The Arroyos and Foothills Conservancy is on the march to preserve Rubio Canyon, and  the Eaton Canyon Nature Center Associates have joined in.  It's a good time for some end-of-year tax-deductible donations:

Dear AFC Friend,

Exciting news! The Eaton Canyon Nature Center Associates have made a $10,000 matching grant to help save Rubio Canyon in the Altadena foothills.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is sponsoring another CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) class.

It will take place over 5 sessions in January, 2011 in La Crescenta.

Thurs., Dec. 16

• The Watershed Council, the University of California Cooperative Extension and the US Forest Service will hold a symposium on post-fire recovery today from  8:30 AM-4 PM.  (Note that it has been moved from the Altadena Community Center to 1418 Descanso Dr.,

Editor's note: we've had some issues come up with this story, so we've removed it while we straighten them out.  Thanks for your indulgence!

The Bob Lucas Library is at 2659 N. Lincoln Ave.

With a 60% chance of rain coming up, Carolyn Seitz tells us that  the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works is indicating that the currently expected storm event will not cause mud and debris flows for the Station Fire burn areas.

All debris basins are at their maximum capacity and expected to accommodate stormwater,

Altadena’s other Christmas landmark, the Balian mansion, went lights-on tonight and already was attracting a small crowd.  The lights — and occasionally music — will be on through the season.

We've removed the Facebook and Twitter options at the bottom of each post in an attempt to speed up page loading.  Let us know how it goes on your computers!

Jacob Maarse Florists and St. Mark’s School are teaming up for this two-day event, a benefit for the school.  The event kicks off with a preview party on Fri., Dec. 3 (6-9:30 PM) and continues through Sat., Dec.

We spotted a large mountain lion in the driveway at 2770 Porter Ave, between Altadena Drive and Alta Loma, at around 9:00 P.M. on Wed., Nov. 24th.  My husband and myself were driving north on Porter with our 11 year old daughter and her friend when we saw what we at first mistook for a large dog just standing in front of one of the cars parked in the driveway. 

The day begins with the Christmas Tree Lane Winter Festival and Boutique, starting at 2 PM in the parking lot of the Altadena Library, 600 E. Mariposa.  The festival includes Christmas Tree Lane memoriabilia, along with vendors selling jewelry, crafts, and art. Santa Claus “Holly Wolly Jolly” will be there taking pictures.

It’s an extravaganza in four parts:

• Pancake breakfast: 8:30-12, $4/plate
• Christmas Tree Sale: 8 AM-2 PM, fresh trees for sale
• Book Fair: Scholastic books for sale 9 AM-1 PM
• Yard sale:  8 AM-1 PM.

Odyssey Charter School is at 725 W.

Now that Thanksgiving is over with, we are turning our thoughts to Christmas and Hanukkah, and putting out this bleg (which is a “beg on a blog”)”

What is your church or faith community doing to celebrate?  We are planning to publish a rundown of Advent, Hanukkah, Christmas Eve and Christmas services going on in Altadena — this not only includes religious services, but concerts and other events that your faith community gives as a gift to celebrate the joyous season.

9th Annual Open Studio & Holiday Boutique
Come for a visit  – do some holiday shopping!

Saturday & Sunday, Dec. 4 & 5 Noon to 6 PM
470 W. Mariposa St., Altadena (We’ll be here, rain or shine.)

Holiday Fare will be served while Local Artisans display their wares!

We've just returned from a family trip (Thanksgiving with family, and celebrating Mrs. Altadenablog's birthday), and are back in the saddle again after being in an undisclosed remote location for several days.  Bring it on!

Jan Wilson at the Altadena Community Church (United Church of Christ), 943 E. Altadena Dr., has announced a series of events for the Christmas season.

On Mondays, Nov. 29, Dec. 6, Dec. 13, Dec. 20: Centering Prayer sessions.  An opportunity to reclaim your spiritual experience of the holiday season; led by Pastor Joe McGowan of Altadena Community Church/United Church of Christ. 

Classes will be held Tues. from 6-9 PM, starting in January at Farnsworth Park.  Fee is $30/month, which includes a wrestling T-shirt.  For more information, call 626-798-6335.

• Get up early tomorrow (Dec. 1) and join the president of the Tournament of Roses and the Rose Queen and Court as they walk the Rose Bowl at 7:30 AM.  The event will be sponsored by Up and Moving, an organization that tries to get people up and out to enjoy the beauty and health of walking 3.6 miles around the Bowl and Golf Course to improve conditioning and synergy amoung the participants. 

Fourteen-year-old cellist Harry Wilde Greer will join PMC, playing the cello solo in Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on Christmas Carols.

The Altadena Library presents a delightful evening of holiday music for the entire family with the Handbell Choir and Dulcet Singers of the First United Methodist Church of Pasadena.  Performance is at the Library, 600 E. Mariposa, starting at 7 PM on Tue., Dec. 14.

At 11 AM, Santa will be at the main library, 600 E. Mariposa.  At noon, Santa will be at the Bob Lucas Branch Library, 2659 N. Lincoln.  Parents, bring your kids and your cameras for this event!

The program, on Sat. Dec. 18 between noon and 5 PM, features refreshments and entertainment.  Children ages 5-13 will receive a free stocking and a toy, but must register by Dec. 6.

Parks is also looking for donations of new toys: drop-off boxes are in the Davies Building at Farnsworth Park. 

Mon., Nov.  22

Between  7:30 PM – 7:00  AM,  Tues.:  A  petty  theft  from  an  unlocked  vehicle  occurred  in  the 1800 block of Harding  Avenue. Loss: gray  backpack, gray Texas  Instrument  calculator,  black Prismacolor drafting pens, and misc.  documents. The  backpack  was  recovered  by the victim at the northwest corner of Harding Avenue and  New York Drive.

Wed.,  Nov.  24

10:50  AM  –  An  attempt  residential  burglary occurred  in  the  200 block of  W.

• PSN’s Larry Wilson looks at the election stats, and if California is blue, Altadena is “cobalt” — not only voting overwhelmingly Democratic, but in favor of Prop. 19, the marijuana legalization initiative (54.4 percent of Altadenans saying “yes.”)  Don’t worry — if the supervisors have their way, you’ll still be able to get a dime bag — from your local grocery store, if you don’t bring your own …
• Fox 11 recently ran a feature story on Altadena School’s efforts to create a new school district.

Thurs., Dec. 2

• Art Bender: The last Art Bender starts today at the Gallery at the End of the World, 2475 N. Lake, with an artist’s reception, 6-9 PM.

Fri., Dec. 3

• Last day to turn in canned goods to the Library in lieu of library fines to benefit the Altadena Sheriff’s Station toy and food drive,

PUSD released new boundary maps this week to show where students will go once the two Altadena schools have closed in the fall — Loma Alta students’ new “residential” schools are either Franklin or Altadena Elementary Schools, and Burbank students “residential” schools are Webster or Longfellow. 

LA Sonic Odyssey will hold two concerts at the Neighborhood Chuch in Pasadena on Dec. 13 and 14,, featuring the music of Alta-troubador Ian Whitcomb.

"Free Coffee and Donuts" counterpoints the music of the great depression with the music of today.  Whitcomb willl be performing a suites of songs from the Great Depression,

• Characters: PSN’s Larry Wilson rambles about the joys and characters of Altadena, including its millionaires (Col. Green, Andrew McNally), philandering novelists (Zane Grey met his mistress in Eaton Canyon!), and moving into modernity with the Urban Farmer’s Market and wrapping up with a plug for the Christmas in Altadena tour for St. Mark’s School.
• More characters: Speaking of which, Altadenablog World Headquarters is on the walking route for the tour. 

Pictured: Artist Outi Harama enjoys herself at last night’s Art Bender reception.

Ben McGinty’s Gallery at the End of the World hosts its final Art Bender this weekend, and our Gary Altadena was there, camera in hand, to capture some of the flavor of the opening night reception.  More pictures after the jump.

Fee is $55 per week, hours are 7:30-5:30 PM, and your child must bring a lunch.  For more information, contact the park office at 626-798-6335.

Your first, best, original, ONLY locally-owned-and-operated-and-living in Altadena news website just hit another milestone today: 750,000 pageviews, and we have you to thank for it!

Thanks to our sponsors, our readers, our many contributors who provide commentary, news and pictures in the field.  Thanks to our constants Bill Westphal, Chris Considine, the new kid on the block photographer Gary Altadena,

The 2010 “Tour of Altadena” bike rider got off to a smooth start this morning at Loma Alta Park.  Riders from law enforcement agencies and the general public took to their bicycles in this fun ride, to benefit the LA County Sheriff’s Annual Giving Campaign.

Making the turn out of the parking lot …

… and they’re off!

A few offline projects have been keeping us busy lately (including taking the kids to the AKC dog show in Long Beach, where we saw a xoloitzcuintli!)  Look for some rockin' pictures up later of last night's North Lake Pole bash, and we promise a killer Monday: Michele Zack weighs in with a column you need to read.

Also that day will be the Winter Arts & Crafts Festival, to be held in the Altadena Library parking lot, 600 E. Mariposa, from 2-5 PM.  The tree lighting ceremony will take place thereafter.

Master of ceremonies is actor Meshach Taylor.  The Pasadena High School Naval ROTC will present the colors,

Last night’s North Lake Pole celebration brought an unusual taste of winter to Altadena (OK, the snow was manufactured, but still it was fun!)  We have several pictures to share of the family friendly event, after the jump: