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17 June 2011

ALERT! "infoLA" is now "The LA Informant"




Dear readers and subscribers,


This blog (infoLA) is no longer active.  In order to keep our online presence under one easy to remember name, all activity will now take place via The Los Angeles Informant at http://LAinformant.com/.  

For all the same great Los Angeles area content, please follow us at the new site.  The Los Angeles Informant strives to keep you informed of info, news and events from Los Angeles and across the Southland.

We are also on twitter at http://twitter.com/LAinformant and on facebook at http://facebook.com/LAinformant.


Sincerely,

Ry N., Editor.


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08 June 2011

2011 Huck Finn Jubilee

 
Huck Finn Jubilee returns to Victorville, Friday 17 – 19 Sunday 2011. The 35 year old self proclaimed “great American party” annually celebrates the life and times of Tom and Huck, Mark Twain’s popular storybook characters.
 
The Jubilee is held at the 800 acre Mojave Narrows Regional Park where unlike its high desert surroundings, is an oasis bordering the Mojave River and resembles parkland near the Mississippi River. Parking is free and camping is offered.

During the three day festival you can find games that include building river rafts, climbing a greased pole, searching for nickels in a haystack and tossing horseshoes. All are free to enter, and ribbons are given to winners.

There’s a Friday night barn dance at the mountain man village, a Huck Finn look-a-like contest on Saturday and the Tom Sawyer Fence Painting Championship Sunday afternoon. 
 
A crafts village offers items that are hand- made and uniquely American, and there are barbeque ribs, ice cream and corn on the cob in the Vittles village.

A Route 66 Car Show offers pre-1982 show car entries one free admission with one paid when arriving Saturday and Sunday. The California State Arm Wrestling Championships and the Deering Banjo Championships both are held at noon on Saturday and offer t-shirts, trophies, titles, cash and a Deering Eagle II banjo as prizes. 
 
Main stage hosts a Mark Twain Live performance on Friday and old time country and bluegrass music with “Hee Haw’s” Roy Clark, Rodney Dillard from the Andy Griffith Show, and RFD Television’s Leroy Troy and the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band. They headline more than 30 hours of music Friday, Saturday and Father’s Day.

Music continues into the evening, and all night picking parties are held in special campgrounds on the park. The Deering Banjo Company offers a free music jam school Friday and Saturday, and workshops in fiddle, banjo, guitar, vocal harmony and songwriting continue all three days. Named 2001 Bluegrass Event of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association, the Jubilee also provides many informal “chat sessions” that bring both artist and fan together.

Hot air balloons rise early each day and provide aerial views of Pelican Lake, and campgrounds in Mojave Narrows. Some campsites have electrical hookups for RVs. The regional park offers fishing, horseback riding and a water splash area.

Families can also camp at Mojave Narrows Regional Park campgrounds. Camping w/electrical hook-ups + Jubilee entry package available.


Huck Finn Jubilee
Hours: Fri 17 & Sat 18, 7am – 11pm; Sun 19 7am – 8pm
Admission: General $20; Children 6-12, $5; Children under 6, FREE
3-day Jubilee + 2-night camping w/ electric hook-up pass: General $75, Children 6-12, $20; Children under 6, FREE
Additional info: (951)-780-8810 • huckfinn@huckfinn.com
Mojave Narrows Regional Park
18000 Yates Road, Victorville 92307 [MAP]

images: courtesy Huck Finn Jubilee • content: Huck Finn Jubilee • post Ry N.

Have the Time of Your Life at Devil's Night!


Watch DIRTY DANCING at LA's only drive-in!

Dirty Dancing
June 11th 2011
Gates @ 7:30 Show @ 9:00 




The drive-in movie experience comes back to Los Angeles!

Every second Saturday of the month (twice monthly in the summer) a downtown Los Angeles parking garage becomes the city's only drive-in movie theater.

FM transmitters beam sound into your car's speakers.  Flash your lights for car-hops to bring popcorn and food (bring your own drinks).

Pre-sale tickets are $10 per person and are available until noon the day prior to the screening.  Pending space, tickets will be available on the day of the screening at $12 per person.  Arrive early for best spot, tickets guarantee you entry but not a particular spot. Car spots will be released 30 minutes before show time.  You'll have up to 30 minutes after the start of show time to claim your tickets.

DJ Morgan spins before the show.

Speakers and Astroturf are set up up front for bike-ins and walk-ins!

For more information and to purchase tickets visit, http://devilsnight.com/

Future screenings:

E.T.
June 25th 2011
Gates @ 7:30 Show @ 9:00

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
July 9th 2011
Gates @ 7:30 Show @ 9:00

People's Choice Vote!
Choices Are: The Legend of Billie Jean, Do The Right Thing, Kids, El Topo, Grandma's Boy.
Voting begins May 31st.
July 23rd 2011
Gates @ 7:30 Show @ 9:00

Less Than Zero
August 13th 2011
Gates @ 7:00 Show @ 8:30

Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure
August 27th 2011
Gates @ 6:30 Show @ 8:00

The Usual Suspects
September 10th 2011
Gates @ 6:00 Show @ 7:30


 
Devil's Night is at the parking garage at:
240 W 4th Street, Los Angeles 90013


View Larger Map


content: Devil's Night • post: R. Nelson

07 June 2011

LACMA After Dark – No Parents Allowed

Untitled (The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories) © 2011 Tim Burton
As part of its Arts For NexGen, a free youth membership program, LACMA presents After Dark.  Teenagers are invited to come experience the museum for a night of art, food and music sans the parentals. 

Museum security and staff will chaperone the event as teens explore LACMA's latest exhibitions, Tim Burton at the new Resnick Pavillion.  The Tim Burton exhibition features over 700 works by Burton including drawings, storyboards, puppets and costumes, plus hundreds of never before exhibited works. 

Teens can dance to a live DJ under the stars in the company of topiaries inspired by Burton's Edward Scissorhands.  Teens are encouraged to dress "burtonesque," wearing something that reminds them of their favorite Burton movie.

Admission is free, but teens should have some cash for the taco bar featuring $2 meat or veggie tacos. 

This event is for middle and high school teens only; no college teens, no parents.  Teens can be dropped off and picked up at the Urban Light installation on Wilshire Blvd (pic below).  The event is from 8pm - 10pm, but early arrival is welcomed as the regular museum hours are 11am - 8pm on Saturday.

After Dark
Saturday 11 June, 8pm - 10pm. Admission: FREE.
Ages 13-18 only with photo ID (school ID, CA ID or passport)
More info: educate@lacma.orghttp://www.lacma.org/event/after-dark
 
Urban Light. Click to enlarge.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles 90036 [MAP]
(323) 857-6000 • publicinfo@lacma.org
http://lacma.org/








Go Metro!

Lines 20, 212, 217, 312, 720




 content: R. Nelson • post: R. Nelson

05 June 2011

Free Day at CAFAM [Summer 2011]


The Craft and Folk Art Museum (CAFAM) champions cultural understanding by presenting exhibitions and programs that bridge local and global cultures and inspire a sense of inquiry and creativity within all people.  Located on Los Angeles' historic Miracle Mile, it is the city's only institution exclusively dedicated to celebrating craft and folk art.  CAFAM works to recognize emerging artists and make art accessible to all audiences, serving as a forum in which art can be presented and described by the artists and communities who create it.  All exhibitions and public programs are developed in close collaboration with community cultural groups to ensure authentic expression. 

CAFAM's view of FOLK ART: 
"We view the term 'folk art' in a contemporary and dynamic light that is not limited to one frame. We consider all art made in a cultural and social context as part of our domain. Our stance encompasses a wide breadth of art and ideas ranging from Polynesian body tattoos that mark a tribe, whether traditional or urban, to the modern interpretation of ancient cave paintings from India that offer political commentary about a post-9/11 world, to a photojournalist’s observations of the complexity of contemporary Iranian society.

"Folk art offers cultural insights not readily seen in other art forms since it is created with an awareness of, and a connection to tradition and community.  The process of creating folk art is a varied and dynamic one that builds on traditional methods or ideas, but also includes individual creativity and contemporary influences. This artistic merger of social order and individual creativity offers incredible insight into global and local values and beliefs.  Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of folk art is how sublimely it reveals human similarities amongst diverse cultures." 

At CAFAM for July's Free Day

The Wedding Party [Photo: M Lee Fatherlee]
Love And Other Audacities
San Francisco-based artist Ann Weber's elegant, sculptural works grace CAFAM's third floor gallery in Love and Other Audacities.  These massive scultural works echo the silhouettes of pods, gourds and other biomorphic forms.  Despite the sculptures' oversized, undulating contours, what will surprise most people is the humble material she uses—cardboard.

Armed with a stapler, a box cutter and shellac, Weber constructs towering artworks out of cardboard that she often fishes out of dumpsters.  When asked about the physical stature of her work, Weber says, "I'm interested in how big you can make something before it collapses."

Weber to a cue from architecture icon Frank Gehry's cardboard furniture and decided to experiment with the boxes she had in her living room after recently moving.  Merging her ceramics background with an ongoing examination of architectural structures enabled Weber to build beautiful, gravity-defying works that often eschew symmetry.  Love And Other Audacities runs through 11 September 2011.

All Creatures Great And Small
What appears to be gorgeous wallpaper is, in reality, 3,500 brightly colored insects pinned directly to the wall in kaleidoscopic patterns.
"We don't have very many 'Wow!' moments anymore in this age of internet. We've become a bit jaded," says Wisconsin-based installation artist and educator Jennifer Angus, "I am trying to capture in my work the magic we experience as children.  I would like people to discover it once again and for a moment just stand there and say 'Wow!"

Craft And Folk Art Museum
Inspired by the tribal dress of the Karen tribe in Thailand’s Golden Triangle—a region bordered by China, Laos and Myanmar—Angus combined her passion for pattern and textiles with a newfound fascination for the often overlooked (even maligned) insect. Using no endangered species, Angus creates her distinctive patterns without utilizing dyes or destroying natural resources. 

Naturally electric blue, emerald green, pink, purple and red insects coalesce on the walls to create an immersive Victorian-era room that recalls an age of excitement, exploration and scientific discovery. Complementary small-scale Insecta Fantasia, Newark Museum, Newark, NJ, 2008. Courtesy of the Newark Museumdollhouses covered in beeswax are home to anthropomorphized insects that provoke viewers to revisit their own relationship with the eco-system.
 
For Angus, pattern is associated more with meaning than decoration. Her works call to mind themes of death, cultural association and ideas about collection. “ Although insects are common all over the world, insect collectors share the same passion, rigor and attention to display as many art collectors,” says director Suzanne Isken, “You will find that Angus’ work reflects the world’s infinite cache of unexpected beauty and diversity, a view that we at the Craft and Folk Art Museum hope to share with Los Angeles.  All Creatures Great And Small runs through 11 September 2011.



Craft And Folk Art Museum
5814 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles 90036 [MAP]
(323) 937-4230 • http://cafam.org/ 






Admission Hours
General $7 Tuesday–Friday 11am – 5pm
Seniors & students $5 Saturday & Sunday Noon – 6pm
Children under 10 FREE Monday CLOSED
Members FREE
First Wednesday of month FREE      

04 June 2011

Do-It-Yourselfers Invited to Trade In Used Oil Filters



LA County Public Works will trade new motor oil filters for old during its filter exchange event on Saturday 11 June from 10am to 2pm.  Do-it-Yourselfers throughout Florence-Firestone and neighboring communities are encouraged to participate at Kragen-O'Reilly Auto Parts,1516 East Florence Ave., Los Angeles, 90001.  Used motor oil is also accepted at this location.  The event is open to all County residents, although filters and motor oil from businesses will not be accepted.

It takes just one gallon of motor oil, the amount of a typical oil change, to pollute nearly one million gallons of drinking water. When transporting used oil filters and motor oil for recycling, be sure to seal the filter in a plastic bag. Motor oil must be stored in a leak-proof container.  Do not mix motor oil with any other liquids or materials, including water. Mixing liquids contaminates the motor oil, and it cannot be recycled.

LA County residents are also encouraged to take their used motor oil and oil filters to a County-sponsored Household Hazardous Waste/Electronic Waste (HHW/eWaste) mobile collection event, a permanent collection center, or to a local Certified Collection Center.  These locations will typically accept up to five gallons of uncontaminated used motor oil. Some locations will also accept used oil filters to be recycled later-free of charge.
  

Oil Filter Exchange and Used Oil Recycling
Saturday 11 June, 10am – 2pm
More info: (888) CLEAN-LA • http://cleanla.com/
Kragen–O'Reilly Auto Parts
1516 E. Florence Avenue, Los Angeles 90001 [MAP]  
(323) 584-4370 • http://oreillyauto.com/

content: County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works • post: R. Nelson

Clyde Porter Festival Del Artista

 
 

This free Family Festival includes Fine Art Exhibits, Childrens Activities, Live Entertainment, Arts & Crafts, Arts and Culture Exhibitors.

The 6th Annual Clyde Porter Arts Day–Festival Del Artista will be held on Saturday 15 October inside the Clyde Porter West Valley Playhouse and along Owensmouth Avenue between the playhouse and Wyandotte Avenue in Canoga Park.

The Clyde Porter Arts Day was created to continue the legacy of this visionary who wanted to bring the arts and culture to the San Fernando Valley. Healthy twenty-first century communities will be those that develop a sense of common purpose. Community-building goals can be achieved through civic festivals. The Clyde Porter Arts Day is a good example of a community-building event with an emphasis in promoting the arts and culture along the Sherman Way corridor - and adjacent areas - in the business district of Old Town Canoga Park. Inside the theatre's foyer, fine artists will exhibit their works of art providing the ambiance of a fine arts gallery. Inside the theater you will find classic and international dance performances.

Clyde Porter Arts Day–Festival Del Artista
 
Thursday 15 October 2011, hours TBD
Clyde Porter West Valley Playhouse
7242 Owensmouth Avenue, Canoga Park 91303 [MAP]
(818) 884-1907


– c. West Valley Playhouse; p. R. Nelson

Canoga Park Summertime Artrageous Art Walk

Click image to enlarge.
As part of its centennial celebration, Canoga Park presents the Summertime Artrageous Art Walk. Walk through Canoga Park, take in the art, enjoy the music and have dinner!

The Walk will be within the Canoga Park Historic Old Town Center which will come alive with artists of all varieties sharing their work with you inside stores along the Sherman Way Corridor and adjacent side-streets.

The Art Walk will include 15 venues and over 30 artists, live music, wine and cheese, gourmet food trucks and places to hang out and enjoy to scene. 
 
The purpose of the Canoga Park Summertime Artrageous Art Walk and Arts Day is to continuously highlight the Canoga Park / West Valley Arts District & its many talented fine artists, performing artists, Live Theatres and other Art Venues as well as the many talented local musicians and to help lead into Canoga Park’s 100th Anniversary – March 2012.

The Walk will be held on the Third Thursday of May, June, July, August & September from 6:00 PM until 10:00 PM leading up to Clyde Porter’s Arts Day – Festival del Artista – which will take place on Saturday 15 October 2011 on Owensmouth Ave (North of Sherman Way) from 9 AM until 2:00 PM.

You may also pick up maps at Follow Your Heart, Henrí’s, Canoga Park Youth Arts Center, Chamber Office, Canoga Park I. A. Office, West Valley Playhouse or Madrid Theatre each month for a list of locations, exhibits & music.

If you are an Artist/Musician who would like to participate, a merchant or property owner with a space to share or just someone who would like to help, call Mary at 818.346.7480.
Click image to enlarge.
Canoga Park Artrageous Art Walk
Historic Old Town Center
Sherman Way, Canoga Park 91303 [MAP]
(818) 346-7480
http://canogapark100.com/

Go Metro!
Topanga Cyn Bl: 245
Sherman Way: 163, 363


 

– c. Canoga Park Improvement Association; p. R. Nelson