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Betty Young, 74-Year Resident, Active in the Assistance League

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Betty Young at the piano, earlier this year.
Betty Young at the piano, earlier this year.

Elizabeth Burrows Young, a Pacific Palisades resident since 1936, passed away June 25. She was 97.   Betty’s heritage was an important part of her history. She was a direct descendant of the patriot, Robert Morris, who financed the American Revolution. He was the only person to have signed all three documents drafted by the Continental Congress: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the Bill of Rights. Betty lived through amazing history:’ two World Wars, the Great Depression, the Korean and Vietnam wars, the assassinations of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Senator Robert Kennedy.’ She was part of a strong and centered generation.’In addition, she experienced the culmination of the Race to the Moon in 1969 as the world listened to Walter Cronkite announce that Apollo 11 had successfully landed on the moon. Then technology took over, leaving Mimi, her pet name, with a generation gap that only her grandchildren could fill.’   Born on January 4, 1913, Betty was raised in Des Moines, Iowa, and attended Iowa State College, where she graduated with a B.S. degree. She pledged Pi Beta Phi and was one of the campus darlings. In 1936, she drove to California with her Uncle Charley (Dr. Charles Patterson’s father) and Aunt Mable, making their home in Pacific Palisades. This sleepy little Methodist town provided Betty with a lifetime of love and happiness.   Soon after arriving, she had a blind date with John W. Young, who would one year later become her adored husband of 58 years until his death in 1995. They rented a small house on Embury Street, totally furnished with a fireplace, a two-car garage and a gardener, all for $43 a month!   Betty was invited to join the Santa Monica Assistance League.’ Over the years, she served this organization in nearly every capacity, including president.’ She was an active member for over 66 years. ‘It was this association which provided her with longtime friendships and would become the center of my parents’ social life,’ said their daughter, Julie. ‘The parties were uproarious: dancing, piano playing, poker, bridge and laughter.’ ‘   In 1950, the Youngs built a home on Altata Drive where Betty resided for 60 years.’ Her life consisted of raising her daughter, Julie (born in 1942), and her son, Jim, who arrived in 1945.’Golf, tennis, bridge and boating with friends were her activities away from home.   ’She was a master at planning dinner parties and entertaining for my father, who was an executive at North American Aviation/Rockwell,’ Julie said.’ ‘Her extensive travel experiences enriched her life. In the evenings, before television took over, she would read and plan the next adventure with my father. She provided us with a beautiful home filled with parental love.’ ‘   Several days before Betty died, she told her dear friend, Ann Kerr: ‘When I say goodbye to everyone I can say I love them all ‘ all my family and friends that are running around, they are good stuff.”   She leaves behind a family legacy, including her daughter, Julie Young Christensen of Santa Monica; her son Jim (wife Sally) of San Juan Capistrano; six grandchildren,’Tim (wife Tanya), John, Matthew and Jeffrey Christensen; Kimberly (husband Ben Benumof; Wes Young (wife Jessica); and five great-grandchildren:’ Zane and Gavin Christensen, and Maile, Kai and Mikaela Benumof.   A springtime family service will take place in Sequoia.’   A gift of remembrance can be made to Hospice Partners of Southern California, 1919 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 200, Santa Monica, CA 90404.’

Toppings Yogurt Store Set This Fall on Via de la Paz

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Toppings Yogurt will open this fall on Via de la Paz in the space formerly occupied by Chefmakers, the cooking academy.   The self-service frozen yogurt store has been hugely successful at its founding location on Robertson Boulevard in Beverly Hills, said co-owner Jay Navas, and he hopes to make the Pacific Palisades store a prototype for a Toppings chain. His business partner is Jordin Mendelsohn.   ’We’re trying to create a trademark look,’ Navas told the Palisadian-Post on Friday. ‘The Palisades will be our flagship store.’ Once the design phase is finished and the owners receive city approval, they plan to open by November.   Asked about the difficulty of opening a store like this in November, Navas said: ‘We don’t get truly cold winters in Southern California,’ and the weather is often warmer than in June. ‘We have a loyal clientele [in Beverly Hills] who come year round.’ He said that in the two years Toppings has been on Robertson, business has declined only about 20 percent during the winter months and he hopes he finds the same loyal clients in the Palisades.   The store will also have a special celebration room for birthday parties, baby showers, private parties and other special events.   Customers at the Via store will have a choice of 18 soft-serve yogurts (the Beverly Hills store has 13) and 50 to 60 different topping choices (Beverly Hills has 35). ‘We’ll have a large variety of mixes like hot fudge, hot peanut butter, organic and sugar-free toppings in addition to the ones regularly found,’ Navas said. ‘The toppings bar will be 25 to 30 feet and be unparalleled to any at other yogurt stores.’   A half-cup of frozen yogurt typically has 70 calories, which is about half the calories contained in ice cream. Self-serve customers choose the amount of yogurt and toppings they want, then pay 39 cents per ounce.   Toppings will be hiring employees. Navas said that about 50 percent of his staff in Beverly Hills live in the community and either attend Beverly Hills High School or go to college.   Navas, who graduated with a degree in psychology from UCLA, started his career in real estate investment. His wife was also a realtor, but when the real estate market began to plunge in 2007, the couple realized they needed to diversify if they wanted to stay afloat. Navas remembered a frozen yogurt place called America’s Cup in Newport Beach in the 1980s, so they did some research and decided to open a shop in Beverly Hills.   ’We were open two months before Pinkberry and Yogurtland opened their stores in Beverly Hills,’ Navas said. He and his wife live in Westchester and have a five-month-old son, Javier.   Visit: www.toppingsyogurt.com.

Tipton Cheers L.A. River EPA Status

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In 2008, in order to prove to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that the Los Angele River is navigable, a group of kayakers (including Palisadian Jeffrey Tipton) paddled near the Hyperion Bridge, located near Silver Lake. Photo: Tom Andrews
In 2008, in order to prove to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that the Los Angele River is navigable, a group of kayakers (including Palisadian Jeffrey Tipton) paddled near the Hyperion Bridge, located near Silver Lake. Photo: Tom Andrews

Dr. Jeffrey Tipton held a party at the Oak Room Saturday night to celebrate a July 7 decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the Los Angeles River is navigable and protected under the Clean Water Act. That designation overturned an earlier ruling by the Army Corps of Engineers that only four miles of the river were navigable. “This is huge because full protection has grand implications,” said Tipton, a Pacific Palisades resident who fought for the river’s protected status. “It means that the river will have to be put back into a state where it can be used for recreation.” More than 70 people gathered at the Swarthmore eatery, including L.A. River activists and comedian Ro Delle Grazie, a Bronx native who joked, “This river would not work back East because there’s not enough water to cover the bodies.” Tipton’s campaign on behalf of the river began as a joke when he and wife, Evelyn Wendell, made a silly video in September 2007 about a man, George Wolfe, who was so frustrated with L.A. traffic that he kayaked to work in a suit, via the L.A. River. Activists used that video, “George’s L.A. River Commute,” which is on YouTube, to show that the river was navigable. “Some people didn’t realize it [the video] was a kind of joke,” said Tipton, director of student health services at Cal State L.A. and owner of the Palisades Integrative Medical Clinic in Pharmaca. Joke or not, Tipton was not laughing when he learned that the river, which originates in the San Fernando Valley, flows past downtown L.A. and empties into the ocean near San Pedro, lost its designation as navigable in 2008. Palisadian Fran Diamond, chairman of the L.A. Regional Water Quality Control Board, told the Palisadian-Post in 2009 that a rancher wanted to fill in a dry creek bed in the Santa Susana Mountains north of Chatsworth in order to develop property. (Those mountains are part of the watershed for the L.A. River.) After the rancher argued that the river itself was a dry streambed, the Army Corps of Engineers reviewed the stream, determined that less than four miles was navigable and removed its protected status. A 2006 U.S. Supreme Court ruling stated that the Clean Water Act’s protections against pollution apply only if it had a “significant nexus” with “traditional navigable waters.” “George Wolfe and I decided to show people [especially the Corps of Engineers] that you could actually navigate it, and we organized the L.A. River expedition, in July 2008,” Tipton said. With kayaks donated by Sports Chalet, the 12-member group began its two-and a-half day journey in the San Fernando Valley. Although people are not allowed to kayak, wade or play in the river, the group received permission to kayak the 52-mile length because they had a film permit. As he paddled, Tipton was amazed by the landscape surrounding the waterway. “In sections near Encino and Glendale, it was like a mini-jungle with birds and trees,” he said. “We saw people fishing at Atwater Village near Los Feliz, and for six or seven miles there’s no concrete on the bottom of the river. There are even artesian wells underground.” The group’s journey was covered on television and in newspapers. A few weeks later, the L.A. Times reported that the EPA had told the Corps of Engineers that it would consider whether the river and its tributary streams were ‘traditional navigable waters.” In changing the river’s designation to navigable, the EPA considered factors beyond whether the river’s flow and depth can support navigation, and included recreational and commercial opportunities, public access, susceptibility to restoration, and the presence of ongoing restoration and educational projects. “I have attended public hearings and other L.A. River events over the past two years, pushing for this designation to occur,” said Tipton, who blogs about it at survivingla.com, and will help with upcoming expeditions that allow people to kayak portions of the river. “Small efforts can do a lot,” he said. “You never know. If something in the world bothers you, speak up about it. This may lead to change.” Visit: www.lariverexpeditions.com

Begel Brings Pilates to YMCA

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Pacific Palisades resident and former Olympian Kym Begel recently joined the Palisades-Malibu YMCA as the Director of Healthy Lifestyles. She and her family have been Y members since 2000. A world class track and field athlete for over a decade, Begel is the former Executive Director of the Carl Lewis Foundation and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Sound Body, Sound Mind Foundation. In an effort to meet the needs of more Y members, Begel has expanded the group exercise schedule of classes and has opened a new Pilates studio at the facility. The transformation doesn’t stop there. Indoor cycling classes, with state-of-the-art stationery bicycles, will roll into the Y when a new Cycling Studio opens later this summer. “I am so honored that Kym has joined our staff,” said YMCA Executive Director Carol Pfannkuche. “Her expertise in fitness and her excellent reputation as a community leader make her a terrific addition to help us grow. We’re also happy to add highly skilled Pilates personal trainer Lauren Wing. She’s a Pilates Method Alliance Gold-Certified instructor, holding certifications in both the East Coast (Classical) and West Coast (Progressive) styles of Pilates.” Wing holds specialty certifications in Pilates for Golf and trained at the Titleist Performance Institute. She practices fundamental Pilates principles with her clients and can assist Y members with injury prevention and recovery. She is certified to teach Level V Cadillac/Trapeze Table, Spinal Reformer, Wunda Chair, Ladder Barrel and Mat Pilates. Y members can schedule private sessions with her for an additional fee. New fitness classes and instructors include: Zumba, taught by Audra Quinn. She comes to us after having been a group exercise instructor at Pepperdine University in Malibu. Zumba is a high energy, heart pumping, cardio workout. Ditch the workout and come join the dance party! Vinyasa Flow Yoga, (Contemporary, Level 2/3), taught by Ashika Gogna. She received her training and certification at Maha Yoga in Brentwood. This is a vigorous yoga class set to popular music. Gogna is excited to introduce this modern style of Yoga to Y members. Egyptian Belly Dance, taught by Richy Nedjat. This 2008 Palisades High graduate is a brilliant belly dance performer and choreographer. Egyptian Belly Dance is a fun and energetic workout that will fuel your spirit, mind and body. Come and learn about this ancient art form and the rich culture. Pre/Post Natal Fit, taught by Michelle Woolfson. She brings a wealth of experience to this class for mothers who are expecting or have recently delivered. This exercise class is designed to offer both physical as well as emotional support to women before and after childbirth. Toning and strengthening will be emphasized. The YMCA’s group exercise class schedule has been updated to include these new additions, so please visit the website at www.ymcala.org/palisades/ to see the new schedule or stop by the branch (821 Via de la Paz) to pick up a copy. Non-members can download a free seven-day guest pass and plan their health and fitness goals. Expanded ChildWatch hours include mornings, evenings and weekends. Summer is a great time to take advantage of this opportunity–kids have fun while you work out. The ChildWatch schedule is also on the website; advance reservations are recommended. Everyone is welcome at the YMCA and financial assistance is available for those in need, made possible by generous donors in the community. For questions, call 310-454-5591.

Calvert Bags Badminton Medals

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Lee Calvert (right) and mixed doubles partner Imre Bereknyei after winning their division at the U.S. Open Badminton Championships in Orange County.
Lee Calvert (right) and mixed doubles partner Imre Bereknyei after winning their division at the U.S. Open Badminton Championships in Orange County.

Palisadian Lee Calvert teamed with Imre Bereknyei to win the Senior International combined 130+ age division last weekend at the United States Open Badminton Championships in Orange County. There were players from nine countries competing and Calvert and her partner defeated a well-known Canadian duo to win the gold medal. “I still can’t believe Imre–a former Hungarian champion would still play with me when I reached the age of 85,’ Calvert said. “Two of the matches were real cliff-hangers. In the finals, we were lucky enough to do it in two games, 21-19, 21-19.” In ladies doubles, Calvert paired with Canadian champion Mary Jo Randall for the first time and they won the silver medal. “We are aiming for gold next year,” Calvert said.

Blues’ Reign Ends in Vancouver

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Italian international star Sara Gama scored the Pali Blues' only goal in last Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the W-League playoffs.
Italian international star Sara Gama scored the Pali Blues’ only goal in last Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the W-League playoffs.

All good things must come to an end. So it was for the Pali Blues’ reign as W-League champions. The Blues lost to Vancouver, 2-1, last Saturday in British Columbia and were eliminated from the Western Conference playoffs. The undefeated Whitecaps (7-0-4) scored twice in the first half and held on to win in front of 1,712 home fans at Swangard Stadium. Vancouver, which also beat Pali twice in the regular season, advanced to the “Final Four,” which begins today at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita. Janice Cayman nearly gave the Blues (3-5-3) a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute, but her shot hit the crossbar. Then, with time running out in the first half, forward Christen Press had two chances to score, but Whitecaps goalie Siobhan Chamberlain made the save each time. In stoppage time, teenage striker Shelby Payne headed the ball off the Vancouver crossbar. Pali finally broke through in the 61st minute when Julie Bukh’s free kick was re-directed into the net on a header by Italian international Sara Gama. Blues goalie Chante Sandiford made four saves. Both teams finished with 12 shots. The Blues’ third season did not end with a championship as the previous two did, but Head Coach Charlie Naimo was just as proud of his squad. “I am so humbled by this year,” he said. “I think things happen for a reason, but I know for sure that this group was deserving of a playoff chance. This is by far the best conference I’ve seen. It makes you look forward to next year and forces you to work harder.”

Pacific Palisades Pacesetters

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Sophomore Cami Chapus led Harvard-Westlake to its first CIF Southern Section girls' soccer title in nine seasons.
Sophomore Cami Chapus led Harvard-Westlake to its first CIF Southern Section girls’ soccer title in nine seasons.

So much for a sophomore slump. Tenth-grader Camille Chapus did it all year round at Harvard-Westlake High, becoming the school’s first state cross country champion in the fall, leading the Wolverines to their first CIF Southern Section soccer title since 2001 in the winter and winning the Mission League 3,200-meter race and running on the school-record 1,600 relay at the state preliminary meet. When not winning with the Wolverines, Chapus is playing club soccer for the Westside Breakers. Drake Johnston finished off his first year of high school track on a positive note. In June, he represented the South Orange Wildcats in the USATF Junior Olympic Association at Cerritos College. The 15-year-old from Palisades High placed seventh in his division in the 1500 meters with a personal-best time of 4:26. He was second in the 3,000 meters in 9:35. He qualifed for the Junior Olympic Regional meet in Las Vegas, taking fifth in the 1500 in 4:29 and fourth in the 3,000 meters in 9:39.37. At the USATF Youth Nationals in Lisle, Illinois, Johnston was second in the steeplechase with a personal-best 6:56; fourth in the 3,000 meters with a personal-best of 9:23 and was fourth in his 1,500 heat in a personal-best 4:19. Palisadian Amanda Lisberger helped her Camarillo Eagles’ U23 women’s soccer team to a 2-1 victory over the Arizona Rush Nike in the finals of the U.S. National Soccer Championships last Sunday in Kansas. The Eagles became only the second women’s team in history to win three age-specific national soccer titles, having previously won in 2004 as a U14 team and three years later at the U17 level. Lisberger plays for the University of Texas and played for the Santa Clarita Blue Heat in the USL W-League this season. She graduated as the all-time scoring leader at Brentwood School. Bryant Falconello competed in the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships last weekend at PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Falconello, who is entering eighth grade at Calvary Christian School, played in the boys’ 12-13 age division. He finished 71st in a field of 90, shooting 82-86-82 on the Palmer Course for a three-day total of 250.

Shotgun 21 Three-peats at PTC

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Beach volleyball legend Sinjin Smith digs out a backhand in Sunday's third annual Shotgun 21 Championships at the Palisades Tennis Center.
Beach volleyball legend Sinjin Smith digs out a backhand in Sunday’s third annual Shotgun 21 Championships at the Palisades Tennis Center.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

What a difference a day makes. Disheartened after losing in the first round of qualifying for this week’s Farmers Classic at UCLA, professional tennis player Alex Bogdanovic was ready to pack his bags and head home to England. That was before his countryman and longtime Palisadian John Lloyd told him about the third annual Shotgun 21 Championships last Sunday at the Palisades Tennis Center. “Yeah, it sounded like fun so I decided to stick around and give it a shot,” Bogdanovic said. “Things couldn’t have worked out any better. I just showed up, paid the $100 entry fee and, well, here I am.” There he was indeed, smiling from ear to ear as he pocketed the winner’s check of $5,000–a healthy payday for one afternoon’s work. Bogdanovic, the second-highest ranked Brit in the world behind Andy Murray, upset defending champion Vince Spadea in the finals of the drop-hit, unisex tournament that sent shockwaves through the tennis world in 2008 when PTC owner Steve bellamy organized the inaugural Shotgun 21, in which Alex Bogomolov beat fellow pro Phillip King, 21-20, in a climactic final. “This is what the Palisades is all about,” Bellamy said. “We had a great turnout and people got to see some world-class tennis for free. We had a 71-year-old man beat an 8-year-old boy. In the very first match of the day, 5-year-old Tsai Driscoll beat a 24-year-old. Where else can you see that?” Once again, many of the PTC’s top junior players showed up at noon for a chance to earn their way into the 32-spot main draw. Alex Giannini, brothers Robbie, Roscoe, Lucas and Lincoln Bellamy, Blake Anthony, Charlie Sherman, Connor Fulgham, Jameson West and Brandon Michaels were among the local kids who participated. Robbie Bellamy, who enjoyed a stellar freshman season at Palisades High, made the main draw and beat Howard Sands, a Harvard graduate and former Junior Davis Cup team member who beat Sweden’s Mats Wilander at the 1980 Wimbledon Juniors. “This is one of the neatest events I’ve ever been to,” said Andy Nelkin, President of Sanyo, who lost to former ATP Tour pro Jeff Tarango in the first round. “How in the world did they get all these famous tennis players, all these celebrities and a packed hillside at public park tennis courts? Pretty amazing!” In the second round, Robbie Bellamy lost to Spadea, 21-9, but gained the respect of his older, much more seasoned opponent. Bellamy lost to top-seeded Sam Querrey two years ago in the first Shotgun 21. “His forehand is as big as anyone’s on the tour,” Spadea said. “I just did everything I could to keep it to his backhand and just tried to stay in the point as long as I could. With a little more experience, that kid is going to be unstoppable.” There were several intriguing first-round matchups, like former USC standout Maureen Diaz taking on actor Vince Van Patten, Spadea taking on Palisadian actress Donna Mills, local pro beach volleyball legend Sinjin Smith against “Undercovers” star Boris Kodjoe and Florida up-and-comer Sloane Stephens trading backhands with actor/singer Josh Morrow. Perhaps the most entertaining, however, was the all-ladies pairing of retired pro Kimberly Po and hometown actress Melissa Rivers. “For the women, this is a great format because taking away the serve is a big equalizer,” said Po, who went on to beat Kodjoe in the second round before losing to Spadea in the quarterfinals. “Melissa played great and she was very competitive. She actually got me twice with clean passing shots.” For the second straight year, Spadea was pushed to the brink in the semifinals. Last year, he trailed 20-18 against PTC junior Clay Thompson before rallying to win the last three points. On Sunday, he outdueled University of Texas All-American Dimitar Kutrovsky to reach his second consecutive final. Bogdanovic made only three unforced errors to eliminate Thompson, 21-14, in the second semifinal. “I’d never played him [Thompson] before but he was a very worthy opponent,” said the 26-year-old Bogdanovic, who turned pro in 2002 and resides in London. “I’m amazed how good the players are here. With these rules you can’t afford to start slow and play your way into the match. Every point counts.” Feeling right at home on the courts where he trains every day, Thompson rallied from 18-17 down to knock out Tarango, 21-19, in the round of 16. Thompson, who played high school tennis at Crossroads in Santa Monica and is headed for UCLA, then edged pro Tim Kpulun, 21-19, in the quarterfinals. “That guy is really good,” Thompson said of the left-handed hitting Bogdanovic. “It was fun just to play him. I didn’t really expect to get this far, but I had the crowd on my side.” Using deep groundstrokes to pin his opponent on the baseline, Bogdanovic took command early in the final, taking the first two points and building leads of 5-3, 9-5 and 11-8. Spadea battled back to go ahead for the first time, 13-12, but Bogdanovic answered with six straight points to regain control. At 16-13, Bogdanovic ended a 22-stroke rally with a forehand winner, Spadea watching helplessly as the ball landed smack dab on the sideline. On the next point, Spadea came to the net, but Bogdanovic hit a sparkling crosscourt forehand passing shot on the dead run to build a five-point cushion. On championship point, the Brit hit a forehand volley winner to the open court to the applause of spectators on the hill overlooking Court 1. “Alex hit some really good shots,” said Spadea, who defeated 12-year ATP Tour pro Ramon Delgado of Paraguay in last year’s final. “But hey, at least I made him earn it.” Asked if he planned to return to defend his title, Bogdonovic said yes: “I was kind of down [emotionally] coming here today, so this is unbelievable. I’d definitely like to come back next summer and see if I can win again.”

Thursday, July 22 – Thursday, July 29

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THURSDAY, JULY 22

  Story-craft time, 4 p.m. at the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Suggested for ages 4 and up.   Campfire and marshmallow roast, 7 p.m. in Temescal Gateway Park, north of Sunset, and continuing on Thursday evenings this summer. The programs, complete with an interpretive nature program, campfire songs and activities, are free. Parking is $7.

FRIDAY, JULY 23

  Palisades Beautiful holds its quarterly meeting, 3 p.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Topics include the upcoming November tree planting and an update on the work of two summer interns. The public is invited to attend. Contact: palisadesbeautiful@earthlink.net and palisadesbeautiful.org.’   Humor columnist W. Bruce Cameron (‘8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter’) reads ‘A Dog’s Purpose,’ a first novel that follows the spiritual journey of a dog through four incarnations. Ten percent of the cover price of pre-sales only will go to Animal Alliance, a Los Angeles that rescues animals and helps low-income individuals keep their pets.   ‘Lost in Radioland,’ a 1940’s comedy presented by Theatre Palisades, plays tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. at Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Rd. For tickets and information, call (310) 454-1970.

MONDAY, JULY 26

  Monthly meeting of the Pacific Palisades Civic League, 7:30 p.m. in Tauxe Hall at the Methodist Church, 801 Via de la Paz. There are three homes on the agenda as new business: 1214 Chautauqua (new two-story residence), 1118 Iliff (second-story addition), and 916 Kagawa (new two-story residence). ‘   Jacqueline Bridgeman, a former features writer at the Palisadian-Post, signs and discusses ‘The Lonely Sky: The Personal Story of a Record-Breaking Experimental Test Pilot,’ a recently re-issued book she wrote in 1955 with Bill Bridgeman, America’s foremost experimental test pilot, 7:30 p.m. at Village Books. (See story, page 12.)

TUESDAY, JULY 27

  Pajama storytime for children of all ages (parents and teddy bears welcome), 7 p.m. at the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real.   Temescal Canyon Association hikers will take the Backbone Trail from Will Rogers State Historic Park to Chicken Ridge. The public is invited to join. Meet at 6 p.m. in the front parking lot at Temescal Gateway Park for carpooling. Contact: (310) 459-5931 or visit temcanyon.org.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 28

  Sunrise Assisted Living hosts a free Alzheimer’s support group on the second Monday and fourth Wednesday of each month, 6:30 p.m. at 15441 Sunset. RSVP: the front desk (310) 573-9545.

THURSDAY, JULY 29

  Story-craft time, 4 p.m. at the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Suggested for ages 4 and up.   Lisa Brackmann reads and signs ‘Rock Paper Tiger,’ a novel that takes readers on a wild ride through the world of online gaming, artists and international espionage in contemporary China. The author, who lives in Venice, has lived and traveled extensively in China.

Rene Magritte Letters Enhance the Getty

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The Getty Research Institute has acquired an important group of letters and postcards from the Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte.   The group of over 40 autographed letters and postcards to the Belgian surrealist poet Paul Colinet documents Magritte’s life and career from 1934, about the time the two surrealists met, to 1957, when Colinet passed away. They number about 50 pages, and also include a telegram, a typescript copy of a letter, and eight letters and postcards from Colinet, all contained in a brown morocco binder.   The collection of letters adds to the already impressive archival holdings on Magritte at the GRI, and offers a valuable glimpse of Magritte within the context of both his personal life and career and surrealism’s spread into Belgium and beyond.   Magritte was born Ren’-Fran’ois Ghislain Magritte in 1898, in Lessines, Belgium. In the fall of 1916, he enrolled at the Acad’mie Royale des Beaux-Arts, but also began working as a commercial artist, an endeavor that intermittently afforded him financial stability for the next few decades. By 1920, Magritte had made contact with Marinetti and the futurists, and become fully involved in the Belgian avant-garde.   In 1922, he married Georgette Berger, and the following year he saw a reproduction of Giorgio de Chirico’s painting Le Chant d’Amour (1914), which triggered Magritte’s shift away from cubism, though his first full-blown surrealist paintings did not appear before 1925.   Magritte’s first one-person show took place in 1927, and he would achieve countless other solo and group exhibitions. His exhibition at LACMA, ‘Magritte and Contemporary Art: The Treachery of Images,’ featured illustrated letters from the GRI Special Collections, and encouraged a reconsideration of Magritte’s legacy by highlighting his importance to later artists.

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