SANDLOT PRESSService for Locals by Locals

M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R

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January For the Family: Making History at the Autry: Every Sunday, the Gene Autry Museum in Glendale offers Let’s Make History for children from 1:00 – 3:00 pm. The crafts projects vary each week; end times can vary as well, so verify before you go. The center also invites the public to join in recreating the gold rush on Saturdays and Sundays between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. with a historical lesson and an opportunity for hands-on experiential learning with gold panning and a visit to a general store. Griffith Park (across from the LA Zoo) 4700 Western Heritage Way in Los Angeles. www.autrynationalcenter.org.Ice Skating at Pershing Square: $8 gains admission and skate rentals at Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles every day until January 18. Weekends include Kid’s Zone interactive entertainment.

Frosty the Snow Manilow at the Falcon Theater: New musical blends Frosty the Snowman with the sounds of Barry Manilow. The family fun musical parody runs through January 17 at the Falcon Theater at 4252 Riverside Drive in North Hollywood. www.falcontheater.com.LA Phil presents Vivaldi’s Four Seasons for Youths: The LA Philharmonic presents Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at Toyota Symphonies for Youth events at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on January 16th and 23rd at 11:00 a.m. 111 S. Grand Avenue in Los Angeles. (323) 850-2000. www.laphil.com.

Musical Circus with the Pasadena Symphony: Free concert and musical instrument “petting zoo” for children ages 9 and under hosted by Greggy Dee, a children’s recording artist, songwriter, and entertainer on Saturday, January 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Free admission. Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Green Street in Pasadena across from the Paseo Colorado.Darwin for All Ages: January 23 at 11 am and 3 pm and January 20 at 11 am, see Darwin: An Adventure for All Ages at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. www.centertheatregroup.org.

PerformingArtsMary Poppins at the Ahmanson: The musical Mary Poppins plays Tuesdays through Sunday until February 7 at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. (213) 972-4400. www.centertheatregroup.org.Chamber Music at the Huntington: Tuesday, January 12 at 8 p.m., the acclaimed chamber music ensemble Camerata Pacifica performs Ravel’s Trio for Piano, Violin, and Cello, and other works at the Huntington Library and Museum in Pasadena. (800) 557-BACH. www.cameratapacifica.org.Peking Acrobats in Glendale: Friday, January 15 at 8 p.m. at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, see The Peking Acrobats entertain all ages. www.alextheatre.org.Los Lobos at UCLA: East LA's Los Lobos plays two concerts at Royce Hall January 30. At 2 p.m., they’ll perform a family matinee featuring Disney songs and Mexican folk tunes; at 8 p.m., the Grammy winners will play a concert complete with acoustic folk, roadhouse blues, aural magic realism, and yearning ballads. www.uclalive.com.Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble at Cal State Northridge: The first black classical ballet company performs its successful and innovative artistic form on Tuesday, February 2 at 8 p.m. on the California State Northridge Campus. www.artsnorthridge.csun.com.

Emanuel Ax and Yo-Yo Ma in Recital: Artist Yo-Yo Ma on cello joins pianist Emanuel Ax at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on January 27 to play Schumann, Lieberson, and Chopin. (323) 850-2000.

www.laphil.com

Pasadena Championship Game Tailgate Kick Off: On Tuesday, January 5 from 6 to 10 p.m., the Pasadena Convention and Visitor’s Bureau hosts a tailgate event featuring the Boogie Knights. Wear your funkiest clothing and come boogie down. At the Paseo Colorado on Colorado Blvd. See www.ticketmaster.com for tickets.

Sports BCS National Championship College Football: Thursday, January 7 at 5 p.m. at the Rose Bowl, the two top-ranked college football teams in the country, Alabama and Texas, compete for the national championship. www.tournamentofroses.com.

Phys ical F i tness

OutdoorsExhibits&Events

Environmentally Responsible Electronic Collections and Recycling: Jan 02. Calabasas. Albertsons 26521 Agoura Rd. 10 - 3 pmJan 16. Culver City. Culver-Palms United Methodist, 4464 Sepulveda 10 to 2 pmJan 03. Beverly Hills Farmers Market. 8300 Block, Civic Center Dr. 9 - 1 pmJan 16. Woodland Hills. Vons 23381 Mulholland Dr. 10 - 3 pm

Santa Clarita Valley Film Festival: The 5th annual film festival will be held January 7-10 at the Repertory East Playhouse at 24266 Main Street in Newhall. Films are appropriate for all ages and will include feature-length and shorts by youth, junior high, high school, and adults in genres including musicals, animation, and romantic comedies. More info at info@scvfilmfestival.com.Author Daniel Pink to Discuss and Sign New Book: Author of bestseller A Whole New Mind discusses new book about how to find greater satisfaction in our lives and our work on Wednesday, January 13 at 7 p.m. at All Saints Church in Pasadena. Cost is $26.95 plus tax. Tickets available at Vroman’s Main Store on Colorado Blvd and at Hastings Ranch location. This is a ticketed event.

Greed and Excess Are So Last Year: Author Chris Farrell discusses and signs his book The New Frugality: How to Consume Less, Save More, And Live Better on Wednesday, January 20 at 7:00 pm at Vroman’s bookstore in Pasadena on Colorado Blvd. Admission is free. For more information call (626) 449—5320. www.vromansbookstore.com.Avenue Q Comes to Thousand Oaks: Tony Award-winning best musical, Avenue Q appears from January 19th to 24th at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Two shows Saturday and Sunday. For mature audiences. Tickets through Ticketmaster.

Guided Cheese Tasting by a Certifiable Cheese Nerd: Vroman’s bookstore in Pasadena hosts Alex Brown, one of LA’s top cheese minds, on January 22 at 7 pm. The cheese tasting is free and directed by Brown who helps LA chefs pick exciting new cheeses for their menus. This exposé will focus on all things lactic. This will not be for the faint of palate. (626) 449-5320. www.vromansbookstore.com.Acclaimed California Authors Featured At Reading Series: Written in California, the new reading series, co-sponsored by Vroman’s bookstore in Pasadena, features the state’s most acclaimed authors. Event held 7 p.m. at the Pasadena Museum of California Art at 490 East Union Street. Galleries will be open from 6-7 p.m. before the reading for a special admission price of $5. Admission to the readings is free.(626) 568-3665. www.pmcaonline.org.

Eagles Tribute in Thousand Oaks: The Long Run: A Tribute to the Eagles is presented by the West Coast Performing Arts on Saturday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Tickets through Ticketmaster.Rembrandt in Pasadena: Through March 22, the Norton Simon Museum presents The Familiar Face: Portrait Prints by Rembrandt. The exhibition features fifteen etchings by the Dutch master. Norton Simon Museum - 411 West Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena. (626) 449-6840. www.nortonsimon.org.

Brooklyn artist Rob Fischer at the Hammer Museum: Fischer salvages materials from abandoned buildings and junkyards and reconfigures them into large-scale sculptural environments that weave past histories with the present. Hammer Museum -10899 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles. (310) 443-7000. www.hammer.ucla.edu.

XTERRA Boney Mountain XDURO Trail Run at Pt. Mugu State Park: Saturday, January 9 at 8 am. www.trailrace.com.Junior League of Pasadena Rose Bowl Run with Kids’s K: Event on Sunday January 31 at 8 a.m. at the Rose Bowl features a 10K and Kids’ K. Contact Catherine Welch at (626) 796-0244.

Woodside Trail Runs: Saturday, February 6, experience the towering redwoods, lush ferns, and beautiful trails through Huddart Park, King’s Mountain, Bear Gulch, and Wunderlich Park in Woodside. Distances include 10K, 17K, 35K, and 50K. This event limits racers and fills early. www.pctrailruns.com.Run in California’s Spectacular Landscape: “If we were told that we could run only one marathon in our lifetime, Big Sur would have to be it.” – Runner’s World Magazine. April 25, 2010. www.bsim.org.

Mountain High, Within an Hour of Los Angeles: Mt. Pinos offers a fun winter excursion within an hour’s drive from Northern Los Angeles. Activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and sledding. Rentals available at Frazier Park Ski & Pack (661 245-3438) and Mt. Pinos Wintersports (661 245-3760). There is no ski center, so come prepared with food, clothing, and equipment. Forest Service Adventure Passes and chains are required.

Go Green Expo at LA Convention Center: Go Green Expo will display eco-friendly alternatives to products and services used everyday. Hundreds of exhibits will include solar panels, hybrid cars, organic personal care products, eco-pet supplies, greener gadgets, eco-fashion, and home and building supplies. Speakers will include Ed Begley Jr. (of course), Mariel Hemingway, John Picard, and Eric Corey Freed. January 22 from 10 am to 6 pm at LA Convention Center, 1201 South Figueroa Street. www.gogreenexpo.com.

Have You Considered ? If you have sufficient income and are considering purchasing a new home, a strategic time to buy is when interest rates are relatively high; home prices tend to be lower, and one can always change the rate on a loan if and when rates decline.

Indicative RatesNo Cost Residential Loans

Rate APR

30 Fixed 5.125 5.125

15 Fixed 4.375 4.375

5/1 Fixed 4.125 4.125

As of December 28, 2009. Based on 70 LTV and 740 FICO score with impounds. Rates subject to change without notice.

Spotlight On

Outdoors (cont’d)

But if you need help with finding comparables, call Sandlot Mortgage at (818) 523-1117 for a hand.

The San Jose real estate market earned the distinction as the market most likely to rise most nationally over the next five years – an expected 20%. In November, both sales and prices in Santa Clara County jumped dramatically from the same month the prior year for the second consecutive month. The median price increased 13.9%. The increase pushed the median price of a home to a level 32% the high of 2007...Whether you’re researching properties in Santa Clara County or anywhere else in the Golden State, try the tool Trulia.com. It provides

consumers with listings and sales. Obtain comparables when considering a sale, purchase, refinance, or petition the county assessor to lower the tax basis on your home.

Jumps 13% in ‘09

real Estate Market Up in Silicon Valley

Russian Ridge Hike and Wine Tasting: Northern California outdoor activity publisher Weekend Sherpa (www.weekendsherpa.com) recommends the panoramic 3.5 mile hike on Russian Ridge along Skyline Blvd in the Santa Cruz Mountains between Palo Alto and the Pacific Coast. Cap off the day with wine tasting at Thomas Fogarty Winery (www.fogartywinery.com) that is open for tasting Wed-Sun from 11 to 5.Wipe the Dust Off that Bike! The Almaden Cycle Touring Club invites you to celebrate spring by riding some of the prettiest roads in southern Santa Clara County in the 33rd annual Tierra Bella Bicycle Tour. One of California's top-rated cycling events, the Tierra Bella takes place on Saturday, Saturday, April 17, 2010. With four different routes, from flat to hilly, you're sure to find the route that's right for you. www.tierrabella.org.

For great weather during the winter, head to the California desert. Tour De Palm Springs offers rides of varying distances for the entire family including 5, 10, 25, 55, and 100 miles. Saturday February 13 in Palm Springs. Call (760) 674-4700. www.tourdepalmsprings.com.

Solvang Century: March 13. www.active.com.

Tour Art Galleries by Bicycle: On Saturday January 9 at 6:30 p.m. Flying Pigeon Bikes hosts a free, monthly bike tour of art galleries in North East Los Angeles called the SpokeNart ride. It takes place on the second Saturday of each month at night when area art galleries are open late as part of NELAart’s “Gallery Night.” The ride leaves the flagpole at Figueroa and York Blvd in Highland Park 6:30 p.m. on a slow-paced tour with the last gallery visited around 9 or 10 p.m. An art opening and after-party is usually planned to take place at the Bike Oven (3706 N. Figueroa) and neighboring Flying Pigeon LA bike shop (3714 Figueroa). After parties have included cheap beer, flaming piñatas, kiddie bike races, and anything else somebody thought was a good idea at the time. There is no fee or reservation required. Everyone is welcome. www.bikeoven.com/spokenart.

Get Sum Dim Sum Bike Ride: Flying Pigeon Bike Shop in Los Angeles will host its monthly bike ride to a Chinese dim sum restaurant on January 17th at 10 AM. The event is always held on the third Sunday of the month. Meet the Flying Pigeon crew in front of their shop at 3714 N. Figueroa Street in Los Angeles for a slow-paced, social ride. Recommended to bring $15 for food and possible train fare. Bring your own bike or reserve one by calling (213) 909-8986 or at www.flyingpigeon-la.com/contact.

Save Money On Property TaxesCounty Assessor’s Offices throughout the State claim to be adjusting the tax basis on properties through automated and manual processes when values have declined. However, many have achieved what they promised or anticipated.The property owner can petition their county assessor to reduce the basis. Most have the form on the website. Some have utilities to complete the form online. The owner needs to provide an estimate of value and comparable sales and listings to support the claim.

Comparables can be obtained with Trulia.com, Zillow.com, Cyberhomes.com, or from a licensed realtor or appraiser.The owner must submit a claim each year and by specified deadlines. See your county assessor’s web site for instructions.

Catch the Passion Studio in Simi Valley for a dose of positive spirit, well-being, and quality pilates. Featuring dance programs in ballet, yoga, pole, belly, and Zumba, fitness has never been more fun. www.pilateswithpassion.com.

You Can Do This!