GIGA GRANADA HILLS

This Sunday, Dec. 13 at Valley Life Improvement Center, see a blues concert featuring performers Michael Richard and Peach. The ominously-named Valley Life Improvement Center is a Scientology counseling center (boo!) that believes in bringing the arts to our community (yay!), so I'm a bit torn. Maybe I just need a dose of blues guitar to put my head back on straight. Valley Life Improvement Center is located at 10667 White Oak Avenue. Tickets are $10 advance, $15 at the door.

Local martial arts and yoga studio North Valley Aikikai is organizing a blanket drive this weekend and is asking for donations of any extra blankets for donation to the homeless. Giga Granada Hills readers may recall our past story about one of our town's homeless encampments, hiding in plain sight between Trader Joe's and Two Guys From Italy. Lee Lavi Ramirez, head of North Valley Aikikai, became aware of the encampment shortly after her martial arts studio moved into the same shopping center. The studio offers free yoga, exercise, and martial arts classes to first-time students ( click here for coupon ), so drop by for a class and drop off an old blanket. Here is Lee's letter: As temperatures are going below freezing, we will be collecting blankets to be distributed to the homeless. If you have an extra blanket that you would like to donate, please bring it by this weekend. The hours we will be there are: Thursday and Friday: 8:30 am - 12 noon, and 5-6 pm Saturday: 9 ...

In this morning's Los Angeles Times , an article that could easily be describing the Granada Hills Holiday Parade, but was actually about the Hollywood Christmas Parade, spoke admiringly of the parade's "down-home charm." "There is a certain magic in turning a street from its usual traffic. It promises something special, a departure from daily business: a holiday, a party.... "Apart from sitting city officials, it relies on second- and third-tier celebrities to fill the slowly driven classic convertibles that alternate with the marching bands, big balloons, equestrian troops and floats." Read the full article here.

Let's hope it rains so the line will be shorter. 10:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., Chatsworth just East of Zelzah.

Deep Burgundy With White Letters Everyone loves Granada Hills, but few can honestly claim this town is their very own. Make the rest of the world jealous with this public proclamation of your status as an authentic Granada Hillsian: the official Giga Granada Hills bumpersticker! At this low, low price, you'll want to buy one for everyone on your gift list. If they protest that they don't actually live in Granada Hills, shoot them a pitying look, say, "Tsk tsk, really? That's too bad!" then snatch the sticker back from them and keep it for yourself. You can buy this sticker at Alley Cat Boutique, 17806 Chatsworth, or you can Buy One Here There's no sexier look than the look that says, "I know where I'm from and I'm going to tell you where you can go," especially when that message comes in the shape of a form-fitting T-shirt. This particular shirt delivers that message loud and clear: it says, "Blow Me, Hipster! I Love Granada Hil...

I've never been able to get through the Granada Hills Holiday parade without getting verklempt for at least a minute. This year it happened when I saw Semper Fi Towing's flatbed full of U.S. Marines, since I recently lost a Marine Corps family member. I have a great time poking fun at our hokey hometown parade, but I kid because I love. It's long, it's slow, it's corny, and it's ours . A very small drill team member gets in some playground time before the very long march. Sue Stephenson of Orange County PT Cruisers does some last-minute decorating. The bees thought this young lady was a flower, and who could blame them? Yummy bacon-wrapped hot dogs -- just like Hollywood! The little bit of snow left over from the Christmas show at Petit Park is a big thrill for the kids. And new snow is falling! Hey, I was wrong: there were Black Panthers! Power To The People! Most of us peasants had to watch from the sidewalk, but some people ... I don't know him, but I...

Do Don't If you're considering a last-minute entry into today's Granada Hills Holiday Parade, please consult this handy Dos And Don'ts guide to entries that fit with the parade's theme, "Holidays of the Sixties," before you plan your float. Today's parade begins at 1:30 p.m., beginning at Chatsworth and Petit and continuing along Chatsworth west to Zelzah. If Your Float Features: Do Don't The Beatles Love Me Do Revolution No. 9 Astronauts Apollo 11 Apollo 13 Famous Families Sly And The Family Stone The Manson Family Music Festival Woodstock Altamont Elvis Wear black Wear white A Fireplace Burn a yule log Burn a draft card Celebrities Jimi Hendrix Jimmy Hoffa Peace Slogans Give Peace a Chance Hell No, We Won't Go Libations Martinis LSD Famous Duos Sonny & Cher Cheech & Chong