Join the Club

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

One of the myriad ways Pacific Palisades grows its sense of community is through clubs and organizations where those who participate have the chance to meet new people and also dive into an interest—ranging from philanthropy to art to enjoying baked goods with friends.

At the start of the 2021-22 school year, the Palisadian-Post highlighted four clubs at Palisades Charter High School. In part two of “Join the Club” on September 23, the paper featured groups and organizations outside of the school environment and open to the community at large.

This is the third installment of the series, featuring additional clubs and groups community members are invited to join.

Palisades Baking Group

Launched in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic by El Medio Bluffs resident Bianca Gomez, Palisades Baking Group has been connecting community members via baked goods since December 2020.

Since its inception, more than 100 Palisadians have joined the online group, sharing recipes, tips and tricks with one another.

“A lot of people think when you bake, that means cupcakes and cakes,” Gomez shared. “No, people bake all sorts of things like ciabatta, Italian pizzas—it’s all baking.”

The group gathered at Palisades Recreation Center on Saturday, August 21, for its first in-person meeting where about 20 members took part in a potluck picnic, including the sharing of what Gomez described as “intricate” homemade baked goods. Though the group is fairly new, Gomez said that members are free to organize future events.

One of the potluck attendees, Palisadian Danielle Bujnak, shared that the event was “fabulous” with “so much delicious food.”

“I’m brand new in the neighborhood … and I felt excited to meet some of my new neighbors,” Bujnak said following the event. “It turns out that several of us speak French, and we enjoyed connecting en français as well and exchanged contact info to get together again. We are all already looking forward to the next Palisades Baking Group potluck event.”

Gomez shared that some of the benefits of joining the group include “meeting great neighbors” in the Palisades—all of who share a common interest in baking and enjoy eating delicious baked goods.

“Mostly we communicate through social media and on Nextdoor,” Gomez added, “but we are considering organizing an in-person event, a Holiday Party and Cookie Swap.”

Members are welcome to join year-round via Nextdoor: “They can search for our group on Nextdoor and easily join our group. They can read the group’s description, and read through members’ posts and comments to learn more about the group and its activities.”

Gomez added that people who are interested in joining do not need to know how to bake—or even want to bake.

“Many prospective members ask about that,” she shared. “My love of baking is what inspired me to form the group, but a primary purpose of the group is to allow group members to meet other people in their community, make long-lasting friendships and have fun at group events.”

Pacific Palisades Art Association

For those looking for a group that will help expand their creative side, Pacific Palisades Art Association offers just that, with a selection of art demonstrations, lectures, membership presentations and art shows.

With a history dating back to 1947, PPAA has a mission of “creating a safe environment for artists to share and explore their journey through group discussions, critiques, guest speakers and events.”

“Members participate in the Village Green Art Show and Sale,” PPAA President since 2008 Annette Alexakis shared with the Palisadian-Post. “Members attend our lectures and live demonstrations, and they participate by coming to our art shows and receptions at Palisades Branch Library.”

Alexakis is a watercolor multi-media painter, according to the PPAA website, after studying art and child psychology at Santa Monica College. Her pieces work to illustrate the natural world.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the club is currently meeting once per month via Zoom. During each meeting, a live art demonstration is featured.

When it comes to the Village Green Art Show and Sale, members show and sell their work at the Village Green after paying a $50 fee for a space.

Once the library reopens following the pandemic and a fire in October 2020, members of PPAA will, once again, have the option to have an art show and reception in the community room.

The association also works to give back to the community.

“We donate money and art supplies to the Palisades Charter High School Art Department and deserving Pali High students,” Alexakis shared. “We are also recipients of the Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club grant and would like to thank them for their support.”

New memberships, which are open to Palisades residents and those who live outside of the community as well, are accepted year-round.

“Members may attend special guest lectures and demonstrations from renowned artists, gallery chairs and museum curators from all over Los Angeles,” according to the PPAA website, “along with the opportunity of showcasing their art in collaborative shows at a discounted price for one whole year.”

For more information, visit paliart.org or email palisadesart@gmail.com.

Optimist Club of Pacific Palisades

With a history dating back to its chartering in March 1956, the Optimist Club of Pacific Palisades is a community service club with a motto of “bringing out the best in youth.”

“By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in youth, our communities and ourselves,” is the Optimist International mission, according to its website.

“We are involved, support and give money to most of the activities of youth in our community, including but not limited to the Optimist Youth Home, Marquez Robotics Team, Better Angels, Optimist Foundation college scholarships for senior students at Pali High, Pali High Wrestling Team, Pali High Ambassadors [and others],” Optimist Rick DeWeese shared.

The Palisades Optimists have established a program and procedure to award annual grants to assist community organizations, schools and groups serving Palisades youth and promoting worthwhile youth activities. Despite having to cancel and shift fundraising in response to the pandemic, like the Palisades Will Rogers 5 & 10K run, the club gifted $15,000 worth of grants to local organizations earlier this year—funded from its own money.

This year, altering the process slightly, the club looked at the previous year’s requests and adjusted accordingly, partially based on what groups remained active through COVID-19, DeWeese shared.

Each year, the club also supports The Optimist Oratorical Contest and Optimist Essay Contest.

Due to the pandemic, the club has had to shift its operations online.

“All but one meeting in the last one and a half years have been on Zoom,” DeWeese shared. “Normally, we have meetings the first and third Tuesday mornings at the Palisades Presbyterian Church for a light breakfast and an interesting speaker.”

Recent virtual meetings have included guest speakers like Brian Ulf and Heidi Roberts, who spoke on issues and programs related to homelessness, and Julie Hanson, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Santa Monica.

“Our upbeat outlook, and our commitment to creating a more optimist future for kids, is what differentiates Optimist Clubs from any other volunteer opportunity,” according to a membership brochure. “Communities in the United States, Canada, and the nations of the Caribbean and other counties throughout the world have been touched by the powerful, positive force of Optimist Club Members. From sponsoring youth athletic leagues to weathering the homes of the elderly to conducting oratorical contests for young people—Optimist Clubs are responding to the special needs of our local communities.”

DeWeese said that the club is “always interested in new members” all year-round.

For more information, visit palisadesoptimists.com or call DeWeese directly at 310-454-7850.