Maybe not “The Real Housewives,” but how about “The Real Businesses of Culver City?” A casting company and a major cable network are looking for real-life business offices for a new series, and the Culver City Chamber of Commerce has put the word out to their members. They’re looking for an office with a” staff of characters” (10 or more) who could use a business expert’s help to give their business a boost. Stay tuned!

Super Bowl Sunday, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, Oscars – February has gotten to be one of the busiest party opportunity months on the calendar. Not to mention birthday fun for Ron Coombs, Stephanie Benjamin, Irene Bachi, Mark Wild, Sachi Ford, Cristina Groff, Amy Thompson, Ericka Corona, Hi-Woo Lee, Andrea Jacquelin, Wen-Hsin Chou, Rosa DeLuna, Annie Johnston, Leland Finch, Angela Liu-Kelly, Russell Friedenberg, Romeo Quintin, Bryan Menzhuber, Frank Reynoso, Jr. Mike Davis, Dan Schlick, Erin Asheghian, Jim Gilbert, Bernice Jones, Kimberly Garner, Ben Lowe, and Annabella Danko.

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Not just for Culver Hotel patrons, but the valet service stand located on Culver Blvd. directly at the front of the hotel can be used any time of the day, every day of the week to assist anyone wanting to visit their favorite Downtown Culver City eatery, the movies, etc. Nice touch by the Downtown Business Association!

Ever wanted to get “up close and personal” with Culver City Chamber of Commerce President Steve Rose? No? Well how about Steve and six other Chamber members for an opportunity to really “Network @ Noon?” Next Wednesday this ever-changing and dynamic monthly discussion group will meet at Gyenari at noon. Cost is $20 per person, pre-reserved and pre-paid, and you must be a Chamber member to participate. RSVP by 1 p.m.Monday at the Chamber Office, 4249 Overland Ave.

Indeed “a great night out for a great cause” -- Join the Culver City Education Foundation (CCEF) and the aforementioned Culver City Downtown Business Association (dba) to help raise funds for the Garden Project in Culver City's elementary schools. Simply visit any participating Downtown business on Wednesday, February 16 between 5 and 9 p.m. and mention "GARDEN" and 10% of your purchase will be donated to the CCEF for the Garden Project. The Downtown fundraiser is designed to raise money to add GrowingGreat’s garden and nutrition education program, already in place at El Rincon and Farragut, to the CCUSD’s three other elementary schools.

From avid reader (and Friends of the Culver City Youth Health Center co-chair) Andy Alexander comes word that on Saturday, February 12, and Sunday, February 13 Barnes & Noble’s Marina location, 13400 Maxella Avenue, will donate 10% of your purchase to the Friends of the CCYHC if you mention their name or bring in a flyer. (The only exception is the Nook, which is an E-reader equal to a Kindle, for which they will give 5%.) This is valid throughout the United States to those who go online. The code is: 10386340. This is an excellent opportunity to pick up those books you’ve been meaning to read and at the same time help our local students.

If you’ve never seen it (and subsequently printed it out), visit www.culvercity.org and click on the Arts & Culture section, where you can view the “Culver CityZen Activity Booklet of Culver City Public Art,” created by Eliana Pipes and Maya Lince, Cadette Scouts of Culver City Girl Scout Troop 2415. This incredible book, in English and Spanish, won the Silver Award, the second highest award of the Girl Scouts of the USA, encompassing leadership and community service. It contains photographs of public art you may have driven by daily but knew nothing about, information, projects and activities for all ages. Scouts Eliana and Maya state, “As citizens, we are proud of Culver City's rich arts history, and we are honored to make this resource available to Culver City families, schools and visitors. We hope it will inspire them to notice and appreciate the art around them. And to go into the world and make their own art!”

Culver City Elks Lodge 1917 and Emblem Club 254 members will be celebrating Valentine’s Day on Saturday, February 12 at the Lodge, with cocktails, dinner, and dancing to music by Tony Bartell. The cost is just $15.00 per person, and reservations are necessary – (310) 397-2011

Remember bowling? Well, the “young professional” group of the Culver City Chamber of Commerce, Leading Edge, will be holding its February Mixer -- a what?? Bowling Night?? – at Mar Vista Lanes, 12125 Venice Blvd. The Chamber's younger networking group (and maybe also for those who just consider themselves young at heart) will experience life in the fast lane next Wednesday, February 9, 2011 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM. Prepaid reservations are $15.00 (includes shoe rental, one game of bowling and appetizers), or $20.00 at the door. RSVPs are necessary – call the Chamber Office at (310) 287-3850.

We were just alerted to a terrific article in the December 20, 2010 issue of The New Yorker magazine featuring Culver City architect Eric Owen Moss, who has been designing buildings in the Hayden Tract since the ‘80s. It’s worth a careful drive in and around the east-Culver City area, much of it owned by Frederick and Laurie Smith, to see the energy in the structures. As writer Paul Goldberger says, “…as if the buildings’ pieces might suddenly fly apart in all directions at the push of a button.” Not happy with merely being comfortable with his buildings, many reflect the influence Frank Gehry had on Moss early on, and make Culver City a definite destination for architecture buffs.