Out and About: A Digest of Two Months of Events at The Ebell

from Lizzie Blatt, Director of Publications

February 8, 2023

Here’s a round-up of events at The Ebell and beyond.  Photographs by various and Aya.

CHRISTMAS COOKIE DECORATIONS AT ST BARNABAS SENIOR CENTER:
On Tuesday, December 13 a group of Ebell volunteers visited RCA Grantee St Barnabas Senior Services, armed with hundreds of cookies, cake gels and sprinkles, in order for the seniors to decorate their own Christmas cookies.  There was also a raffle.

(Back left) Arden Teplow, Chair, Social Services, with clients and Ebell volunteers (L to R) Cheryl Finley, Paulinda Schimmel, Kay Balue, Lizzie Blatt; with St Barnabas Executive Director and President Darlene Kiyan and Senior Programs Director Lorenzo Hernandez
(Back left) Arden Teplow, Chair, Social Services, with clients and Ebell volunteers (L to R) Cheryl Finley, Paulinda Schimmel, Kay Balue, Lizzie Blatt; with St Barnabas Executive Director and President Darlene Kiyan and Senior Programs Director Lorenzo Hernandez
St Barnabas clients decorating cookies
St Barnabas clients decorating cookies

HARVEST HOME COLLECTION:
Harvest Home, provides housing and holistic support for women who are pregnant and experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles. Thanks to the generosity of Ebell members, chemical free home cleaning supplies where donated to Harvest Home.

Harvest Home executive directors, Alex Firestone and Sarah Wilson, Harvest Home RCA ambassadors, Wendy Guzin and Paulinda Schimmel.
Harvest Home executive directors, Alex Firestone and Sarah Wilson, Harvest Home RCA ambassadors, Wendy Guzin and Paulinda Schimmel.

HOLIDAY LUNCH AND BOUTIQUE:
On Wednesday, December 7 we held our annual Holiday Lunch and Boutique.  For more photos go to our Photo Gallery under Events & Activities.

CHORALE CONCERT AND HIGH TEA:
With the theme of The Season Of, the Ebell Chorale delighted the audience on Thursday, December 12, followed by a sumptuous high tea. For more photos of this event see our Photo Gallery under Events & Activities.

The Chorale's new conductor Yu Hang Tan
The Chorale's new conductor Yu Hang Tan
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HOLIDAY FÊTE/A CHRISTMAS CAROL:
On Thursday, December 15 partygoers came dressed to the nines for a festive rendition of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol performed by the Independent Shakespeare Company, followed by an English feast, a photo booth, a DJ and magic!  For more photos see our Photo Gallery under Events & Activities.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT WITH JOANNA LINKCHORST:
Wednesday, January 11, member Joanna Linkchorst spoke about how she is helping save Rockhaven, the iconic local sanitarium in Glendale, created by women, for women.

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WRITERS’ BLOC PRESENTS:
On Thursday, January 12 The Ebell and Writers’ Bloc presented an evening of conversation with LA Times columnist and four-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Steve Lopez and longtime LA Times columnist, reporter and editor Sandy Banks. You can watch it on video here.

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ROCK YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE WITH EMMA WELCH:
On Saturday, January 21 you could almost hear the Sun Room (or President’s Tea Room) rockin’ as Emma Welch gave an inspiring class on creating your LinkedIn profile.

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FOODIE FRIDAY COMMUNITY COOKBOOK ARCHIVE WITH SUZANNE JOSKOW:
Suzanne Joskow has been creating a “Time Capsule” of Los Angeles history filtered through the lens of the community cookbook.  We might think of these recipes as static but, in fact, Suzanne introduces them as vivid stories of Southern California History.  You’ll be fascinated!   Look in the Zoom archives for this – and other Foodie Friday events.

N.B.  Her collection includes three of our earlier Ebell cookbooks.

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LIVE IN THE LOUNGE: THE DREAM ORCHESTRA:
Award-winning violinist Aubree Oliverson joined the Dream Orchestra with conductor Daniel Suk for a dazzling New Year’s Celebration Concert. The program included the popular Samuel Barber Violin Concerto and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.

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GALENTINE’S WRITERS PARTY:
On Sunday, January 29, volunteer scribes wrote over 500 Galentine’s cards to our members, whilst grazing on chocolate popcorn and  mimosas.

Galentine’s Day has become a major celebration since it began in 2010, thanks to Amy Poehler’s character, Leslie Knope, in NBC’s  Parks and Recreation.  On this day, February 13, women everywhere, regardless of their relationship status, honor their friendships with gifts, parties and cards.

Back L to R: Chloe Ginsburg, Ruiyuan Meng, Phyllis Hansen, Melissa Gervea, Denise Parga. Kat Bundy, Kelly McMahon, Fran Varga, Nancy Meade, Suzanne Wilton; Front L to R: Executive Director Stacy Brightman, President Laurie Shechter, Janis Barquist, Betty Petitt, Lizzie Blatt, LaToya Hearns, Madelyn Murray
Back L to R: Chloe Ginsburg, Ruiyuan Meng, Phyllis Hansen, Melissa Gervea, Denise Parga. Kat Bundy, Kelly McMahon, Fran Varga, Nancy Meade, Suzanne Wilton; Front L to R: Executive Director Stacy Brightman, President Laurie Shechter, Janis Barquist, Betty Petitt, Lizzie Blatt, LaToya Hearns, Madelyn Murray
Our card this year was inspired by this stunning piece of needlework created by Chloe Ginsburg.  The flowers represented are the Gerbera daisy, the sunflower, yellow rose, and chrysanthemum, all of which are signifiers of friendship
Our card this year was inspired by this stunning piece of needlework created by Chloe Ginsburg. The flowers represented are the Gerbera daisy, the sunflower, yellow rose, and chrysanthemum, all of which are signifiers of friendship

LIVE IN THE LOUNGE: LIGHTING THE WAY HOME:
Composer Nathan Wang lead a very special concert featuring the all-women Saltando Strings ensemble, performing beloved traditional Chinese folk tunes in honor of the Lunar New Year Festival, which traditionally celebrates the beginning of spring and the arrival of the new year in many Asian cultures. The evening was made even more special by the world premiere performance of a new work by Wang in honor of actor Anna May Wong, the first Asian American woman to receive a Walk of Fame star.

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THE ZEN OF SCHIZOPHRENIA:
Miriam Feldman, painter and author, found her path to mental health advocacy the hard way: her son, Nick, has schizophrenia.  On Monday, February 6 she came to The Ebell to speak about their journey together and her new book, He Came In With It.  And, as we discovered, it’s not all doom and gloom: there are plenty of laughs as well, as detailed in her book: He Came In With It.

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