On The Town:

On a crisp, almost-winter day, 70 members and guests of the Glendale Committee for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra met for their annual Christmas Musicale and Luncheon at Pasadena’s Annandale Country Club in Pasadena on Thursday.

Entertainment by L.A. Phil members Barry Socher on violin accompanied by Jutta Thorne on piano was the committee’s Christmas gift for their 100% season-ticket participation this year. That means every member bought a season ticket or made an in-kind donation for the 2007 Philharmonic season.

Glendale residents and hardworking committee members present included the two first vice presidents Mary O’Connor and Trudy McGraw. President Stella Balesh resides in Los Angeles, and Treasurer Connie De Rosa is from Pasadena. Also present were News-Press history columnist and former committee past president Katherine Yamada, of Glendale, Fran Filson, Ruth Punt, Jeanne Katzman, Donna Franklin, Debbie Lowrey, Janet Hamilton and Darlene Hubanks.

Also attending was Jessie Mae Netherly, who helped music philanthropist Dorothy Chandler raise funds to build the Music Center in the 1960s. Netherly also founded Encore, an organization made up of past affiliate presidents.

The Glendale Committee, one of about 17 affiliates that support the L.A. Philharmonic, provides music education to Glendale Unified School District third-graders each January.

The hot ticket in town this weekend was for the annual Hanukkah Dinner and Party at Temple Sinai on Saturday. More than 160 temple members and guests gathered to commemorate the eight-day Festival of Lights that represents the victory of the Maccabees against persecution, the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple and the miracle of the one day of oil that burned at the temple for eight days.

Tireless chefs in the kitchen preparing the dinner included Megan Lennon, 14, her mother, Debbie Lennon, and Tamara Silver. Donna Baar was chief latke (potato pancakes) maker. (Frozen homemade latke mix was also available for sale at $8 a quart. This columnist bought two.) Ina Joseph and Rosalie Waterman were in charge of serving the cookies.

Also present from Glendale were News-Press theater and film columnist Phillip Hain, wife, Susan Hain, their son Andrew Hain, 15, temple board member Laurie Aronovsky, Selma Stevens and Louise and Jack Spillman.