A Politically Incorrect Blog About Living in Woodland Hills, California

KTLA Footage From Yesterday’s “The Vampire Diaries” Cast Meet-and-Greet

KTLA video of fans at Topanga Plaza yesterday for the meet-and-greet of The Vampire Diaries cast members.

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Huge Turnout For The Vampire Diaries Meet-and-Greet At Westfield Topanga

If you had trouble finding your tweenage daughter this afternoon, I have a pretty good idea where she was.  The cast from The Vampire Diaries on the CW network was making an appearance at Hot Topic in the Westfield Topanga mall, and I’m pretty sure every girl in Woodland Hills from the ages of 11 to 17 was there waiting in line for autographs.  There was also a big stage set up for a performance from A Fine Frenzy.  I’d also like to note, for those that care about such things, that “Plaza” has been dropped from name of the mall, and it is now officially simply “Westfield Topanga.”

It looked to me like everyone was pretty excited, and the people coming out of Hot Topic with autographs and such seemed very pleased.  I didn’t get to see any of the cast members myself, which is a bummer because I had hoped to get my copy of the recently released The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season DVD autographed.  What a bummer.  (Correction: As pointed out by Vampire-Diaries.net, there is not yet a DVD for The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season.  It is, however, available on VOD at Amazon.com.  I could have instead had Ian Somerhalder, who plays Boone on Lost, sign my Lost: The Complete First Season Blu-ray disc.  Again, still a bummer.)

I didn’t stick around for A Fine Frenzy’s performance, but hopefully it went well.  Here’s a few pictures of the crowd, line, stage, etc.

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Meet The Cast Of The Vampire Diaries At Westfield Topanga Plaza Saturday Feb 13th

My good friend at ClattoVerata.com writes:

Moody-tween fashion retailer Hot Topic will be hosting a meet-and-greet with “The Vampire Diaries’ stars Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, and Ian Somerhalder. The event will take place Saturday, Feb. 13 at the Hot Topic outlet located inside the Westfield Topanga Mall in Canoga Park, CA beginning at 4 p.m.

The autograph signing portion of the show is sold out, but a Q&A session will be open to the public. Rock outfit A Fine Frenzy will also be performing at the event.

For more info, call Hot Topic at 818-348-8440.

“The Vampire Diaries” is writer-producer Kevin Williamson’s (Scream, “Dawson’s Creek”) adaptation of L.J. Smith’s popular novel series of the same name for the CW television network. The show follows high-schooler Elena Gilbert as she’s courted by two vampire brothers.

This presents a slight inconvenience for me because I wanted to go over to Hot Topic to pick up a new Hello Kitty backpack.  I guess I’ll just stay home and catch up on my leg shaving and suicide note writing.

See the offcial Westfield Topanga Plaza press release here.

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CHIME Charter Elementary School Holding “Walk-N-Roll-A-Thon” Friday Jan 29

A concerned parent and reader of the blog wrote in to let me know that CHIME Charter Elementary School in Woodland Hills needs our help to save their music program.

She writes:

CHIME Charter Elementary School Walk-N-Roll-A-Thon to save Music Fri, Jan 29th. The proceeds go 100% toward supporting our beloved music program. The kids each need to collect sponsors, either at a set donation or a per lap rate. Checks can be made to Chime Charter Elementary and must be in by race day. You can also call in a pledge to 818 346 5100 and select option 3, to pay by credit card. We appreciate your support. Thank you!’

From their press release:

On Friday, Jan. 29, more than 320 kindergarten through fifth grade students are going to run, walk and roll their wheelchairs around the school track in an effort to save their music teacher’s job. They are asking their friends and family members to support their efforts by pledging a flat amount or an amount per lap.

“The amazing thing about this event is the community support and care for music instruction. The commitment of these families and their children to ensuring that we have a music program is literally demonstrated with the rubber hitting the road,” said Julie Fabrocini, the elementary school’s principal and executive director of the institute’s schools program.

The Walk-N-Roll-A-Thon is scheduled to take place from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. at the school located at 19722 Collier St. in Woodland Hills. The kindergartners will begin their quest at 1:15 p.m., followed by the first through fifth graders at 2 p.m.

Braving rain and mud last year, the elementary school students ran, walked and rolled their wheelchairs around the school track and raised more than $48,000 in pledges and donations. They were able to save their music program through June 2010.

But the state budget’s situation in many ways has gotten worse, and the music program’s future in the 2010-2011 school year, and beyond, is threatened again.

“The state’s budget crisis has impacted our ability to pay for high-quality classroom teachers,” Fabrocini said. “As always when we have to weigh the state’s requirements against children’s needs, the arts end up on the chopping block. What is most difficult about this is that we have no choice in the matter. Without these kids and their parents, we would continue to have no choices.”

Here’s a video where you can learn more about CHIME Charter Elementary School:

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Rotary Club Of Woodland Hills Sponsoring Ferne Saltzman Photo Art Show Jan 30th

TheAcorn.com writes:

The Rotary Club of Woodland Hills will sponsor a photo art show and sale featuring the works of artist Ferne Saltzman from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat., Jan. 30 at Clyde Porter’s Playhouse, 7242 Owensmouth Ave., Canoga Park.

The show will feature Saltzman’s works in a variety of sizes, both framed and unframed. Refreshments will be served. The show is open to the public with no admission charge.

All proceeds from the sale of the art will benefit Rotary International’s PolioPlus campaign to immunize children around the world from polio.

Saltzman studied at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara. She was the official photographer of the Kodak Albuquerque International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta for 11 years. Her work is featured in several California galleries and regularly at fine art shows in Southern California and Arizona.

For more information, call Lois Koch at (818) 857-7566 or e-mail lois@ourbungalow.com.

Thanks to Ferne for providing me with the above image and permission to use it.  Hopefully some of my readers can drop by on Saturday January 30th, and I hope to check it out myself.

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Supercar Sunday Has Good Turnout At New Location, Westfield Topanga Promenade

I was going to check out the new venue for “Supercar Sundays” today at the Westfield Topanga Promenade but the only thing I ended up looking at this morning was the inside of my eyelids.  Thankfully, I was able to get a report from one of my readers.

tle writes in a comment:

Jay Leno was there today with a million dollar Veyron! Guess he was trying to gain back popularity or viewer approval for this show.

There are some good pictures here.  Autoblog.com has an entry about the event here.

There you have it, I’m sure one week soon I’ll make it out there to take a look.  I’m kind of bummed out that I missed Jay Leno, even though I am definitely not a fan.  I pray every night that they make a Late Shift 2.

Also, I spoke briefly to LAPD’s Senior LEAD Officer Rygh today, who was also in attendance at the event.  He told me that there was quite a big turnout, and expressed his opinion that it’s a great thing for the mall, and for the car owners as well. Also, I asked Officer Rygh if there would be a January newsletter for Topanga Station, and he informed me that due to the frenetic pace of the holidays and an illness of the woman at the station who compiles the newsletter, they had to skip the January issue.  However, there will be one in February.

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Woodland Hills Ice Ribbon Cutting Today At 5PM – Free Skating 3 to 5, Toy Drive, and Much Wackiness!

Wow, the day is finally here.  Woodland Hills Ice is having its official ribbon cutting ceremony today, hosted by the Woodland Hills – Tarzana Chamber of Commerce.  They are also collecting toys for West Valley PALS (learn about  them on Facebook) and if they reach certain benchmarks all sorts of wacky mayhem will happen including Laura Levinsky ice skating in a sumo outfit, and West Valley PALS President Leslie Kaz shaving off his beard and mustache!

There will be free skating from 3pm to 5pm with the ribbon cutting at 5pm sharp!

Jen Svejda from the Chamber kindly sent me the full details:

MEDIA ADVISORY

Monday, December 14, 2009

The Woodland Hills~Tarzana Chamber of Commerce has been very active this season with Valleywide Toy Drives.  Spark of Love, West Valley PALS and Toys for Tots are recipients of a very generous Woodland Hills ~Tarzana Community.

WHO & WHAT: Woodland Hills~Tarzana Chamber of Commerce Ribbon cutting celebrating the Grand Opening of  Woodland Hills Ice– Councilman Dennis P. Zine expected.

Prior to the official Ribbon cutting, the West Valley PALS has challenged the members of the Woodland Hills~Tarzana Chamber to raise 100 toys.  Join Woodland  Hills Ice as they launch their Grand Opening with Free Skating from 3-5.

WHEN:  Free Skating today from 3pm – 5pm

4:00pm  Toy Drive

4:30pm  Laura Levinsky skating & Leslie Kaz ~clean shaven (100 toys)

5:00pm Sharp – Ribbon Cutting

WHERE: Woodland Hills Ice 6100 Topanga Cyn. Blvd. Woodland Hills , CA 91306

tel: 818-854-4151 Whitney Kennedy, owner

The Challenge that was presented by Chamber Members, West Valley PALS, to fellow Woodland Hills~Tarzana Chamber Members is as follows:

Laura Levinsky, an active chamber member and LA area director for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, has issued a challenge to our community to assist Leslie Kaz, the new President of  West Valley PALS (Police Activity League Supporters), with a toy drive to benefit the children of  West Valley PALS.  If we can collect 80 toys Laura will dress in an inflatable sumo wrestler outfit and ice skate with Woodland Hills-Tarzana Chamber Staff.  If we are able to collect 100 toys, Leslie Kaz will shave off his beard & mustache at 4:30 pm.

Expected Attendance: Councilmen Dennis P. Zine will be attending the formal ribbon cutting at 5pm.

For more information contact:

Leslie M Kaz

President, West Valley Pals

818-332-1566 x102

Or for Ribbon Cutting Information

The Woodland Hills~Tarzana Chamber of Commerce Website

http://www.woodlandhillscc.net/

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