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Saturday, October 22, 2011

La Villita Up Coming Events

When October rolls around, La Villita really starts rocking. We explode out of the long sweltering summer like race horses breaking from the gate.. The temps have dropped down into the civilized range. Skies are a brilliant blue. La Villitanos have had a big case of cabin fever so we are ready to roll.  

Coming up in the next few weeks we'll be celebrating our Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, events. Many of the shops and galleries will honor the dead with altars for family or theme altars.

Friday, October 28th at noon we'll have our South San High School Student Day of the Dead Art Show.
This is a juried show. Cash prizes go to the winning students. We also exhibit and sell their work in our shops. All sales go to the student artist. Its a our way of supporingt and encouraging youth artists. They are the next generation of innovators. Let's give them a leg up, as they say. Nothing is more motivating to a youngster than cold cash. Might as well be for something they have imagined and made.. 

On Saturday, October 29th all the little hoolie goblins show up for tricks or treats at our "Treat Street" festivity. Deck your little one out and come down to the village to collect their treats. Prizes for the best costume will be awarded. 

Sunday, October 30 from noon to 6PM we will be hosting the Los Monas Performance Group enacting our Dia de los Muertos Giant Skeleton Procession. There will also be salsa jazz entertainment by James Martin & Medionoche and Armando Martinez "Beyondomando".

We even have a few impromtu surpises during the month if you just want to drop by on a Saturday morning. About brunch time occasionally we cook al fresco potato & egg tacos.We just had one this morning about 11 AM. These are hosted by Alejandro and myself. He cooks the eggs. I pour the mimosas. We have these in the alley between our shops. Alejandro says his mission is to build community. I support that role. Building community is very important if we are all going to continue on the peaceful path as People of the Way.  

Then we slip into November and I'll give you just a preview because November is just as much fun as October was. We start things off with our First Friday Art Walk on Friday, November 4th from 3 to 8 PM. We'll be hosting entertainment, refreshments, working artist's booths and new showings. 

So there's plenty of things going on in La Villita to fill up your dance card. Come on by, experience some of the best art in our city, visit the artists, and be a big part of building community. We'll be glad to see you.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Peace Poem

In bad times
     we talk peace.
In good times
     we talk about the weather.
Why is that?

The weather we can do
     nothing about.
But peace
     we have total control.

Oh, no, you say.
     Peace is illusive.
     It keeps a step or two away.
     It's like grasping at fog.

Truly, I say to you,
     That's not so.

Peace is like raising children.
     Women can teach a child to play.
     They teach them how to behave.
     They teach them manners.
     If we can teach them their numbers,
     If they can teach the little ones how to dress,
     If we can teach them how to draw, dance, sing,

Then they can teach them
     The critical importance of peace.
     How to make peace with others.

We're the ones who
     Teach
     Nurse
     Comfort
     Coach
     Shuttle
     Direct
     Organize
     Manage
     Negotiate
     Heal....
          And car pool.

We also, rocket into outer space,
     Run political parties,
     Head up European Unions,
     Bale out bankrupt countries,
     Refinance governments,
     Secretary State Departments,
     Run corporations, museums, cities, states, universities, hospitals...
We even athletically direct football teams.

We ride Kentucky Derby horses,
     Drive race cars,
     Win golf tournaments and Grand Slams,
     Swim ocean channels...
          When we're in our seventies.
     Solo Capitan circumnavigate sail boats....
          When we're teenagers.

Ladies we've run out of excuses.
     We must do this.
     We're the last man standing.
     It's on our shoulders.
     All others have fallen short.

The crib is our domain.
     We have so little time to claim
     To put this peace thing in place.
     Just a few short years
         Before others take aim.

But we must.
     It's not about us.
     For the sake of the future
     Because all human kind
     Begins and ends
      in our soft tender touch.