VIVA LATINA! : PUBLISHER FILLS GAP WITH NEW MAGAZINE.

As a teen-ager, Christy Haubegger saw page after page of blue-eyed blondes in the women's magazines she read for fashion and makeup tips.

``I clearly remember reading magazines and never seeing anyone with brown eyes in terms of beauty and fashion,'' Haubegger said. ``I felt as though I was missing something.''

So after graduating from Stanford law school, Haubegger, a 27-year-old Mexican-American, launched Latina, the only bilingual women's magazine aimed at the more than 8 million Latina women in the United States.

The first issue, which featured actress Jennifer Lopez on the cover, hit newsstands May 30 and sold more than 200,000 copies. The second issue is due out Sept. 3 with model Patricia Velasquez on the cover.

The upcoming issue will include articles about four Latina women who had abortions, how ``machismo'' and jealousy affect relationships and an election guide with profiles of Latina women running for office.

``We handle a lot of topics that other women's magazines do, but we look at it through the very distinct lens of a Hispanic women's experience,'' Haubegger said. ``For example, when we do health issues, we do things that disproportionately effect Hispanic women such as lupus or diabetes.''

Haubegger, who lives in Manhattan, is a Houston native who was adopted as a baby by Anglo parents. Her adoptive parents enrolled her in Spanish classes and encouraged her to be proud of her Mexican-American identity, Haubegger said.

When Haubegger decided three years ago to pursue her idea for a new Latina women's magazine, she approached the publishers of Essence, a magazine for African-American women with more than a million subscribers.

Focus groups told Essence what Haubegger already knew - that Latina women wanted to see and read about other Latina women. They wanted information on relationships, birth control, raising bilingual children, updated, low-fat recipes for traditional Mexican food and articles about celebrities, health and sex.

Essence provided the financial backing.Most articles are written in English with a condensed version in Spanish. The Spanish versions are shortened in the interest of space, said Haubegger, who is president and publisher of Latina.

At $2.50 a copy, the magazine was so well received it will begin publishing bimonthly in January and monthly in the second half of the year, she said. The next issue will be sold at Vons, Ralphs, most major book stores and newsstands.

SOURCE: - Jenifer Hanrahan

New Tarzan on the prowl

Watch out, women of the jungle, Tarzan is no longer a one-Jane man.

Tarzan, the King of the Jungle, is back on television. Joe Lara, who will play the King in an upcoming syndicated television series, ``Tarzan: The Epic Adventures,'' will get to shop around for a better half. And, he won't have his little chimp friend around to help him cruise for babes, either.

The stories in the 21 hourlong episodes are supposed to follow the novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs more closely than other incarnations of Tarzan. It is alleged to be more elegant and futuristic. Hence the lack of a primate pal and main squeeze.

Adding to the authenticity of the series, which is being produced by Keller Entertainment of Sherman Oaks (shouldn't it be Tarzana?), is the fact that it will be filmed in Sun City, South Africa. Generally, a show like this would be done in a section of, let's say, Vancouver, British Columbia, that looks like Africa.

Lara knows his way around a loincloth. He starred in Keller's CBS movie, ``Tarzan in Manhattan.''

Keller also is involved in producing a TV series based on ``Conan the Barbarian'' and one called ``Acapulco Heat.'' Keller also is releasing a project called ``Cyberkidz.''

SOURCE: - Keith Marder

up & coming

Glendale Community College representatives will provide information to shoppers about the new JTPA (Joint Training Partnership Association) training program sponsored by GCC and area employers, along with applications, catalogs and other campus-related literature, from 1 to 4 p.m. today at JCPenney Court, Glendale Galleria, Broadway and Colorado Street, Glendale. For more information, call [phone].

The Glendale Leaders for AIDS Awareness will meet at 6:30 p.m. today at the home of Marilyn Gunnell, 1740 Melwood Drive, Glendale. The program will include installation of new officers and plans for the coming year. New members are welcome. Call [phone].

The Valley Computer Club will hold its regular meeting, which will include a demonstration of a new photo scanner, new product reviews, library ``disk of the month,'' door prizes and the ``RAM Session'' question-and-answer period, 7 p.m. today at the Burbank YMCA, 321 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank. Admission for nonmembers: $4. For more information, call Grayce Hruda at [phone] or Estella McClintock at [phone].

The Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Design presents architects Richard Corsini and William Adams, who will share their ideas and projects in a slide lecture at 7:30 p.m. today at Santa Monica Museum, 2437 Main St., Santa Monica. Admission for nonmembers: $7. Members free. Limited museum parking is available. Metered parking is available across the street at City Lot No. 11. Call [phone].

The Conejo Orchid Society will feature Tom Moore from Endangered Jewels of Bakersfield speaking on ``Temperature Tolerant Cattleyas,'' at 8 p.m. today at Castle Hill Retirement Village, 3575 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks. Guests are welcome. For more information, call Florence Myers at [phone].

The Conejo Free Clinic of Thousand Oaks offers a family practice medical clinic at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and 6 p.m. Thursday ($10 donation requested and lab services at cost); and a women's clinic for pap tests, breast exams, mammogram referrals and STD exams at 5 p.m. Aug. 19 ($10 donation requested and lab services at cost). Appointments must be made for each clinic by calling [phone].

The Tarzana Chamber of Commerce presents Miriam Jaffe of Mayor Richard Riordan's office, speaking on ``New Dangerous Problems Facing Business,'' with a question period immediately following, at a luncheon at noon Thursday at the Braemer Country Club, 4001 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana. Cost: $12 with reservations, $15 at the door. Call [phone].

SOURCE: - Ana Young

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, Box

Photo: (1--2) When she couldn't relate to the women 's magazines on the market, Christy Haubegger, 27, created her new bilingual publication, Latina.

(3) ``Tarzan: The Epic Adventures'' is supposed to follow the novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs more closely than other incarnations of Tarzan.

Box: The weekend's top 10 (Box Office)