Dia de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever cemetery was originally envisioned for the purpose of providing an authentic venue, in which this ancient tradition could be genuinely observed, celebrated and preserved. This event has provided a gateway for those who wish to re-acquaint themselves with their deeply rooted traditions and profoundly engage with one of the most devotional celebrations for the continuous cycle of life.
Dia De Los Muertos is one of Mexico's traditional holidays reuniting and honoring beloved ancestors, family and friends. It is an ancient and enduring ritual when the living commune with the dead - a mystical night when the veil is lifted between their two realms and they may share a day together.
Throughout each period in Mexican culture, death seems to hold no terror. In Mexican art, legends, and religion, death has not been a mysterious and fearful presence but a realistic recognizable character as much a part of life as life itself. Dia De Los Muertos expresses this perspective; it is not a mournful commemoration but a happy and colorful celebration where Death takes a lively, friendly expression and is not frightening or strange. There is no place for sorrow or weeping for this could be interpreted as discourteous to the dead relatives who are visiting gladly.
This night is an important feast and evocation. It is a time when family members share memorable stories that evoke the lives of their ancestors. Offerings and altars are created to welcome and commemorate the dead. Marigolds and incense are offered in abundance because it is believed their aromatic scents guide the dead to the place where the feast is being held. A profusion of candles dispels the darkness just as the souls are being illuminated from the shadows of death. Altars are created with photos, mementos, fruit, bread, and other favorite things of the ancestors being welcomed and honored. The artifacts of these altars also provide the opportunity to teach children about those who came before them.
Dia De Los Muertos is a time of celebration on remembrance. It is also a time to come to terms with our mortality and become aware of the cycle of life and death. Rather than deny and fear death this event teaches us to accept and contemplate the meaning of mortality.
Admission Tix
tribal dancers
backdrop for pictures
Aztec America Reporter
altar deco
altar devotees
Alar dedicated to dead female artists
girl posing in front of altar w/ traditional costume
After I posted Muse, I was wrapped up in the sexy music composition. Immediately, the next thought followed...Love and Rockets. This song is one of my favorite Love and Rocket's song off the "Express" album. It's a inviting, hypnotic, seductive, and intriguingly seedy.
My sister and I went to see Toy Story 3 some time ago. Prior to the beginning of the movie, there was a short cartoon that was titled "Night and Day." It was smart and entertaining to watch.
Duffy, is a Welsh singer-songwriter and occasional actress. This is song and video are great, the music and her voice have a classic 1950-60's feel to it. Notice the guys dancing rocking their Fred Perrys. :)
*1979: The Perry Boys were a unique underground fashion subculture. Emanating from inner city Manchester and Salford to become trendsetters on the terraces and night clubs of the city. Rebelling against everything around them wedge hair cuts, Fred Perry's and Northern confidence became the new order of the day. Spawning the casual and rave scenes that followed.
*from: http://www.fredperry.com/
Thousands of people are lined up at the USC campus to see President Barack Obama drum up support for two high-profile Democrats locked in tight races. A security crew is inspecting people lined up as the president prepares to speak at a fundraiser Friday morning for Senator Barbara Boxer. He will later address a Democratic rally at Alumni Park on campus alongside Boxer and gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown.The large crowds include a smattering of political demonstrators focused on various California ballot issues, including the gubernatorial race, the marijuana initiative and the military's don't ask-don't tell policy banning openly gay troops.
The event is free and open to the public. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Gates open at 10 a.m. and the program begins at 11 a.m. Entertainer Jamie Foxx and rock group Ozomatli are scheduled to perform.
Attendees should bring as little as possible; security will be tight. Prohibited items include: laptop computers, sharp objects, metal or plastic drink bottles, folding chairs, backpacks and bags or purses larger than a standard sheet of paper, all posters or signs of any size. No food or drink can be carried in. Small cameras will be permitted.
Attendees should enter from Trousdale Parkway, south of W. 34th Street.
With multiple street closures around the university planned, people are encouraged to take public transit to the event. However, Metro said security may require some bus lines to be detoured from their regular routes. The Silver Line is expected to be a popular option for travelers from the San Gabriel Valley, with stops at Union Station, 7th Street/Metro Center in downtown Los Angeles and near the USC campus.
For those who drive, limited public parking will be at the Parking Center and Parking Structure 1 (PS1).
After posting Madness yesterday it was inevitable that I would want to hear some Beat. Remember these hits along with Madness at the old stomping grounds? :)
I was at work today, and someone had it blaring in the office. It was surprisingly pleasant to hear again. That reminds me of the good times with the old gang; at Marilyn's. Those were Friday nights..
BAD RELIGION ... FOR THE WIN!! Bad Religion was one of the elements that kept my core company in my teens. It provided an outlet for frustration growing up and at the same time it paved new ideas and strengthened my curiosity by questioning everything. It is Bad Religion.
Hey Brother Christian with your high and might errand,
Your actions speak so loud, I can't hear a word you're saying.
Hey Sister Bleeding Heart with all of your compassion,
Your labors soothe the hurt but can't assuage temptation.
Hey man of science with your perfect rules of measure,
Can you improve this place with the data that you gather?
Hey Mother Mercy can your loins bear fruit forever?
Is your fecundity a trammel or a treasure?
And I want to conquer the world,
Give all the idiots a brand new religion,
Put an end to poverty, uncleanliness and toil,
Promote equality in all my decisions
With a quick wink of the eye
And a "God you must be joking!"
Hey Mr. Diplomat with your worldly aspirations,
Did you see the children cry when you left them at the station?
Hey moral soldier you've got righteous proclamation,
And precious tomes to fuel your pulpy conflagrations.
And I want to conquer the world,
Give all the idiots a brand new religion,
Put an end to poverty, uncleanliness and toil,
Promote equality in all of my decisions
I want to conquer the world,
Expose the culprits and feed them to the children,
I'll do away with air pollution and then all save the whales,
We'll have peace on earth and global communion.
I want to conquer the world! [x4]
i don't need to be a global citizen
because i'm blessed by nationality
i'm member of a growing populace
we enforce our popularity
there are things that
seem to pull us under
and there are things
that drag us down
but there's a power
and a vital presence
thats lurking all around
we've got the american Jesus
see him on the interstate
we've got the american Jesus
he helped build the
president's estate
i feel sorry
for the earth's population
'cuz so few
live in the U.S.A.
at least the foreigners
can copy our morality
they can visit but they cannot stay
only precious few
can garner the prosperity
it makes us walk
with renewed confidence
we've got a place to go when we die
and the architect resides right here
we've got the american Jesus
overwhelming millions every day
(exercising his authority)
he's the farmers barren fields
the force the army wields
the expession in the faces
of the starving children
the power of the man
he's the fuel that drives the clan
he's the motive and conscience
of the murderer
he's the preacher on t.v.
the false sincerity
the form letter that's written
by the big computers
he's the nuclear bombs
and the kids with no moms
and i'm fearful that
he's inside me
The Getty Villa in Malibu is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. Immerse yourself in Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities arranged by themes including Gods and Goddesses, Dionysos and the Theater, and Stories of the Trojan War. There is also Roman-inspired architecture and beautiful gardens.
Water lilies in the herb garden
View from East Garden to the Atrium
pillars
The Marbury Hall Zeus
King of the Olympian gods, Zeus is depicted here as a powerfully built, bearded man seated on a throne. He originally held a scepter in his left hand and a thunderbolt in his right, symbols of his authority over the natural world. This Roman sculpture was inspired by the monumental gold and ivory statue of Zeus created by the Greek sculptor Pheidias (about 490-430 B.C.) for the god's temple at Olympia. The Olympian Zeus was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world - praised by ancient writers and widely reproduced. After this statue was found on the grounds of the Villa d'Este in Tivoli, Italy, in the late 1700's, it was used as the decorative centerpiece of one of the villa's fountains. The work was sold to James Hugh Smith Barry in 1781 and became part of his sculpture collection at Marbury Hall in England. Since then it has been called the Marbury Hall Zeus.
Bust of Emperor Commodus
After a Roman emperor rose to power, an official portrait was created, and copies were distributed throughout the empire. This portrait of Lucius Aurelius Commodus Antoninus (ruled A.D. 180-192) was issued when, following the death of his father Marcus Aurelius, he became sole ruler of Rome. Four earlier portrait types had been issued while Commodus was a prince, this type is the fifth, and the first to show him with a beard. Among the more than a dozen ancient portraits of this type have survived from antiquity, this bust is the best preserved. It has been known since the 1740's, when the Earl of Carlisle acquired it for Castle Howard in Yorkshire.
Head of a Bearded Man
The size and distinctive features of this head suggest that it represents an important man, but the absence of a crown indicates that he was not a ruler when the portrait was carved. Stylistically, the work resembles sculpted figures from the Altar of Zeus at Pergamon (in present-day Turkey). The subject may be Attalos II (ruled 159-138 B.C.), a member of the Attalid dynasty, which held power over Pergamon until it was bequeathed to the Romans in 133 B.C.
Torso of a Man Wearing Armor
Only this torso and arm remain from an over-life-size statue of a man wearing full military parade armor. Such cuirassed (armored) images were erected to honor emperors, male members of the imperial family, victorious generals, and military heroes. Symbolic details on the armor indicate that the statue dates to the reign of the emperor Domitian (ruled A.D. 81-96) and probably commemorated one of his generals.
Faustina the Elder
Faustina the Elder (died A.D. 141), wife of Emperor Antoninus Pius (ruled A.D. 138-161), was deified upon her death, and temples were established for her worship. Here the sculptor created an instantly recognizable public image that was suitable for a temple. He combined Faustina's distinctive facial features and hairstyle with a standard female body type called the Large Herculaneum Woman, named for its size and the site where the first example was found. The nose of this statue was missing, but conservators recently reconstructed a new one based on other portraits of the empress.
