Los Angeles Visionaries Association

On the last Sunday of each month, LAVA welcomes interested individuals to gather on the third floor of the historic Clifton's Cafeteria in Downtown Los Angeles (noon-2pm), for a loosely structured conversational Salon featuring short presentations and opportunities to meet and connect with one another. If you're interested in joining LAVA as a creative contributor or an attendee, we recommend Salon attendance as an introduction to this growing community. We also recommend the shortbread.

Special program at the September 26 Salon: LAVA Visionaries will host curated conversations and presentations at tables around the room. More details will be posted closer to Salon-time.

Presentations include:

• Visionary The Ukulady, as seen in The New York Times and heard singing The OGs' theme song on NPR, will present an entertainment program of ukulele and toy accordian tunes, and will discuss the insidious and inspirational celebrity and pop-culture integral to the cute, but slightly distasteful, poncho-tankini-outfit of Los Angeles.

• A table discussion hosted by Visionary Madame Pamita on the subject of Tarot Reading, Euphonious Prognostication, Wax Cylinder Recording and Medicine Shows. Madame Pamita has been billed as Queen of the Carnival Sideshow Fortune Tellers and reads tarot, tea leaves and crystal ball at events all over the Los Angeles area.  Following her presentation, Madame Pamita will be offering private tarot consultations for a nominal fee.

• Visiting from Canada, multidisciplinary artist and entertainer Robert Dayton will be showing and discussing the results of his latest visual art series "For The Ladies" where he conducted a public survey asking anyone -  no matter their gender - who identifies as a lady: "What would you, as a lady, like to see depicted in my art (or, more simply, art in general)?"

Stick around the neighborhood post-Salon, as Visionary Anthea Raymond hosts an open studio and conversation with Visionary photographer Gary Leonard, at his gallery just down Broadway.

Clifton's Cafeteria is at 648 South Broadway, near the corner of 7th Street. There are numerous paid parking lots nearby, and the closest Metro station is Pershing Square. Clifton's is online at http://www.cliftonscafeteria.com

LAVA Visionary Gary Leonard has been taking photos on the streets of Los Angeles for over forty years.  His images include iconic shots of punk rockers, politicians, and entertainers.  He's lately turned his attention to Downtown, where he now has opened his own gallery Take My Picture. Gary's also recently revived his "Take My Picture" column on the widely-read  LAObserved.com 

On September 26th, following the monthly Sunday Salon and just a brisk walk south from Clifton's, Leonard opens his gallery for a special showing and artist talk moderated by fellow LAVA Visionary Anthea Raymond.  Leonard will share the stories behind some of his iconic photos.  The conversation will also include David Leonard, Gary's videographer-producer son who's now studying at UCLA. 

This event has now sold out. If you'd like to be on the waiting list and be contacted when another crime lab tour and lecture are scheduled, email Kim through the contact link above. To get announcements of other interesting upcoming events from Visionary Angelenoes you can subscribe to the LAVA mailing list, or sign up for Esotouric's mailing list for offbeat Los Angeles tours.

Visionary Professor Donald Johnson, in association with LAVA and Esotouric, invites you to participate in a special three-hour event at LA’s regional crime laboratory, on the campus of Cal State LA. Space is very limited and pre-reservation required for this unprecedented opportunity to tour the crime lab, learn from working forensic investigators and educators, and discover the real art and science of crime scene investigation.

Cost: $35 per person. To reserve your spot, and for payment instructions, contact Kim through the contact link above. We will need your full name, email address and the name(s) of anyone whose ticket you wish to purchase. If your friends wish to buy their own tickets, they should reserve individually. Please note that space is extremely limited for this special event.

"The Science and Art of Forensic Investigations: Criminalistics from Test Tube to Testimony" provides an insider’s view of the scientific investigation of crime, as  Criminalistics faculty and graduate students share their knowledge and insight on the theory and practice of forensic science in our criminal justice system.  Attendees will also tour Cal State LA’s state-of the-art teaching and research facilities at the Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center.

The afternoon begins with an introduction to the field of Criminalistics and the use of physical evidence in criminal investigations, hosted by Professors Donald Johnson and Katherine Roberts, followed by an overview of the academic and research programs in Criminalistics at Cal State LA. 

Then, attendees will be provided with additional insight on forensic methods during breakout sessions on Crime Scene Investigation, Forensic Chemistry, and Forensic Biology.  The CSI session, hosted by Donald Johnson and Katherine Scriven, highlights tools used by forensic specialists in the field and emerging technologies in CSI.  The Forensic Chemistry session, hosted by Katherine Roberts and Isaac Cheney, surveys methods used for the analysis of trace evidence and controlled substances, and current research will be presented on the development of methods to detect narcotic-tampering by health professionals.  The Forensic Biology session, hosted by Kristin Honig and Stacy Wilkinson, highlights body fluid and DNA analysis, with a presentation on current research on methods to improve the recovery of semen in rape cases. 

The afternoon concludes with a true life investigation overview regarding the murder of a family in Los Angeles County and opportunities to ask questions.  By the program's conclusion, attendees will have a basic understanding of the strengths and limitations of forensic methods used in criminal investigations, and a fresh perspective on the real art and science that takes place behind the scenes and the headlines.   

A portion of the proceeds from this event supports the research of Criminalistics graduate students at Cal State Los Angeles.

This event is now sold out. If you'd like to be on the waiting list and be contacted when another crime lab tour and lecture are scheduled, email Kim through the contact link above. To get announcements of other interesting upcoming events from Visionary Angelenoes you can subscribe to the LAVA mailing list, or sign up for Esotouric's mailing list for offbeat Los Angeles tours.

Visionary Professor Donald Johnson, in association with LAVA and Esotouric, invites you to participate in a special three-hour event at LA’s regional crime laboratory, on the campus of Cal State LA. Space is very limited and pre-reservation required for this unprecedented opportunity to tour the crime lab, learn from working forensic investigators and educators, and discover the real art and science of crime scene investigation.

Cost: $20 per person. To reserve your spot, and for payment instructions, contact Kim through the contact link above. We will need your full name, email address and the name(s) of anyone whose ticket you wish to purchase. If your friends wish to buy their own tickets, they should reserve individually. Please note that space is extremely limited for this special event.

"The Science and Art of Forensic Investigations: Criminalistics from Test Tube to Testimony" provides an insider’s view of the scientific investigation of crime, as  Criminalistics faculty and graduate students share their knowledge and insight on the theory and practice of forensic science in our criminal justice system.  Attendees will also tour Cal State LA’s state-of the-art teaching and research facilities at the Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center.

The afternoon begins with an introduction to the field of Criminalistics and the use of physical evidence in criminal investigations, hosted by Professors Donald Johnson and Katherine Roberts, followed by an overview of the academic and research programs in Criminalistics at Cal State LA. 

Then, attendees will be provided with additional insight on forensic methods during breakout sessions on Crime Scene Investigation, Forensic Chemistry, and Forensic Biology.  The CSI session, hosted by Donald Johnson and Katherine Scriven, highlights tools used by forensic specialists in the field and emerging technologies in CSI.  The Forensic Chemistry session, hosted by Katherine Roberts and Isaac Cheney, surveys methods used for the analysis of trace evidence and controlled substances, and current research will be presented on the development of methods to detect narcotic-tampering by health professionals.  The Forensic Biology session, hosted by Kristin Honig and Stacy Wilkinson, highlights body fluid and DNA analysis, with a presentation on current research on methods to improve the recovery of semen in rape cases. 

The afternoon concludes with a true life investigation overview regarding the murder of a family in Los Angeles County and opportunities to ask questions.  By the program's conclusion, attendees will have a basic understanding of the strengths and limitations of forensic methods used in criminal investigations, and a fresh perspective on the real art and science that takes place behind the scenes and the headlines.   

A portion of the proceeds from this event supports the research of Criminalistics graduate students at Cal State Los Angeles.

On the last Sunday of each month, LAVA welcomes interested individuals to gather on the third floor of the historic Clifton's Cafeteria in Downtown Los Angeles (noon-2pm), for a loosely structured conversational Salon featuring short presentations and opportunities to meet and connect with one another. If you're interested in joining LAVA as a creative contributor or an attendee, we recommend Salon attendance as an introduction to this growing community. We also recommend the shortbread.

Special program at the August 29 Salon: LAVA Visionaries will host curated conversations and presentations at tables around the room.

Presentations include: 

• Visionary David Kipen, proprietor of Boyle Heights' new bookshop and lending library Libros Schmibros, will be talking about his ambitious plans for the space and how he made the transition from director, National Reading Initiatives at the National Endowment for the Arts to shopkeeper in one of L.A.'s most multi-layered and intriguing neighborhoods. For a sneak peek, see the video from the Boyle Heights Book Summit featuring David, Councilman José Huizar, and 90-something blogging sensation Cutie of The OGs.

• Eva Batonne is the nom de plume of LAVA Visionary Eva Montealegre. At the Salon, she will be talking about the creative process behind her debut Joan Lambert mystery novel, Resurrection Diva (2009), how the real city of L.A. informs her characters and their experiences, and the influence of past L.A. mystery writers on her work. Set in seamy Hollywood and Venice milieus, and featuring New Orleans fortune tellers, S&M club scenes, a dead opera singer and a high-powered producer, Resurrection Diva is a police procedural with a metaphysical twist.  Signed copies will be available for purchase. For more info, visit www.evabatonne.com.

• Visionaries Holly Witham and Nicholas Hosking, co-founders of The Moveable Theatre Company, will discuss the Company's mission and projects, including their latest show, the winning play from The Zane Grey Playwriting Contest, held in May at the Western author's former home in Altadena, and their upcoming staged reading of Yasmina Reza's Tony award winning
Art, at  LA Contemporary Exhibitions.

Stick around the neighborhood post-Salon, as Nick Matonak leads a free walking tour of historic Broadway theatre history (reservations required), and later this evening, Visionary David Caldwell presents a free War Child Show in his Arts District loft.

Clifton's Cafeteria is at 648 South Broadway, near the corner of 7th Street. There are numerous paid parking lots nearby, and the closest Metro station is Pershing Square. Clifton's is online at http://www.cliftonscafeteria.com

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. Open to all, from the curious skeptic to the passionate phantom pursuer. Make friends, and toast a ghost! Let's put the “Boo!” back into “booze.” All those who attend will receive a free G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you.

This month's gathering will be at "Mexico" on historic route 66 in West Hollywood, where Jim Morrison (a.k.a "The Lizard King"), the charismatic lead singer for "The Doors," is said to haunt the restroom of this small Mexican restaurant that was once "The Doors Woorkshop," where the the quintessential L.A. band recorded their last Album "L.A. Woman." (The haunted restroom was formerly the sound booth where Morrison recorded his vocals).

On the last Sunday of each month, LAVA welcomes interested individuals to gather on the third floor of the historic Clifton's Cafeteria in Downtown Los Angeles (noon-2pm), for a loosely structured conversational Salon featuring short presentations and opportunities to meet and connect with one another. If you're interested in joining LAVA as a creative contributor or an attendee, we recommend Salon attendance as an introduction to this growing community. We also recommend the shortbread.

Special program at the July 25 Salon: LAVA Visionaries will host curated conversations and presentations at tables around the room. Stay tuned as additional details are added closer to Salon time.

12:30pm: A table discussion hosted by Visionary Miguel Angel Corzo on the subject of adaptive reuse of historic buildings, a topic of particular interest to him in his capacity as the President of LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, Los Angeles’ newest addition to the region’s cultural landscape, soon to open in the restored 1888 Brunswig Building. He is President Emeritus of The University of the Arts in Philadelphia and former Director of the Getty Conservation Institute.

1:00pm: A table discussion hosted by Visionary Joan Renner on the dark and nefarious history of L.A.'s old Chinatown (where Union Station stands today). From opium dens to fallen women, bartered babies to subterranean tunnels of vice, Chinatown embodied the weirdest fantasies of early 20th century Angelenoes. How much of it was true, how much a racist and pruprient fiction? Drop by Joan's table to find out. Joan is a writer and a social historian with a passion for vintage cosmetics ephemera, and crime. As a tour guide for Esotouric she has created a personality profile of Elizabeth Short (aka The Black Dahlia) based upon her choice of makeup. Joan is currently developing a tour that will delve into graft and corruption in Los Angeles during the 1930s. Her blog Vintage Powder Room explores history, women, art, and provides her with a transparent excuse to add to her collection of over 500 items, which she has lectured on at the Queen Mary Art Deco Festival and at a past LAVA Salon.

Closing poem from Mike The Poet.

We regret to inform you that scheduled presenter Lin Van Hek is unable to appear due to unforseen circumstances. 

Following the Salon, a limited number of attendees are invited to join LAVA founder Richard Schave on a free walking tour of historic Olvera Street and a preview visit to downtown's newest cultural institution, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in the old Brunswig Building just south of "La Placita" church. Here President and CEO Miguel Angel Corzo will give us a 30-minute walkthrough of the newly-refurbished site and touch on the core goals and objectives for the institution, which opens in the fall. For more info or to reserve (required), click here.

Clifton's Cafeteria is at 648 South Broadway, near the corner of 7th Street. There are numerous paid parking lots nearby, and the closest Metro station is Pershing Square. Clifton's is online at http://www.cliftonscafeteria.com

(Please note: this event was originally scheduled for July 12)

Pick up your pre-purchased copy of McSweeney's Quarterly #35 ($20+tax), enjoy food and drink.

Stay for a discussion and signing with McSweeney's contributor, Ellie Kemper (The Office) and others (TBA).

Plus a musical guest!

With tremendous new stories from Steven Millhauser and Roddy Doyle, an epic, genre-shattering novella from Hilton Als, and a really excellent special section on Norway's finest writers (featuring not just Per Petterson but also Kid Icarus and a woman named Blind Margjit)-along with, probably, correspondence from a man we can't yet name and an unbelievable disappearing-ink cover done by Jordan Crane-Issue 35 is a full-to-bursting edition in the tradition of the best ones we've ever done. For several hundred pages of unrivaled summer reading, this is your book.

FREE to attend, McSweeney's Quarterly #35 ($20+tax).
Click here to purchase and RSVP.

On the last Sunday of each month, LAVA welcomes interested individuals to gather on the third floor of the historic Clifton's Cafeteria in Downtown Los Angeles (noon-2pm), for a loosely structured conversational Salon featuring short presentations and opportunities to meet and connect with one another. If you're interested in joining LAVA as a creative contributor or an attendee, we recommend Salon attendance as an introduction to this growing community. We also recommend the shortbread.

Special program at the June 27 Salon: LAVA Visionaries will host curated conversations and presentations at tables around the room. To see photos from this past LAVA event, click here.

12:30pm-1pm: A live fashion presentation from Visionary A. Laura Brody. Remake, redo and reuse. While it may sound a little cliché today, it was necessary for survival after the Great Depression and became a catch phrase during the rationing of WWII.  Pushing consumerism during the '50s made this notion unfashionable, and it has only recently come into fashion again. Unfortunately, it is often just that- fashion and a notion, not actual re-purposing or re-use. Here’s a way to experience actual, non-damaging to the environment re-purposing firsthand- on your body. Visionary A. Laura Brody will demonstrate live draping on a willing volunteer or volunteers, showing methods of creating clothing from existing scraps, fabrics and old clothing. The materials used will be the donated, left over and found remnants from her live draping Hollywood Fringe Festival event, Presque Prêt a Porter. The lucky mannequin/person will get a custom draped piece of clothing created just for him or her draped on him or her. Warning: scissors will be used close to the body. So will duct tape and staples. If this makes you very nervous, you may not be a good candidate. Perhaps 2 people can be draped within the 1/2 hour timeframe. She’ll also show you examples of her own re-purposed art and jewelry. ABOUT OUR FEATURED VISIONARY: A. Laura Brody is a professional costume designer and maker. Working for the entertainment industry exposes her to a disgusting amount of waste. To counter this (and as a matter of personal belief) she regularly re-uses material, notions, scraps and ideas in her designs, jewelry and art.  If you’d like to see more, you can find her jewelry site on Etsy (the handmade lifestyle web site) at http://dreamsbymachine.etsy.com and her art at http://www.dreamsbymachine.com .

1:15-2pm: A table discussion hosted by Visionary Manny Pacheco, the award-winning author of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History, which tells America's story through the eyes of character actors. His paperback was recently added to the prestigious libraries of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the American Film Institute, and the Writer's Guild Foundation. Pacheco is a 30-year Southern California radio and television personality who has appeared on Emmy-winning programs including NBC's "Santa Barbara" and KCOP's "In Studio." At the LAVA Salon, he plans on sharing fascinating stories about Hollywood's long and sometimes forgotten past during its Golden Age. Talking about character actors such as Lionel Barrymore, Van Heflin, Walter Brennan, Claude Rains, and Basil Rathbone, one can see that America's story became an essential topic in the movies during the studio era of Cinema. Manny will also share his travels on what it took to get his book self-published. He will motivate you to start writing about your passions (whatever they may be). He will provide a step-by-step outline for bypassing the traditional East Coast elite in the publishing industry to get your inner-author out and into the hands of an eager public looking for new things to read. Whether you are a first-time writer or established scribe, you will want to listen to his motivating approach to the most traditional of businesses. You won't want to miss a chance to meet the friendly and approachable Manny Pacheco, and check out his new book Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History!

Clifton's Cafeteria is at 648 South Broadway, near the corner of 7th Street. There are numerous paid parking lots nearby, and the closest Metro station is Pershing Square. Clifton's is online at http://www.cliftonscafeteria.com

On the last Sunday of the month starting in March 2010, LAVA welcomes interested individuals to gather on the third floor of the historic Clifton's Cafeteria in Downtown Los Angeles (noon-2pm), for a loosely structured conversational Salon featuring short presentations and opportunities to meet and connect with one another. If you're interested in joining LAVA as a creative contributor or an attendee, we recommend Salon attendance as an introduction to this growing community. We also recommend the shortbread.

Special program at the May 30 Salon: LAVA Visionaries will host curated conversations at tables around the room.

12:30pm: Social historian Joan Renner presents Pandora’s Boxes: According to Greek mythology, when Pandora opened the box that Zeus had warned her never to open, all of the world’s evils escaped and only one thing remained inside – hope. This concept of hope is a fitting metaphor for cosmetics.  Each container of face powder or jar of cold cream represents the dreams and desires of a woman seeking a magic potion that would make her beautiful. The exquisite and fragile packages used to market these dreams became the Pandora’s boxes of the early 20th century. Joan Renner has been collecting vintage cosmetics ephemera for over fifteen years. She has an extensive collection of commercial face powder boxes, rouge tins, advertisements, hair net packages and bobby pin cards. Please join her for a discussion of topics ranging from the design of the packaging to the use of arsenic laden face powder by women in 17th Century Italy to “accidentally” poison their unwanted husbands. Once gracing women’s dressing tables, various unique and beautiful items from Joan’s collection will be also be on display. These include items featured in her blog Vintage Powder Room and some never before exhibited. For a sneak peak at Joan's collection, click this link.

1pm: Charles Fort, the League of Western Fortean Intermediatists, and a little town called Los Angeles: Phenomenologist Charles Fort (1874-1932) spent 27 years of his life humorously shredding orthodox science by collating thousands of accounts of unexplained phenomena which it couldn’t—and still can’t—explain away. The world has only gotten more phenomenal since Fort’s time, and the League of Western Fortean Intermediatists (L.O.W.F.I.) ensures that his spirit lives on: neither cranks nor skeptics, Forteans are characterized by their objectivity, good humor and lust for supernormal adventure. Based in Los Angeles, L.O.W.F.I.'s focus is on the long, strange life of the American southwest, gathering to discuss its enigmas, peculiarities and unexplainable events. Gonzo journalist and L.O.W.F.I. founder Skylaire Alfvegren has spent a lifetime researching the weird, wacky and unexplainable history of her hometown of Los Angeles. Join her as she explains Fort's importance and the objectives of L.O.W.F.I., while detailing some of her favorite local cases of unexplainable phenomena. For more information, visit: http://forteanswest.com/wordpress-mu/?p=348

Clifton's Cafeteria is at 648 South Broadway, near the corner of 7th Street. There are numerous paid parking lots nearby, and the closest Metro station is Pershing Square. Clifton's is online at http://www.cliftonscafeteria.com