ORTHO GUILD LUNCHEON COMING UP

The La Cañada Ortho Guild annual luncheon and fundraiser takes place on Tuesday, Oct. 19 at the Angeles National Golf Club in Sunland.

The three guest authors are Hannah Dennison, Cherie Mercer Twohy and Erica Silverman. All the funds raised at this event are donated to Charitable Care of Children at the Orthopedic Clinic and Hospital in Los Angeles and Calexico. Los Angeles Orthopedic Hospital is a recognized world leader in patient care, education and research. No child goes away without being served. To make reservations for the Book and Author Luncheon, call Margot Siess at (818) 790-779. All are welcome to attend to help the children.

YMCA HOLDING BLOOD DRIVE

The Crescenta-Cañada Family YMCA is hosting a blood drive, sponsored by the Huntington Hospital.  The drive will take place in the Patio Room today, Thursday Oct. 14th from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  All donors will receive a Baskin Robbins gift certificate for a free pint of ice cream. Donors are reminded to eat, drink lots of fluids, and bring a picture ID. Please contact Ida Diaz to schedule your appointment at (626) 397-5743.  Walk-ins are also welcome.

CV WINE IS SO FINE

The Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley will be presenting the history of wine making in the Crescenta Valley.

The Los Angeles area has an amazingly long history of wine production, starting in the 1700s with the Mission wines. Vineyards were a premium crop with the Americanization of the Southland, and it is a little known fact that Los Angeles was the top wine producing region in the U.S. at the turn of the century. The Crescenta Valley played a big part in that dominance of the wine industry boasting several local vineyards and wineries.  Stuart Byles will give a history of wine production in Los Angeles, with an emphasis on local wine production. He is the founder of the Stone Barn Vineyard Conservancy, a local group that is producing wine from the historic Le Mesnager vineyards in Deukmejian Park.

The Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley will meet on Monday, Oct. 18 at 7:00 p.m. at the Center For Spiritual Living, 4845 Dunsmore Ave., La Crescenta. Call (818) 441-4223 for info.

WOMEN’S COUNCIL HOSTING FUNDRAISER

The Women’s Council of Verdugo Hills Hospital Foundation (VHHF) is hosting a fundraising event, Artistry and Wine Celebrating the Art of Healing, on Saturday, Oct. 23 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the home of Sam and Kate Kaneko.

Funds raised during this special evening will be given to Verdugo Hills Hospital to help support the hospital’s Electronic Medical Record System (EMR) and purchase new infant warmers for the hospital’s Beginnings Family Birth Center.

For more information about the event, call (818) 952.2228.

AUTUMN AIR CELEBRATES PLEIN AIR PAINTING

Autumn Air, an artful celebration of plein air painting and the changing of the seasons, comes to Descanso Gardens Oct. 16-17 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Under the famed Descanso oaks, meet local artists working in the Gardens and selling their works. Free with admission: $8 adults, $6 seniors/students, $3 children 5-12. Two workshops priced separately. Fees for classes and programs include Gardens admission. (818) 949-4200, www.descansogardens.org.

Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge.

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 Oct. 20 pianist Rosa LoGiudice will be performing 3 Nocturnes by Chopin. She will be joined by violinist Jacqueline Suzuki in the Fairy Tales by Robert Schumann. The Glendale Noon Concerts is celebrating the bicentennials of both composers.

WOMEN CHANGING HISTORY TOPIC OF CLUB PROGRAM

On Sunday, Oct. 24, at 2 p.m. the La Cañada Thursday Club invites members and community guests to an afternoon tea and program: “The Fight for the Right to Vote: Women Changing History” with keynote speaker Barbara Robinson, ancestor of early suffrage leader Carrie Chapman Catt.  She is currently writing a historical novel about Ms. Catt, founder of the League of Women Voters and the International Woman Suffrage Alliance.

Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse will be on site to offer books for sale on the suffrage movement.

This is a free event, but reservations requested. Reservations can be made by contacting Valerie Burgess: valkath91214@yahoo.com or (818) 249-2669.

La Cañada Thursday Club is located at 4440 Woodleigh Lane in La Cañada Flintridge.

FESTIVAL, FAIR AT DESCANSO

A Harvest Festival and Plant Fair at Descanso Gardens takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 22-24. Unique plants for sale, horticulture talks and demonstrations, and activities for children including a costume parade Saturday morning. Free with Gardens admission: $8 adults, $6 senior/students and $3 children 5-12. For more information, call (818) 949-4200 or visit www.descansogardens.org.

Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge.

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.

PATRONS’ CLUB ANNOUNCES FASHION SHOW PLANS

The Patrons’ Club of Glendale Community College is holding its annual scholarship fashion show/luncheon/silent auction on Friday, Nov. 5, commencing at 11:30 a.m. at The Castaway Restaurant, 1250 Harvard Road in Burbank.

This year’s theme is Autumn Magic. The price for the luncheon will be $45 and reservations can be made by calling Betty Musacco, (818) 243-0908. Reservation deadline is Oct. 23. There will be many prizes including a $1,000 cash prize.

BABYSITTING CLASSES FOR KIDS BEING HELD

The Verdugo Hills Hospital BEGINNINGS Family Education Program offers babysitting classes designed for boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 15. The babysitting class is an interactive course that teaches participants valuable skills, including infant/child CPR, basic first aid, home/auto safety, accident prevention, telephone skills, safety tips, when to call 911, poison control, fire/earthquake plans and other helpful childcare advice. Upon completion of the course, participants will receive a babysitting course completion certificate.

Upcoming babysitting classes are being held on Nov. 20 and Dec. 11. Each class is a single, one-time class, held from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Classes are offered at VHH, located at 1812 Verdugo Blvd. in Glendale in the Council Room (located on the fourth floor).

Class fee is $35/person. Reservations are required. For more information or to register, call (818) 952-2272. For a list of additional classes offered by the Family Education Program, visit www.vhhospital.org.

BOOK SIGNING AT FLINTRIDGE BOOKSTORE

On Thursday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse is hosting a booksigning with writer Jeff Sherratt, author of “Detour to Murder,” a Jimmy O’Brien mystery novel.

Soon after its release, Sherratt’s first novel, The Brimstone Murders (2008) became the bestselling book of all time For Echelon Press. The second, Guilty Or Else (2009) was nominated for the Left Coast Crime Panik Award. Sherratt has written nonfiction articles for corporate newsletters and his short stores have been published in H2O Magazine and the anthology, The Heat Of The Moment. He is a past board member of Sisters in Crime/L.A., and currently a member of Mystery Writers of America. He has been a speaker at many book events including libraries, various California prisons, and he was the guest speaker at the prestigious Southern California Writers Conference.

Foothill Bookstore and Coffeeshop, 964 Foothill Blvd. in La Cañada Flintridge.

  Just For Fun