Teen Henna Painting (Mehndi)

Barth Room/Patio
May 14th at 3:30 p.m.

Ah, May—the weather is getting warmer and sleeves are getting shorter-- time to show off beautiful henna designs! The Crowell Public Library presents an opportunity for San Gabriel valley teens ages 12-18 to learn the art of mendhi on May 14th at 3:30pm.

Mehndi is the process of painting intricate patterns on the skin with henna paste. The designs are traditionally on the hands and feet, although these designs can also be applied on arms and legs. Henna paste is all-natural and non-toxic. The designs can last between three days and 2 weeks; they are never permanent.

Teens will not only enjoy painting these designs, but they will also receive instruction on how to make home-made henna paste. A wide variety of designs can be created using henna—something as simple as a bracelet design or a mandala that covers your palms! Henna painting is a relaxing, creative experience you can enjoy with your friends. No experience is required and all supplies will be provided. This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Crowell Public Library.

Teen How-to-Draw Manga Workshop

Instructor: Stephanie Ellwood
Barth Room
May 8th at 2 p.m.

Teens ages 12-18 from the San Gabriel Valley are welcomed to the Crowell Public Library’s “How to Draw Manga” workshop help on Saturday, May 8th at 2pm in the Barth Community Room. This workshop is taught by talented local artist Stephanie Ellwood, an Art Institute of San Diego graduate, who will introduce teens to sketch and coloration techniques used in manga style art.

“Manga” is a Japanese word meaning “humorous pictures.” “Manga” also describes a type of book—Japanese comics. Manga has a rich variety of genres aside from comedy; manga artwork is not only comedic, but dramatic, imaginative, and complex. Manga style artwork became increasingly popular in mid-20th century in Japan and has exploded in popularity throughout many Western countries during the latter part of the 20th century, particularly here in the United States.

Registration and experience not required! Teens unfamiliar with manga are invited to come and learn a new art style. Sketch supplies will be provided, but teens may also bring their own art supplies and sketchbooks. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Crowell Public Library.

Medical Mondays: Macular Degeneration

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in people over 50 years old in the developed world. It is estimated that more than 8 million Americans have this condition. Macular degeneration decreases our central vision, making the normal activities such as reading, watching TV and driving quite challenging. Learn what changes in the retina lead to a diagnosis and the difference between wet and dry macular degeneration. DR. RIZWAN BHATTI will review the different treatments for both wet and dry AMD and answer any questions you might have, such as -- do vitamins really help? Dr. Bhatti is the Director of the Retina Service of the Doheny Eye Institute satellite which serves the Coachella Valley in Southern California. He practices at the Doheny locations in Los Angeles, Arcadia, Pasadena as well as Rancho Mirage. He received his M.D. from the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo, OH in 2000 and completed his internship and residency at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan from 2001 – 2002. He completed a medical surgical fellowship at USC/Doheny Eye Institute and joined the faculty of USC/Doheny Eye Institute in July of 2007. A co-investigator for several clinical trials, he has presented at international meetings and published in ophthalmic journals. Dr. Bhatti has a special interest in age related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular disease and retinal detachments. Join us for a fascinating look at a condition that is affecting so many. This program is free and reservations are recommended by calling the library reference desk: (626) 300-0777 ext. 579.

Adult Connections: Tai Chi For Health

Thursday, April 15, 2010 10:00 a.m. Tai Chi is one of the only forms of exercise to have been proven in controlled trials to reduce falls and the incidence of hip fractures in older people. It is a non-competitive, self-paced system of gentle physical exercise and stretching that emphasizes body awareness and improves balance. Originally developed in China as a martial art, it now has many different styles, with each style having its own subtle emphasis on various principles and methods. To do Tai Chi, a series of postures or movements are performed in a slow graceful manner, each posture flowing into the next without pause, ensuring the body is in constant motion. Tai Chi master SAM GUO will explain a bit about Tai Chi’s origins and variations. Then he will demonstrate some of the basic forms, and get us started on the road to greater flexibility, inner calm and enhanced coordination. Sam teaches Tai Chi classes in a number of different styles, including Hand Form and Sword Form, through the City of San Marino Recreation Department. Adult Connections is a new program being offered at the Crowell Public Library on the third Thursday of the month. Enjoy coffee, donuts and a new topic of interest to an adult audience each month. Upcoming “explorations” may include travel, exercise, digital cameras, de-cluttering, or any other topic of general interest.

One Book One City: April Events

San Marino MAYOR DENNIS KNEIER will lead a lively discussion of T. Jefferson Parker’s latest novel, Iron River, on Monday, April 12th at 7:00 p.m. at Crowell Library. Iron River is San Marino’s One Book, One City selection for 2010. The book immerses Parker’s most beloved series character, Charlie Hood, along the U.S.-Mexican border, where a group of lawmen try to stem the flow of illegal weapons feeding the drug cartel wars. In doing so, Parker gives us a window into the current problems law enforcement face every day. Deputy sheriff Charlie Hood is sent to join the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms task force on a mission to curtail the constant flow of money and guns across the U.S.-Mexican border. Fast-paced and wholly original, Iron River simultaneously spotlights Parker’s talents as a vivid story teller and brilliant crime writer, and the complex and dangerous gun trafficking industry, a crucial issue of our day. Copies of the book are available for check-out at Crowell Library. Urban adventurers have until March 31st to sign up for the One Book, One City IRON RIVER MYSTERY TRIP on Wednesday, April 14, 2010. Call the San Marino Recreation Department (626) 403-2200 to reserve your seat for a journey full of intrigue and even more mystery. One Book, One City events will culminate on Sunday, April 18th at 2:00 p.m. in Crowell Library’s Barth Community Room with the author’s appearance. T. JEFFERSON PARKER is consistently compared to Michael Connelly, Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett by critics who also consider him “the best of today’s crime fiction” (Washington Post). He’s a three-time Edgar Award-winner and a former journalist who lives in Southern California.

LA Opera: The Stigmatized

LA Opera’s ARLENE STONE will present a free audio presentation of this rapturously evocative late-romantic tragedy, the first ever production in the Western hemisphere. Whether you’re a hardcore opera aficionado or a curious novice, you’ll be delightfully entertained, and encouraged to ask questions and offer comments. You might even be inspired to make a trip to the L.A. Music Center for the full production conducted by James Conlon. . With the celebrated Recovered Voices project, LA Opera has played a leading role in rediscovering works by composers who struggled to make their voices heard under the Third Reich. A central figure in the remarkable flowering of opera in early 20th-century Austria, Schreker’s luxuriously orchestrated and exquisitely beautiful score illuminates a story that explores the darker aspects of sexual desire and conquest. In The Stigmatized, the misshapen Alviano has created an idyllic island of great beauty as an escape from his tortured existence. A beautiful painter, Carlotta, mistakes her pity toward him for love; she then turns to a handsome rival, the debauched Count Tamare, with disastrous results. Make Crowell Library your LA Opera gateway!

You-Turn: Changing Direction in Midlife

with Dr. Nancy Irwin Thursday, April 8th 7 p.m. Is your life the road not taken? It’s never too late to turn around. DR. NANCY IRWIN will help you get motivated to pull a 180. She’s pulled a few herself as she trained to be an opera singer, pursued a career as a stand-up comedian and then became a psychotherapist. Her book, You Turn: Changing Direction in Midlife, is full of inspirational stories: a crack dealer who became a real estate investor; a 73 year-old singer who enrolled in law school; a catering director who started rehabbing used cars for low-income people; a Harvard lawyer who became a New Age healer, and many more. Originally from Atlanta, Dr. Irwin experienced an epiphany when she began volunteer work for Children of the Night, a shelter for sexually abused children in Los Angeles. It changed her life, and prompted her to pursue a doctorate in psychology and to specialize in the prevention and healing of child sexual abuse. She is now in private practice and is also a busy public speaker for Children of the Night, the Rape and Incest National Network, and Planned Parenthood. She’s been quoted extensively in Cosmopolitan, Redbook, Women’s World, and others, and has appeared on numerous radio and TV shows, including The Greg Behrendt Show, My Fair Brady, The Eddie Griffin pilot, The Fashion Network, Blind Date to name a few. If you want to identify what’s not working for you, explore where you might want to go, overcome those fears that prevent most people from changing, and learn how to design a life that fulfills you, don’t miss this inspiring evening at Crowell Public Library.