Cruising the World with Soroptimist and "The Love Boat's" Captain Stubing
Gavin MacLeod of "Love Boat" fame will be the celebrity host of this year's Soroptimist International of Santa Clarita Valley's 33rd annual fund raising auction on Saturday, March 8 at the Hyatt.

The club promises an amazing evening of fun and entertainment, not withstanding the chance to dine with the Captain at the Captain's Table. There will also be an opportunity for VIP guests to participate in a bridge visit and photo session with the captain.
The hosted Captain's Reception will begin at 5 p.m. for boarding guests. They will have the opportunity to tour the "ship," visit various destinations and ports of call while participating in an opportunity drawing... then it's bon voyage.

Everyone's talking about health insurance. Whether it's dealing with rising costs at open enrollment time, listening to presidential candidates pitch their universal coverage plans, or learning about a health insurer's sneaky policy rescission tactics, healthcare is one of the most important issues of 2008.

Save the Date!
Saturday, March 1
COC Honors Wayne Crawford with the Silver Spur Community Service Award

The College of the Canyons Foundation Board of Directors will honor Crawford at the Globe Theatre located at Universal Studios. Crawford's exemplary record of community service includes the Crawford Fleming Invitational Golf Tournament, raising funds for the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Imaging Center; co-chairing the Boys & Girls Club Festival of Trees; and serving as chair of Carousel Ranch's capital campaign to raise $1.5 million.

Observed

They say that clothes make the man. And while "they" didn't show themselves at Carousel Ranch's festive Santa Day in December, their on-target philosophy held true - at least in the case of some fine gents who showed up on a blistery-cold morning to help local special-needs kids have a dreamy day filled with snow play, delicious treats and presents.

7 p.m. at All Corked Up
InsideSCV Singles Night at All Corked Up - Here's your chance to meet someone special before Valentine's Day! Over 1,000 SCV singles have tried our free events. This casual, fun evening begins at 7 p.m.

All Corked Up
26340 Diamond Place, Santa Clarita
Phone: 799-7979

Ask any driver in the Santa Clarita Valley what they consider the worse road in town is and you are bound to hear a variety of names: Soledad and Sierra Highway, Bouquet Canyon intersection, Valencia Boulevard and Magic Mountain Parkway or any road currently under construction.

Observed
Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like 30 seconds with Bruce and Gloria Fortine. The Santa look alike and his brilliant, adorably elfin wife were making like the Clauses at the Boys & Girls Club's Festival of Trees. Also on hand for the celebration of all things tinsel were Bob Hudson and his fashionista squeeze Margo. We wish a belated "Happy engagement!" to the pair.

While you're out shopping for last-minute gifts, won't you consider picking up a little something (like a can of soup, or a fax machine!) for Santa Clarita's non-profits that do so much for our community?

What? New Year's Eve is bearing down on you like a mail truck full of post-holiday bills and you still don't have plans? We know most New Year's resolutions last about as long as an SCV snowfall, but did you really put off last year's resolution to stop procrastinating? Time's running out and the most important party night of the year is bearing down mightily, not to mention snagging those important fiscal year 2007 tax deductions.

It's New Year's Eve in Santa Clarita and the sun has nearly completed its descent into the sea west of Ventura. Streetlights blink on across town and, as if on cue, cell phones start sounding off.

"Are you dressed yet?"

"Is the champagne on ice?"

The worldwide party that is New Year's Eve is about to visit the west coast and SCV residents are making their final plans.

It seems that even massive fires can't keep avid golfers/philanthropists away from a good time on the course for long. Case in point: the fun-fest that was the Crawford-Fleming Breast Cancer Awareness Invitational, benefiting the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Imaging Center (that was a mouthful). The tournament, which was postponed a week due to the recent blaze, was held at Tournament Players Club Valencia. Besides an intense amount of club swingers, also present was local fashion designer Tracy McWilliams, who literally donated the shirt off her back (100 of them, to be precise) to the event; TPC's Head Chef Daniel Otto, who's deft wielding of all things culinary resulted in a smorgasbord of fantastic proportions; and Myra Harbour, owner of Celebrate - Planning For An Event to Remember, who helped create the "Casino for a Cause" were all worthy of high roller status.

After a weekend of fine stemware being poised in the nearly-upside down position (ooh... there's a little more left in here...) by thousands of very loose gooses (yeah, we know it's really "geese" but then the play on words doesn't work, does it?) Santa Clarita has finally proven to So Cal at large that we can kick 'em back just as well as the next town. Sure, San Fernando Valley may be celebrating Miller Time pretty much, well, always - but we now have a whole weekend a year dedicated to public imbibing. Emphasis on "imbibe." There was a whole lot of swirling, but the "spit" part of wine tasting was lost in translation. Chock it up to our inner cheapskate nature. With wine of this exquisite of quality, it just didn't make sense to attendees to voluntarily give up the grape. But enough talk of our communal blood-vessel-breaking practices...

The Boys & Girls Club Festival of Trees has a unique way of formally kicking off the holiday season. SCV home dwellers know by now that they should see these trees before they start decorating at home. These professionally-created trees will motivate the decorator inside of you to spread her diamond-encrusted collage wings, or, more likely - to invest in a pre-decorated tree that not only gives you immense pleasure, but brings much-needed services to the children of Santa Clarita.

As the year comes to a close it's time to relax and take stock. Time to reflect on past accomplishments, new acquaintances made, old friendships strengthened and the blessings of family. It's a season of good cheer and fellowship as we unwind from the cares of the world.

Aaah... the romance of wine. There's something seemingly magical about one's love fest with wine and the pleasurable enjoyment associated with discovering new labels. Whether a novice in the complex world of wine or someone with a passionate interest in the fermented grape, it's hard not to be caught up in experiencing new wines and discovering what subtle characteristics suit our individual tastes. Prepare to engage the senses for an adventure of tastes, sights and sounds when the Loose Goose Wine Festival returns to the Santa Clarita Valley October 4 to October 7.

Late summer is the season for absorbing some culture. School's out and the offspring have parked their brains in neutral for a couple months. It's time to jumpstart those idle neurons for the coming school year. Take the kids to a museum or two and expose them to the wide array of humankind's artistic achievement, if you can drag them away from the Xbox for long enough. It's time they learned that the human soul searched for meaning long before virtual avatars inhabited 22-level electronic dungeons or virtual cities where stealing a car and assaulting innocent victims earns a more powerful engine and a resounding cheer from a gallery of thieves.

7pm at Rio Rio Churrascaria Bar & Grill
Join other friendly Santa Clarita singles as you mix and mingle in the exotic new Rio Rio Churrascaria Bar & Grill. Enjoy $5 Sangria, $5 bottled beer & appetizer specials.

Rio Rio Churrascaria Bar & Grill
27430 The Old Road
Valencia, 91355
661-253-0888

7pm at Robinson Ranch Club House
Meet and mingle with Santa Clarita's finest singles crowd while enjoying appetizer specials like coconut shrimp skewers, crab-stuffed mushrooms and baby back ribs. Guests of Robinson Ranch's singles night, held in the exquisite Club House, can also partake in wine specials & beer specials.

Robinson Ranch
27734 Sand Canyon Road
Santa Clarita, 91387
661-252-8484

Finally, there is a place where racing enthusiasts can trade their work attire for a racing helmet and fulfill their insatiable need for speed. MB2 Raceway is an exciting, challenging and professionally-designed venue located in the new Cascades Business park just off the Interstate 5. Geared up yet? There's more, race fans. MB2 is the only one-of-its-kind indoor racing complex in the Los Angeles county and the state-of-the-art facility spans over 60,000 square feet. The raceway features emission-free Italian electric race karts which reach speeds up to 50 miles per hour and are safe as well as adrenaline inducing.

There's nothing like the cool sounds of Jazz and Blues to announce that the long, hot, lazy days of summer have arrived in the city. On June 8, Keyes Lexus returned for its ninth year as title sponsor for the Valencia Jazz & Blues Concert Series, the first of 14 consecutive concerts to be held every Friday through September 7, from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Town Center Drive. The event has become a summer staple in Santa Clarita, with families arriving early to get prime listening spots. Town Center Drive takes on a street-carnival atmosphere with music, food and laughter.