You get a cat that combines attitude with coyness, and you can’t help think of Joan Jett. And that’s her name. This 3-year-old tabby was touring the shelter grounds when an ACS officer found her and brought her in. Wouldn’t you love a permanent gig with her? Her favorite song’s “I Love Tuna Roll,” by the way. Meet Joan Jett on the shelter side of Companion Animal Village at 7700 East Spring St., (562) 570-PETS. Ask for ID#A460559.

(This rescue encouraged by the usual suspects.)

Credit: Thank you to the Companion Animal Village.

 Global Genes™, a leading global rare disease patient advocacy organization, hosted the fourth annual RARE Tribute to Champions of Hope Gala on Saturday, September 26, at the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa in Huntington Beach. More than 800 patients, advocacy leaders, biotech, and pharmaceutical executives, healthcare philanthropists, star athletes, pop stars and celebrities came together to support the fight against rare disease. The evening of heartfelt awards, presentations and performances raised funds to directly benefit Global Genes’ educational programs, as well as the organization’s new Patient Impact Grant program.

The star-studded evening kicked off with a pre-event cocktail reception sponsored by Healthcare at Home. Celebrity award presenters and guests in attendance included Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World), Jason Ritter (Gravity Falls, Girls),Lindsey Shaw (Pretty Little Liars), Kit Hoover (Access Hollywood LIVE), Max Charles (The Amazing Spider-Man 2, American Sniper), Melanie Lynsky (Two and A Half Men), Madison Mclaughlin (Supernatural), Camryn Howard (Straight Outa Compton) Travis Flores (philanthropist, author and actor), and Lisa Bentley (11x Ironman champion and Pan Am Games winner).  Rare disease patient advocate and syndicated radio talk show host, Scot “Froggy” Langley, played the master of ceremony for the evening of festivities.

As the gala began, CEO of Global Genes, Nicole Boice welcomed guests with a champagne toast noting, “We are so honored tonight to be in a room filled with so much hope and courage. On behalf of Global Genes we extend our deepest thanks to everyone here for their unwavering dedication to the rare disease community.“

Tribute to Champions of Hope alumni performer and 2013 Teen Choice Award Web Star Winner, Cimorelli, delivered the first performance of the evening. American Idol season 8 winner and Platinum Recording artist, Kris Allen, took the stage for a special collaborative performance with RARE Champion of Hope, 12-year old Global Patient Ambassador honoree, Ben Lou. Later in the program breakout-recording artist, Aleem, performed. 2015 Macy’s iHeart Radio Rising Star Contest, Christina Grimmie, took the stage and delivered the final songs of the evening with a moving a capella performance.

Seven standout honors were presented during the night and included RARE Champions of Hope: Teen Advocacy: Shira Strongin, patient advocate, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and founder of The Sick Chick Network; Global Patient Ambassador: Ben Lou, patient advocate, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA); Awareness: Andrew Lenchewski – Executive Producer, Michael Rauch – Producer, Writer, Director & Mark Feuerstein, Actor (Royal Pains); Brave Feats of Courage: Noah Coughlan, 3x transcontinental racer and patient advocate, Courtnay Midkiff, transcontinental walker, patient advocate, Jonathan Maidment, Appalachian trail hiker, patient advocate, and Bonner Paddock, Kona Ironman competitor, marathoner, author, patient advocate; Patient Impact Grant Program: Caroline Harding, CEO Genetic Disorders UK and Natalie Douglas, CEO Healthcare at Home; Documentary: Marianna Palka, writer and producer and Lucy Walker, director, The Lion’s Mouth Opens; and Industry: Alexey Salamakha, manager of patient advocacy and Nicole Riley, director of public relations, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

The 4th annual two-day RARE Patient Advocacy Summit took place September 24-25, prior to the gala, and brought together rare disease patients, parents, advocates, clinicians, and key stakeholders for a series of best practices panels, policy driven discussions and recognitions. Between the two events, Global Genes raised over $1.2 million with proceeds going directly to fund Global Genes Educational programs and recently announced Patient Impact Grant Program.

It is estimated that it takes over seven years for a patient suffering from a rare disease to receive a proper diagnosis, with 95% of those diseases having no FDA approved treatment. Global Genes’ RARE Patient Advocacy Summit and Tribute to Champions of Hope Gala annually raise awareness for more than 7,000 different types of rare diseases that affect roughly 30 million Americans and approximately 350 million people worldwide.

Sponsors of the 2015 RARE Tribute to Champions of Hope Gala and RARE Patient Advocacy Summit include the following organizations:

Premiere Sponsors:
Alexion, Amicus, Healthcare at Home, Horizon Pharma, Takeda, Walgreens, and Genzyme.

Other Sponsors include:
Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Abeona Therapeutics, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals,​ Ambry Genetics, Audentes, BIO, BioMarin, Biogen Idec, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cambridge BioMarketing, Clementia, Connexion, Counsyl, Dohmen Life Science Services, Every L​ife Foundation for Rare Diseases, ​Genentech, GSK, Illumina, Insmed, Intellia, Intercept, Idis, Invitae, ​ Janssen, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, New Enterprise Associates, ​Novartis Oncology, Pfizer, Recordati Rare Diseases, Retrophin, Raptor Pharmaceuticals, Sarepta, SERMO, Shire, Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals, SmithSolve, Synlogic, Synageva, Ultragenyx, Vanda, Vertex and Watson Land.

Credit: Global Genes.

Did you know that more than 90 percent of adults and children don’t eat the daily amount of fruits and vegetables recommended? By just adding one more fruit and/or vegetable to each of your meals, you can feel more energized and healthy.

Chef Anthony Stewart, Executive Chef at Pritikin Longevity Center+Spa, has created fruit and vegetable dishes that incorporate the sweet taste of fruits mixed with the hearty flavor of vegetables.

Pritikin’s Asparagus Orange Salad

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches asparagus
• 2 tomatoes firm & ripe. cored, quartered and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 blood oranges peeled and sectioned
• 1 large bunch romaine shredded

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon garlic fresh, minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper fresh ground

Instructions:

• For dressing, combine all dressing ingredients and whisk.
• Remove tough asparagus ends, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces, and blanch. Put asparagus, tomatoes, oranges, and romaine in large bowl. Toss gently with dressing, and serve.

Pritikin’s Garden Vegetable Potato Salad

Yields 10 servings

Ingredients:

• 10 petite red potates boiled quartered
• 1 cup grape tomatoes quartered
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 1 small red onion diced
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• For the dressing
• 4 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic minced
• fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil; add potatoes and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fork tender.
• Cut each potato into fourths.
• Combine potatoes and the rest of the salad ingredients in one large mixing bowl; set aside.
• Pour balsamic vinegar into a small bowl.
• Add minced garlic and a few grinds of black pepper.
• Whisk until thoroughly combined.
• Adjust the pepper, or the proportion of vinegar to taste.
• Gently stir dressing into salad.
• Cover salad with plastic wrap and set in fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Mix and serve.

Pritikin’s Sweet Potato Kale Soup

Yields 16 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 onion peeled and diced
• 1 carrot peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon garlic minced
• 2 quarts low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup celery root peeled and diced
• 1 bunch kale cleaned and de-stemmed, then sliced thin

Instructions:

• In a stockpot, add all ingredients except kale.
• Cook over medium heat until all ingredients are soft, about 1 hour.
• Puree and put back on heat.
• Add kale and cook 15 minutes more.

Pritikin’s Pineapple Hummus Dip

Yields 8 half-cup servings

Ingredients:

• 15 ounces  garbanzo beans canned, no salt added, drained
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (adjust according to taste)
• 1 tablespoon garlic fresh, minced
• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley fresh, leaves chopped
• 1/4 cup dill fresh, chopped
• 1 cup pineapple fresh or canned (no sugar added) diced
• 1 dash tabasco sauce
• 1/2 cup celery chopped

Instructions:

• Puree all ingredients in food processor.
• If mixture is too thick, add 1 tablespoon water.
• Serve with raw vegetables.

Credit: No compensation was received. Courtesy of  Pritikin Longevity Center+Spa.

‘Next Stop Little Tokyo’ is a curated guide to one of Los Angeles’ most vibrant neighborhoods. Presented by Go Little Tokyo, these bi-weekly itineraries report on the best dining, shopping, arts and cultural destinations while providing the tools to navigate and explore the streets of Little Tokyo in a whole new way. On Sunday, October 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., CicLAvia – Heart of LA will celebrate what has become a Los Angeles institution with a fifth-year anniversary route that will take participants through Boyle Heights, the Arts District, Civic Center, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Historic Core and as far west as Macarthur Park.

CicLAvia began as an idea with an uncertain outcome when it first removed cars from the streets of downtown Los Angeles on October 10, 2010. Now, five years, fourteen events and hundreds of thousands of participants later, CicLAvia is the largest open streets event in North America. Heart of LA will have six miles for participants to explore by bike, foot, skateboard, wheelchair and other non-motorized traffic.

Take a break from route and explore one of LA’s most historic and culturally rich neighborhoods – Little Tokyo. Stop off at the “Go Little Tokyo Zone” at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM)’s Plaza (100 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles California 90012) to learn about Little Tokyo, relax in the shade, listen to live music and participate in an art workshop. Park your bike at the FREE bike valet station at JANM Plaza provided by the LA County Bike Coalition (LACBC) and come back for it when your are done exploring, getting lunch, and shopping.

Enjoy the sounds of Taiko drumming performances throughout the day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the JANM Plaza. Students and staff of Los Angeles Taiko Institute will present new work for Japanese drums written specifically for CicLAvia, including a “trap”-inspired improvisation, a Taiko bike-trailer, and audience participation.  More information can be found at http://taiko.la/event/taiko-ciclavia-oct-2015.

Participants can create one of kind 3D geometric art at the Go Little Tokyo Origami Workshop in collaboration with Raw Materials Art Supplies from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Stop at the Go Little Tokyo booth for all the latest information you need to explore the neighborhood, find out about the local great restaurants, shops, and cultural programs. Also enter a free drawing to win various raffle prizes including orchestra seat tickets to La Cage Aux Folles at East West Players, tickets to performances at the Aratani Theater, and prizes from local Little Tokyo shops and restaurants.

For more information on Go Little Tokyo and Next Stop Little Tokyo visit www.golittletokyo.com complete with an interactive map, multi-venue calendar listings, business and community directory and blog for all the latest news. Sign up for the mailing list and be the first to receive bi-weekly Next Stop Little Tokyo self-guided tours that highlight neighborhood favorites and uncover local hidden gems.

Go Little Tokyo is a Little Tokyo Community Council (LTCC) project developed and produced by Community Arts Resources (CARS) and made possible with support from Metro.

Credit: Go Little Tokyo.

Cool high-speed adventure is on the way to preschoolers nationwide with the newest“Chuggington^™” DVD, “Chuggington: The Big Freeze”! The latest release in the popular DVD collection from Anchor Bay Entertainment is jam-packed with six fun-filled adventures – including a never before seen holiday special episode from the top-rated Disney Junior series. “The Big Freeze” pulls into retail on October 13, 2015, just in time to help families from coast-to-coast celebrate the season – Chuggington style!

The chuggers perform one heroic rescue after another in this cool new seasonal collection of “Chuggington” adventures! When icy temperatures cause the town to run out of fuel and all diesel engines are grounded, it’s wheels-to-the-rails as Chief Jackman and his team of brave Chug Patrollers work together to find a way to the frozen docks to retrieve fuel and get the town of Chuggington moving once again. Fans can join Fletch as he tries to repair the lighthouse, chug along with Calley as she tests to become a first responder, watch as Brewster gets closer to being a Chuggineer, and more! “The Big Freeze” will help teach little chuggers nationwide important lessons about safety, responsibility and teamwork as they ride alongside their favorite friends, Wilson, Koko, Brewster, and Asher!

I received an advanced copy and I highly recommend for younger children! It is fun and so entertaining! I love that it also teaches important lessons for young children such as safety.

Dove.org reports: “Now this is what good children’s entertainment is about! The stories are terrific, the characters are delightful, and the animation is awesome!” And, for double the turbo-charged adventures, Anchor Bay Entertainment will release in tandem the new-to-DVD dino-sized “Chuggington” title, “Wilson and the Dinosaur.”

Young fans can experience even more “Chuggington” fun at Amtrak Train Days events, taking place across the country. For information visit https://amtraktraindays.com/events/.

Now in its fifth season on Disney Junior, “Chuggington” is a colorful and contemporary CGI-animated TV show fromLudorum that reinforces early social readiness skills. The series has become a global sensation since its debut in September 2008 in the U.K. The show has been licensed to more than 175 territories worldwide and has established ratings records in several key international markets, including the U.K., Germany, France and Australia. The series made its U.S. debut in January 2010.

We have teamed up for a Special Giveaway! One winner will win both DVDs! 

I haven’t reviewed Chuggington Wilson and the Dinosaur but it looks like a great one!

To enter, leave a comment below telling us why you would love to win this cool combo! Deadline to enter is October 15th, 2015 at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected via Random.org. 

In the meantime, also click on the following link for some more fun!

chuggington wilson & the dinosaur Coloring Pages

Self Disclosure: I received a free DVD to facilitate this post, No other compensation was received. The winner will be sent both DVDs from Anchor Bay Entertainment.