November is filled with activities and events at MonteCedro.
We’d love to see you soon. Take a look at some of what’s happening and RSVP by clicking the link to let us know you can attend.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at (626) 788-4924 or email Caroline Davis at: [email protected].
Vintage jazz singer Grace Faye brings her iconic style and voice back to MonteCedro. Specializing in swing tunes, Rat Pack classics, and traditional jazz standards from the 1920s to the 1940s, she delights audiences with an evening of song.
Join Bryce Stevens from Sector 5 Media, a premier motorsports and karting media company known for capturing professional race photos and video packages for competitors across the country. Bryce will discuss the special effects and movie magic used to bring “F1: The Movie” to life. Using clips from the movie, commentary and visual explanations, he will take us through how the production team created the iconic race/crash scenes and merged real and fictional F1 action to create a blockbuster.
Renowned pianist, Dr. Kelly Anderson joins us this month to perform and discuss music that celebrates our nation’s Semiquincentennial. An instructor at Pasadena City College, Dr. Anderson records for various media including documentaries, and brings his storytelling to every performance.
The past month was filled with fun and interesting events and outings at MonteCedro. Below are some of the activities that were enjoyed by residents.
At MonteCedro
Chaplain Liz offered a “Blessing of the Animals” for the beloved pets of MonteCedro. Cats, dogs, and photos of furry companions were all given a special blessing filled with love.
At MonteCedro
Instructor Gabrielle Anderson led a class in silk scarf painting. The residents enjoyed the creative process and will have a beautiful piece of original art to wear in the cooler months to come.
Performances
Several brave residents took to the microphone to sing at our Karaoke night. A wide variety of songs were performed — some hits and some more unexpected tunes. It was a fabulous, fun evening of friends and song.
Performances
The trio of Paul Stein on violin, Stephanie Lan on piano and Dave Mergen on cello performed works from two classical titans to usher in the month of October. The works included Mendelssohn’s Romantic Yearnings & Beethoven’s Halloween Ghost. The hauntingly beautiful music was a feast for the ears and the spirit.
Lecture
Dr. Nivedita Mahesh, an Astrophysicist from Cal Tech presented “Farside: Exploring the Cosmos from the Moon.” Dr. Mahesh was a fascinating speaker and her lecture sparked great questions and discussions.
Lecture
Hans Alhoff from our Creative Living Academy Partner Altadena Heritage shared his insights into the history of three colorful contrarians — Angleo Gianonni, Paul Little, and Tim Dunden. Despite their eccentricities, all three Altadenans cared deeply about personal freedom as they understood it.
Lecture
We welcomed Oliver Greene, from our Creative Living Academy partner The Pasadena Conservatory of Music. A native of Georgia, Oliver served as an associate professor at Georgia State University where he taught courses on world music, popular American music and African music, carnival traditions of Trinidad and Brazil, and music history. He holds a Ph.D. in musicology from Florida State University, Master of Music degrees from Southern Methodist University, and a Bachelor of Music from the College Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati. He is the author of The Garifuna Music Reader (2018), an edited manuscript on music and ritual traditions of the Garifuna of Belize. He completed the last of a four-part series of examination of music as a response to military conflict. It explored popular music in the US before and during World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. The series of talks were well attended and appreciated by residents.
Outings
Team members including Adam Peña, Executive Director of MonteCedro attended the sold-out CAS (Convalescent Aid Society) Garden Party at the Valley Hunt Club in Pasadena. MonteCedro was a proud sponsor of this event. CAS has been serving those in need since 1923. The honorees this year were supporters of the victims of the Eaton Fire in Altadena. It was an exceptional evening for an exceptional cause.
Outings
Residents visited the California African American Museum and their exhibit: “Ode to ’Dena: Black artistic legacies of Altadena.” During the 1950s and 1960s, Altadena was home to a burgeoning Black community and was hailed as the epicenter of Black arts activity in Los Angeles County. Though this designation arguably shifted to the South Central neighborhood of Watts in the wake of the 1965 Watts Rebellion, Altadena continued to develop as a vibrant and creative haven with a distinctive Black cultural imprint. Since then, Altadena and the adjacent city of Pasadena have served as home to an extraordinary array of Black artists, educators, musicians, intellectuals, entrepreneurs, and activists.
Ode to ’Dena lauds the rich and dynamic Black cultural heritage of Altadena. It surveys the town’s enduring legacy through the work and stories of an intergenerational group of artists who have called it home. The exhibit was a blend of photography, paintings and mixed media. It was a stunning reflection of the history and voices of the neighborhood.
Outings
Current residents mingled with future residents at The Athenaeum for a “Getting to Know You” Social with Executive Director, Adam Peña. Following a delicious meal, there was a fun “This or That” Q&A with Adam. Guests were gifted with a “California Road Trips” Guide, also inspired by Adam’s favorite pastimes. It was a memorable evening of connection and friendship.
Outings
A group of residents visited Madame Tussauds in Hollywood. They explored every corner of the wax museum, took endless photos and laughed until their cheeks hurt. Following time at the museum, they had lunch at the rooftop restaurant and then walked a half block to Grauman’s Chinese Theater to explore.
