FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY TOASTMASTERS CLUB

Foothills Community Toastmasters Club is celebrating its first anniversary since the founding of the club with a potluck dinner and a Toastmasters meeting featuring a round of impromptu speeches referred to as “Table Topics.” The event will take place at the home of Marynance Shellenbach, 6635 Day St. in Tujunga from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, May 23. The community is invited to attend with RSVP.

Toastmasters International is a 91-plus-year-old worldwide organization of small neighborhood, company, community or organization sponsored clubs where people practice and get training in public speaking and leadership skills.

Foothills Community Toastmasters Club is the only official chapter in the Foothills area stretching from La Cañada Flintridge to Sylmar.

Following the program from Toastmasters International, this club meets weekly to help master the arts of public speaking and leadership. Although Toastmasters is most commonly associated with public speaking, members also learn impromptu speaking, listening skills and critical thinking.

The club meets 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Monday night at 10700 Hillrose Circle in Sunland. Guests are always welcome at no charge.

Anyone interested in visiting or learning more about the club should contact

fctmclub@gmail.com or visit www.foothillscommunitytoastmasters.club.

FAIRE(Y) TALES FOR GROWN-UPS AT FLINTRIDGE BOOKSTORE

Today, Thursday, May 26 at 7 p.m., Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse presents a panel discussion, Faire(Y) Tales For Grown-Ups, featuring four Los Angeles area authors. The panel is moderated by Renaissance Faire fan Petrea Burchard. She is joined by Faire participants Greg Bell, Corey Holst and Maggie Secara. They share insights about their books, and explore the popularity of fantasy and why millions of adults immerse themselves in imaginative worlds like the Renaissance Faire. Musician Holllienea, herself a Faire feature, performs live harp music before the program and during the signing that follows.

Faire(y) Tales for Grown-Ups was conceived by Petrea Burchard and Greg Bell to coincide with the Renaissance Pleasure Faire season (April 9 – May 22 at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale).

For more information, contact Gail Mishkin at (818) 790-0717.

Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse is located at 1010 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge at the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and the Angeles Crest Highway. Parking is in the rear of the store.

GLENDALE ART ASSOCIATION NEWS

The Glendale Art Association presents its 2016 Spring Salon through May 28 at Norik’s Art Gallery in Glendale.

This includes an exhibition of artistic ways of conveying the joys and jewels that nature brings in the spring. Proceeds are contributed as scholarships to Glendale visual arts students completing high school and pursuing further education in the arts.

For additional information, visit GAA website at www.glendaleartassociation.com or call (818) 248-7373 or (818) 241-2069.

Norik’s Art Gallery, 6635 San Fernando Road, Glendale

SUMMER SALON AT ARMORY CENTER

Artists at Play hosts its annual summer salon at the Armory Center for the Arts on Saturday, May 28. The summer salon includes a champagne brunch and a special presentation of “Dinner with Friends” by Donald Margulies, directed by Artists at Play founding member Peter J. Kuo. All proceeds from the Summer Salon go towards Artists at Play’s world premiere this fall of “The Two Kids that Blow S**t Up” by Carla Ching. To make a reservation, contact AAP.BoxOffice@gmail.com.

In “Dinner with Friends,” ever since Karen (Higuchi) and Gabe (Cho) played matchmaker with their friends Beth (Butiu) and Tom (Lee), the two couples have been inseparable. But when one marriage unexpectedly crumbles, the couples’ lives begin to veer in opposite directions. The Pulitzer Prize-winner for drama in 2000, Donald Margulies’ play is a modern masterpiece about the path you choose, the millions you don’t and the detours that make it worth the ride.

The summer salon begins at 11 a.m. with a champagne brunch followed by the special presentation of “Dinner with Friends” at noon. Reservations are $70 per person and can be made by contacting AAP.BoxOffice@gmail.com.

Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena

ROSE LEAF RAGTIME CLUB

The next musical get together of the Rose Leaf Ragtime Club is on Sunday, May 29 at Wang’s Place in the old town area of Monrovia. Meetings are held the last Sunday of the month from 1 p.m. until approximately 4:30 p.m. Free parking is available in several adjoining city-owned lots.

For further information, call Hal Leavens (626) 359-8648 or Ron Ross (818) 766-2384 or send email to ragtimeron@earthlink.net.

The Rose Leaf Ragtime Club features performers on piano and other instruments playing ragtime and other related types of music. All performers and listeners are welcome.  The only charge is to non-performers who are asked to make a $2 donation.

More information on the Rose Leaf Ragtime Club is available at http://roseleafclub.com.

Wang’s Place, 120 E. Lemon Ave., Monrovia

SUMMER WHITES PICNIC AND UKULELE RENDEZVOUS

The Lanterman Historical Museum Foundation will host its annual Summer Whites Picnic and Ukulele Rendezvous as part of the Fiesta Days Weekend at the Lanterman House and Gardens on Sunday, May 29. The event is free of charge and will be held from noon to 4 p.m. The picnicking in the Gardens begins at noon and free tours of the house start at 1 p.m.

Visitors can admire the work of local artists and dance in the ballroom to live music. There will be cookies and lemonade for everyone to enjoy throughout the event. As a special treat, those in attendance can join an outdoor ukulele concert with the Honey Lulus. Guests are welcome to bring their ukuleles to join the fun.

The Lanterman House is located at 4420 Encinas Drive in La Cañada Flintridge. For more information, visit lantermanfoundation.org or call (818) 790-1421.

13^TH ANNUAL CERAMICS EXHIBITION AT MCGROARTY

McGroarty Arts Center presents its 13th Annual Ceramics Exhibition and Sale opening June 4 and continuing through June 25. The exhibition kicks off on June 4 with a free opening reception from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., featuring live music, refreshments and an incomparable view from the Center’s terrace. Curator Brian Peshek has invited 24 local, professional ceramic artists to bring their finest pieces to share at A Teapot-Themed Group Show.

McGroarty Arts Center is located at 7570 McGroarty Terrace in Tujunga.

GALA TO BENEFIT SOLHEIM

Solheim will hold its First Annual Midsummer Night’s Gala at the Shakespeare Club in Pasadena on Saturday, June 4 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Festivities will include dining under the stars, live music and dancing, incredible raffle prizes, as well as Shakespearean delights around every corner.

Executive Chef Debbie Lee will be preparing a custom three-course menu for the gala.

Tickets now available at http://tinyurl.com/jx9zurm. Tickets are $125.

TGHS HOSTS GALA & BENEFIT AT GRAND CENTRAL AIR TERMINAL

Tickets are now on sale for The Glendale Historical Society’s (TGHS) third annual gala and benefit. “Come Fly With Us” takes place on June 11 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the restored Grand Central Air Terminal.

At the gala, TGHS will also present its annual awards in recognition of outstanding achievements in historic preservation. The recipients of this year’s Preservation Awards are the newly established Niodrara Drive Historic District and Grand Central Air Terminal.

Tickets to the gala and benefit are $140 for TGHS members and $190 for the general public. Tickets may be purchased online at www.GlendaleHistorical.org or by sending a check to The Glendale Historical Society, P.O. Box 4173, Glendale, CA 91202.

For further information, contact events@glendalehistorical.org or call (818) 242-7447.

JLP TO CELEBRATE 90 YEARS

Junior League of Pasadena Inc. (JLP) will hold a free, family-friendly event for the community to help celebrate the JLP’s 90 years in Pasadena. The event will be held at Kidspace Children’s Museum from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14. Food, beverages and entertainment will be provided. Carol Scott, 2016-18 president of the Association of Junior Leagues International and JPL member, will be the keynote speaker.

Please RSVP to info@jlpasadena.org as space is limited.

Kidspace Children’s Museum is at 480 N. Arroyo Blvd. in Pasadena.

CALL TO ARTISTS

Brand Associates (the non-profit arm of the Brand Library & Art Center) is sponsoring its 44^th Brand National Exhibition of Works on Paper. For the second consecutive year applicants can submit artwork through the CaFE online service. The official call to artists continues through June 17.

This exhibit of “works on paper” welcomes submissions of drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, mixed media, sculptures, and installations. Awards totaling $4,000 will be presented, including one artwork to be purchased by Brand Associates as well as a Juror’s Award. The Brand Associates will receive a 25% commission on the sale of works with all proceeds to benefit Brand Library cultural programming.

The juror of this year’s show is Laddie John Dill, an influential Los Angeles-based artist. The exhibition will open with a reception and awards ceremony in the Brand Galleries on Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. and the show will continue on view through Oct. 28.

HISTORY OF THE ANGELS FLIGHT FUNICULAR PRESENTED

Little Landers Historical Society presents the history of the Angels Flight Funicular on

Saturday, June 11 at 1 p.m. at Bolton Hall Museum.

Speaker Jim Dawson is a cataloguer and archivist at the American Film Institute in Hollywood. He has published two books about downtown’s former Bunker Hill neighborhood: “Los Angeles’ Angels Flight” (Arcadia Publishing) and “Los Angeles’ Bunker Hill: Pulp Fiction’s Mean Streets and Film Noir’s Ground Zero” (History Press).

All are invited for a look into Los Angeles’ past. Light refreshments after the program.

Bolton Hall Museum is located at 10110 Commerce Ave. in Tujunga (corner of Commerce and Valmont). Parking available uphill at the Elks Lodge.

‘ARMENIA: AN OPEN WOUND’ EXHIBITION AT BRAND LIBRARY

The exhibition “Armenia: An Open Wound,” presented by the City of Glendale and the Library, Arts & Culture Dept. in partnership with the Armenian American Museum, continues at the Brand Library Art Galleries through June 11 during the library’s regular hours: Tuesday and Thursday noon to 8 p.m., Wednesday noon to 6 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Armenia: An Open Wound” debuted in Mexico City at the Museo Memoria Y Tolerancia [Museum of Tolerance] in April 2015 in honor of the Armenian Genocide centenary. The exhibition explores the intricate history of the Armenian people and creates an interactive experience by illustrating early Armenian culture; it shares the story of Armenian livelihoods on their ancestral lands, and prepares viewers to gain a deeper insight into the events that lead to the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

For further information, contact Cathy Billings, senior Library, Arts & Culture supervisor, at (818) 548-2713 or email cbillings@glendaleca.gov.

Brand Library Art Galleries is located at 1601 W. Mountain St. in Glendale.

BONSAI SHOW COMING TO DESCANSO GARDENS

Descanso Bonsai Society will present its 47^th Annual Bonsai Show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, June 11-12 in Van De Camp Hall and adjoining classrooms, at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge.

Descanso Bonsai Society’s show is one of the longest running and biggest shows in Southern California. It is also Southern California’s largest judged bonsai show. The show is free with admission to the gardens.

Descanso Bonsai Society Club members will also be holding demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. While answering audience questions, club members will show how to replant, wire, and work on trees.

Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Descanso Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge. For more information, call (818) 952-4400.

‘RISE OF THE ROCKET GIRLS’ AUTHOR AT FLINTRIDGE BOOKS

On Friday, June 17, at 7 p.m., Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse welcomes Nathalia Holt for a talk and signing for her book “Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us from Missiles to the Moon to Mars,” the riveting true story of the women who launched America into space.

In the 1940s and ’50s, the newly minted Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) needed quick-thinking mathematicians to calculate velocities and plot trajectories. They didn’t turn to male graduates. Rather, they recruited an elite group of young women who, with only pencil, paper, and mathematical prowess, transformed rocket design and helped bring about the first American satellites.

When JPL became part of a new agency called NASA, these women, known as “human computers,” worked on the first probes to the moon, Venus, Mars, and beyond.  Later, as digital computers largely replaced human ones, JPL was unique in training and retaining its pool of brilliant women. They became the first computer programmers and engineers.

For the first time, “Rise of the Rocket Girls” tells the stories of these women who broke the boundaries of both gender and science. Based on extensive research and interviews with all the living members of the team, “Rise of the Rocket Girls” offers a unique perspective on the role of women in science: both where we’ve been and the far reaches of space to which we’re heading.

Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse is located at 1010 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge, at the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Angeles Crest Highway.  For more information, call (818) 790-0717.

FREE DANCE CLASSES AT SUNLAND REC CENTER

The community is invited to take part in free Tuesday night dance classes at Sunland Recreation Center. Dances include Zumba, hip-hop and swing. No prior knowledge or experience required.

Couples and families are encouraged to attend.

Classes are from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Sunland Rec Center, 8651 Foothill Blvd., Sunland

FREE STROKE SUPPORT GROUP, AND HEART LECTURE

A stroke support group hosted by Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center meets the second Tuesday of each month from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Rehabilitation Conference Room on the third floor of the hospital.

The support group is open to caregivers, family members, friends and stroke survivors and will help with communication, education, and coping styles while building friendships, solving problems and sharing resources and experience.

RSVP by calling (818) 502-4725.

Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital is located at 1420 S. Central Ave. in Glendale.

COURSES AVAILABLE ON RELIEVING FINANCIAL STRESS

Life Improvement Courses are offered on “Principles of Prosperity,” “How to Obtain Financial Security” and “Overcoming Financial Stress” at the Church of Scientology Mission of the Foothills.

These courses help empower a person with the knowledge to overcome financial stress to prosper in life. Each course is $50, is done at the individual’s own pace and timing is flexible. A stress-free financial future can be attained and having the right knowledge can make all the difference.

These are just a few of the life improvement courses offered. Others available address various subjects. The classes are open Monday-Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information contact (818) 957-1500.

Church of Scientology Mission of the Foothills, 2254 Honolulu Ave. in

Montrose (entrance off Market Street, behind in parking lot).

FOOTHILLS PRO GROUP

The Foothills Professional Group meets every Wednesday morning from 7:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Leon Lounge and Café. The group provides a structured and supportive system of giving and receiving business. It does so by providing an environment in which participants develop personal relationships with many other qualified business professionals. By establishing this “formal” relationship with other people, you may have the opportunity to substantially increase your business.

The cost is $15, which includes breakfast.

Leon Lounge and Café is located at 2519 Cañada Blvd., Glendale.

DBSA OFFERS SUPPORT GROUP

Depression Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) has a support group meeting every Tuesday at Vallejo Drive Adventist Church in Glendale every Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. DBSA provides hope, help, and support through peer-based, recovery oriented empowering services, and resources when people need them and how they need to receive them.

For more information, call Wanda Sellers at (818) 352-4346, email dbsalosangelesne@yahoo.com or visit dbsalosangelesne.org.

Vallejo Drive Adventist Church, 300 Vallejo Dr., Room 106 in Glendale.

NEWS FROM FRIENDS OF THE SUNLAND-TUJUNGA BRANCH LIBRARY

The bookstore of the Friends of the Sunland-Tujunga branch of the library, which is located inside the library, is filled with used books on almost every subject. There are books on psychology, religion, self-help, cooking, classics and many more subjects. It is open during library hours (except evenings). Prices range from 10 cents to a few dollars. All books are donated.

All monies collected from the sale of these books support the Sunland-Tujunga Branch Library in purchasing new books, DVDs and equipment. The Friends also supports programs for children and young adults as well as adults. It is a 501(c)(3) organization, so donations are tax deductible. Arrangements can be made to pick up large donations. Call the library at (818) 352-4481 to schedule a pick-up.

Sunland-Tujunga Branch Library, 7771 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga

TOPS OFFERS LOCAL MEETINGS

T.O.P.S. – Take Off Pounds Sensibly – is a self-accountability group meeting held every Monday. Weigh in is from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

An hour meeting follows in the education building of Center for Spiritual Living, 4845 Dunsmore (at Santa Carlotta). For more information, call and leave a message for T.O.P.S. at (818) 957-8442.

A meeting is also held in Sunland on Thursdays. Weigh-in is at 6:30 p.m.; meeting at 7 p.m. at New Hope Community Church, 10438 Oro Vista St., Sunland. Contact Jeanie Druebert at (818) 353-5015.

FREE DIABETES COMMUNITY EDUCATION CLASS

The Diabetes Care Center at Glendale Adventist Medical Center invites the community to a free diabetes community education class held every Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the hospital (Committee Room A).

Participants will learn more about living with diabetes – care and treatment, healthy eating strategies – the importance of blood glucose monitoring and AIC and tools for healthy life style to reduce the risk of complications.

For more information or to RSVP, call (818) 409-8100.

Glendale Adventist Medical Center (Committee Room A – Ground Floor), 1509 Wilson Terrace, Glendale

BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUP AT Y

The Crescenta-Cañada Family YMCA, in partnership with the La Leche League, is hosting a monthly lactation and infant development support group to help support new mothers. This monthly group meets on the third Friday of each month from noon-1 p.m.  This group is free and open to the community and will answer all breastfeeding-related questions that new mothers may have.

The Y is also offering a Mindful Parenting Course designed to help parents connect to their children and raise them to thrive. This course is adapted from the work of Dan Siegal, M.D and will focus on reducing daily stress while connecting with your child. The classes meet weekly on Tuesdays. The course is open to all and there is a fee to attend.

For more information, contact the Y at (818) 790-0123.

The Y is located at 1930 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada