The Valley Line: Checking in on Pacific Standard Time
Last week we had a little taste of winter in Southern California. There was a brief powdering of snow on our mountain tops. I was driving to Pasadena last Wednesday afternoon and the panorama of our San Gabriel mountains was so beautiful. They were in sharp focus against a bright blue sky filled with puffy white clouds that resembled a flotilla of blimps. It was pretty darn cold, too, with our temps dipping into the low 40s (it could have even been in the high 30s) at night — that is certainly cold for us. Thankfully, it does get warmer as noon rolls around.
Socially, things are humming right along for our LCF folks. A group of art aficionados gathered at the Pacific Asia Museum for an afternoon of inspiring art gallery viewing and a lecture by Jay Belloli, the guest curator of the exhibit, which is part of the Getty Pacific Standard Time initiative.
The exhibit, which runs through April 8, is presenting more than 40 important modern and contemporary works shown at the Pasadena Art Museum in its groundbreaking exhibition.
The Chinese-inspired building, which is now home to Pacific Asia Museum, was first a private home for art collector Grace Nicholson. Then it became the Pasadena Art Museum. Over the years, the building has housed a succession of institutions that introduced the San Gabriel Valley to exciting new and ancient art.
Greeting guests in the museum’s famed courtyard were Lynn Laak and Joyce Leddy, co-presidents of Pasadena Arts League
The league, originally an all-men’s group founded in 1965, opened its membership to women in 1996. Today, the members regularly gather for programs in a variety of locations, including artists’ studios and gallery exhibitions, with curatorial lectures that are often combined with gourmet dining experiences.
The organization’s programs have extended to include music, theater, and art trips to such locations as Santa Fe, Chicago, Seattle and Houston. The league also provides grants to a variety of San Gabriel Valley area arts groups.
The gathering at the Pacific Asia Museum was well attended and guests enjoyed an array of hors d’oeuvres and beverages to sip. For more information about the Pasadena Art Museum, visit www.pasadenaartsleague.org.
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The San Gabriel Country Club was the setting for the Stardusters Dance Club’s St. Valentine’s Day dinner dance. Stardusters were also joined by members of the Alaroma Dance Club, which is based in Pasadena.
Lillian and Roy Olofson, presidents of Stardusters, chose “Ain’t Misbehaving” as the event theme.
In keeping with the Valentine theme of the evening, the dining tables were decorated with red cloths, pink napkins and centerpieces of vases of mixed flowers.
Rosemary and Robert Risley, members of the Alaroma Dance Club, hosted a pre-dinner cocktail party in their Pasadena home. Susan and Jim Holland were dinner hosts. The band “Streetcorner” provided the danceable tunes.
Among the guests were Polly and Brent Allen, Jim Miramor and Edie Askew, Fran and Terry Buchanan, Carol and Pete Ortez, Francie and Jerry Crichton, Sue and Barry Franzen, Mary and Daryal Gant, Fred Vasquer and Roberta Green, Marion and Paul Greene, Kitty and Jack Gurash, Virginia and Michael Karsch, Penny and Jay Lusche, Lisa and Mark Miller, Jeraldine Saunders and Donald Monroy, Sally and Jim Perkins, Marilyn and Willis Petschow, Barbara and Tony Phillips, Peggy Touchstone and Jim Phillips, Diane and Newt Russell, Gigi and Jim Schlueter, John and Margaret Schock, Judith and Robert Snyder, Orchid Donnelly and George Stevenson, Barbara and John Stocky.
JANE NAPIER NEELY covers the La Cañada social scene. She can be reached at jnvalleysun@aol.com.