This annual event will be held on Saturday, October 11, beginning with a Champagne Reception and traditional Country Store and Bake Sale at 11 a.m., followed by Luncheon and “An Afternoon with Aram Saroyan” at 12 Noon. The festivities will be held at St. James Armenian Apostolic Church, 4950 West Slauson Avenue, in the John Gogian Hall.
Aram Saroyan is the son of famed Armenian author William Saroyan and the actress Carol Grace Matthew. According to Truman Capote, Carol’s personality was the inspiration for the Holly Golightly character in the novella Breakfast at Tiffany’s. She was twice married to Pulitzer Prize-winning writer William Saroyan over an eight-year period. The couple had two children: Aram and the late actress Lucy Saroyan, who died in 2003.
She was also married to actor Walter Matthau, from August 21, 1959 until his death on July 1, 2000; they had one son, Charles Matthau, a Hollywood film producer. She had a wide social circle and was known for her wit and good company, amongst them, her very dear friends Gloria Vanderbilt and Oona Chaplin.
“We are truly pleased and excited,” stated Silvia Salmastlian, Chair of the St. James Ladies Society, “that internationally known poet, novelist, biographer, memoirist, and playwright Aram Saroyan has taken time from his busy schedule to address our guests. We have appropriately selected ‘Food for Thought’ as the theme for our luncheon this year.”
Aram Saroyan’s poetry has been widely anthologized and appears in many textbooks. “Complete Minimal Poems” received the William Carlos Williams Award from the Poetry Society of America. Saroyan’s prose books include “Genesis Angels: The Saga of Lew Welch and the Beat Generation,” “Last Rites,” a book about the death of his father William Saroyan, and “Trio: The Intimate Friendship of Oona Chaplin/Carol Matthau/Gloria Vanderbilt.” His First Prose book, “The Street: An Autobiographical Novel,” was recently reprinted in a 40th Anniversary edition.
The recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts poetry awards (one of them for his controversial one-word poem “lighght”), Saroyan is a Past President of PEN USA West. From 1996 -2011 he taught in the Master of Professional Writing Program at USC. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, the painter and architectural historian Gailyn Saroyan.
Guests will again have the opportunity to purchase homemade Armenian delicacies and mouth-watering baked goods prepared by the members. It is heartwarming to note that year after year guests return for the baked simit, choereg and khadayeff, as well as other traditional Armenian favorites.
Guests will enjoy a delicious lunch, live entertainment, and the opportunity to win cash as well as a great variety of prizes available by the purchase of raffle tickets. Luncheon tickets are $55.00 and reservations can be obtained by contacting Lucille Bogosian by phone at (310) 821-2179, or my email at lbogosian@verizon.net or Patty Samarge at (310) 397-4979 or psamarge@yahoo.com.
