LEISURE CLUB HOSTS

VIRTUAL WALK

The Leisure Club of La Cañada Flintridge, a non-profit, social organization for seniors, invites the public to take a virtual walk through Descanso Gardens. Hailed as one of the most beautiful places in Southern California, the 160-acre Descanso Gardens is home to hundreds of varieties of camellias and roses. This is a very relaxing place, with paths and streams that wind through the towering forest, bordering a lake, bird sanctuary, Japanese Garden & Tea House, and Boddy House art museum.

On Jan. 7, the Leisure Club will present Brian Sullivan, director of Horticulture and Garden Operations, who will conduct a virtual tour of the Gardens and discuss its many features.

The Club meets in the Multi Purpose Room at the Crescenta-Cañada YMCA, 1930 Foothill Blvd. in La Canada at 1:00 p.m. This is a free event and anyone is welcome. No RSVP is required. The meeting usually lasts approximately two hours.

Parking is free and refreshments are provided.

DESCANSO GARDENS OFFERING CLASSES

Descanso Gardens is offering a demonstration on the basics of rose pruning from rose horticulturist Amanda Everett that includes classroom discussion and a field pruning. Saturday, Jan. 8 at 11 a.m. Free with admission: $8 adults, $6 senior/students and $3 children 5-12.

Also on Jan. 8, local artist Jay R. Ewing will begin a six-week course on painting nature from 10 a.m.-noon. Learn the finer points of painting the natural world in this six-week series of watercolor classes for beginning and intermediate students. Cost: $120 general, $90 members. No walk-ins. Registration required: (818) 949-7980.

On Jan. 9 from 1-4 p.m. floral designer and instructor Ray Tucker teaches floral design principles and flower arranging for all occasions in this four-week class. Students should bring scissors and gloves. Cost: $120 general, $95 members, plus a $75 materials fee made payable to instructor on the first day of class. No walk-ins. Registration required: (818) 949-7980.

Also available is an Intro to Gardening, Part One at 10 a.m. on Jan. 22. Descanso horticulturist Rachel Young teaches basics about soil, planting, how to choose plants, differences between perennials and annuals, how to water and how to pick a container for planting. Part two of the class is planned for March 5. Course fee covers both classes. Cost: $20 general public, $10 Descanso members. No walk-ins. Registration required: (818) 949-7980.

Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge.

MLK CELEBRATION COMING TO FOREST LAWN

Forest Lawn’s 9th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration will take place at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills on Sunday, Jan. 9. The program will be highlighted by an inspiring musical tribute to the fallen civil rights leader.

Beverly White, award-winning veteran reporter for KNBC-TV news program, will be the emcee.

The Southeast Symphony Orchestra, led by its music director and conductor Charles Dickerson and accompanied by a choir of more than 60 voices will perform a musical tribute to Dr. King. Reverend James M. Lawson, Jr. will perform the program’s invocation and benediction.

Forest Lawn’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration will take place at 5:00 p.m. at Forest Lawn’s Hall of Liberty on and is open to the public at no charge.  For additional information, call Forest Lawn at (800) 241-3131 or visit www.forestlawn.com. Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Dr., Los Angeles.

NOON CONCERTS OPEN TO PUBLIC

Glendale Noon Concerts is a free admission concert series taking place every first and third Wednesday from 12:10-12:40 p.m. in the newly restored chapel and sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Glendale (downtown at Louise & Wilson, no religious affiliation).

On Wednesday, Jan. 19, featured will be Tujunga resident cellist Mary Anne Steinberger in a solo recital featuring works by J.S. Bach “Selections from the Suites” for solo cello and Tim Davies “Tinabs: this is not a Bach suite” for solo cello

Mary Anne Steinberger is active as an orchestra, chamber and studio musician in Los Angeles, and Tim Davies is a Los Angeles composer and band leader.

LITTLE LANDERS PRESENTS ST. FRANCIS DAM DISASTER

The public is invited to a free presentation on Saturday, Jan. 8 by the Little Landers Historical Society on the history of the St. Francis Dam disaster of 1928.

On March 12, 1928 the St. Francis Dam broke. A wall of water and debris over 150 feet high flowed down the canyon obliterating everything in its path. The official death count stands at 450, but many more died, making this the second greatest disaster in California history.  Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society member Frank Rock, who grew up in the area, will separate the truth from the myths at the presentation. He has taken hundreds of people on tours of the current dam site and is an expert on the St. Francis Dam disaster.

The community is invited to this interesting (and a little macabre) story of an engineering nightmare. Everyone is welcome. Parking available at the Elks Lodge – uphill at 10137 Commerce Ave.

Saturday, Jan. 8, at 1:00 p.m.

Bolton Hall Museum, 10110 Commerce Ave., Tujunga

OSAMU SAITO VHAA GUEST ARTIST

Verdugo Hills Art Association hosts guest watercolor artist Osamu Saito For January’s demonstration event on Friday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. at the  La Cañada Community Center. This event is open to all.

Saito will demonstrate his expression of art through watercolor. Originally from Japan, he moved to the U.S. to broaden his creativity, skills and technique.

He has won numerous awards and his paintings have appeared in three watercolor books and was a member of the Rental and Sale Gallery at LACMA. Saito teaches watercolor at Yosemite National Park Art Center on the first week of September each year and can be found at the Ken Nakaoka Center in Gardena.

La Cañada Community Center, 4469 Chevy Chase Drive, LCF

HIGH SCHOOL REUNION PLANNED

The Crescenta Valley High School class of 1981 is having its 30-year reunion on July 16 at 6 p.m. For more information visit www.cvhsalumni81.myevent.com.

CVHS CHORAL ALUMS WANTED

Former members of choral groups at Crescenta Valley High School are invited to take part in the CVHS Alumni Chorale. The group, composed of CVHS choral alumni men and women, rehearse once a week on Wednesdays from 7:15 p.m. – 9:15 p.m., at the Glendale First United Methodist Church. The group performs for local civic groups and retirement homes in Pasadena, Glendale, La Crescenta, Montrose and Duarte during the holiday season and again in the late spring/early summer. After the holiday season performances the group will resume rehearsals in the middle of January 2011.

Anyone interested can contact Shirley Nute at shirleyb2@earthlink.net.

FOREST LAWN MUSEUM PRESENTS “LIGHT & HOPE”

Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale presents “Light & Hope” stained glass window display marking the start of the holiday season. This display is of renowned stained glass art that truly symbolizes the season.

“Light & Hope” will depict the seven most significant events in the birth and the early life of Christ, including The Betrothal of Mary and Joseph, The Visitation of Mary and Elizabeth, No Room at the Inn, The Shepherds in the Stable, The Flight into Egypt, Jesus in the Temple, and Joseph, Mary and Jesus in the Carpenter’s Shop. Franz Mayer & Company of Munich, Germany created the windows that date back to 1913.

The display will continue through Feb. 7. Admission is free.

For more information, call (800) 204-3131 or visit www.forestlawn.com.

Forest Lawn Museum, Forest Lawn-Glendale, 1712 S. Glendale Ave., Glendale

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