Events for October 2023

This week we will look at the appearance of life forms except for man, which will be covered the following week. The meeting will focus on the fossil record and some key aspects of various life forms. We will then compare Earth’s life history with the Genesis account.  A deep dive into evolutionary theory will be saved for a few weeks down the road. The meetings are open to those of all beliefs and perspectives, not limited to Mensa, and are promoted in several ways so you will meet a diverse audience. We will meet at the  Bel Air Church, 16221 […]

The meeting will be held at the home of Fran Shankle. Please e-mail Fran at franshankle@aol.com for address and further information.

All Mensa members and their invited guests are welcome to observe GLAAM’s elected representatives at work. Join us at  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82951927589 .  Contact any board member for help getting connected or for more information. (Z)

Come celebrate the Jewish holiday of Sukkot in my well decorated patio and play some trivia or BYO games. The address is 2111 Cold Stream Ct Oxnard, CA 93036. RSVP to Kedem Har-Shalom at kedem524@yahoo.com or at (805) 330-1731 if you plan on coming. (SFV/COASTAL)

  Where did mankind come from? Did modern humans evolve from an ape-like species or are humans the result of a creation process? Is mankind a higher form of animal, or are we distinct from the rest of the animal kingdom? What were the Neanderthals?  Is there any scientific basis for the story of Adam & Eve to be literal? Join us for a fascinating talk that has significance regarding how we view ourselves as human beings. The meetings are open to those of all beliefs and perspectives, not limited to Mensa, and are promoted in several ways so you will […]

Hosted by Jana Bickel. The address is 4335 Vineland Ave. in North Hollywood (563-A4). Please call Jana at (818) 506-4032 or contact Alan Stillson at (818) 884-4284 or astillson13@gmail.com if you plan to attend. It’s free. Soft drinks and light snacks are provided. Feel free to contribute additional snacks.  

This SIG is for people who love books.  Bring a book of your choice to discuss. Here is the Zoom link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84162727501?pwd=IgB1W0F8XnKpEbgmpLTEZ64aQutJHr.1.  The meeting ID is 841 6272 7501; the Passcode: Book. (Z)  

Let’s meet for dinner with no agenda except to get to know one another. Meet at El Cholo, 1025 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, corner of 11th and Wilshire. We will meet in the lounge at 6:30 and at 7:00-ish move into the dining room or patio for dinner. I will wear a hat so you can more easily find us. Valet parking off 11th street or there is a good chance to find street parking on Wilshire. Please try to arrive by 7:00 so there will be a place at the table. If possible, bring cash with smaller bills to make […]

Oct 12th (2nd Thursday) - Dinner starts at 5:30 and the discussion between 6:45 and 7:00 PM. We meet at the Galpin Ford’s Horseless Carriage restaurant, located at 15505 Roscoe Blvd in Van Nuys, just east of the 405, in the back room. Park in the restaurant parking lot or across the street at Galpin Ford. This month’s topic is music. We’ll discuss the music in historical settings, ways to listen to music, genres of music, music performance while leaving time for you to talk about your favorite song or other musical work. We only have room for about a dozen […]

We are now on the Hebrew letter yod. Representing the I or the Y sound (and always the Y at the beginning of words), it gives us a few good options: Yavan, Yapan, Yisrael. Let's do the first of this, the country otherwise known as Greece. Let's go to Aliki's by LAX. Since this and most traditional Greek restaurants are not open on Sundays, we are going back to our International Diners' Club roots and eating there on Friday. Aliki's is at 5862 Arbor Vitae street in a motel building at the corner of Airport Boulevard and the food is amazing. RSVP […]

Meet for dining and discussion at Kathleen's, 595 N. Lake Ave. Pasadena, CA. 91101. 3 1/2 blocks North of 210, West side of Lake. Free Parking out back, and in front as well. (ELAC) R WCA NS VACCINATIONS AND BOOSTED CDC Cards WILL BE CHECKED by Host to protect immune-compromised attendees, and restaurant staff. Your Host Michael (818-859-4228), Co-Host Stephanie (661-670-0458), are both 2 shot 3 boosted vaccination status with CDC cards. For the introverts and/or shy people (like me), pretend it's still quarantine with someone else cooking, and cleaning for you, only with smart conversations to listen to, to participate […]

At the Mineral Wells Picnic Area.   Look for details in announcements and the October calendar. 4madelinewalker@gmail.com  (M-CITY/SFV)

Note our new location at Applebee’s Grill + Bar, across from the Palmdale Mall at 39720 10th St. West, Palmdale, CA 93551. We will meet at 6pm provided someone tells me that they want to come. In the three decades that I have been a member of Mensa, the total amount of knowledge has increased tenfold. So much good stuff to discuss. I hunger for that more than the meal. Please let me know if you will attend. Please phone, text or email. The Dinner Dude. (661) 265-0969 Weekdays work number (if I am busy, speak with Marian or Liz) (661) 714-8309 cell number, text only – […]

This time we are not meeting west of the Valley but rather in the Valley, specifically Kubbeh Cohen in Woodland Hills. This kosher Israeli restaurant features deli sandwiches and typical Middle Eastern food, but it is best known for its delicious Kurdish Jewish stews known as Kubbeh, dumplings made of finely chopped roast meat and then placed in a vegetable soup. My family has a long tradition of making this meal and despite all the ethnic cuisines that are to be found in L.A. this is the only restaurant in the city that I know to be serving this food. Kubbeh […]

Section Two of Veteran’s Parkway (a.k.a. The Greenbelt) in Hermosa Beach and going into Manhattan Beach. We will meet at the same location as last month, but walking in the other direction. We will go approximately 1.5 miles and then turn around and walk back, for a distance of about 3 miles round trip. Meet on the wood chip path across the street from Valley Park, at the intersection of Gould Ave. and Valley/Ardmore. The path is between Valley Drive and Ardmore Ave. There is free street parking and also in the parking area on the north side of Valley Park. […]

It was a hit when we went there in April so let's do it again. Let's go to Jiayuan Dumpling House in South Redondo, probably the best Chinese restaurant in the beach cities. The restaurant is at 1904 South Pacific Coast Highway at the corner of Prospect. RSVP to Kedem Har-Shalom at kedem524@yahoo.com or at (805) 330-1731 if you plan on coming. (COASTAL)

Hosted by Alan Stillson in Woodland Hills. Meetings are limited to five people, including the host. We will meet at 6PM for dinner at Zankou Chicken Restaurant at 19598 Ventura Blvd. Tarzana, CA  91356, then go to Alan Stillson’s house for the readings and critiques around 7 PM. All genres welcome. Please contact Alan Stillson at astillson13@gmail.com or 818-884-4284 for address and details. (SFV)

This month we will be reading stories by Raymond Carver.  Find a book of stories by Carver and pick a story to share. We’ll discuss at least two: “Cathedral” and “What We Talk When We Talk about Love”. For Zoom link, please contact Jana at janabickel@earthlink.net or 818-506-4032 or check listing for October 10th.

Come to the beautiful California Pizza Kitchen at 210 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401, and dine on various fine pizzas, salads and entrees.  There is some street parking and also parking in the various city lots. We will be meeting around 6:30 and we will dine at 7. I will get a couple of tables along the wall. Look for a man in a suit with long gray hair. We can discuss GLAAM, world news, UFOs, cooking tips, answers to many things, and much, much more. We can also all join in a celebration of Roy Ball's birthday. He is finally old enough to drink!  An […]

Join us at the Sizzler in Van Nuys located at 7131 Van Nuys Blvd, just south of Sherman Way. There’s plenty of good food, good conversation and convenient parking in the back. We meet just behind the salad bar in front of the windows facing Van Nuys Blvd. (SFV)

We’ll meet for an early lunch at Lovi’s Restaurant/Delicatessen in Calabasas at 11 AM, then head down the canyon to Adamson House Malibu Lagoon Museum for a docent tour at 12:30. Lovi’s is at 24005 Calabasas Rd. and the Adamson House is at 23200 Pacific Coast Hwy. It has a nearby parking lot. Please see the Adamson House website for extensive information about this wonderful historical site. RSVP to Alan Stillson at astillson13@gmail.com. (SFV/COASTAL)

Attend the now infamous Halloween Party at the home of your LocSec, Samuel Moses,  821 Dickson Street, Marina del Rey, CA 90292 (near Lincoln and Washington.). Street parking should be available. Costumes are encouraged but not required. There will be a costume contest so plan to compete for the scariest, sexiest, most creative, etc. You can bring some food, drink, a ghost or whatever you want to add to the fun. (COASTAL)

Scientists agree evolutionary changes contributed to life’s diversity, but the debate is whether evolution explains all of life’s diversity?  Is there evidence to support an alternative explanation?  After studying evolution and leading similar groups, I realize one can’t have a meaningful discussion regarding evolution unless those involved understand the theory – and few people do.  My goal is to make you an informed audience by spending three weeks exploring key aspects of evolutionary theory.  The meetings are open to those of all beliefs and perspectives, not limited to Mensa, and are promoted in several ways so you will meet a diverse […]