Fiesta de brujas

The Pumpkin Fest at Kidspace this weekend kicked off the Halloween festivities. Here's a list of the goods and tiny reviews of the ones we totally enjoy and more events that if we don't go then you should.

We have little ones that would not be able to handle this at night so we go on Sunday during their regular times 11am-3pm. The suggested donation is $3 and worth it. Their sets capture the creepiness and fun for us and them.

Tim Burton closes this weekend and the LACMA will keep the museum open for 38 hours straight through the night so there is no excuse. AND they slashed the price to $10. We'll be there.

This is an annual tradition for us to see our neighbors and friendly faces walking up and down the boooolevard.

We're now members and will be there to watch critters and ghouls. Our kids enjoy the zoo but we've never been to this event. Saturday and Sunday, October 29 & 30, 2011

I broke tradition and ditched Hollywood Forever this weekend for several reasons but will join this activity at the cowboy museum. Now in it's 2nd year, it's a beautiful event.

La Era Romantica

"ok, we are giving away 15 spots for our secret acoustic show this thursday in los angeles at the chateau marmont... please leave a message now and our favorite/creative ones will get the tickets by end of day!! love, d"

This is the Facebook update of Diego Garcia, ex-Elefant. Thus far, 21 folks are trying to get in and I haven't the foggiest of ideas to write anything. And when I use foggiest of ideas know that I'm typing that phrase for the first time. Mostly, me da pena. I really acted a fool when I saw him play at the Echo. I had put the kids to sleep, put Maria Elena's fancy clip on earrings on and text Beda "I'm on my way". But I knew she was coming in from far so I caught some more movie with Papabear wishing it was us two going on a date instead of just us going out separately. I get to the Echo in exactly 10 minutes and order a Cadillac margarita, my hands still smelling like Palmolive from doing dishes. The girls hadn't arrived yet so I was the lonely girl standing in the back hugging her drink. I never feel alone at the Echo since I see visions of 2002 and present dance in my head. The infamous Gravy Train shows and the memorable Death From Above 1979 show where we partied and drove to Rite-Aid to get some pregnancy tests changing life forever. We even got to see Elefant there, we rolled like 15 deep to see them.

In 2003 Elefant's Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid album was on constant. Perfect soundtrack to a Santa Barbara summer of love. Driving up the 101, sand in hair, the Pacific Ocean. I think, as a couple it's the first band we both discovered and fell in love with. We got a flyer to see Elefant in San Luis Obispo, in a chicken pot pie restaurant. Diego gave a show as if he were in front of hundreds. It was like 30 of us, sitting in large wicker chairs, standing around...swooning. We followed them when they played in LA and Carlos told Diego, see you in Coachella. At Coachella Diego goes up to Carlos like a homie. I got jealous, these men.

I remember that tent was a sweat lodge. Diego pops up on stage with a white shirt, a '10' sharpied to the back. Carlos giving him props for that, me dumbfounded. Of course it takes a soccer fan to know one. The 10 for Maradona, of course. When Morrissey discovered Diego I knew he would break hearts along the tour. Sergio met him in the bay, I got jealous again. These men.

When Beda and Jesenia finally showed up at the Echo they refilled my drink. I thought I was done thinking all these thoughts- ready to dance and sing and throw kisses to a romantic crooner. Then... Julio Iglesias was pumped on the speakers. Months earlier I took Maria Elena to the Indian casino on a hot desert night it was beautiful to watch him perform. Me and my mama sitting together clapping along, "hey..." Knowing that my father would always take out his girl to all the romantic shows made me miss him so much. Seeing how young she looked as she sang along, I loved that moment and I almost lost it at the sticky floored Echo flashbacking on it all. I just kept sipping my drink and trying to focus on the crowd. Brown girl fans he picked up on his Morrissey tour next to skinny white boys. Then my two loud locas and me, the girl throwing kisses wearing her mama's shiny earrings.

LA in the summer

I don't think it's too much of a secret that when the sun shines people are happier. It's true for me and I'm counting down the days for my little one to be done with school to continue our daily field trips. With arts being the first to be cut from school budgets it's important to go out into the city and explore it for yourself. My blogs from now on will focus on our adventures: fun, family and free being the main objective. There really is no excuse to be bored in LA, like ever.

it all begins now

Have you heard? They say that judgment day is upon us. What?! Like, next week...and we still haven't gone to the Forum to see Prince. Shucks.

Aver que pasa, all we can do is wait and see. Love love.

matame porque me muero

So I missed Sleigh Bells for the third time. Last year's Coachella was an introduction, we got too late to the Hollywood Bowl show to see them open for LCD and now my heart belonged to Interpol. We caught the full set of Interpol and yes we've seen them like 6 times already so you know what you're going to get and even though they got the sunset show and we weren't that close I felt them, I danced them and I loved them. Pa que te digo, even if I still scream "Where's Carlos D.?!?" they always give a solid performance. Paul's great on the huge stage. This is also where we first experienced the Creator's Project show.

There were intense graphics and lights and after their set the stage became a metal cube with apocalyptic sounds reminiscent of MBV. It was loud, it was great and repeated several times through out the weekend. We waited under the mirrored dandelions to wait for Angelica, we hugged until we cried and hustled over to the outdoor theatre.

she can read, she can read...she's bad

Band number one was Tame Impala, an Aussie band of grungy dudes who we've been listening to pretty much over and over. They gave a great show but I walked in too late, during this song.

They have one album out and if you like bands that sound of yesteryear and it's done well then you must have this. I'm sure they'll be back, the crowd was kinda caca with the hardcores in front but I was also guilty of being chatty in the back. It had been a while and we had ran into Poncho, Rose and Carlos then convo turned to Rock en Espanol in the 90s y luego...

DAY ONE::esta enfermedad es incurable

We bought a home in the desert to have a place to crash for Coachella. No that wasn't really the reason but the 4 mile proximity was a deal maker. Brother Jim was able to bike it every day but not us, one year we'll do it bikechella style, once Indio Police make it friendly since we noted that bikes were routed and pushed off Monroe. Dark, dusty, allergy ridden, sore...I'm not ready for that yet.

I missed more than I saw. I would have liked to have seen local DJ Alf Alpha christen the festival grounds with his beats and stuck around for Tokimonsta then moved on to !!! vs. Moving Units (why were they at the same time?!?!?!), Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Ozo, Odd Future, War Paint, the Drums and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart. I'm sure they'll be Coachella repeats, if they were deemed worthy. As this show went on without me I got a much deserved and long awaited mani/pedi and had a good heart to heart with Amy at Nails for You. Yup, that's what I did.

sometimes i wonder if the world's so small

This year I didn't troll the message boards, research the buzz bands, buy Coachella outfits. I didn't show up early to catch the small font bands or take an entrance picture. I held the camera once in those 3 days, barely spent money and showed up late. What I did do was laugh, cry and dance again. Under the sun, under the pink clouds and the full moon. I'll maybe get around to it before I forget, like I did for day 3 last year (scroll down). I'll give you my top 2 each day.

FRIDAY::: Caifanes and Interpol
SATURDAY::: One Day as a Lion and ARCADE FIRE
SUNDAY::: Strokes and PJ Harvey

Can you guess who was best in show? Alrato...