Los Feliz Today » Alex Golshan

A Tribute to Apick Youseffian

Alex Golshan — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:45:23 +0000

A unique, one-of-a-kind gala is coming up soon. This Red Carpet, Black Tie event is being presented to honor the lifetime achievements of the legendary Iranian actress for theater, television and motion pictures, Apick Youssefian. It’s an Evening of Stars and it takes place on Sunday, May 20th, 2012 at the Brandview Ballroom, 109 E. Harvard Street, in Glendale California. Starting at 5:30 PM, this unique event will be a celebration of 60 years in the field of entertainment for Ms. Youssefian. There will be many A-list celebrities – Persian, Armenian, and American – as well as community leaders, such as congressmen and the mayors of Glendale and Beverly Hills. A Champagne Reception will be followed by a magnificent sit-down dinner. Celebrities will be performing throughout, and many city and state officials and organizations such as ARPA International Film Festival will be presenting Ms. Youssefian with Life Achievement awards. The show is directed and produced by Mary Apick.

Performing celebrities include:
Andy, Diane Baker, Leyla Forouhar, Gharib Afshar, Ken Davitian,
Homa Sarshar, Shahram Shapare, Shani, Parviz Sayyad, Parviz Kardan, Parviz Sayyad, Martik Morteza, Homayoun Khosravi, Houri Sadler,
Loris Tjeckanvorian, comedian Max Amini.

Other dignitaries and celebrities include:
Sheriff Lee Bacca, Armenia’s Consul General Grigor Hovannesian,
Mayor Jimmy Delshad, designer Shahla Dorriz and many more
Masters of Ceremony:
Suzi Khatami, Alex Kalognomos & Vache Mangassarian

Apick Youssefian
One of the pioneers of the theatre, film and television industry in pre-revolution Iran, Apick Youssefian’s professional acting career started at a very young age with the Jaffari Theatre Group. This was followed by a starring role in Oskooi’s Theatre Group and Ms. Loretta. She earned recognition as Best Actress two years in a row by the national press. During her time in Iran, she starred in nine feature films and numerous television and stage productions, including Amir Arsalan, Ali Noghli, Sarkar Ostavar, and Octopus. She was the first woman feature film and television producer in Iran. She became so popular, and was so well loved, that the people of her home city named her Honorary Mayor. After being featured in the film The Legend of Omar Khayyamwith Diane Baker and Venessa Redgrave, and co-starring in a series of children’s videos, Apick Youssefian returned to the stage in the Critic’s Choice play Beneath the Veil,which was written produced and directed by her daughter; the Internationally Award Winning Actress and Human Rights Activist Mary Apick.

LosFelizToday is Proud to Present “The King of the Desert!”

Alex Golshan — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:07:21 +0000

Los Feliz based production company CoActive Content and The American Latino Theater present a new co-production of the critically acclaimed play The King of the Desert at the historic El Portal Theatre. The play is written by Stacey Martino, stars Rene Rivera and directed by award winning director, Sal Romeo all Lifetime Members of The Actors Studio and longtime Los Feliz residents. The set is designed by Danuta Tomzynski, built by Michael Brainard with video art by Mat Hale, all also Los Feliz residents. The production is offering a discount for Los Feliz Today readers in an effort to share the work of local artists with their community.

Originally produced at the El Centro Theatre in Hollywood, CA in 2010 under the direction of Valentino Ferreira, “The King of the Desert” has been hailed by BroadwayWorld.com as “astounding, electric, passionate and luminous.” Hoy, Los Angles wrote, “an inspiring and intense story with one extraordinary actor, and many, many souls.” The Los Feliz Ledger raved René Rivera’s performance is “a tour de force,” while Campus Circle mentioned “the audience is left totally spellbound,” and Latin Heat Magazine commented the production “has legs” and is “New York bound.”

The play is based on actor René Rivera’s true-life story. Rivera grew up in a barrio in Texas and had a very rough beginning. Along the way, one of his schoolteachers noticed he had talent and suggested he audition for the Acting Department at The Juilliard School in New York. Rivera eventually got an audition for The Juilliard School, and not only got it, but he got a full scholarship to study acting there. After graduating from Juilliard Rivera began working as a professional actor including appearing opposite Al Pacino in “Salome” on Broadway. Since then, Rivera has appeared opposite Al Pacino in the movie, “Wilde Salome,” which just debuted at the Venice Film Festival. Rivera is also currently filming a new movie entitled “Smash” directed by James Ponsoldt, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul and Octavia Spencer. Rivera’s life has completely changed from his early days growing up in a barrio in Texas. He is now a successful actor in film, television and theatre.

Concurrently throughout the run of the play an art exhibition celebrating Mexican American culture by the artist Maja will be on display in the lobby of the Forum Theatre at the El Portal Theatre, along with Milagros (artwork created by young Spanish children representing their dreams and aspirations). A portion of the proceeds from performances throughout the run of the show will benefit the National Latino Children’s Institute, The Oscar De La Hoya Foundation and The Youth Policy Institute. A Talk Back Question and Answer Session with members of the play’s cast and crew will be held at the conclusion of each Sunday matinee performance.

Performances will be given on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m., October 28 – December 4, 2011. There will be no performances on Friday and Saturday, November 11th and 12th at 8:00 p.m., or on Sunday, November 13th at 3:00 p.m. Instead, that week there will be performances on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, November 8, 9 and 10, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. After that, the performance schedule of Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. will resume for the rest of the run.

Tickets are $20.00 each for General Admission. Tickets for Students, Seniors, Veterans and Guild Members are $15 each. Tickets for Groups of eight or more are $10. For reservations please call the Box Office at 866-811-4111 or 818-508-4200, or buy online at www.elportaltheatre.com. For Groups of eight of more, please call 323-315-0015.

For more info CLICK HERE
To view some performance footage from the play CLICK HERE

The co-production will be presented in the El Portal Forum Theatre; 5269 Lankershim Boulevard (at Weddington Street), North Hollywood, CA 91601 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m., October 28 – December 4, 2011. Parking is available in parking lots surrounding the theatre and on the street.
Los Feliz Today readers can MENTION “COACTIVE” WHEN ORDERING AND SAVE $5 ON GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS.
Join us on Facebook!

The Final Rally to Save the Library!…Sunday, March 6th

Alex Golshan — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 03:06:17 +0000

Our Local Library on Hillhurst Ave. is in danger of more cutbacks. Here’s how you can change that…Join the”…Keep the Magic of Libraries Alive” Measure L Rally and Magic Show. Vote yes on Measure L.
Where: LA High Memorial Park (in front of Memorial Branch Library)
4625 W. Olympic Blvd. LA, CA 90019 .

Authors, speakers, musicians, and more! Fun for the whole family!

Please take a moment to vote YES on Measure L next Tuesday, March 8…And pass this along to your friends, family and co-workers!

The city libraries of Los Angeles needs your support. Please get
yourself to the polls and vote. You can make a difference.

What is Measure L? Measure L is a City Charter amendment, which means it’s not a new tax. It means that you are telling the City of Los
Angeles to give ONE more PENNY per $100 of taxes paid to the library
department. Since 1878, voters have done this for the library five
times; most recently in 1999.

A voter-approved charter amendment will guarantee that neighborhood libraries will receive a dedicated and consistent percent of the city’s budget. Last year, the Los Angeles City Council and the Mayor did nothing to protect libraries and the services libraries provide to the public. In fact, the library was hit with the biggest cuts of any city department.

The Library laid off 28% of the staff and the budget was cut by $22
million dollars, the result of these losses: reduced hours, closure on
Sundays and Mondays, fewer programs and less assistance for residents. With over 18 million visitors last year, the library is one of the busiest destinations in the city! It’s truly a shame that the cuts
were made.

This charter amendment increases the library’s already guaranteed
share of city funds from .0175% to .03% over four years. As the
funding becomes available, the library will resume its 6-day service
at all 73 libraries and Sunday service will be restored to 9
libraries, all by 2015. Additionally, our materials budget and
staffing will be restored.

Right now, the amount of property taxes that go to libraries is just
under 2 cents per $100. And, to place the amount into perspective, you may compare it to police department funding, which receives about $67 per $100 of property tax paid.

Many social and cultural institutions are facing cuts right now, and
the library is no different. If Measure L does not pass, the city
library will face an additional $28 million cut, which will mean
further reduced hours, closures of 2/3 of the branches, reduced
programs, a slashed materials budget and of course, fewer librarians.

Libraries improve property values, are crime deterrents and provide
much, much needed access to computers and books all over this city. They teach literacy to adults and children and are advocates for learning, self empowerment and discovery. They teach people how to access information and show them the tools they need to achieve.

Libraries are essential to daily life for residents all over the city.
The services we provide range from computer access to look for jobs
and retain employment, to providing books needed for homework, to
giving guidance on how to do research for homework, to being a safe
place for kids to go after school, to programming that fuels the
imagination and expand the boundaries of participants.

Vote Yes on L and save Los Angeles from the distinction of becoming
the only major American city without a public library system.

Thank you!

Paper Trail at Happy!

Alex Golshan — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:24:39 +0000

Paper Trail at Happy
(A curated, revolving group show of artists’ works on paper)
Opening Friday, September 3, 6-10pm

We are delighted to present Paper Trail at Happy. Paper Trail will launch on September 3, featuring small works on paper by leading artists working in Los Angeles and beyond. A revolving and continuous show, Paper Trail will present new and exciting artists each month. The artists, in turn, have been invited to explore and exploit the medium of paper for Paper Trail, giving viewers an opportunity to acquire good work by established artists at reasonable prices. Works are available for immediate purchase. We want to encourage a constant stream of art viewing, appreciation and consumption, inviting to both new and savvy collectors.
Paper Trail is housed in Happy’s new mezzanine gallery. The past year of shows has garnered much interest and press and we hope to continue to bring new artists, projects and events to the Los Feliz area. We are thrilled to have been able to work with so many talented and generous people. Curators Paul Evans and Heather Arndt invite you to join them for a great season of art and friends at Happy.

September artists:
Sophia Allison, Susan Arena, Justina Blakeney, Michael Blasi, Rochelle Botello, Kris Chatterson, Audra Graziano, Corrie Gregory, Autumn Harrison, Aragna Ker, Elisabeth Kley, Joshua Levine, Li ‘n Lee, Jay Lizo, Amy Maloof, Robert McCormack, Peter Owen, Sandy Rodriguez, Amanda Tan, Kim Tucker, Laura Sharp Wilson and Penny Young.

See you at Paper Trail!

Happy
4675 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323 661 2200
www.happyonlinestore.blogspot.com
hours: sun-fri 12-6pm, sat. 11-7pm (closed Tuesdays)

Submission by Paul Evans

Papa’s Place..Mama’s Cooking – Grand Opening on Sat!

Alex Golshan — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 03:25:35 +0000

Papa’s Place is having their official “Grand Opening” tomorrow, Saturday, August 28, 2010. Doors will open to the public from 12 noon to 6pm, then a private staff meeting on Sunday, and regular working hours again on Monday (11am-9pm). The owner, Cengiz Karachua, has dedicated the unique Turkish-German Deli Style restaurant to his father, who served the Los Feliz community as the Golden Needle Tailoring for 23 years prior. His father had always wished for his son to open a restaurant and about two years after his passing, his dreams will be realized. An official menu had not yet been finalized, but the manager stated the Turkish – German take out style establishment will be unique. Sauerkraut and sausages…Mediterranean sandwiches…burgers..and a bakery!

Papa’s Placeis located at 2044 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027; 323-913-0478.

Stop by on Saturday to show your support for this historical Los Felizian location and let them know you read about it on Los Feliz Today! Enjoy…

The Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council is Looking for Energetic Volunteers!

Alex Golshan — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:08:51 +0000

The Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council is looking for energetic volunteers who wish to serve their community in a couple of vital roles. The council is seeking qualified nominees for these positions:

Appointed Member of the governing board as a representative of the religious community
Chair of the Parks, River, and Open Space Committee

This is an exciting opportunity to get involved in some of the GGPNC’s most meaningful work. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Ron Ostrow, board president, at rono...@ggpnc.org.

Thank you,

Jessie Kornberg
Secretary
Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council

City of Los Angeles Largest City to Post ALL Salaries of Employees Online!

Alex Golshan — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 01:33:13 +0000

The city of Los Angeles has become the largest city to post the salaries online of all its employees, since the break of the salary scandal of the City of Bell. ”In light of what happened in Bell, I thought it was important for Los Angeles to set an example and post the salary of every city employee online,” said Wendy Greuel, city controller. She went on to say..”this is an important step to provide greater transparency and openness in how taxpayer dollars are spent.”

The online posting of salaries was available as of last Friday, August 6, 2010, and lists every position in the City of Los Angeles sorted out by department, department title & salary. The individual employee names of each position are not mentioned. Greuel also said that the site will be update later this year, when actual employee furloughs and overtimes are factored in as well, for more of an accurate picture. Updates will continue, quarterly from that point on.

Salaries of the DWP employees are not included in this list, as they are not managed by the city controller’s office.

Update on “Local Talent Tries To Get Her Own on My Own”

Alex Golshan — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 04:04:16 +0000

Since watching Lisa’s Video, she will now be the Host/interviewer of your Video Ad on Los Feliz Today.com!
You’re bound to get more business with Lisa’s New York style and charisma! Not to mention, her thick, New York accent; Let’s continue to support our Los Feliz Local…Lisa…Star of Lisa’s Luck!

Watch Lisa’s Video on You Tube… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHHbUn94LEA
Post a comment there and please spread the Word to everyone you know in Los Feliz and friends of Los Feliz to watch Lisa’s Video. Go Los Feliz! Let Lisa’s Luck put Los Feliz on the map. We know what a special place it is. Let’s share our secret with the rest of the world! The Video on You Tube is the same Video that’s on Oprah’s site for the Contest Oprah had for people to have a chance at their OWN show on her new network. The Contest ended on July 3rd and they selected the top 8 (multi-million Vote getters…insane!) We are waiting for them to announce the remaining 32. In the meantime, please show your support at LisasLuck1 on You Tube.

California Cuts – Cut Into Local Community!

Alex Golshan — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:55:49 +0000

California is broke! We’ve been hearing about budget cuts all around…teachers have been laid off, courthouses are now closed once a month, state employees have mandatory furloughs, and now…locally the Los Feliz Library has been hit. As of July 18, 2010, the Los Feliz Library’s hours have been reduced(they are now closed on Sundays and Mondays and close much earlier) and part of the staff has been laid off. This also affects us as a community with fewer access to services and all that a library can offer. They offered a very popular Storytime for Kids every week, which now has been reduced and is shorter in duration as well. The public library serves as a great center for kids (of all ages, including teens) to read, learn, and grow…for free! My own children (16 and 10) enjoy visiting the library and have particiapted in many of the programs they offered, their favorite being the different Art Classes and the Teen Anime Club (with the largest collection of MANGA in the Los Angeles Public Library System).

Eventhough the cuts have affected the local library, the programs have not been totally elliminated…here is a schedule of events that are coming up for the Summer:

Adult

Aug 04 - Book Gossip
1:00 PM
New time. For people who love to read and talk about books. Librarian suggestions.
Aug 11 - Beginning Computer Class for Seniors
3:00 PM
Learn enough Internet to get you started. Walk-ins only.
Aug 14 - Scrabble/Chess Club
1:00 PM
Bring your own board and tiles.
Aug 14 - Book Club
11:00 AM
New members welcome. We’ll be discussing Ruth Reichl’s Garlic and Sapphires.
Aug 20 - Family Art Class
3:30 PM
Join Barnsdall Jr. Art Center staff in creating special art projects for the entire family. Ages 7 and up. Class size limited.
Aug 21 - Quilting Circle
11:00 AM
Meet with other enthusiasts.
Aug 28 - Used Book Sale
10:00 AM
See what the Friends of the Library have available.

Teen

Aug 03 - Teen Summer Reading Club – Recycling Craft
4:00 PM
Teen Summer Reading Club – Recycling Craft
Join in making cool recycling project – magazine paper bowls.
Aug 10 - Teen Anime Club
4:00 PM
Teen Anime Club
Watch anime, eat snacks, and hang out with other Otaku.
Aug 17 - Teen Summer Reading Club – Soapmaking
4:00 PM
Teen Summer Reading Club – Soapmaking
Join the Teen Council in crafting handmade soap.
Aug 24 - Teen Anime Club
4:00 PM
Teen Anime Club
Watch anime, eat snacks, and hang out with other Otaku.
Aug 31 - Teen Summer Reading Club Ice Cream Party
4:00 PM
Teen Summer Reading Club Ice Cream Party
End Teen Summer Reading Club with an ice cream party and live auction.

Children

Aug 04 - Baby/Toddler Storytime
10:30 AM
Baby/Toddler Storytime
Join us for stories, songs and a whole lot more.
Aug 04 - Toddler/PreK Storytime
11:00 AM
Toddler/PreK Storytime
Stories and songs.
Aug 11 - Baby/Toddler Storytime
10:30 AM
Baby/Toddler Storytime
Join us for stories, songs and a whole lot more.
Aug 11 - Toddler/PreK Storytime
11:00 AM
Toddler/PreK Storytime
Stories and songs.
Aug 18 - Baby/Toddler Storytime
10:30 AM
Baby/Toddler Storytime
Join us for stories, songs and a whole lot more.
Aug 18 - Toddler/PreK Storytime
11:00 AM
Toddler/PreK Storytime
Stories and songs.

They also have the following Summer activities scheduled for kids:

The Hollow Trees (an awesome kids band!), Friday, August 6, 3:30-4:30
Arts and Crafts, Thursday, August 12, 3:30-4:30
Barnsdall Art, Friday, August 20, 3:30-5
Tony Daniels Magic Show, Ice Cream Party, Prize Shopping and Live Raffle, Thursday, Aug. 26, 3:30-5:30

Again…all are for free!

For more information on any of the programs, please visit the Los Feliz Library .

Celebrate Summer -Los Feliz Neighborhood Fair!

Alex Golshan — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:36:56 +0000

The local businesses on Vermont, Hillhurst and Hollywood are celebrating summer with specials and discounts on Saturday, July 31, 2010, 2:00 – 9:00pm! Come see the best Los Feliz has to offer – we’ll have the welcome mat out with amazing 30-70% discount specials, strolling musicians, face painting, live entertainment & music and a scavenger hunt. Enjoy your favorite hang-outs and get to know our new businesses! Pick up a comprehensive map of participating members & planned events on our complimentary transports. Free transportation throughout the Village provided. Stops will be posted throughout the Village. Get a chance to win a 3G IPAD! $1 raffle tickets will be available at several locations throughout the Village. Proceeds to benefit the Barnsdall Art Center. Join the fun, relive the good times and come celebrate at the Los Feliz Village Summer Fair. Questions or to participate in the fun, call our info-line at (818) 669-2618. http://http://www.losfeliz.biz/