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What We Offer

Programs Are Offered Quarterly

Winter Quarter: January – March
Spring Quarter: April – June
Summer Quarter: July – September
Fall Quarter: October – December

Programs

Multi-session: Programs run 3 – 6 sessions
Shorts: Programs run for a single session

Field Trips

Field Trips: Generally, these are day-trip adventures to museums, theaters, gardens and more

Annual Events

Each year, PALAC hosts the following events:

Annual Meeting is held in January. At this event, all PALAC members vote on the new Board members and officers, and a guest speaker discusses a topic of interest.
Program Planning Brunches take place in spring and fall. At these events, all PALAC members are invited to share their ideas for upcoming discussion groups and field trips.
Spring Potluck is typically held in a member’s backyard. This event offers members who regularly attend PALAC events, as well as those who don’t, the opportunity to socialize and have a good time.
Recognition Dinner is held outdoors during late summer. At this dinner, we acknowledge the enormous contribution our PALAC Board members, leaders and office staff have made throughout the past year.
Retreat is held in October. During the retreat, several of our newest leaders lead group discussions and a guest speaker discusses a topic of interest.

Discussion Groups

Some discussion groups are held in person; others are held on Zoom. Although participants are encouraged to speak their minds, leaders are trained to ensure that discourse remains respectful, tolerant and civil.

Multi-Session Discussion Groups

Multi-session discussion groups focus on works of fiction and nonfiction, as well as articles from leading magazines such as The Economist and the latest decisions issued by the Supreme Court.

Led by trained leaders, participants delve deeply into the content of their readings and often feel like they’ve been dropped into a college/graduate-level course . . . but without the tests and the stress! Discussion groups typically meet for up to 2 hours weekly for 3 – 6 sessions, depending on the length of the work.

Short Discussion Groups

Talking about a short story, an article, a play, a podcast, a favorite movie or poetry is one of PALAC members’ favorite pastimes. Short discussion groups (also called shorts) usually meet only once for 90 minutes.

Movie Groups

PALAC offers two different movie group series.

The first is an online series at which participants discuss critically acclaimed and notable international movies from the past and present. To enhance the experience, participants receive references to movie reviews, interviews and more. Movies are available online at a no-cost, subscription or pay-for-view option.

The second movie group is an in-person event. The participants choose the best of the films offered either online or at a local movie theater, then watch them ahead of time. The group then meets to discuss the film at a restaurant or, if the weather is inclement, at a venue that works best for everyone.

Field Trips

Field trips are visits to educational, cultural, creative and/or historical sites, typically in the Greater Los Angeles Area, for members and their guests. Because PALAC fosters discussion groups, field trip participants usually meet in a nearby restaurant after a tour to discuss the visit. Past field trips have included visits to LA Public Library, the Holocaust Museum, the Sriracha Factory tour and the Amazon Fulfillment Center.

Traveler Adventures

Traveler adventures are talks/slide show presentations by a member or guest with special knowledge on some historical topic or foreign destination. Recent events have included a presentation about the discoveries of the James Webb Space Telescope and a talk on Antarctica.