Mardi Gras

As I type this, the clock is slowly ticking toward the first Tournament of Roses Parade of the new decade. Around this time, 100 years ago, the parade had no theme (and wouldn?t have one until 1918, with the theme of ?Patriotism?). The grand marshals of the 1910 parade were Dr. Francis F. Rowland and professor Charles F. Holder, both founders of the Tournament of Roses Parade. Rowland is the only person with the distinction of having been grand marshal seven times, according to the Tournament of Roses organization.

Maybe it is too soon to mention Mardi Gras. After all, it is the traditional over-the-top celebration in New Orleans right before Christians begin the holy Lenten season culminating with the Easter holiday. On a cold winter night with my Christmas shopping nowhere near complete and my holiday cookies burned to a crisp in an oven that heats up only one side, give me a tropical drink and a big, hot bowl of gumbo. Michael’s Bar and Grill in Burbank serves the best Louisiana-style Cajun cooking in Los Angeles.

Mardi Gras benefit helps Childrens Hospital The second annual benefit for Friends of Childrens Hospital was Feb. 24 at the Valley Hunt Club in Pasadena, with more than 100 guests attending the Mardi Gras Gala. Friends of Childrens Hospital is a group of women who have have come together to support the Children's Center for cancer and blood diseases at the hospital. Local members are Ashley Fong of La Canada Flintridge and Kara Ebright of Glendale.

Sarah Hill Clad in wigs, Santa hats and feather boas, children laughed and marched around a room at the Olive Recreation Center to the beat of a drum. Others in an adjacent room made paper machete masks with glitter, colored tissue paper and glue as part of a Mardi Gras celebration. The children were participating in Festive Experiences week, the sixth and final week of Arts Experiences Camp taking place at the Olive Recreation Center. The program incorporates art, theater, music and dance with the study of other cultures.

The Valentine’s Day weekend was ushered in on a musical and theatrical note as the John Burroughs High School Instrumental Music Assn. and the Burbank Senior Arts Company Theatre staged respective performances Friday evening. The Holiday Inn Burbank Media Center served as the venue for the Burroughs Instrumental Music Assn.’s “Second Annual Swing Night” benefit concert. Friends, family and supporters were treated to a selection of popular tunes arranged for big band, and performed by the school’s Jazz Ensemble, which benefited by performing in a professional setting with an interactive audience.

While the meeting of the gridiron gladiators from New York and New England dominated the social events of this past Sunday, just 24 hours earlier it was local women who were dominating the day as the Verdugo Glen Chapter of the American Business Women's Association (ABWA) and the Burbank Chapter of National Charity League (NCL) convened for respective events. Dedicated to enhancing the careers and personal growth of women, ABWA staged its Heart of Business Expo to provide members and guests with the opportunity to participate in workshops with successful business experts including Jenn August, Lori Hartwell, Kathy Vincent, Katy Tafoya, Lisa Hall, Robbie Motter and Ardis Bazyn.

As I type this, the clock is slowly ticking toward the first Tournament of Roses Parade of the new decade. Around this time, 100 years ago, the parade had no theme (and wouldn?t have one until 1918, with the theme of ?Patriotism?). The grand marshals of the 1910 parade were Dr. Francis F. Rowland and professor Charles F. Holder, both founders of the Tournament of Roses Parade. Rowland is the only person with the distinction of having been grand marshal seven times, according to the Tournament of Roses organization.

Maybe it is too soon to mention Mardi Gras. After all, it is the traditional over-the-top celebration in New Orleans right before Christians begin the holy Lenten season culminating with the Easter holiday. On a cold winter night with my Christmas shopping nowhere near complete and my holiday cookies burned to a crisp in an oven that heats up only one side, give me a tropical drink and a big, hot bowl of gumbo. Michael’s Bar and Grill in Burbank serves the best Louisiana-style Cajun cooking in Los Angeles.