GIGA GRANADA HILLS

Dear Stakeholders: We would just like to remind you that we are having our first council meeting of 2010 tomorrow (Thursday). If you are interested in running for the board we still have some opening for board positions this election cycle. Visit our website at www.ghsnc.org for candidate filing packet. Thursday, January 14, 2009 at 7:30pm Granada Pavilion 11128 Balboa Blvd. Granada Hills, CA 91344 Refreshments will be served. Food Provided by: Jersey Mike's Subs Granada Village Shopping Center 18131 Chatsworth Street www.jerseymikes.com The meeting agenda can be downloaded here: http://www.ghsnc.org

Brian Monarch, Our Host "Even if you go to a comedy club where you pay to get in, there's going to be people that bomb there too," says Chris, co-owner of L.A. Pizza, and he's got a point. I've driven over the hill to the Improv and paid good money to see unfunny comedians, but now, thanks to the L.A. Pizza Comedy Experience , every Tuesday night you can see unfunny comedians right in our own neighborhood, and there's no two-drink minimum. The good news is, if you're lucky, you can see funny ones too. On the night I visited, the headliner was Jonas Garvin , who'd just played the Improv, so it's entirely fair to say that Improv-level comics show up here. The main difference is that no one expects any famous drop-ins to happen here -- Bob Odenkirk is probably not going to make a surprise visit to L.A. Pizza (but if he does, please text me immediately). That being said, for a low commitment evening -- no cover, no freeway -- you certainly get yo...

Volunteers with Love Honor Cherish will be gathering signatures on Sunday, Jan. 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Ross Department Store, 16930 San Fernando Mission Blvd., Granada Hills.

The following review of Vegetable Delight is reprinted here courtesy of my former Granada Hills High School classmate David Elsensohn. Dave runs a superb site called Dining In L.A. -- check it out for more city-wide food reviews, conveniently organized into cuisines by specialty, by region, and by neighborhood. Vegetable Delight 17823 Chatsworth St. Phone: 818-360-3997 Admittedly, if I was hired to track down some really outstanding and innovative vegetarian Chinese food, I would not expect to search along the aging stretch of Chatsworth Street in Granada Hills, within a thousand feet of my old high school*. But there it is; Vegetable Delight, despite its wartorn exterior, has my full support. Stare for a moment at the beautifully carved wooden mural in the window before entering. Walking inside, you may wonder if you have plunged down a rabbit hole into a wedding in Toyland. Rows of gold-trimmed white booths gleam under ceiling tiles of powder blue; the water glasses are stuffed w...

Frozen yogurt purveyor to the stars Menchie's has finally opened shop in Granada Hills. The self-serve frozen yogurt shop with more flavors than Pinkberry (not too tough there) just opened its brand spankin' new doors yesterday, and will be doing business from 11am to 11pm. They're located at 17840 Chatsworth Street, on the SE corner of Chatsworth and Zelzah.

It's surprising to think that a street named after a humble 3x5 card could be so ostentatious, but drive along Index Street between Louise and White Oak on any December evening and you'll be dazzled by the number of houses with elaborate, twinkling Christmas light displays. The show continues as you wind through the neighborhood on Donmetz, Lahey, Encino, "Candy Cane" Lasaine, and Jellico streets. This density of decorating can't be an accident, I assume; it looks like an agreed-upon, coordinated effort. And in fact it is, but only in part. This neighborhood light display grew somewhat organically -- one house started up, and then the house across the street from them, and so on, and so on. And ground zero for this explosion of Christmas cheer is Cheryl Ford's house on Jellico Avenue -- the one with the Ferris wheel. "My husband and I moved onto Jellico avenue in 1977, so this is our 32nd Christmas here," Cheryl says. "When we moved in, th...

Sure, you could get all Martha-Stewarty about your Christmas decorations, go the tasteful and elegant route, but to me, Christmas is something you buy at the drugstore. Besides, the less you spend on decorations, the more you have for what's really important: gifts. Here are a few of the choicest selections from Granada Hills drugstores, all less than five bucks a piece. You can't beat tinsel garland on bang for the buck -- 18 feet for $2.99! CVS on Balboa and Devonshire has garland that's die-cut and shiny! Deck the halls, and deck yourself -- Walgreens "Jingle Bell Jewelry" bracelets are two for three bucks: keep one, give one. Nothing says elegance like a glitter-covered mini-chandelier for your tree. $3.99 at CVS. The 99 Cent Store has sequins on their balls... and how many people can say that? This place has got walls of balls.... But Walgreens has the biggest balls of them all. Sorry Santa, but it's true.