Tea

A Noise Within Holds Annual Tea to Benefit Arts Education and Outreach on Sunday, Dec. 18.A Noise Within will be holding its annual Victorian Tea event Dec. 18 at the historic Masonic Temple in Glendale. The Victorian Tea is a family affair that will include food, music, and a drawing with prizes including trips to Minneapolis, Cambria and San Diego, a day of luxury in Pasadena, dining and arts packages, and much more. Attendees of the Victorian Tea will be treated to sumptuous high tea fare in the very same space that houses the company's critically lauded productions.

Members of the Cabrini Literary Guild hosted the group's annual Membership Tea, “Tea Thyme,” on Sept. 8 at the home of Glendale resident Jan Kubani. President Mary Andrade greeted guests and Sr. Regina Palmera, a Missionary Sister of the Sacred Heart, offered a blessing before the meeting began. Maureen Walsh spoke on the history of Mother Cabrini and the guild. Others explained the several groups within the organization such as Book Club, Bridge, Philosophy and Mannequins and Better Living-Busy Fingers.

Josh Kleinbaum Edward Oleksy and his girlfriend, Dawn Guarnera, had never been to A Noise Within before Sunday, even though they live just blocks away. So when Oleksy found out about the theater's annual Victorian Tea, he knew he had the perfect Christmas present. On Sunday, Oleksy and Guarnera munched on hors d'oeuvres, drank some tea and then watched the quintessential Scrooge, Ed Asner, star in a reading of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." "We've passed this place so many times, so we decided to come and see what it's about," Oleksy said during the tea, before the Dickens reading.

Celebrity readings and a prize drawing are features of the Holiday Victorian Tea Celebration planned by A Noise Within from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the playhouse, 234 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Holiday classics will be read by television and film star Ed Asner, "Passions" daytime drama star McKenzie Westmore and "Seinfeld's" Uncle Leo, Len Lesser. There are eight prizes up for this year's Great Expectations Holiday Drawing, including a "mah-velous" trip to New York to see Billy Crystal.

The myth is that lemmings are mindless creatures that jump off cliffs to their deaths because they are, ironically, rodent copy-cats, each following the being in front of them even to their own demise. But that’s not exactly true. Scientists tell us that many Republicans and virtually all “tea party” followers probably have the same follow-the-spin, mindless propensity that biologists used to think caused the lemmings to march to their own ends. Turns out, lemmings self-thinned their own herds when their groups became overpopulated.

ANI AMIRKHANIAN Most Armenian family visits with relatives and other extended family usually consist of long conversations that go beyond "happy" subject matters such as the weather or a new car. Often the topic of conversation is quick to change into the more unpleasant subjects of illness and death -- the two primary themes of any conversation that take place in an Armenian household. Those participating in the conversation often remind others as to who is ill, why they became ill and what the potential diagnosis of their sickness is. No details are omitted and opinions about the ailing individual are expressed.

Buck Wargo GLENDALE -- The Doctors' House Museum may turn back the clock to raise money for maintaining the home and conducting tours. The Glendale Historical Society, which operates the museum at Brand Park, is requesting the city allow the group to host old-fashioned teas in the Doctors' House Gazebo. The Glendale Parks, Recreation & Community Services Commission will consider the request at its 3:30 p.m. meeting Wednesday at City Hall. Local service clubs, businesses and social organizations would be allowed to use the gazebo during weekdays for as many as 25 members.

Wave the flag and raise the tea bags. Some area residents are getting ready for a patriotic celebration of our nation’s independence with just a bit of revolution thrown in for good measure. Two public gatherings are planned in coming weeks at the Jeffers’ estate, 1823 Foothill Blvd., in La Cañada, in honor of Independence Day. Both events need reservations and include music, speeches and activities for kids and adults, as well as catered meals, with hot dogs, hamburgers, and all the other trimmings of a traditional small town picnic.

Tea, Light Tea, Full Tea, Royal Tea, and High Tea:   . Cream Tea —Traditional with scones, jam, clotted cream, and choice of tea. . Light Tea — Lighter tea with scones, sweets, choice of a tea. . Afternoon Tea (Full Tea) — Three courses include finger sandwiches, scones, sweets, and choice of a tea. Tea Service is served between 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. . Royal Tea — Four courses include finger sandwiches, scones, dessert, sherry or champagne, and choice of a tea. High Tea — Originated in the l9th Century with the Industrial Revolution.

Darleene Barrientos Local theatergoers won't have to go to London on Sunday to enjoy their tea and crumpets. A Noise Within is set to present its second annual Victorian Tea Holiday Event to raise money for the theater's outreach and educational programs. Last year's event raised about $2,000 to offer workshops, classes, tickets and lecture demonstrations in schools and at the theater for 12,000 students. The theater hopes to raise $4,000 this year, Managing Director Todd Dellinger said.