The Renaissance Pleasure Faire : April 7 – May 20, 2012
April 3, 2012
Grand prize winner of the 2011-2012 Renaissance Pleasure Faire photo contest:
“Queen Elizabeth” by Nikki Jee
Saturdays & Sundays • 10am – 7pm // April 7 – May 20, 2012
Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area Irwindale, CA • Ph: 626.969.4750
For full details please visit http://www.renfair.com/socal/
Lotus Festival – Echo Park July 2012
April 3, 2012
Heritage Asian Pacific, Inc. (HAP, Inc.), presents the 34th celebration of the Lotus Festival Dragon Boat Races
THIS EVENT USUALLY OCCURS IN JULY PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR 2012 DATES
IMPORTANT UPDATED 2012 INFORMATION:
Lotus Festival has suffered without dragon-boat races, and the past few years without the lotus blossoms themselves – but a Lotus Festival with no lake?
Planned for July 14-15, the past couple of years have been “scaled back” versions of the festival (it was cancelled completely in 2009). It wasn’t expected to happen in 2011, until plans to start the Echo Park Lake rehabilitation project were pushed back until later that year and the fest went on.
This year’s Lotus Festival will not be held at the lake, which is currently empty and completely gated up during construction. Instead, the parking lots between Echo Park Avenue and Lemoyne, south of Sunset Boulevard, will serve as the grounds. This will definitely be a “scaled back” version of the event.
The details aren’t finalized, but one thing’s for sure – there won’t be any Dragon Boat races!
History of the Los Angeles Lotus Festival at Echo Park
The Lotus Festival at Echo Park originated in 1972, by the Department of Recreation and Parks and members of the Council of Oriental Organizations (COO). The two co-chairpersons for the first five years were volunteers from the Asian Community: Ella Quan and Helen Young. Hazel Young was co-chairperson until the mid 80’s and currently remains as an active member on the Lotus Festival advisory board and planning committee.
The Significance of the Los Angeles Lotus Festival
The lotus flower is significant to the Asian cultures as a symbol of rebirth, purity and life. The festival is held in July when the lotus flower blooms. Echo Park Lake was selected as the site for the event due to its central location of local Asian and Pacific Islander communities and because it houses the largest lotus bed in the United States. The festival was originally named “The Day of the Lotus”, and the purpose was to promote an awareness and understanding of the contributions by the Asian and Pacific Islander people to our culture and to the local and surrounding communities. The first two festivals were one-day affairs, which attracted approximately 15,000 people. Due to the success of the festival, it was expanded to a two-day event.
In 1989, the 12th Annual Day of the Lotus Festival added the island flower show. An annual press conference is held at Echo Park Lake to give media representatives a view of the location where the festival is held and a sampling of the various cultural presentations that would take place at the festival. In 1990, the festival was named “Lotus Festival” with the theme: “The People and Cultures of the Pacific Rim”. The lotus advisory board was developed in 1991, made up of representatives from various Asian and Pacific Islands communities, in order to promote and present the authenticity of their cultures. In 1992, the theme was changed to “The People and Cultures of Asia and the Pacific Islands”. In 1993, the Lotus Festival added the Asian Youth Scholarship Program. In 1994, the festival expanded again by adding a “Pavilion” to focus on the current years highlighted culture. Since the 1991 festival, each year’s attendance is estimated to be well over 150,000 each day. Past participation involved many organizations from the communities in Southern California.
The Dragon Boat Races
The dragon boat races became part of the entertainment when the festival had a Chinese opening day ceremony. City budget cuts curtailed the festival from 1978-1979. In 1980 through 1985, the festival took place once again, due to the generosity of various sponsors.
The dragon boat race is an event full of color noise and excitement! The dragon boats will be racing down Echo Park Lake with drums beating and crowds cheering them on. Races are preceded by the Buddhist blessing of the dragon boats, by the International Buddhist Meditation Center, ensuring safe and successful races.
Echo Park – Los Angeles, CA
Echo Park is a district of Los Angeles, CA located on Park Avenue between Glendale Avenue and Echo Park Boulevard, just north of the Hollywood (101) and Pasadena (110) freeway junction, near Dodger Stadium. The district of Echo Park was originally named Edendale before the construction of the park itself.
We appreciate your participation in the annual Dragon Boat Races as proceeds support scholarships to graduating high school students in the Los Angeles community.
Do You Want To Be a Mermaid or a Whale?
October 5, 2011
A while back, at the entrance of a gym, there was a picture of a very thin and beautiful woman. The caption was “This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?”
The story goes, a woman (of clothing size unknown) answered the following way: “Dear people, whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, seals, curious humans), they are sexually active and raise their children with great tenderness. They entertain like crazy with dolphins and eat lots of prawns. They swim all day and travel to fantastic places like Patagonia, the Barents Sea or the coral reefs of Polynesia. They sing incredibly well and sometimes even are on cds. They are impressive and dearly loved animals, which everyone defend and admires.
Mermaids do not exist. But if they existed, they would line up to see a psychologist because of a problem of split personality: woman or fish? They would have no sex life and could not bear children. Yes, they would be lovely, but lonely and sad. And, who wants a girl that smells like fish by his side? Without a doubt, I’d rather be a whale. At a time when the media tells us that only thin is beautiful, I prefer to eat ice cream with my kids, to have dinner with my husband, to eat and drink and have fun with my friends. We women, we gain weight because we accumulate so much wisdom and knowledge that there isn’t enough space in our heads, and it spreads all over our bodies. We are not fat, we are greatly cultivated. Every time I see my curves in the mirror, I tell myself: “How amazing am I! ” (The girl on the picture is French model Tara Lynn)
by: Unknown
I think as a general rule of thumb whether you are thin or thick is to enjoy life, never to over indulge and never to hold back. Just BE YOU! Whatever it is that makes YOU happy keep doing. Don’t worry about what other people and the mass media think or say. If you want to be a mermaid than hey get your ass to the gym and don’t eat greasy foods. Maybe get some implants and botox while you’re at it. If you want to be a whale go ahead stop thinking about whether or not you should eat that donut… just fucking eat it!!!! I on the otherhand, will be a mermaid-whale! The best of both worlds!
The quest for ultimate wisdom and self-knowledge is the delicate thread woven through this mystical collection some call metaphysical music. If you are on a journey in search of Truth — Suzy Kassem’s Rise Up and Salute the Sun is your ticket.
About the Author
Born in 1975 to first generation Egyptians in the heart of America, Suzy Kassem is a world traveler, spiritual seeker, educator, filmmaker, American writer, poet, philosopher, and multi-faceted artist/citizen of the world! The granddaughter of a well-known sage in 19th century Cairo, mysticism and wisdom run through her blood just as the water of the Nile flows through her veins.
My Take on Suzy
Suzy is a beautiful soul and a cherished friend of mine! She is definitely one of a kind, ahead of her time and has been a huge influence and inspiration to me (more than she will ever know). This woman blows my mind with every word and every idea that she ejects. If only everyone would awaken from their slumber!
I first met Suzy several years ago and began to support her endeavors in pushing global street art in LA sometime in 2007. We quickly attached ourselves to one another and have been inseparable since. Panthaland was her second influential curated art show in LA in 2007 @ The Crash Mansion featuring artist from all over the globe and live performances including Bahamadia, Lady Bug Mecca (Digable Planets) and Egyptian Lover. I quickly jumped on the opportunity to work with Suzy on this event in assisting with promotion and coordination.
Suzy’s path to seek and spread truth grows strong and touches the heart of every being she encounters as she radiates her energy to all those who accept it. Her manifestation of the truth continues its journey through “Rise Up and Salute the Sun! This book reveals answers to the curiosity of such things as love, friendship, and faith. It provides a deeper understanding of how each of these affect our lives and how we project each affects that of others. I highly recommend that you PICK UP and READ this book!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
STYLE IS KING
March 31, 2011
Def gots to appreciate rides like this! Not only did we ride… we got educated on some local LA street art. CoolAss Mike was on that knowledge tip straight educating people about the artwork: who did it, why, meanings behind it etc… I mean he was getting pretty deep! Good shit. One of my top fav rides fo sho!
We also happened to run into some cats from a company/group called Cyrcle putting up some graff off Sunset Bl. A cutout of a M16 with flowers – “cut out the violence” The cut out campaign! Cut it out! Mike was getting hella deep about the content and message the piece was portraying. I mean he was probably giving them more ideas as to what this piece meant.
Thanks for this awesome experience and the honor in meaning some of LA’s finest riders! Dopeness!
All images are copyrighted by Love & Hate and may only be used with written permission www.Love AndHateLA.com
Treats & Beats started in Silverlake at the farmers market on Sunset Bl. and Edgecliffe. We hooked up with CoolAss Street Art Bike Ride at Lafayette Park. Glendale Bl. >> Sunset Bl. >> Melrose Ave. >> Fairfax Ave. >> La Brea Ave. >> DTLA and we all split up from there…
Last For One – South Korean B-Boy Champs
August 20, 2010
Dude! Don’t miss this ish’ tonight at Cal Plaza DTLA… PROPS TO MY PEEPS!
Performing tonight Aug. 20, 2010 @ 8PM. Free event! 350 S. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90071
South Korean B-Boy champs Last For One makes its Grand Performances debut with a bang! Break-dancing, Hip Hop beats, turntables, traditional instruments and music from Korea create a mash-up that will have the house jammin’ all night long.
.
