Find us on Facebook.” Brazzle Berry has shared information about the day’s flavors, its holiday hours, and special deals on its Facebook page.

Another example of a small business that is successfully using social media tools to reach consumers is the crème brûlée cart, known on Twitter as @cremebruleecart. Curtis Kimball started his business on the streets of San Francisco with a recipe, a small wooden cart, and a single kitchen torch. Since 2009, Kimball has grown his online following to approximately 21,000 Twitter followers, added 1,750 Facebook fans, and expanded his business to include a catering truck. Thanks to social media, crème brûlée fans know where to get their favorite treat.

Social media is not the only technology that is changing the business landscape. Wireless devices have opened up powerful new channels for business. In June 2011, CTIA, the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry, reported the number of wireless subscribers in the U.S. was approximately 322.9 million. To put this in perspective, the 2010 U.S. Census report shows the U.S. population was 308.7 million. On average, Americans have each downloaded 22 apps onto their smartphones. It is estimated that 44 billion apps will have been downloaded by 2016. As these figures indicate, our use of cell phones and other mobile devices is continuing to grow and evolve.

So what does all this mean to the Coastside? For visitors and residents, it continues to get easier to find information online, even when away from a computer. Changes in technology are revolutionizing every aspect of the consumer’s life, from shopping to locating local businesses. When it comes to business, many companies are realizing that mobile marketing and social media are essential parts of their complete marketing strategy. The most successful companies carefully plan their marketing strategies, looking for opportunities that set them apart from the competition.

Monique Hodgkinson is an independent marketing consultant and technologist who specializes in online strategy development and implementation. Her company Screen Caffeen offers end-to-end Internet marketing services help businesses wake up their online presence. Call her at 650-740-1491, visit her website at screencaffeen.com, or follow her on Twitter where she is @screencaffeen.

Yellow freshwater pearl and crocheted wire necklace, rayon chenille scarves, knitted, felted hat and green necklace with Italian wire mesh. Photo courtesy of Patt Sheldon.

by Wendy Andary

Inspiration for Patt Sheldon’s art has come in many forms, but one of her favorite sources is her travels around the world. Virtually every color on the planet has the potential to someday find its way into her work. The rich and vibrant hues she discovers while visiting places like Budapest, Istanbul and the Amazon are bound to make a guest appearance in her art not long after she returns. Whether the colors find their way into a pair of dangly earrings or perhaps a soft-as-butter scarf she’s created, rest assured there’s a great story behind those colors. And after catching a glimpse of this artist’s work, one can’t help but agree with her decision to rely heavily on eye-catching purples, deep ambers, reds and vibrant greens for the undeniable impact they have on everyone. In fact, after seeing such dramatic, handcrafted pieces, it’s impossible to imagine them having the same effect were they borne of beige, taupe or sand tones.

So what made Sheldon decide to become a full-time artist in the first place? Well, after decades of teaching in public schools on the Peninsula, she admits that the idea didn‘t immediately leap to her mind. But the inspiration needed to jump-start this new chapter of her life came soon enough and was literally just outside her door. When she married her husband Matt, a Coastside resident of almost four decades, there was one absolute in his book: They had to live on the coast. She was fine making the move but it didn’t occur to her that she might have such a hard time dealing with what locals here affectionately refer to as the “June Gloom.” Sheldon recalls how tough it was at first: “I didn’t really know many people here yet so I ended up staying inside a lot. It was lonely. You know, the summer days get so dark and chilly.” Ironic then, that those seasonal grey days are precisely what led to Sheldon immersing herself into her passion for art. “I decided I needed to get involved in something and meet people, so I joined a couple knitting groups in town,” she says.

She soon began to make friends and fall in love with the coast, as her husband promised she would. The notion of weaving took flight when her husband mentioned a friend who wanted to part with a loom. A small second bedroom was suddenly transformed into the loom room. After almost a year of using the loom for little more than a glorified clothes rack, Sheldon’s inner artist emerged and she decided it was time to get serious about learning how to weave. She finally read the book she bought about the whole process and taught herself little by little.

Once she got started, she found a common bond with other weavers and encouragement from other artists of all kinds. This idea of lending support to fellow artists proved to be the catalyst for establishing the artist’s group that is now known as the Colony of Coastside Artists. According to Sheldon, the members are a terrific basis of support for one another. The group also organizes open studio weekends, where the general public can visit the artists in their studios and galleries and purchase pieces directly from them. It’s a nice chance to learn about the artists and directly interact with them — something most people rarely have an opportunity to do.

Given that her art plays such a big role in her life, it’s odd that there was a time when Sheldon didn’t even consider what she did to be art. Of course, having greater understanding and exposure to the many mediums she’s now embraced has taught her that her creations are as much a piece of art as any painting or sculpture. The beautiful quality and craftsmanship is apparent in the look and feel of any of her woven scarves or pieces of jewelry.

These wearable works of art lie in stark contrast to the usual suspects you find lining the shelves and racks of countless discount or department stores. The difference is clear, whether you’re eying one of her woven mohair and wool “cocoons” — a cross between a shawl and a jacket — or a unique Kumihimo-style necklace, which incorporates a traditional Japanese style of braiding into the beading and design. This kind of handiwork can’t come from an assembly line, and Sheldon hopes people remember that the next time they have the urge to run to the mall to pick up a gift. She says: “We have so many creative and gifted artists right here. Why not get something unique and handmade instead?” And given that her handcrafted scarves start at $75 and her jewelry pieces are priced from only $29, it seems like reason enough to ditch the mall and support a local artist.

Summing things up, Sheldon says: “Besides the ocean and the wonderful open spaces, I love the people here. I’m inspired every day just by living on the coast.” And we can all benefit from her inspiration.

Sheldon’s jewelry and woven goods can be found on her website; they’re also for sale at Savvy Skirts in the Shoppes at Harbor Village, across from Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay.

On the Web:

From left to right: Pacifica’s Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commissioners Cindy Abbott, August Murphy and Chair Pro Tem Greg Cochran, Councilmember Mary Ann Nihart, POOCH President Beverly Kingsbury, PB&R Commission Chair Richard Zuromski, Mayor Pete DeJarnatt, PB&R Commissioners Deirdre Finnegan, Todd Ewell and Patty Sambrailo. Photo courtesy of Michael J. Perez.

by Jo-Anne Daniels

This spring, Pacifica is scheduled to officially open its first dog park, located at the Sanchez Art Center at 1220 Linda Mar Boulevard in Pacifica. Construction began Dec. 8 when city officials and members of the Pacifica Organization of Canine Helpers — also known as POOCH — broke ground at the site of the new park. As dog owner JoAnn Alanzo says, “Both two-legged and four-legged friends will benefit from its presence.”

The dog park will provide an enclosed space — approximately half an acre — for dogs to run off-leash and socialize with other dogs in a safe environment. The park will be secured by a four-foot-high, green, vinyl-coated chain-link fence. Dog fountains will be located inside the park and there are plans to create segregated areas for small and large dogs. The park will be free, and will be open between 7 a.m. and sunset.

The City of Pacifica will provide a dispenser for doggie waste bags. POOCH, in partnership with the city, will provide free waste bags and a garbage receptacle. During the first months the park is open, POOCH volunteers will be on hand to educate dog owners about using the dog waste bags and garbage receptacle and to encourage park users to keep the park clean for everyone.

POOCH began in 2007 when a small group of Pacifica residents — including a dog trainer and a dog walker — sat around a kitchen table discussing the need for a dog park. They circulated a petition to determine the support for a local dog park and received over 3,000 signatures. The next year, POOCH became a 510(c)(3) non-profit organization, with Beverly Kingsbury as its first director — and began collecting funds to build the park. Kingsbury says that POOCH has committed to contribute $25,000 to the dog park project.

POOCH worked with Pacifica’s city manager and other city officials to select a site for the park. Together they addressed issues from the community regarding the proposed park. In 2010 an environmental report was prepared on behalf of the City of Pacifica, and the city council gave its final approval to build the park at the Sanchez Art Center site.

Mike Perez, director of Pacifica’s Parks, Beaches and Recreation Department, said that the city is currently completing a brochure entitled “How to Fully Enjoy our Dog Park,” which will describe the park’s rules and etiquette — the “expectations of humans and dogs alike.” The park rules are consistent with other dog parks, with rules such as these: “Dogs must be removed at the first sign of aggression” and “Children under the age of 12 are not permitted unless accompanied by an adult.”

These rules are made to protect both the dogs and the park users, creating a safe environment for all. The Peninsula Humane Society offers words of wisdom for all dog owners: “Know your dog! It is not advisable to bring a dog to a park during your first days or weeks together; give yourself time to know your dog’s behaviors, limitations, and mastery of commands.”

Perez gives credits to POOCH for the Pacifica dog park — and especially to Kingsbury, who spearheaded the project. He said that POOCH is a “fabulous community group” that has done a good job with education and outreach. As an example, he mentioned the Dog Daze events at Frontierland Park that POOCH organized in 2010 and 2011. All the booths and vendors at the events were related to either a dog cause or a dog-related business. He remembered fondly that there was one booth at Dog Daze that starred a dog that herded ducks.

The dog park’s official opening day has not yet been announced, but Pacifica park officials project that the park will open in late February or early March. Dog lovers can’t wait until the day the park opens so they can take their furry friends to romp and play in the unspoiled Pacifica dog park surrounded by trees and hillside.

As Kingsbury says: “Recent research has indicated that dogs require off-leash, dog-to-dog play. … We can now save gas by not traveling out of town to go to a dog park. Our city cares for us as dog owners.”

On the Web:

www.pacificapooch.com

Keeping Score: Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique

The next Coastside Film Society screening focuses on the life and music of the great French romantic composer Hector Berlioz. In this fascinating behind-the-scenes documentary, conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony take viewers on a guided tour of the life and music of one of the world’s greatest romantic composers.

The film begins by telling the story of Berlioz and the woman who inadvertently served as his muse. Berlioz got his first glimpse of Harriet Smithson in 1827 when he attended a performance of Hamlet with Smithson starring as Ophelia. Berlioz was instantly smitten and began writing her love letters, none of which were ever answered. In his despair, he began working out his feelings by composing a romantic symphony about an artist who was so tormented by an unrequited love affair that he began a drug induced downward spiral.

The first performance of Symphonie Fantastique caused a huge uproar. We get to hear the work in its entirety in the second half of the documentary as performed by the wonderful San Francisco Symphony under the lead of Michael Tilson Thomas. Of course a modern audience will not be as shocked to hear a work that is so obviously autobiographical as they were in 1830, but scholars still argue about Berlioz’s place in the musical firmament. Was Berlioz just another romantic wearing his heart too obviously on his sleeve, or was he an early example of a drug-addled musician willing to do anything to get the girl? Come to the screening and let’s hear what you think.

P.S. Writing the Symphonie Fantastique worked. In the end, Berlioz did get the girl. When his symphony made him famous, Smithson began to pay him attention. They were married three years after the premiere of the work. However, the marriage did not go well.

Running time: 116 minutes

Friday, Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m. Community United Methodist Sanctuary

777 Miramontes St., Half Moon Bay (corner of Johnston Street)

Suggested donation: $8 adults, $3 children and students.

On the Web:

www.hmbfilm.org.

Daughters of the Declaration: How Women Social Entrepreneurs Built the American Dream

(PublicAffairs, 352 pages, $26.99)

by Claire Gaudiani and David Graham Burnett

Claire Gaudiani and David Burnett reveal how a group of idealistic and determined women entrepreneurs focused on building “social profit” in America long before the robber barons built universities and libraries and created foundations bearing their names.

Documenting the work of these women during a time stretching from the Revolution to the end of the New Deal, this husband-and-wife writing team delves into the lives of Catherine Ferguson, Elizabeth Seton, Elizabeth Stott, Frances Willard, Mary McLeod Bethune and a number of other gifted ladies who “made a difference” in America.

The focus of this book is on the development of the not-for-profit sector and on the citizens who created it. Those who provide funds for these endeavors hope not for personal gain but for the more altruistic reward of seeing an improvement in society. They expect a “social profit,” which can be anything from a medical breakthrough, improved conditions in downtrodden communities or a more effective educational system.

“The social profit sector was developed not by the great men of industry but by women. Idealistic and determined women embraced the production of social profit in the new nation long before the ‘robber barons.’ … Women began this work at a time when they were not even entitled to own property or inherit wealth,” write the authors.

The women you’ll meet in this book aimed to abolish slavery, limit child labor, integrate immigrants, educate blacks, beautify their cities, and obtain the right for all citizens to vote, regardless of race or gender. This is their story.