The 818 Now

Members of the La Cañada Presbyterian Church have the Christmas spirit and are sharing it with the community for the 10th year in a row.

They will be offering free Christmas gift wrapping for everyone — weather permitting and while supplies last — from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday Dec. 19 in front of the Rite-Aid Pharmacy, 627 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge. No donations will be accepted.

Event Organizer Linda Pearson said they do it “because Christmas reminds us to celebrate what has been given to us relationally, physically and spiritually. Christmas also encourages us to model that graciousness to others unconditionally. Because it’s free, we hope that all will see and feel more of God’s presence this season and always.”

Husband and wife artistic directors Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott have announced they are extending the run of the British farce “Noises Off” by Michael Frayn at A Noise Within in Glendale.

The reasons are two-fold — sold-out performances and rave reviews. There will be eight additional performances Feb. 5 to 14.  For those who can’t wait, you might be able to purchase a ticket for the final shows in the run at 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. 

For reservations, call (818) 240-0910, Ext. 1 or visit www.ANoiseWithin.org.

The Christmas Train that was to make stops at the Glendale and then Burbank Amtrak/Metrolink stations tonight has been canceled because of the rain. Officials are considering rescheduling the event but no date has been set. For more information, visit www.metrolinktrains.com.

Those looking for artistic, one-of-a-kind gifts for friends and family should stop by the Burbank Creative Arts Center, 1100 W. Clark Ave. More than 60 students, teachers and members of the Fine Arts Federation are selling their work in the Holiday Boutique.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

They each add their own personalized touch too, said Frances Santistevan, gallery director.

Pottery instructor Jack Paul Miller experiments a lot with the glazes he adds to his pottery. While some artists dip the whole piece into a glaze, he takes a brush and paints intricate designs on his pieces. Sometimes he makes just hand-built items and other times, he combines both techniques. He’ll throw a pot and accent it with hand-built handles.

Barbara Rog, another pottery teacher at the center, is showing casserole pieces and wall hangings you can add dried flowers to, Santistevan said.

When it comes to jewelry, Teri Suarez, a student at the center, makes sterling-silver earrings and necklaces embellished with crystals. What makes her items even more special, however, is the packaging, Santistevan said. She decorates them with intricate designs as beautiful as jewelry inside, Santistevan said.

There are also paintings, photographs, Christmas ornaments and decorations, clothing, mosaics and hand-knitted items likes scarves.

I’m proud to say that my niece Tiffani Rudolph was one of five students from Canyon High School in Santa Clarita to make High School Honor Choir, and Saturday night the more than 200 students displayed their heavenly voices at an event sponsored by the Southern California Vocal Assn. at the Santa Monica High School auditorium.

The students from some 90 schools were showcased in either the Men’s Honor Choir, Women’s Honor Choir (where Tiffani was placed), and Mixed Honor Choir.

The association had auditioned about 600 students to pull the creme de la creme into these three choirs. And they kept their audience spellbound in all their performances.  You couldn’t hear a sound until the last note melted away. It was astounding: they were so finely tuned, and only after two rehearsals.

We had several students from the Glendale/La Crescenta/La Canada schools participating. In the Men’s Honor Choir were Jonathan Malmrose, Aiman Ibrahim, Skyler Smith, Adam Proctor, Rusty Blakey and David Kim, all from Crescenta Valley High School; and Joshua Briggs from Hoover High School.

In the Women’s Honor Choir, where my niece sang, local students included Katie Azevedo, Danielle Espinosa, Hallie Isquith, Jane White, Cecily Bell, all from Crescenta Valley High School; and Nathaly Varela, Claire Benoist and Katie Theobald, all of Glendale High School; and SuMin Kim from Hoover High School.

In the Mixed Honor Choir were Allison Malmrose, Camille Johnson, Grace Kim, Annie Lawler, Julia Veeh, Erin Wilson and Jae Yong Park, all from Crescenta Valley High School; Megan Sanborn, Woody Buck, Rishikesh Menon, Mitchell Steele and Tyler Steele, Jameson Evans, Frank Hill, Christopher Lazo, Alex Rosen and Quanah Sugiyama, all of La Cañada High School; and Joe Galvez of Glendale High School.

Now they are waiting to hear which students will go the next level — the state honor choir. We’ve got our fingers crossed.

Disability acting coach Tom Burke plays tennis with clients from the Burbank Center for the Retarded. (Roger Wilson/Leader)

Space didn’t allow my story to include producer Andrew Gottlieb’s comments on Tom Burke’s work on the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie “A Dog Named Christmas” that aired at 9 p.m. Sunday on CBS.

Burke is the lead teacher for the afternoon program for developmentally disabled adults ages 18 to 25 at BCR “a place to grow,” a sheltered workshop that teaching independent living skills to its clients.

Gottlieb is a freelance producer but this is his fifth film for Hallmark Hall of Fame, long been recognized for its top-notch storytelling for as long as I can remember.

Gottlieb and director Peter Werner did a lot of research on the production and that included a stop at BCR.They met Burke and hired him on to consult on the script, but found they needed him in other areas. He offered insight on the clothing the character Todd would wear, as well as what his bedroom would look like, Gottlieb said, as well as how he would react to emotional situations.

And because the filming is done out of sequence, Burke’s help overall kept everything consistent, including how the actors playing the mother and father would portray their characters. It kept it realistic throughout, Gottlieb said.

Credit: Creative Commons

Along with good cheer comes decorations on house tops and on lawns of Burbank homes this time of year.

Burbank’s Civic Pride Committee is again looking for contestants to compete in the 27th annual Holiday Outdoor Decorating Contest. And, oh, what fun it is to check the list twice and see all the nice people on it this year. This may sound corny, but what do you expect from a gal named Rudolph?

Deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Dec. 8, so residents need to make like Santa’s elves and get those ladders and lights out of the garage. Nothing says the holidays like Santa pulling eight tiny reindeer!

Brand Library Art Center will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25 and remain closed in observance of the Thanksgiving until Tuesday Dec. 1, when it will reopen at noon.

E-mails sent during times when the library is closed will not be answered. The library is at 1601 W. Mountain St., Glendale, 91201. For more information, call (818) 548-2051.

Teen actor Debby Ryan, from Glendale, strikes a pose at the Americana at Brand on Friday, Nov. 20 Ryan, 16, plays Bailey Pickett on Disney Channel's The Suite Life on Deck. (Raul Roa/News-Press)

Teen actress Debby Ryan was all poise and enthusiasm when I interviewed her this week for an upcoming edition. I asked her about her character Bailey Pickett and she was candid about how she portrays her.

Ryan said working for Disney, she is allowed to have a lot of fun in her portrayal, but the character still has dimension and is someone the audience can relate to, she said.

It was difficult finding all of Bailey’s levels because Ryan didn’t have a lot of background to go on, she said. Basically, they told her that the character was a farm girl from Kettlecorn, Kan.

“Bailey’s dreams were too big for the town she was from,” she said. “She spent time in the library. She’s intellectual. Being from a small town, she’s used to smaller things and she knows how to be in relationships, but she’s still growing and learning about herself.”

It’s a lot like the fish who goes from a small tank to a pond, she added.

“They grow as big as they can dream,” she said.

Now Bailey is in a pond and growing to her surroundings and there’s no end in sight to how far she will go, she said.

“She’s got a world to conquer,” Ryan said.

Standing on Memorial Field Friday night watching The Big Game with my classmates and former Burbank High School football stars, we reminisced about the last time we were all together in the stadium. We couldn’t help but notice the lack of excitement and revelry we remember from that great 1972 season.

Leo Orange, Mick Flavin, Bruce Smentek, Frank Baldino, Fred Hodges and Mario Perez from the championship team of 1972 were huddled on the right side of the field near the goal post. They were excited about the upcoming transformation of the football stadium and several said after 66 years, it’s definitely time for a facelift.

But we all couldn’t help but notice the lack of songs we remember the band used to play throughout the game to get the guys fired up. Gone were ”Go, go go, go you Mighty Bulldogs,” “Fight for Burbank” and “Budweiser” to name a beloved few. 

And, when the band went out onto the field, there were no baton or flag twirlers or drill team members galantly marching behind them in snappy royal blue uniforms and dazzling white pomm-pomms. And the cheerleaders pomm-pomms are barely larger than the girls’ hands now. They didn’t even bring them to cheer the guys on at the end of the field when a touchdown was scored.

Probably the most astonishing change was the band not playing the school’s song “Hail Burbank High School.” Instead, the football team did a choreographed hiphop-inspired drill with chanting.

Sadly, this isn’t the pageantry I remember.

My story published Wednesday on Navy veteran Jack R. Lewis hit close to home as my father served as a captain in the Army Air Corps during World War II.

Lewis’ daughter Robin Leslie remembered how much her father loved to fly and how often he would take her along on his private plane trips “as a babe in arms” she said.

While serving in the Navy, he was a bomber mechanic, she said, but he would have loved to have been a bomber pilot. He couldn’t because he was color blind, she said.

Lewis’ life story is ironic, Leslie added, because he died so young, age 38, after surviving in a POW camp.  But he led a happy life, Leslie said. He and his wife got along very well, they never argued, she said. And Leslie’s grandmother lived with them in the house Lewis and his father built in Burbank in 1969.

Leslie, who graduated from Burbank High School in 1965, still lives in the family home.

My story today on Bridget Fogg’s triumph over alcoholism is an inspiring one. Fogg continues to mentor other women through the Vesper House sober living for women program that helps them get back to a life of sobriety.

Bridget’s term for those who have gone through the 30-day program is ”Vesperettes.” She said she really feels a common tie to the women she meets in the at Vesper House and that they form a special bond or sisterhood. Bridget has watched as the women help each other, like when they are writing their resumes.

Vesper House “takes someone who is broken and transforms them into beautiful women,” she said.

The Glendale Symphony Assn. board of directors had a very successful fundaiser in June and is continuing to create fun and interesting fundraisers so that they can get the orchestra back on the Alex Theatre stage.

I’m working on a story for next week that will outline what their plans are over the next year to rebuild this 86-year-old organization. They want to increase the numbers of the board of directors, kick off a search for a new executive director and come up with dynamic fundraisers.

They are working against a harsh economic climate, they said, which makes it difficult to gain corporate sponsors and raise the funds to put on a classical music concert with full orchestra.  Association President Patrick Shahijanian says the board remains enthusiastic and positive that they will achieve their goal.

While getting my flu shot last week, I noticed a flier in my doctor’s office that I wanted to share.

The Providence St. Joseph Breast Health Center is offering low-cost digital screening mammograms for $100 through Dec. 31. Evening and weekend appointments are necessaryand can be scheduled by calling (818) 847-4999.

The American Cancer Society recommends annual screening mammograms for all women age 40 and older.

The center also has available $100 gift certificates for a digital screening mammogram to family and friends. Certificates can be purchased over the phone (818) 847-3434 or in person at the center, 201 S. Buena Vista Street, Suite 20, Burbank.  They are valid through Dec. 31, 2010.

I was curious how Drew Barrymore would do as a director on the new film ”Whip It,” so I saw it last Saturday night at the Burbank AMC. I’m still in shock that I liked it so much. It has a good message for teens as well as overly doting moms. The ensemble cast was terrific. And Barrymore kept enough distance on screen to give the other actors a lot of breathing room. I’ve seen Barrymore in other films and although they were not as heart-warming, she’s always a kick to watch. I really recommend it.

I could have done without all the promos before the feature presentation. I don’t mind one or two but I think they showed like closer to eight or 10, way past my patience level.

Also I recommend the place I went for dinner prior to the movie. Pinocchio’s Restaurant on Magnolia Boulevard. I have a difficult time deciding between the spaghetti marinara and the eggplant. The tomato sauce is thick and rich — the perfect accompaniment to any pasta. And the colorful gelato case is hard to pass up, but so far I’ve succeeded. Delicioso!

My friend  Annet Peairs over at  Roland Communications knows my love of history and sent me a release on an exhibit of the 10 sections, or 40 feet, of the original Berlin Wall commemorating the 20th anniversary of the wall’s fall on Nov. 9. It’s located at 5900 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 

The wall sections were acquired by The Wende Museum in Culver City, which houses one of the largest collections of German Cold War art and artifacts in the world.  The wall separated East and West Germany for 28 years from 1961 to 1989.  The wall can be seen for free through Nov. 14.               For more information, visit wendemuseum.org / wallproject.org

It was a typical morning. Feed the dog, cats, mom and the turtle. Walk the dog. Jump into the shower. The warm water felt great. I started working the soap across my torso and under my arms. Whoops! What was that? Naw, musta been a large fur ball off one of the cats. My fingers ran across my underarm again more slowly this time. And there it was. A lump. After my shower I showed the lump to mom. She suggested I make an appointment immediately with my ob/gyn, so I called and within an hour I was in his office. He looked at it and said it looked more like an swollen pore that had been aggravated by shaving. It would probably take a week to disolve. But I was sketical. Both my maternal grandmother and first cousin on my Dad’s side died of breast cancer, so I’m deligent about mammograms. I have to be more diligent about monthly self breast exams, but I’m usually too rushed to remember them. But when I hear someone complain about how painful a mammogram is, I tell them my story. My doctor went ahead an oked a mammogram, but within two days the nodule started to shrink and I cancelled the appointment. I was lucky this time.

We have done a series of stories related to breast cancer awareness this month. There are so many things we can do to protect ourselves if only we do them. If you can’t afford a mammogram, call the YWCA in Glendale. They provide funds for women who don’t have insurance or money to take the test. Do the monthly self-breast exams. Eat right. Exercise more. And share what you know with your friends.

Kathleen Campbell plays the Wicked Witch in the Stepping Stone Players' production of the Wizard of Oz during rehearsal at the Hoover High School auditorium. (Raul Roa/News-Press)

Last weekend I took my 10-year-old nephew, Robert, to see Stepping Stone Players’ production “The Wizard of Oz.”  It’s not only great, it’s very professionally done. The acting superb. And in the words of my nephew, Selby Schnobrich as Dorothy is terrific.

At times, her speaking voice is hauntingly similar to Judy Garland’s. Her singing voice is just as good as Garland’s. I got chills when she sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Equally amazing are Michael Dalke (Scarecrow), Johnny Chavez (Cowardly Lion) and Tom Camp (Tinman). 

The make-up is also professional, kudos to Susan Kussman, and the costumes delightful, thanks Valentino’s. And it’s wonderful to hear that beautiful score performed live under the direction of Craig Kupka.

I have only two complaints. In the one scene with the Wicked Witch of the West looking at her crystal ball with a flying monkey, the harp in the orchestra area blocked the view of them.

Another problem was with the balloon when the Wizard takes off without Dorothy, he rises a couple of feet and then just stays in view of the audience. They should just bring the curtain down in front of him.

But the rest of the show was aweseome and the three hours flew by, just ask my nephew who said he was never bored. Charming additions included the use of a real dog in the role of Toto and bubbles to usher in Amanda Bailey’s Glinda the good witch. It is all so enchanting! There are two weekends left in the run, so grab your broomstick and fly right over to the Hoover Auditorium.

Joseph James is one of 100 contestants chosen to compete in the show "Hell Bent on Hollywood."

I’ve been monitoring Joseph James’ progress on the “Hellbent for Hollywood,” a reality show in chich actors compete for their big Hollywood break.

James tells me in an e-mail today that he made it to the top 22 but was eliminated when judges cut those to 10 candidates. He’s a good sport about the result.

“I am grateful I made it into the top 22 and it was humbling going up against 99 very talented competitors,” he said.

He isn’t resting on his laurels however. Yesterday he was cast for season 2 of “Coming 2 Hollywood,” which, he said, is a similar show.

“This show will be giving us cameras to carry around as we audition and go from set to set,” he said. “I will be on it for possible three to four months, building up my fan base before they start eliminating cast members.

“What I learned and experienced while on the set of ‘Hellbent’ was priceless and the crew and producers where very courteous and professional.”

We’ll get updates from Joseph and his career from time to time. Break a fingernail, Joseph!

I headed back out Thursday night to take photos of Mike “Majik” Boyd’s debut show “Trip Down Memory Lane. Those of us who grew up listening to ’60s Motown and R&B could relate to his tribute to Sam Cooke. A small crowd, about nine people, came out for the first night, but what a great venue. The breakfast area of the Hampton Inn and Suites becomes a Las Vegas showroom, and you are face to face with the performers. Boyd grabs members of the audience to get up and dance and join in singing songs. Guest artist for the night Bonnie Pointer said it best, it’s like someone’s  living room. And speaking of Pointer, she brought several family members to back her up on many disco favorites as well as Pointer favorites — “Jump (for my Love)” and “I’m So Excited.” Thankfully the hotel is brand new, so we didn’t bring the house down jumping and jiving.  Where else can you reach out and touch stars? Only in Burbank. Check out Wednesday’s edition to see the review and my photo of her.