Mariana Llamas-Cendon:
Blog Spot: Mariana Llamas-Cendon Opening up the conversation in the 805 Region |
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Mariana Llamas-Cendon:
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Mariana discusses social and cultural issues and their impact on the Latino community. |
Strawberries with a conscience Green will be the theme at the annual California Strawberry Festival May 13, 2009 By Mariana Llamas-Cendon Somthign is happening to Ventura County's strawberries ... they are turing green. Their red outside color remains intact, but it is the inside that has really changed. They have developed an conscience, an eco-friendly conscience that will be on full display The altruistic strawberry New at the festival |
Presented by Las Contemporaneas, 'Chocolate Passion' event April 26, 2010 Chocolate is a passion for many; they just enjoy its flavor and the way it melts in their mouths, whether for emotional or health reasons. It is a sublime experience that the Museum of Ventura County will share with everyone at the “Passion for Chocolate” event on April 29 at 6:30 p.m. Chocolate cares |
Olivas Adobe, a ranch that belonged to a Mexican settler until the late 1800s, will hold a book sale Feb. 20-21 to help keep its history intact. Feb. 19, 2010 You may have heard or even attended the “Music under the Stars” series that takes place every year in July and August at the Olivas Adobe Historical Park in Ventura. You even may have read the exit sign to Olivas Adobe while driving north on the 101. But perhaps you didn’t have an idea that it referred to California Historical Site 115, which is in need of your help. Olivas Adobe will hold a book sale from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 20-21 at 4200 Olivas Park Drive in Ventura. Proceeds from the sale will pay for ongoing restoration projects. In 1847, Olivas Adobe was originally known as the 2,700-acre Rancho San Miguel. One of the few two-story haciendas in Southern California, built in Monterey style, that was the property of Mexican settler Raymundo Olivas. For Ilse Lang, vice-president of the Olivas Adobe Historical Interpreters docent group, this site has to compete with other local sites in downtown Ventura that have events on every weekend. That is why Lang considers Olivas Adobe “a little bit forgotten.” “The Olivas Adobe is a real old historical site here. It was built in 1847 to 1861 thereabouts and is the property of the City of Ventura,” Lang said. The house was sold in 1899 by Olivas’s descendents, and it had many owners before the last one, Max Fleischmann, gave it to the city, which turned it into a museum in 1972. “We are giving school tours to children, or the city does and as docents we help. On the weekends the docent group conduct tours of the adobe and of the grounds,” Lang said. “We have to take care of the artifacts, the furnishings in the house and for that, of course, we need money.” In the last three years a considerable amount of money has been spent on furniture repairs and advertising the museum, Lang said. “We reupholstered a sofa which is a Victorian piece of furniture; the springs were badly damaged. We had that redone and we had to pay for it,” Lang said. “Just last fall we had a sign put by the parking lot advertising — we are the Olivas Adobe Historical Park and our opening hours — so that cost quite a bit of money.” “The furnishings are all in storage so when they come back, when the retrofitting is finished, some will need repair or cleaning or things like that so we have to raise money for that,” she said. Lang confessed that even though the site has a gift shop, “It doesn’t bring in that much,” so the group decided to organize the book sale as a fundraising event. It was Lang who came up with the idea of doing a book, CD and DVD sale to help bring in the much-needed money. And since it is the first time they have ever done such an event, they have their fingers crossed. “I hope it does work because I have many books, all kinds: paperbacks, hard covers, all kinds of subjects. I also have quite a few CDs for music and movies on DVD,” Lang said. The sale materials were donated by the docents and their friends, Lang said. “I have at least 200 books, if not more and I hope to sell them all, of course,” Lang said. “For what I’ve seen so far, they look very good; they aren’t torn or dirty.” The paperbacks will be on sale for about $1; the hardcovers for $2 on average, and if they are big or valuable, the price will go up just a bit; CDs, for $3 and DVDs for about $4 or $5. As a bonus, two well-known local authors will hold a book signing: Glenda Jackson and Richard Senate, who is well-known for his ghost tours around the county. Jackson has roots in Olivas Adobe since she helps the City of Ventura to present the “Music Under the Stars” series, among other activities. Jackson will sign her latest book, “Ventura Now and Then,” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21. “Richard Senate used to be our liaison between the Olivas Adobe and the city until he retired, and now he is an honorary member of our organization and he visits every so often so we approached him and asked him if he would come and sign some of his books because we do sell his book in our gift shop,” Lang said. Senate will sign the many books on sale at the gift shop also from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21. The site will be open during the sale and docent tours will be available. Olivas Adobe will also hold a quilt show from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 27-28, at which a special quilt will be the prize of the raffle. For more information or driving directions, visit www.olivasadobe.org |
Issues of race and poverty are topic of Feb. 24 discussion at California Lutheran University Right after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, Russell L. Stockard Jr. learned that his 80-year-old father was missing. “I am from New Orleans. I went to high school there and my father continued to live there when I went away to college,” said Stockard, an associate professor of communications at California Lutheran University. Russell’s father didn’t evacuate since he had been living in the same house four years prior to when Hurricane Betsy hit the city in 1965. Russell’s mother passed away in early 2000. “He made a calculation that since nothing happened the previous time,” that he would stay there during Hurricane Katrina, Stockard said. His father remained in his house’s attic for two days and two nights since the first floor was completely under water. Fortunately, his father was rescued and he was taken to a safe place. “He came out and yelled and some people heard him and took him to a house that had two stories,” Stockard said. He was shirtless and in need of shoes, since the flooding happened so fast he didn’t time for anything but to save his own life. This situation motivated Stockard to dig deeper into what was really going on in New Orleans and the role played by the media. Stockard will present his finding at 4 p.m. Feb. 24 during the free discussion “Framing Disaster Migration: Media Coverage of Latino Workers in New Orleans Post-Hurricane Katrina” in Soiland Humanities Center #119, at the California Lutheran University. “I wanted to study how the media covered all aspects of the disaster,” Stockard said. “Before I looked at Latino migrant workers, I looked at mental health in the area.” Stockard found many similarities between Latin America and his mother city. “I looked at how at the Gulf Coast itself. It is very much like the Caribbean and Latin America,” he said. “A large part of the population in New Orleans suffered the same disaster problems that have happened with Hurricane Mitch in Honduras or other hurricanes hit in Latin America or the Caribbean. “A lot of things weren’t seen in this country before,” he said. Stockard said he was most concerned with the government and media responses to the disaster. The media tended to focus more on the damage caused by the hurricane — the fatalities, the number of people trapped and the number of people who were evacuated and couldn’t get back home and the lack of housing. “A lot of things were happening in New Orleans and some of them weren’t picked up by the electronic media,” Stockard said. “A secondary story is what the media depicted in certain stories” and how they focused black culture. The story behind the Latino workers coming in to help rebuild New Orleans didn’t fit the city’s stereotype as a “place of jazz, musicians, good food,” he said. From Stockard’s perspective, New Orleans never had a large Latino presence or population compared to other U.S. cities, because it houses a large African-American population, “a large working-class poor black population that does some of the same work that you see Latinos doing in other cities.” But after Katrina, a lot of those poor inhabitants fled the city. Having no easy way of coming back home, when the rebuilding of the city began and jobs became available, “contractors brought in Latino workers to do some work that ordinarily was done by people who lived in New Orleans,” he said. Stockard said these workers weren’t necessarily undocumented immigrants, as many people believed. “They were what I call migrant workers because they came to where there was work and there was a demand for their services,” he said. “How did the newspapers frame that?” Stockard asked. He wondered “Where and how they positioned the story? Did they talk about if they were documented or undocumented? Did they talk about where they came from? Did they talk about what conditions they faced while in New Orleans? The media didn’t pay much attention to what was happening to those workers, Stockard said. “The migrant workers themselves were victimized by contractors who didn’t pay them or they paid them cash and then people found out when they got paid and then they were robbed,” he said. “In some cases people found out that workers weren’t paid well, whereas New Orleans economy has been pretty good compared to the rest of the country during this recession because all of the construction going on there.” Stockard said the discussion at CLU will take a critical view of the region’s sociology and media coverage during the disaster. We will “try to figure out the relations between people who don’t have power and people that have a lot of power, and more specifically whether the media addressed those kinds of questions.” Stockard said he is aware that the media, specifically printed media, focused on two basic aspects brought out by the disaster: poverty and race. “They were able to show the fact that New Orleans had a lot of poor people, that a huge part of the population is below the poverty line. That is true and that is accurate,” he said. “But then the question would be ‘how did we get to this point, why is it so black and why is it so poor?’ ” The discussion is part of the Center for Equality and Justice Faculty Lecture Series. Soiland Humanities Center is on Memorial Parkway. Visitor parking is available in the parking lots on Mountclef Boulevard north and south of Olsen Road. For more information, contact Gregory Freeland at freeland@callutheran.edu or 805.493.3477. |
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Omar D'Leon is a Nicaraguan-born artist who fled from his country during the Sandinista era to settle down in Ventura County, where he is exhibiting some of his most recent and some never-before-seen artworks. Jan. 28, 2010 Reality and magic aren’t necessarily staunch enemies. Both, as Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher have proven several times, can share a single space and time in which they not only blend to perfection but also don’t disturb their own realms. This artistic concurrence, better known as “Magic Realism” — a term coined by German art critic Franz Roh during the 1920s — is defined in Wikipedia.com as the introduction of fantastic or illogical objects or scenarios in a very real or common setting that makes them look ordinary, and can be found in almost every artistic expression from literature to film. Painting couldn’t escape from the “Magic Realism” spell as Nicaraguan-born artist and 27-year Ventura County resident Omar D’Leon exhibits “The Magical Realism of the Americas: The Art of Master Painter Omar D’Leon,” which is showing until Feb. 28 at the Museum of Ventura County. D’Leon is a well-known Latin American artist who “In 1970 founded Museo-Galeria 904 in Managua, but Nicaragua’s massive earthquake of 1972 destroyed much of the museum, and many of D’Leon’s paintings were lost or looted,” a museum’s press release points out. “Today his pieces are in the collections of the Museum of Latin American Contemporary Art in Washington, D.C., the Ponce Museum of Art in Puerto Rico, the Chicago Art Institute, the Cuevas Museum in Mexico City, and the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, California, among other collections. In 1982 one of his paintings was reproduced in the form of a stamp for UNICEF.” Although bright and numerous colors are predominant in D’Leon’s work, fruits, women and tropical elements also can be found as a remembrance of his motherland, according to a story published by the Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa. “He is known for his light-reflecting colors and surface textures, created by crosshatch scoring through oil and wax sometimes more then 20 layers deep,” the museum’s press release states. Anna Bermudez, curator of the Museum of Ventura County, said she is found of the color usage and the themes displayed in D’Leon’s paintings, in particular a piece named “Puberty.” She added that one thing she really enjoys about looking at D’Leon’s paintings is finding unusual elements in a quick glance since they are masterly fused with other very ordinary objects. For more information about the exhibit, visit www.venturamuseum.org |
The Epiphany is upon us… more than just a cake Catholics, especially Latin American Catholics, have an important celebration today, Jan. 6. But it is not only about eating cake and having a good time. It’s about Christ. Jan. 6, 2010 By Mariana Llamas-Cendon CUERNAVACA, MEXICO — Christmas has already passed but the Holy Day season isn’t over yet. For Catholics, it still has long way to go. Many celebrated the Twelve Days of Christmas, which started after Dec. 25 and officially ended on Jan. 5. However, many Latin American Catholics also celebrate the Epiphany, or “The Three Wise Men Day,” on Jan. 6. Meanwhile, others, especially Mexicans, take it a bit further — up to Feb. 2 or Candlemas when Jesus was presented at the Temple. “The gold represents the gift to ‘The King of Kings;’ the frankincense, worshiped the divinity within him, and the myrrh, his humanity,” said Father Jose Garcia during a mass in Cuernavaca, Mexico. According to Wikipedia, “The Biblical Magi, who represented the non-Jewish peoples of the world, paid homage to the infant Jesus in stark contrast to Herod the Great (King of Judea), who sought to kill him.” On Jan. 6, Hispanics, whether from Latin America or Europe, gather together to share an oval-shaped cake known as Rosca de Reyes (Three Kings Cake), “a type of pastry made with orange blossom water and butter, and decorated with candied fruit,” according to Wikipedia.com. In Mexico, tradition dictates that whoever finds in his or her piece of cake a little plastic figurine of baby Jesus is responsible for organizing a party on Candlemas, known in Spanish as Dia de la Candelaria, at which it is mandatory to provide tamales and atole (a hot thick beverage made out of corn flour and flavored). Spain and France share similar traditions, but instead of trinkets, beans are usually found inside the cake, and the lucky ones to get the beans are crowned kings (using a cardboard crown) for the remainder of the season. Spaniards, unlike Mexicans, aren’t obliged to throw a party, but instead whoever finds the bean is responsible for buying la rosca the next year. The gifts However, if they misbehaved and acted up the prior year, they will receive a burned bull’s horn — at least that is what grandmothers tell children!!!! In Mexico, children’s shoes are left close to the manger, and sometimes the shoes are even stuffed with hay for the camel, in hopes that the Kings will be more generous in return. In other Spanish-speaking countries, children also leave food and drinks to ease the Kings’ journey around the world while delivering toys and gifts. It is believed that the Three Wise Men are the Latin American counterpart of Santa Claus. There are some similarities, such as the fact that Santa uses reindeer to travel, and the Three Kings employ a camel, a horse and an elephant for the same purpose of delivering toys to the children who have been good year-round. So get your shoes and your letters ready, and get ready to eat the King Cake. Who knows, there may be a tamale party in your future. Happy 2010! |
Commentary: Teens in 'presciptionland' ... our current reality? Sept. 10, 2009 The Ventura County Chapter of Parents of Murdered Children Inc. recently hosted a public discussion, “Drugs in our Community,” to teach parents and community the risk that children and teens face due to drugs. The City of Oxnard Police Department Narcotics Unit answered questions such as the kind of drugs available, what they look like, and what parents should look for at home, among other related topics. Drugs are a serious problem facing our youngsters since they are available to them more than ever before. And apparently, Hispanics are at a higher risk. A report published about two years ago by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) found that even though marijuana is the number one drug used among youngsters, within Hispanics this is especially high. Besides well-known drugs such as marijuana and cocaine, designer drugs have become very popular such as ecstasy, special K, and crystal meth. Those narcotics are distributed by drug traffickers in clubs, parties, schools, etc. Nevertheless, there is one place inside your own home where teenagers can find a plethora of free products that will serve the purpose of what is commonly known as “getting high” or “stoned” — your medicine cabinet. “Research also indicates that while illicit drugs continue to be a problem for Hispanic youth, prescription drugs are also emerging as a threat. New data indicates that adoption of American culture and lifestyle increases the risk of drug use by Hispanics,” according to the ONDCP report. It is alarming that, according to the same report, more than one in five Hispanic teens have reported the use of prescription drugs to get high. “Teens are turning away from street drugs and using prescription drugs to get high. Indeed, new users of prescription drugs have caught up with new users of marijuana,” read the report “Teens and Prescription Drugs” published by the ONDCP in February 2007. Some signs of prescription drug abuse posted on www.drugsno.com that parents need to be aware of are:
So now that you know, what are you going to do about it? Mariana … |
Commentary: The wrong turn for Canada Aug. 13, 2009 While the fifth North American Summit that took place Aug. 9-10 in Guadalajara is over, the issue regarding the July 14th imposition by the Canadian government of visas on Mexican nationals remains intact. |
Commentary: Human rights ... Not equal for everyone July 28, 2009 During a recent visit to the Port of Manzanillo, in the Mexican state of Colima, I found an attraction one does not expect at a beach resort: The Museum of Perversity, dedicated to educating locals and visitors alike regarding human rights history and the rights they are granted to them by the Mexican Constitution. After having a long conversation with Gary Hirsch, attorney-at-law and museum director, I thought about how fortunate we Americans are to have so many laws and regulations that protect our basic human rights. Most countries these days have some kind of system or legislation created to defend those rights, but their enforcement, as well as their application, is still in diapers. During that conversation with Hirsch, I found out that just recently, and due to continuous pressure from international organizations, Mexico reformed its institutional legislation to include oral proceedings. Mexico also set a seven-year deadline for its states to include this new reform in their own legislation. Oral proceedings refer to evidence found on any case that must be disclosed in front of a judge in court. At this moment, Mexican police in charge of investigating a crime can find and analyze evidence, but can discard whatever will not benefit them when they present their case in court. Another thing that we as Americans have taken for granted is the Fifth Amendment of our Constitution: our right to refuse self-incrimination. This is something not included Mexico’s Constitution. I was shocked, but at the same time I was relieved that I was a citizen of the United States, a place where all of us have the right to not incriminate ourselves, and the right to receive a fair and expedited trial. Mariana… |
Commentary: The 'local tourist' little guide to Summer events July 16, 2009 Note: Part of a series of stories on inexpensive vacation spots and activities in our own backyard. Having the “Cradle of entertainment” less than an hour's drive from our county, some residents may overlook all there is to do in V.C. Sure, the City of Angels offers some of the greatest, biggest Hollywood spectacles. However, plenty of VC events would be hard to find anywhere else. One of those is the “Music under the Stars” concert series, which takes places through Sept. 5 in the City of Ventura, specifically at a historic venue known as Olivas Adobe. The adobe is a 160-year-old Monterey-style house, one of the most impressive in Santa Clara Valley, which was known in the mid-1800s as Rancho San Miguel. What a great place to enjoy a good dinner, while listening to an impressive variety of music genres from Rockabilly, performed by Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys (July 18), to Latin Jazz by the Estrada Brothers (Aug. 1) or even Flamenco Rumba by Sultans of Mambo (Aug. 22). Tickets are $18, and it is possible to reserve a buffet-style dinner ($13.50 extra) or to take your own food. For more information or to buy tickets call: 805.658.4726 or visit: Olivas Adobe Interested in horses? Well, what do you know about the renowned rare Camarillo’s White Horses? If you have never heard of them, the Museum of Ventura County is having a presentation hosted by Adolfo Camarillo’s great-grandchildren, who breed these rare animals nowadays following their ancestor tradition. Learn about the history and recent genetic studies on these horses at 4 p.m. July 25 at the Museum of Ventura County. The event is $55 for the general public, free if you are a member of the museum. Space is limited so reservations are recommended; call to 805.653.0323, ext. 10, or visit: Museum of Venura County Also, the Museum of Ventura County is having a day trip to LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) to see the newest exhibit: “Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture Around the Bay of Naples.” The trip will take place on Aug. 3, but reservations should be made by July 20. The total cost of the trip is $65 for everyone who is not a museum member; $55 for those who are. If you are interested, don’t let the bus take off without you! For more information, call 805.641.1876, ext. 305, or visit: Musuem of Ventura County Becoming a "local tourist" requires skill and know-how. So keep checking Amigos805.com to get the latest information on what is going on in your backyard! Mariana… |
Commentary: Step beyond your backyard. See Ventura County yourself! July 15, 2009 Note: Part of a series of stories on inexpensive vacation spots and activities in our own back yard. It may surprise you when you find out how many people have lived in the same place basically all their lives and have never heard or visited historic sites located a few miles away from them. Are you one of those people? Whether you are or not, getting to know about the place where you reside should be an experience itself. Plus, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties offer a plethora of monuments that are worth seeing for a first, second, third or more times. So if you happen to visit one of these places in the past, why not go back to re-experience it? For starters, at Main and Figueroa streets in Ventura you can find the San Buenaventura Mission founded by Fray Junipero Serra in 1782, and what is left of El Caballo (the Horse), a building created to filtrate water coming in from a seven-mile aqueduct. Nowadays, the San Buenaventura Mission still offers Catholic masses and tours. For more information, contact Kyra Samaniego at 805.643.4318 or visit www.sanbuenaventuramission.org. Another place that you may have never heard of before is Rancho Camulos, located on Highway 126 (about 2.2 miles east of Piru). The rancho is considered California’s first National Historic Landmark. Camulos is better known by the locals as the “Home of Ramona,” apparently the inspiration of Helen Hunt’s famous novel “Ramona.” In 1994, Rancho Camulos was turned into a museum. Or what do you have to say about Strathearn Historical Park and Museum in Simi Valley, built around 1795. Well, first and foremost, the owners during the Spanish era were members of the Pico family. Later it was bought by Jose de la Guerra y Noguera in 1842, and by 1892 it was bought by Robert P. Strathearn. This ranch was a stopover in between the San Fernando and Santa Barbara missions. Today it is open to the public. For more information, call 805.526.6453 or visit www.simihistory.com. So you cannot say that there is “nothing” to do in your own county… officially, you can call yourself now a beginner ‘local tourist.’ Mariana… |
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July 25, 2009 Note: Part of a series of stories on inexpensive vacation spots and activities in our own back yard. What could be more pleasurable than a trip to the beach during summer time? Well, maybe staying at least 24 hours on it: spending the night, while watching the stars and listening to the never-ending sound of the tide. Yes, it is possible to camp at many of the beaches the county has to offer. Camp lovers seem to have a special affection for McGrath State Beach, Emma Wood State Beach RV Campground and Point Mugu State Park. According to the webpage of California Parks and Recreation, besides surfing and fishing opportunities, McGrath State Beach is one of the best places for bird-watching. It is also where the Santa Clara Estuary Natural Preserve is located. This campground offers outstanding bathroom facilities: flush toilets and showers. Emma Wood is a well-known beach because of its fishing. The Ventura River Estuary is southeast end of the park. And there are also World War II ruins of a coastal artillery site that can be explored. Happy campers are only accepted in camping vehicles, although the Ventura River Group Camp, located further away from the beach, admits tents. There is no water, restrooms, power or fire rings available. So you better be prepared to camp “wild style." Emma Wood, however, is quite popular so reservation need to be made from mid-May to Labor Day, and there is also a price: $20 per night and $8 for any extra vehicles. Point Mugu State Park displays the most dramatic landscape surrounded by cliffs, and rugged hills. It is a gathering place for surfers as well as fishing enthusiasts, but swimmers are also welcome. The camping grounds offer a variety of amenities from restrooms, hiking and biking trails, campsites, RV parking and a dump station. There is even Wi-Fi, but no showers. Reservations are encouraged. There are many other beaches that allow camping, but it will be wise to call California State Parks to find out about them before getting to camp, as well as their requirements, services, and possible fees. Call 818.880.0363 or go to www.parks.ca.gov. Here is the contact information for the beaches mentioned above: McGrath State Beach: 2211 Harbor Blvd, Oxnard. 805.654.4744. Emma Wood State Beach: 900 W Main Street, Ventura. 805.968.1033. Point Mugu State Park: 9000 W. Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. 818.880.0350. Mariana … |
Commentary: Activities for the local tourist June 24, 2009 Note: Part of a series of stories on inexpensive vacation spots and activities in our own back yard. A ‘local tourist’ is also interested in trying new things and activities available to him/her. Another of the many activities available to us in our county is rock climbing. There are plenty of well-known areas to do so, from Conejo Mountain and Coyote Beach, close to Newbury Park; Foothill Crag, Pine Mountain, Potrero John Slab, Sespe George, The Fortress, Wheeler George and Munson Boulder, close to Ojai; and The Swimming Hole near Fillmore. It may sound dangerous, difficult and impossible, but besides being a fantastic workout, rock climbing teaches us about balance and mental control. For starters, there are indoor artificial rock walls where beginners can learn climbing techniques and the usage of the equipment. Obviously, they will be supervised and trained by an instructor. There is a fantastic indoor climbing gym called Boulderdash www.boulderdashclimbing.com in Thousand Oaks, which offer a variety of programs furnished for all ages and expertise levels with fees ranging from $20 to $75 per hour for a private lesson. If you are more of an adventurer at heart, and would like to try the real thing, there are other options as well. The area known as the Mystery Science Theater seems to be one of the most popular among beginners. However, access was restricted after a tragedy in which someone playing with the power lines was electrocuted. Before packing your stuff and driving, you should contact some of the regular climbers, who are easily found at www.rockclimbing.com, to get the latest information on the area. There is a renowned organization called Earthworks www.earthworksclimbing.com, which also offers different level classes with a price ranging from $105 (beginners) to $245 (for more skilled climbers). So whether you would like just to experience climbing in a very controlled environment such as gym or a more risky one such as the mountains, there is a plethora of options available to you here in your own county. Mariana … |
Commentary: Become a local tourist June 19, 2009 Note: Part of a series of stories on inexpensive vacation spots in our own back yard. Summer is finally here!!!! What a great opportunity to become a local tourist!!!! What in the world is a “local tourist”? Basically it means one who doesn’t have to travel far to discover and do new and fun things within our own city or region. Have you ever tried it? No, well it is never too late. For instance, do you know that there is an offshore paradise at the Channel Islands — Anacapa, Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, San Clemente, Santa Cruz and San Miguel? Just of the coast of Ventura County, one can find everything from sea caves, tunnels and grottos to a variety of wildlife from crabs and seals to dolphins. Also there is a plethora of water sports to practice such as scuba diving and kayaking or other activities such as camping. Kayaking lovers can lease single or double kayaks for a whole day, for $35 to $55. Always wanted to kayak but never did? No problem, there are places such as Channel Islands Kayak Center that also offer lessons for beginners at $49.95 for two- to three-hours class. Or for about $80 you can be a part of a kayak tour, which also includes the lesson and the rental of the equipment. If you love adventure, there are other kayak tours that take you inside the caves, where it is possible to snorkel as well, although those are more expensive (around $180). Check out: www.cikayak.com. Another great way of exploring the Channel Islands is by scuba diving and snorkeling. Equipment rentals vary, depending on how professional you are. Tours and lessons are also available, some places to inquire about diving are: www.diveboat.com, www.venturadive.com or www.channelislandscuba.com. For more information on the Channel Islands and its activities, please visit: www.nps.gov/chis. So what are you waiting for? This haven is basically in our own backyard waiting to be discovered!!!! Mariana … |
Commentary: The unknown treasure of Ventura County libraries June 12, 2009 Note: During these tough economic times, libraries are a source for cheap and valuable entertainment, including DVD rentals and other events worth participating in. Try it today! We are living in tough times. Many are jobless or uncertain about jobs, which causes us to spend less money on what we consider “unnecessary” things, such as entertainment. We might not go to the theaters as often because it is expensive. Instead, we would rather rent movies. Entertainment may not be as necessary as food, rent, paying off credit card debt and gasoline, but it sure helps us to deal better with stress. Yes, I agree that “dinner and a movie” could be a luxury right now. But not everything is lost. There are always cheap or even free ways to amuse oneself. Public libraries are an incredible source of entertainment. Yes, libraries are about reading and knowledge, which can be entertaining, but also they offer programs, events, magazines, CD and DVD rentals for almost nothing. I am a regular DVD renter of my local library, and believe it or not, I have seen the same new releases you can find at a movie rental shop, but for about $1 per movie. I guess it varies from library to library, but still it will be at a cheaper rate than businesses dedicated to rentals — and I can keep the new rentals for three days. Doesn’t sound bad, does it? Also, the “old movies” — meaning they are not new releases — are free!!!! They are like books. Though obviously the borrowing time is not as long as the video rental stores, a seven-day check out from the library is pretty good. And you can rent as many as 10 movies!!!! Plus, you can check movies or TV series available at your local library — or any other location in Ventura County — by going online at www.vencolibrary.org. Also, the movie of your preference can be placed on hold for you. But that is not all. At the webpage you can also check for the upcoming events, which includes writer’s workshops, storytelling for children and adults, Internet and computer classes, children’s reading program, conferences, book clubs and many other activities. You can even find books specializing on how to make a good resume or cover letters. So check out and support your local library today!!!!! Mariana … |
Commentary: Local talent, local opportunity June 8, 2009 There is plenty of talent within Ventura County’s borders — we already know that!!! But many of these talented people don’t know there is a plethora of outlets in which they can display their aptitudes and get to be known. One of these outlets, specifically regarding music talent, is the Heritage Square Concert Series, which kicks-off on June 12. It is already too late for those interested in participating in this years’ series, but early enough to submit your promo CD and other materials to be considered for next years’ event. However, there are a few things to be considered. First, the Heritage Square Concert Series is committed to presenting a variety of music genres, so they will not allow having too much of just one specific genre. This is why the selection committee sometimes has to look for performers beyond our county borders. So a good idea will be to call and ask them for the kinds of music they are considering for the upcoming series. Second, their venue is not large, so there are certain types of music that will not be selected since those will draw big audiences that the organizers are not able to handle. Third, the bands that perform on scene are paid according to the donations received for those specific concerts, so bands cannot set a price for their performance. But they will definitely get local exposure and an important event to add to the band’s resume. So, this is a good chance for our local talents to participate in such an important happening. For more information about the concert series or how to submit your materials, visit The Heritage Square website at: www.HeritageSquareOxnard.com, and who knows, maybe next year we will see your band performing on the local scene!!!! Mariana … |
Commentary: Now is the time to help May 29, 2009 Have we not always talked about improving our communities? Sadly, most of our good intentions never get passed that stage; they never get to be materialized as tangible facts. Yes, there are many ways to contribute to the greater good, but sometimes that can be challenging for just one person to gather everyone together and get them organized towards a specific objective. That is exactly why there are plenty of local organizations and associations that pursue different interests — ecological, philanthropic, artistic, etc. — We just have to find one linked to what matters most to each one of us. Collaborating with one of these associations, and at the meantime giving something back to our community, can be done in several ways: financially —through cash donations — or by volunteering, whether it is your free time or your talents. By definition volunteer work refers to an unpaid activity to which one freely agrees. One upcoming opportunity to do some good will takes place on May 31, when the Buenaventura Art Association will join the Breast Center at Community Memorial Hospital to raise funds for breast cancer awareness, helping the under and uninsured through a luncheon, in which 11 local artists spent time with some survivors and documented their life through art. The artwork varies in price, but there are some very affordable pieces. If you still cannot buy a piece, but want to contribute, you can donate at the Harbor Gallery at 1591 Spinnaker Drive, Suite 117C at the Ventura Harbor Village. For more information, call 805.644.2750 or 805.648.1235. Also, please read a full story on “A Celebration of Life.” Click here Mariana … |
Commentary: The advantages of multilingual, multicultural understanding May 20, 2009 MEXICO CITY — Recently, I interviewed a Chicano rock band, 100 percent made in California, named Los Curanderos (The Healers). They will be touring in Ventura County in June. (Check the Tres Amigos calendar for information on when and where they will be playing.) The band members are Mario Lomar (vocals), Diego Palacios (drums), Jesus A. Rauda (bass), Ryan McClelland (lead/rhythm guitar) and Troy Castro (lead/rhythm guitar). Three of the five members are second-generation Hispanics in the United States; their parents were born in Latin America. No wonder their songs and lyrics are bilingual, in both English and Spanish. As Diego Palacios told me during an interview, they have been submerged in both languages since their childhood. They mostly speak Spanish at home, with their parents and relatives, whereas at school, with friends and at work they primarily speak English. What made them decide to sing in both languages was the fact that sometimes it is hard to translate a certain “feeling” or cultural reference from one language to another. Diego also said that the fact that the band members are not only bilingual but also bicultural has given them the opportunity to reach a broader spectrum of people who are able to identify with their songs, whether they are about love or immigration. That comment encompasses exactly what Tres Amigos is trying to achieve: helping our clients to go not only beyond language borders but to effectively reach an unlimited audience by understanding their particular cultural values, ways of life and traditions. Because we, your friends at Tres Amigos, belong to those cultures – the American and Latin American – and our bilingual, bicultural background gives us an extensive understanding of the different audiences and what they need. Being bilingual and bicultural is not only a value, but an asset to your business. Think about it and please let us know your thoughts by emailing us at mail@amigos805.com. Mariana … |
Commentary: Same name, different virus May 5, 2009 MEXICO CITY — Someone I know e-mailed me a few days back in regards to the swine flu situation in Mexico and the U.S. His letter caught my attention, particularly when he pointed out that during a conversation with two doctor’ friends of his, they mentioned that 35,000 deaths occurred every year in the U.S. due to the seasonal flu and no one made a big fuss about it. The Department of Health Services (DHS), through their web site located at www.pandemicflu.gov has published a table explaining the main differences in between these two strains. Briefly, some of these are:
So, even though the swine flu pandemic that the world is going through appears to be milder than the seasonal flu, the dangers prevail and we should prevent and be prepared. |
Living in the time of swine flu May 1, 2009 MEXICO CITY — It is not a street costume parade, but surgical masks are in sight everywhere in the biggest city in the world: Mexico City. In my personal experience, only one in 10 has a mask on, even though health authorities urged the population to use them as a primary protection against the growing swine flu virus epidemic, which already caused more than 100 deaths and has spread to many other countries. |
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Providing individual counseling, group workshops, media distribution and other communications training services. |
Hurricane Katrina: Covering the media in New Orleans
