Brides of March Brides Ride Redux this Friday March 2!
It’s a nice day for white wedding Friday March 2!
The San BuenaVentura ArtRiders Bicycle & Social Club
requests the honor of your presence
The Brides of MarchBrides Ride
March 2, 2012
5:30pm Photographs
Ventura Beach & CA St.
6pm Ride to
Galleries & Art Studios
—>formal attire requested
BYOB sparkling beverages
BYOB flutes, mugs, etc
RSVP http://bikergogal.wordpress.com or on our Facebook Group page or event page.
DownloadBridesRide12full size here. Download BridesRideMar12 6 up on legal size.
We Ride every First Friday!
bride drawing by the illustrious Claudia Pardo
400,000 page views? WOW! Thanks!
Sometime today, the stats counter flipped from 399,999 to 400,000. Somehow I missed it– too busy I guess with other projects. But YOU were there!! So thank you! It is so wonderful to have readers for my words, to know that you are out there finding value in what I and my guest bloggers like Grant Marcus (politics) and Ron Wells (music and film) do here. It’s amazing to thing that since November 2008, I have published 1290 posts!
I feel sad that I don’t have more time to devote to Ye Old Art Predator and wonder when I will reach 1300 posts. Now that I am working on a PhD in Depth Psychology with an emphasis in Community Liberation and Ecopsychology, I am spending my time reading and writing for that program instead of for you, my loyal readers.
I think about you often, and yearn to share more here; the best I can do is tweet! (Please follow me–@me a message and I will follow you back!)
Seriously, though, I am continuing to post, it’s just not always on Art Predator. I am publishing regularly
about wine and food on Wine Predator,
about bicycling events and activism on Bikergo Gal,
about topics relevant to my college teaching and to my students on Whisper Down the Write Alley,
and less so these days about Buddhism, spirit and inspiration on Compassionate Rebel
and about business writing on The Write Alley.
I intend to develop a publishing schedule so that I am getting something up at least once a week or two on each of these blogs and reblogging from one to the other as possible.
When I catch my breath, I will share more about what I am learning in graduate school! Believe it or not, this might even include starting up another blog to publish my research and writing as well as that of my Pacifica cohort and fellow students.
Thank you again for reading and subscribing to Art Predator est. November 2008.
For nearly 30 years, UC Santa Cruz has recognized Martin Luther King Jr with an annual convocation.
Last month, UCSC invited Nikki Giovanni to speak.
According to Wikipedia, “Yolande Cornelia “Nikki” Giovanni (born June 7, 1943) is an Americanpoet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. Her primary focus is on the individual and the power one has to make a difference in oneself and in the lives of others. Giovanni’s poetry expresses strong racial pride, respect for family, and her own experiences as a daughter, a civil rights activist, and a mother. She is currently a distinguished professor of English at Virginia Tech.[1]”
And wow, did she have a LOT to say! I wish I could have been there. She presents so much history with so much heart and humor that I am scrambling to figure out how to fit this into my already full…
View original post 35 more words
Tribute to Etta James RIP
The amazing songstress Etta James (Jamesetta Hawkins) b. Jan. 25, 1938 passed away Jan. 20, 2012. A huge charismatic talent, she knew how to move mountains and hearts with her powerful voice. I’d listened and danced to her music for years, and was fortunate enough to see her live at the Wiltern Theater some 12 or 15 years ago. While her voice in “At Last” is so soulful, it’s her interpretation of “I Want to Make Love To You” that moves me and inspires me the most.
My Facebook timeline that morning was full of tributes to the great Etta James, including this one from Bootsy Collins: “A one of a Kind, Creation in time, The Dynamimic “Ms. Etta James”has been lifted from this Hemisphere! A Job well done my friend, thank u for the memories!”
Here’s a few more thoughts by guest blogger Ron Wells on the passing of Etta James.
“Life is like a song.”
Etta James never sang a false note. Her earthy soulful voice knew nothing but truth, and sometimes those truths were hard earned.Glenn Miller may have had a hit with “At Last,” but Etta owned that song.
Rod Stewart covered “I’d Rather Go Blind,” but you only believed Etta when she sang the words, “Something told me it was over.”
Soul, jazz, blues; it didn’t matter. Etta knew them all. Etta lived them all. She took hardship and pain, joy and love, locked them within her, and then let them loose in her songs.
Another great one has left us. Be thankful her music and voice lives own. Be thankful you had the chance to listen to her share the truths of life.
At Last:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADDigK8LwyE
I’d Rather Go Blind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YApNirMC9gM
Tell Mama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6d3YZbN9tI
“And here we are in heaven
For you are mine
At last”
Rest in Peace, Etta James
Massive Online Game Changing Protest: Congress Drops SOPA, PIPA
We did it!
I just got an email from Fight for the Future, the organizers of the widely publicized blackout of the internet (including this site which went black and hosted a “stop censureship banner and link in the upper right hand corner) to protest SOPA and PIPA and to mobilize people to contact their representatives before the January 24 vote of Congresss about these two bills: Congress dropped SOPA and PIPA today which means the votes have been cancelled for now and hopefully forever.
Fight for the Future writes to say, “The largest online protest in history has fundamentally changed the game. You were heard.
On January 18th, 13 million of us took the time to tell Congress to protect free speech rights on the internet. Hundreds of millions, maybe a billion, people all around the world saw what we did on Wednesday. See the amazing numbers here and tell everyone what you did.
This was unprecedented. Your activism may have changed the way people fight for the public interest and basic rights forever.
The MPAA (the lobby for big movie studios which created these terrible bills) was shocked and seemingly humbled. “‘This was a whole new different game all of a sudden,’ MPAA Chairman and former Senator Chris Dodd told the New York Times. ‘[PIPA and SOPA were] considered by many to be a slam dunk.’”
“’This is altogether a new effect,’ Mr. Dodd said, comparing the online movement to the Arab Spring. Read more…
Art Predator Joins SOPA, PIPA Protests 1/18
Art Predator Protests The “Protect IP Act”
According to Gizmodo, “The momentum behind the anti-SOPA movement has been slow to build, but we’re finally at a saturation point. Wikipedia, BoingBoing, WordPress, TwitPic: they’ll all be dark on January 18th. An anti-SOPA rally has been planned for tomorrow afternoon in New York. The list of companies supporting SOPA is long but shrinking, thanks in no small part to the emails and phone calls they’ve received in the last few months.”
So what is SOPA? or PIPA? At first, it sounds like a good idea–it is supposed to protect content providers. But Gizmodo argues that “SOPA is an anti-piracy bill working its way through Congress that would grant content creators extraordinary power over the internet which would go almost comedically unchecked to the point of potentially creating an “Internet Blacklist” while exacting a huge cost from nearly every site you use daily and potentially disappearing your entire digital life while still managing to be both unnecessary and ineffective but stands a shockingly good chance of passing unless we do something about it.”
So call. Or email. If you’re a subscriber, go see for yourself–there’s plenty posted today about ways you can show your protest. Then boycott the internet yourself.
After I post this and publicize this, by 9am I am planning on joining in as well and staying off the internet today. This site will be “dark” from 8am-8pm and post a flag and info about the issue until January 24, 2012.
Santacon: How To Prepare & Where
Yes (Virginia) there will be a Santacon ArtRide TODAY from 130-430pm in Ventura. We’ll start at the beach, ride along the promenade and the river trail, cruise Main and Ventura Avenue, stop at a gallery or two and for hot cocoa and coffee. Then, because of the cold weather and possibility of rain this afternoon, we are cancelling the potluck at the Ventura State Beach and instead, following the ArtRide we’ll stay downtown to end the day with a frosty cold brew!
How should you prepare for a Santacon? You need a SANTA SUIT!! You still have time to make yourself a Santa Suit! Get a red sweatshirt at a thrift store, buy some white fur from a fabric store, cut it in strips and use a hot glue gun to attach the strips to the collar, the sleeves and down the middle. Wear red sweat pants or black pants tucked into black boots (or a kilt!!) black belt around your waist and –Voila! Santa, you’re looking great!
Here’s another blog post with LOTS of TIPS on HOW TO PREPARE for a SANTACON.
Here’s today’s Santacon ArtRide plan–hope to see you!!
1:30 EAT DRINK & BE MERRY
Meet at the Jolly Oyster at the Ventura State Beach on Harbor at San Pedro.
BYOB bubbles, you can buy oysters etc
2pm RIDE & BE MERRY!
Ride along the beach and the river trail to Main, possibly stopping by the Pier to play on the swings etc. or Aloha for a drink or AUG for art. Hook up with the Rockin Riders on the bike path
2-3:30 or so RIDE, DRINK & BE MERRY!
Ride up and down Main, stopping at the CA & Santa Clara mini-park for holiday foolishness, play in Plaza Park (how many Santas fit on the head of a canon? you’ll see when we post photos!) and Palermo’s for hot coffee & cocoa. Santas in suits who bring their own cups can get drip coffee for $1!! Ride to Art City & up Ventura Avenue
4:30p EAT DRINK & BE MERRY!
Ride back to downtown for beers at Anacapa or Winchesters or Bernadettes–whoever will give Santa a break & has room for us to gather & lock our bikes.
445p SUN SET –LIGHT YOUR BIKE–
it’s dark by 530pm!!
Happy holidays!
love,
Santa, Zanta, Mrs Claus and Little Red Claus
Dobie Gray ‘Drift Away’: 7/26/40-12/6/11
According to Wikipedia, Dobie Gray (July 26, 1940 – December 6, 2011)[1][2] was an African American singer and songwriter, whose musical career spanned soul, country, pop and musical theater. 
His hit records included “The ‘In’ Crowd” in 1965, and “Drift Away“, which was one of the biggest hits of 1973, sold over one million copies, and remains a staple of radio airplay.[1]
Here’s a guest post about Dobie Gray and “Drift Away” from Ron Wells:
Dobie Gray has passed away. I can’t honestly say I was a big fan, though I guess I heard “The In Crowd” about a million times as a kid.
But I will always remember Dobie Gray for his version of Mentor William’s great pop song, “Drift Away.” Oh, there are a whole lot of singers who’ve covered this song wonderfully, but it’s Dobie’s version I always hear in my head.
I liked it when it first came out, but as I grew older it meant even more to me. The lyrics became more than just words, they became a statement of belief. A reason to believe. The sum total of why I listened to so much music by so many different bands and singers.
The lyrics just jump out at you:
“Day after day I’m so confused
Yet I look for the light
through the pourin’ rain.”You understand the sentiment immediately.
And Dobie’s voice just carries that longing, that hope behind the pain. Even when the world outside “looks so unkind,” there’s the music.
And the beat.
“Give me the beat boys and free my soul.”
Exactly. The melancholy giving way to a heartbeat leading to freedom. A favorite singer. A favorite band. The way the music comes through when the needle hits the spinning 45 vinyl disc. When the cassette locks into place. When the compact disc slides into it’s tray. When the ipod begins to play. No matter the year, the time of day, it frees your soul.
Thanks for the joy. And how many things are always there for you in your time of need to bring you some joy. Some measure of celebration. Some relief from life itself. Then listen for the beat, and hear Dobie sing
“I wanna get lost in your rock and roll
And drift away.”
His voice carrying your hopes and dreams. His voice lifting your soul.
It‘s always the music that I can count on. It frees my heart and soul and spirit into a wonderful and mysterious place that transcends this earth. It goes beyond understanding.
Until I just drift away…Into the beauty of music. Into the mystical heartbeat. Into the infinite wonder.
Dobie’s voice caught all of the heartache, melancholy and unbridled joy of the life. Everything I ever thought and felt about music is in this song. Thanks to Mentor William’s for capturing what so many of us feel. And thanks to Dobie Gray for capturing the divine essence of the song.
Dobie Gray is gone. Or maybe he just drifted away. On the wings of rhythm, and rhyme and harmony. To the strains of a guitar that soothed him.
After helping me along. After making me strong.
Thanks for your song……
—————–
Here’s Dobie Gray singing “Drift Away” again, this time with the lyrics:
Let It Snow!
Did you notice that it’s SNOWING right now?? Yes, right now, right here on this blog! Thanks to WordPress, it will be snowing around here until January 4.
You might live in part of the world where you’ve had enough of the white stuff already, but for us coastal Californians, snow is a rare treat! Fortunately for our groves of citrus–avocados, oranges, lemons, and tangerines–as well as for our abundant agriculture including fresh local strawberries all year around, it rarely gets below freezing around here.
But this Saturday night, it will in fact be snowing in downtown Ventura in a special event during the Winter Wine Walk following the Ventura Street Fair which starts at 11am. During this popular event, downtown Main Street is filled with vendors and music.
The Winter Wine Walk starts at 4pm; at 6pm Ventura will light its holiday tree by the San Buenaventura Mission. Holiday festivities include caroling by local church groups, Santa Claus riding into Downtown Ventura on a fire engine, and snow falling from about 645-8pm! The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 805.641.1090 or visit www.downtownventura.com.
Participants in the self-guided Winter Wine Walk from 4-8pm can sample fine wines and delicious appetizers: $42 gets 12 sample tickets. Learn more www.venturawinterwinewalk.com or by calling (805) 765-4294. NOTE: You have to check in before 6:30pm.
While a number
of my favorite local wineries are participating (guess which ones?), several central coast wineries will be pouring as well as 
a some from farther afield including a Champagne house.
Last year I was a bit disappointed in the event. One way I am going to address that is to bring my own reusable Govino plastic “glass.” Your wine would taste better in a jelly jar than it would in the plastic cups that most places were serving and all those plastic cups are so wasteful!
So start your Ventura Winter Wine Walk at Palermo on Main near Palm. You can taste Michael Meagher’s superlative syrah in a Govino glass: $3 for one or you can buy a box of four. They come in red, white and flute. You can use them for cocktails too.
Want more wine news for this weekend? Read here to learn about the special tasting on Sunday up at Ojai Vineyard, the Champagne tasting at the Cave, and for folks in the Bay Area, tomorrow is the Winter Wine Wonderland at Rock Wall in Alameda!
3 Ventura Santacons? First Friday ArtRide?
That’s right, you read the headline correctly–it is possible that Ventura will boast not one, not two, but three Santacons December 2011!
The first Santacon is tonight, December 2, during the monthly First Friday Arts Open House that occurs in downtown, the Westside, and this month on Laurel at Upfront Gallery as well.
Meet at Aloha Steakhouse at 5pm and ArtRide around after 6pm.
Santa may or may not show up for the First Friday ArtRide so when you’re ready to roll, you should go! Read more about that at Bikergo Gal.
Some of the highlights for the December First Friday include the ceramics sale at Bell Arts (432 Ventura Ave) and the under $100 show at Project 643 (643 Ventura Ave.) I imagine WAV artists (corner of Ventura Ave and Thompson) will have plenty of holiday gifts for you to take home too. And be sure to say hi to Carolyn at Upfront on Laurel over by the Jiffy Lube on Thompson!
The second Ventura Santacon is next Saturday, December 10. Suited Santas will roam California and up and down Main Street. I’ll post more details soon.
The third Santacon in Ventura is Sunday December 11. The plan is to meet at The Jolly Oyster at the Ventura State Beach, ride around, possibly stopping at Art City (197 Dubbers) and elsewhere as we please then return to the Jolly Oyster for a potluck. Vons is a quick bike ride away for anything we might need or have forgotten and we can cook clams on the BBQs there and shuck our own oysters. It’s a BYOB kind of place so bring yours!
Help get the word out–print out and distribute the Santacon flyer by Zanna pictured above: Santacon version 2.
art predator 