Welcome to the
   Olvera-Street.com
             E-Newsletter!

Celebrating our Culture, History, and the Arts

November 2007

Bienvenidos!

It is time to celebrate our beloved ones at the Dia De Los Muertos celebration. Novenaria processions will take place on Olvera Street nightly at 7 PM through November 2. The “Fiesta de los Muertos” runs November 3rd and 4th at noon to 6 PM. They will feature Ballet Folklorico, Banda, Face Painting, Community Altars, Mariachi, Puppet Shows, Street Theater and Children Activities. This is all free to the public!

Meanwhile, the “Mailbox to Heaven,” the popular installation that invites the living to write letters to their deceased loved ones, will be featured at Casa Belen in the placita area. The artwork of Ginette Rondeau, Juliane Backmann, Al Herion, Bonjunnie Comostiles, Gabriela Quientero and John Trausch will also be featured artists at the following venues: The Casa De Sousa coffee house on Olvera Street will also have their Day of the Dead live performances, and Self Help Graphics & Arts will have their Day of the Dead festivities on November 2 at 3802 Cesar Chavez Avenue in East Los Angeles, from 3 to 11 PM.

Past Events: Winners of the Altar Contest at the 8th Annual Festival De La Gente were local artist Raul Pizarro who took First Place and Margaret Beltran received Second Place in the final weekend of October.

Make sure to visit our “”See L.A.! so you can plan your fun with your family and friends. We have links to various places right here in Los Angeles for you to explore. It’s a great page to bookmark for your reference. All in all, an Oktoberfeast of goodness at Olvera Street. All this and more, this month ....

What’s Happening at
Olvera Street!

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS Celebration

October 25-November 2
 

Dia de los Muertos: Day of the Dead, will be celebrated at El Pueblo Historical Monument, home of the famous Olvera Street. This joyful celebration of departed loved ones includes nine evenings of colorful processions, altar displays, music and refreshments.

Novenaria processions begin on Olvera Street at 7 PM nightly.

November 3-4 is Fiesta Muertos, for elementary children's workshops, face painting and free entertainment all weekend.

For more information please contact: Valerie Hanley: (213) 716-1373

The art exhibit Sacred Memory: Honoring the Dead Across Cultures runs October 20-November 17  at the Pico House, 424 North Main Street.

For more information call: (213) 625-7074 or (213) 485-8372

FOR ALL WHO RIDE METRO TO OLVERA STREET
Show your valid Metro pass or Metro Rail ticket and save 20% on any purchase at El Pueblo's Visitor Center, 622 North Main Street. For more information, call (213) 485-8372.  Valid through December 31.

To learn more about the history of Dia De Los Muertos, click here!

To learn more about the Curators philosophy, click here!

To learn how to make an altar for a beloved one, click here!

Casa de Sousa Presents...

A Special Limited Engagement with Neotic Novelties and Spectral Spectacles Never Before Seen!

Madame Pamita's Salon of the Supernatural

Friday the 2nd of November- Special Dia de los Muertos Presentation

Libations Show $17.50 Includes a delightful beverage of your choice

Do Not Fail to Attend this Rare Appearance by the World's Foremost Purveyor of the Arcane Art of Auditory Cartomancy! Do you Dare to - WITNESS the Mystifying Magic Lantern Presentation: from old Mexico, The Legend of La Llorona!

 - COMMUNICATE with the Spirit World through the Mysterious Incandescent Talking Spirit Board! Only One of Its Kind In Existence!

 - HEAR as the Illustrious Madame Pamita Fortells Your Destiny Through Auditory Cartomancy Accompanied by Musical Luminaries of the Highest Order!

This Magnificent Event will be Presented at Five Performances Only and Will Never Be Performed Again!

Do Not Miss Your Opportunity to Witness What is Sure to be the Spectacle of the Season!

Seating is Very Limited in This Intimate Music Hall - RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED -Telephone 213-687-0363 or Email chocofairy2003@yahoo.com or fernandocruz_@hotmail.com

At the Historic Casa de Sousa, 19 Olvera Street, Los Angeles, Alta California 90012

Coming up at Olvera Street:

“Te Quiero Mucho”
Oil on Canvas
By Ginette Rondeau

November 3 & 4: Fiesta De Los Muertos
11 AM to 5:00 PM Folklorico, face painting, Aztec dance workshops, theatrical performance.

November 9: Cine Sin Fin Film Festival: 13th Annual East Los Angeles Chicano Film Festival
7 PM - 11 PM Hellman Quon Building. For more information please contact Ernesto Espinoza at espinoza@nfwsc.org

November 10: Bacardi Live Music Event
Plaza area.  5 PM - 11 PM 

November 11: American Diabetes Association Health Fair 10 AM - 3 PM Plaza.   For more information call (323) 966-2890 ext. 7503.

November 16: Red Nation Film Festival
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Hellman Quon.  Native American youth film screenings.

November 18: Bienvenidos Latino Family Health Fair
10 AM - 4 PM   at the Plaza.

November 20: Mexican Cultural Institute Lecture at the United Methodist Church 7 PM - 10 PM  For more information call (213) 624-3660. 

Mexican Cultural Institute,
Los Angeles Lecture Series
 
Frida Kahlo
Presented by Gregorio Luke

Gregorio Luke, Mexican Cultural Institute, Los Angeles board member and former director of the Museum of Latin American Art, will discuss
the personal and artistic life and influence of Frida Kahlo through an illustrated, multimedia presentation using slides and films from his extensive research library.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 7 pm.
Plaza Methodist Church
115 Paseo de la Plaza
 El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument (Olvera Street) Los Angeles, CA 90012
 
Suggested donation - $10 / $5 (students/seniors)
RSVP: 213 624-3660
 
Sponsors: California/Mexico Project, Chicano Studies Dept., CSULB; Familia Ricartti; Latino Consultants; LatinoLA.com (partial list)

Mailbox to Heaven”
created by Ginette Rondeau

The “Mailbox to Heaven” has been featured at the El Pueblo Gallery and Pico House Gallery for the Annual Dia De Los Muertos Juried Exhibition, since 1992.

The “Mailbox to Heaven” installation will be featured every weekend in November at Casa Belen, recently relocated temporarily at the plaza area at Olvera Street



We are looking for communities who would like to make their own Mailbox to Heaven. If you are interested, please contact Ginette Rondeau. To write a private letter to a beloved one, visit: www.MailboxToHeaven.com

For more information about the “Mailbox to Heaven” and the “Altar of the Iraq War” please contact Ginette Rondeau at Rondeau@Olvera-Street.com.

Somebody’s Children

News About Our World Update
Iraq War

At Olvera-Street.com, the spirit of giving, understanding, compassion,
and support goes far beyond our doors.

As of October 30, 2007, according to a CNN count: “There have been 4,142 coalition deaths -- 3,841 Americans, two Australians, 171 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, one Czech, seven Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Fijian, one Hungarian, 33 Italians, one Kazakh, one Korean, three Latvian, 21 Poles, two Romanians, five Salvadoran, four Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians -- in the war in Iraq. The list are the names of the soldiers, Marines, airmen, sailors and Coast Guardsmen whose deaths have been reported by their country's governments. The list also includes seven employees of the U.S. Defense Department. That is 26 more deaths since October 8, 2007.

At least 28,327 U.S. troops have been wounded in action, according to the Pentagon.  That is 234 more than October 30, 2007..

In 2004 we honored the 1250 Americans who had died in the Iraqi desert; that list has now grown with an additional 2,892 lives cut short. Note: May 1, 2007 marked the four-year anniversary when President Bush announced “Mission Accomplished!” and the end of hostilities in Iraq.

 
  
The first “Altar of the Iraq War” was created on October 28, 2004 to honor and respect the memories and lives of all those who have died. NOTE: The figures do not count the estimated 100,000-200,000 Iraqi deaths, including women and children.

The original altar was featured in a children’s book: “Day of the Dead: A Celebration of Life And Death” by Capstone Press and distributed in bookstores around the United States as well as on Amazon and other prominent retailers. National Geographic and NBC News also came out and filmed the exhibition last year.

The “Altar of the Iraq War” was re-created at last year’s “El Amor Eterno” Dia De Los Muertos Juried Exhibition at the Pico House Gallery. There were several thousands of visitors including children who were very touched and left notes of love at the altar. The gallery was created to be a place of healing, understanding and a place of education.
* (The "Altar of the Iraq War" honoring the dead was created by six artists: Ginette Rondeau, Juliane Backmann, Al Herion, Bonjunnie Comostiles, Gabriela Quintero, and John Trausch. The altar does not necessarily reflect the thoughts of the Olvera Street merchants or El Pueblo Historic Monument.)

We send our love to them, their families, and dear friends.

The altar was dedicated to their memories so they won’t be forgotten,
true to the meaning and spirit of íDa De Los Muertos!

Photos by Juliane Backmann

This year’s
Altar of the Iraq War
featured at Hollywood Forever

For those of you come every year to see the “Altar of the Iraq War, ” this year it was featured at Dia De Los Muertos Celebration at Hollywood Forever.

Since the Olvera Street management chose not to include our annual Altar for the Iraq War, we took the new 2007 installation featuring a custom-designed multi-screened nine-foot skull, to the Hollywood Forever Dia de los Muertos exhibit. Computer monitors poked out of the eye sockets of the skull, each showing the images, poetry, and offerings in honor of the fallen soldiers.   Thousands of onlookers stopped to read the screens  at the late-October show. It was created in the spirit of Dia De Los Muertos and many of the viewers shared how grateful they were since it gave them time to reflect on those who have lost their lives.

Last year’s Altar for the Iraq War at the Pico House was visited by tens of thousands and received bountiful media coverage. National Geographic Television featured the Annual Dia de los Muertos Juried Exhibition last year, and interviewed curator Ginette Rondeau as the spokesperson of the Dia de los Muertos in the United States and Mexico. The show is currently receiving heavily repeated showings on the National Geographic cable network.

A small Altar of the Iraq War PowerPoint presentation will also be at Casa Belen in the placita area  on Olvera Street to view November 2 - 4, 2007 to honor all those who have died in the war.

If you know someone who died in the Iraq War and would like to share your story in honor of his or her memory, please submit it to webmaster@Olvera-Street.com Just make sure you write “Stories to Share” in the subject line of your e-mail.

Supporting the Arts and Our Community
“Events Around Town”

Self Help Graphics and Art's
34th Annual Dia De Los Muertos Celebration

Friday, November 2, 2007
3802 Cesar Chavez Avenue
East Los Angeles

Event Schedule:

• 3 PM Exhibition Opening
• 4- 8 PM Children Workshops
• 4-5 PM Procession to Self Help Graphics (Gathering at Cesar Chavez and Lorena)
• 6 PM Aztec Blessing and Ceremony
• 6 - 11 PM Entertainment
  
  For more information:
  323. 881-6444 or visit www.selfhelpgraphics.com

November 6-25 only at UCLA's Freud Playhouse!

Get your exclusive $10 ticket discount with code
SOUL at ticketmaster.com today!

Group rates available for parties 15 or more!
Call Reprise! Broadway’s Best at 310-319-1111!

A middle aged man finds himself endlessly frustrated that his beloved LA Dodgers are constantly thwarted by those... well, damn Yankees. In desperation, he makes a deal with the Devil to sell his soul in exchange for becoming a youthful baseball star, who is quickly adopted by the Dodgers. Though his dreams of success and fame get closer every day, he finds himself yearning more and more for the woman he left behind. The Devil tries to soothe that yearning by conjuring Lola, an irresistible temptress. If she can succeed, the Devil will claim another soul. But in the battle of fantasies versus true love, one can never be sure who or what will emerge victorious.

This is Damn Yankees like you've never seen it before!

Join the Reprise!
Community of Musical Theatre Lovers and receive special announcements and exclusive offers! www.Reprise.org

Downtown Art Walk
(Second Thursday of Every Month)

Thursday, November 8, 2007 from 12 - 9 PM
(some locations close earlier, see details on Art Walk map)

The Downtown Art Walk is a free, self-guided tour of the many art exhibition venues in Downtown Los Angeles — commercial art galleries, museums, and non-profit arts venues.

Public information and a printable map of the Downtown Art Walk are available at www.downtownartwalk.com.

Participants in the Downtown Art Walk are The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles Public Library, Grey Goose, Gary Leonard, L.A. Artcore Center, 2nd Street Cigars and Gallery, M. J. Higgins, bank, Continental, Crewest, The Regent Galleries, Pharmaka, Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, El Nopal Press, Bert Green Fine Art, INMO Gallery, Red Dot Gallery, Niche.LA Video Art, Kristi Engle Gallery, Art Murmur Gallery, 626 Gallery, Gallery Waugh, Infusion Gallery, Gallery 727, The Hive Gallery, City Center Gallery, Museum of Neon Art, BOXeight Studios, and the Downtown Art Gallery.

Visitors are encouraged to arrive by public transit, as the Art Walk is easily accessible by the Red, Gold, and Blue line trains which run past midnight, and the area is well served by the

DASH bus system until 6:30 PM. Parking is plentiful in the areas many paid lots and garages, at meters on the street until 4 PM, and free after 6 PM on most streets.

AFI FEST 2007 presented by Audi: AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival announces that for the first time in the history of the Festival, the World Cinema Latin Showcase will be a sponsored section.

The AFI FEST Tu Ciudad Latin Showcase, sponsored by Farmers Insurance Group is expected to be one of the most popular and compelling sections of the festival. Among the eight films, the program includes the world premieres of CYRANO FERNANDEZ,

IT’S BETTER IF GABRIELA DOESN’T DIE, and MANUELA Y MANUEL; the North American premiere of THE YEAR OF THE NAIL; the U.S. premieres of THE AERIAL and HAPPY DESERT; Mexico’s Academy Award selection SILENT LIGHT. Gael Garcia Bernal’s highly anticipated directorial debut, DEFICIT is also included.

AFI FEST also has several Latin or Latin interest films playing in other categories such as CHOP SHOP, USED PARTS, THE MUGGER, and notably LOVE IN THE TIME OFCHOLERA, which will have its U.S. Premiere when it closes AFI FEST on Sunday, November 11, 2007 at ArcLight Hollywood’s Cinerama Dome Theatre.

The Closing Night Gala will also sponsored by Tu Ciudad Magazine and Farmers Insurance Group. After the film, AFI FEST’s Rooftop Village, an interconnected suite of hospitality pavilions adjacent to the theater, will be transformed for a lavish gala event in keeping with the spirit and look of the film.

Following on the heels of the recent international successes of Latin filmmakers such as Alfonso Cuaron, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and Guillermo del Toro, 2007 is proving to offer a wealth of cinematic riches from the Latin filmmaking community resulting in an increased presence throughout all of AFI FEST’s programming this year. Add a potential audience of 8.4 million Latinos in Los Angeles and having an officially sponsored showcase of Latin films was an idea whose time had most definitely come.

For more information and to learn how to purchase tickets,
visit www.afi.com/onscreen/AFIFEST/2007/

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art will present Dalí: Painting & Film

Throughout his life and career, renowned surrealist Salvador Dalí maintained a deep connection with film as an artistic medium. He collaborated with movie greats such as Luis Buñuel, Alfred Hitchcock, and Walt Disney, and created works influenced by Cecil B. De Mille and the Marx Brothers. Dalí: Painting & Film, coming to Los Angeles, the epicenter of film, aims to illustrate the cinematic influences and elements that are present in Dalí's work as well as the contribution he made to cinema. The exhibition brings together a variety of key pieces from Dalí's oeuvre, incorporating painting, film, photography, sculpture, and texts.

The exhibition was curated by Dawn Ades, Montse Aguer, Fèlix Fanés, Matthew Gale, and Helen Sainsbury. Curators at LACMA: Ilene Fort, American Art, and Sara Cochran, Modern Art. This exhibition was organized by Tate Modern, London, in collaboration with the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí, Figueres, Spain, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The Los Angeles presentation was made possible in part by LACMA’s Wallis Annenberg Director’s Endowment Fund. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.

The exhibition will run through January 6 in the Art of the Americas Building

For more information: www.lacma.org
* LACMA is Free After Five. There is no charge for general admission after 5 PM, even on weekends. General admission allows you to visit all open LACMA galleries and all special exhibitions except those that are separately ticketed. What's more, kids under 18 can always enter free through NexGen.

Got Gas?

As a public service we at Olvera-Street.com want to help you find the least painfully-expensive gas in your area. To find out the best gas prices around, click here!

If you have any other suggestions for links that our community can either learn or benefit from such as scholarships, community programs, et cetera, please submit them to us.

“Fly Frida Fly!”
By Ginette Rondeau

 “Viva el Amor Eterno”

I do not fear death
as I know those who have died before me
will welcome me with their loving embrace.

My senses will be awakened by the sweetness
of the Dia De Los Muertos yearly celebration.

I shall be remembered for eternity,
as my decedents will be preparing
and adorning their altars in my honor
and for other beloved.

There will be a sense of excitement
as they will be creating my favorite foods,
bringing me gifts that my soul has inspired
as they welcome me back.

At my altar,
there will be the lovely aroma of the copal,
and a glass of water that will quench my thirst
when I arrive from my long journey.

The salt and sweets will remind me of
the bitterness and sweetness of life.

I will see my family spending the day
lovingly cleaning my grave
and adorning it with zempasúchil (marigolds),
baby breath, candles and more.

There will be great day of
laughter, music, and poetry.

I yearn to hear their stories of my life
that they will tell their children
so they may know who I am.

Yes, it will be a joyous occasion
as I will be reunited with
my dear family and friends!

Thank you, gracias.
I know I will not be forgotten.
As your memories of me will continue
from generation to generation.

© Ginette Rondeau. 2006

Thank You for Visiting!

Bookmark Olvera-Street.com and our “See LA” link as a reference... and visit us often to find out about the latest arts, fundraisers, business mixers, screenings and much more. We hope you will visit us often throughout 2007.

Please e-mail this page to anyone you think may be interested.

     Enjoy a wonderful autumn with family and friends.

                   May all your wishes and dreams come true.

 Ginette Rondeau, Director & John Trausch, Editor
 

For more information about www.Olvera-Street.com
 comments or suggestions, contact our Webmaster@ibiz360.com

Our Sponsors: