On February 14th at 8 p.m. enjoy a special “Chiles, Chocolate, and Roses” dinner featuring “Sweet and Spicy,” plus the Art of Love lecture with renowned speaker Gregorio Luke.

He will speak about examples of love from ancient texts, discuss mythic lovers like Cassanova and Don Juan, and provide you with the most beautiful expressions of love in art and poetry.

The evening will conclude with romantic music for dancing the night away in a most romantic space, Fuego Restaurant at the Maya Hotel in Long Beach, overlooking the water and the city lights. Tickets $89 per person. The Special Valentine’s Day Event* includes dinner, presentation, and dancing (does not include alcohol, tax or gratuity). Call for reservations.

http://www.fuegolongbeach.com

http://www.gregorioluke.com

* Times are subject to change

51 years ago on February 3, 1959 was “The day the music died” on a cold snowy night in Iowa. It was when musicians Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper (J. P. Richardson) were lost in a plane crash and a generation was heartbroken.

I found out about these artists when my sister and I discovered my mothers 45 rpm records and we were introduced to these artists as they were immortalized in music.

Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be the Day” “Peggy Sue” & “Everyday” were my immediate favorites. The Big Bopper (J. P. Richardson) had “Chantilly Lace” which is still a catchy tune today.

Then came the magic of finding Ritchie Valens “Come on let’s go”, “Donna” & “La Bamba”. With “La Bamba” I had found the one missing element in her record collection a Mexican-American rocker. I figured that since Little Richard, Chuck Berry & Diana Ross were all still alive – “What about Ritchie?”.

That’s when my mother told me the story of the radio reports about the tour bus that developed heating problems. So they took a plane to another show but the plane never made it to the next destination.

While these artists left us too soon they still live on in pop culture. From Don McLean’s 1971 song “American Pie”, Gary Busey in 1978’s “The Buddy Holly Story”, The 2007 chick-flick “Juno” features Buddy Holly’s “Dearest”. Ritchie Valens was reborn as a pop-icon in 1987’s “La Bamba” directed by Luis Valdez. It was a movie I saw 7 times at the theater (Cinedome in Orange, anyone?). There was never a dry eye in the house when Esai Morales yelled out “Ritchie!”.  “La Bamba” the song went to Billboard’s number 1 that summer thanks to the cover by Los Lobos. And of course just through their own music alone which is all available on CD, Itunes and old fashioned vinyl if you can find it.

Thanks Brandon

Conozca Su Corazon is a community-based program that reaches the Hispanic audience – at higher risk for heart disease – with an important health message and action steps to help reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke. The site is using today’s digital technology to inform people by using ringtones, wallpapers, messages and a tip of the week widget you can add to your favorite social media site.

Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association is the Nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives free of heart disease and stroke — America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers.

www.conozcasucorazon.org

One of the Winners of the 2010 Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award is Amat Escalante for the film “Heli” submitted from Mexico.  The film takes place in small Mexican town, where most citizens work for an automobile assembly plant or the local drug cartel, Heli is confronted with police corruption, drug trafficking, sexual exploitation, love, guilt and revenge in the search for his father who has mysteriously disappeared.

Born in 1979, Amat Escalante is a self-taught filmmaker from Guanajuato, Mexico. At age 15, he began to devote himself completely to cinema. His first feature Sangre premiered in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival 2005, where it received the Fipresci Prize. His second feature film Los Bastardos also premiered in the Official Selection Un Certain Regard Cannes in 2008 and won numerous awards including Best Film at the Morelia, Sitges and Mar del Plata film festivals. It has been distributed worldwide, including Mexico, USA, France and Canada.

Originally created to celebrate 100 years of Cinema, the NHK International Filmmakers Award recognizes and supports four visionary filmmakers from Europe, Latin America, the United States, and Japan on their next films. Each winner receives approximately $100,000 ($10,000 as a cash award and a guarantee from NHK to purchase the Japanese television broadcast rights). In addition, Sundance Institute staff works closely with the winners throughout the year, providing creative and strategic support through the development, financing and production of their films. The awards were presented at the Sundance Film Festival Awards Ceremony on Saturday, January 30, 2010.

http://festival.sundance.org/2010/

Orange County Parks and OC Archives have partnered to present a dynamic exhibition that explores the life and career of America’s 16th President. Abraham Lincoln: Self-Made in America opens at Old Orange County Courthouse on Monday, February 1, 2010 and runs through February 26.

Orange County’s direct connection to Lincoln is shown through artifacts on display from Mission San Juan Capistrano and Disney’s “Hall of Presidents.” A full calendar of educational and family-oriented public programs is available at the website below.

On Saturday, February 6, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. there will be the “Kids’ Day” Open House. On this special day, kids can create 19th- century-inspired crafts and play with replica toys. Re-enactors from the 1st North Carolina Cavalry unit will bring a Civil War encampment to life on the Old Courthouse’s lawn. At noon, the Orange County Historical Commission will present the 1940 classic movie “Abe Lincoln in Illinois,” the critically acclaimed historical-fiction portrayal of Lincoln’s childhood and early political years.

Enjoy a full fun-filled day with the family at the Old Courthouse and across the street at Dr. Willella Howe-Waffle House, which will also be open and available for tours. There will also be four guests who will present lectures throughout the exhibition run.

An evening lecture with Dr. Ron Rietveld, Professor of Emeritus at California State University, Fullerton on Thursday, February 25 chronicles his childhood discovery of the last photograph taken of President Abraham Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln: Self-Made in America

Old Orange County Courthouse

211 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, CA 92701

Events are free and open to the public.

RSVP at (714) 973-6655 or oldcourthouseRSVP@ocparks.com

www.ocparks.com

Thanks Ashley E.

The Autry National Center, in collaboration with the UCLA Film and Television Archive, presents Native American Women in Film Series: Older Than America, directed by Georgina Lightning. Featuring the Short Film: Goodnight Irene directed by Sterlin Harjo on Sunday, January 24, 2:00 p.m. at Wells Fargo Theater / Free with museum admission.

Calling on the talents of Native American women working in the film industry as actors, directors, producers, and writers, this series examines the portrayal of Native Americans in contemporary film. Georgina Lightning will speak about the obstacles and opportunities for established and emerging Native American filmmakers. In collaboration with the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Special support provided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science.

The next film in the series Edge of America, directed by Chris Eyre will be featured on Sunday, February 21, 2:00 p.m.

For more information, please call 323.667.2000, ext. 250. or visit http://www.autrynationalcenter.org/

Artist Sergio Rebia keeps popping up on my radar from Cantera furnishings in Santa Ana, to the tour of Laguna College of art and design and now recently receiving La Bailarina (2005) lithograph as a Christmas present.

Sergio Rebia is an artist born and raised in California.  He obtained his Bachelor’s in Fine Art in 2004 and his Master’s in Fine Art in 2008 from Laguna College of art and design.

He has exhibited in galleries steadily since 2004.  Sergio prepares his work in a technique according to the tradition of the Old Masters of the 16th century in order to execute his realism. Focusing on portraiture and figurative work, but within each painting he attempts to infuse beauty, dignity, and story behind the portrait.

In other words, the painting is an homage to humanity.  By using painting as a language Sergio attempts to send a message which he believes has the potential to communicate directly to a person’s heart and soul without using a single word.

As a fan of his work I must aadmit his work is riveting. Sergio’s attention to detail in light, color and perspective has me hoping to come across one of his shows soon. And of course OCGente.com will let you know when that happens.

http://www.sergiofineart.com

Mexican Calendar Girls book author Angela Villalba, and owner of Reign Trading Co. collects fabulous sugar skulls from areas like Feria de Alfinique in Metepec, Mexico. She also frequents Mexican flea markets, artist’s homes and takes photographs of many Mexican celebrations.

Reign Trading Company’s MexicanSugarSkull.com embraces all there is to enjoy about Mexico – travel, teaching, writing, research, working with artists and sharing the love of Day of the Dead with folks north of the border. The best Day of the Dead folk art is featured on this website as well as the complete line of original Mexican sugar skull TM molds have been specially created, sculpted and manufactured.

The molds are easy to make and are used for families and friends at parties. They also organize sugar skull workshops, museum events, school classes, lectures & teacher training workshops.

Para más información

http://mexicansugarskull.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mexican-Sugar-Skull-com/147116664688

On January 17th the LATITUDES: LATIN AMERICAN MASTERS FROM THE FEMSA COLLECTION ends at Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. The exhibition features a selection of paintings from leading Latin American beverage company FEMSA`s prestigious collection of more than 1,000 modern and contemporary works of Mexican and Latin American artists. Team OCGente.com was able to view the show this past weekend and highly recommend it for all art lovers.

This thematic exhibition explores the 20th century art movements and styles of Cubism, Portraiture and Landscapes, Identity, Mexican Muralism, Surrealism and Abstraction, and includes works by many noted artists, including Leonora Carrington, Frida Kahlo, Wilfredo Lam, Roberto Matta, Jose Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Jesús Soto, and Rufino Tamayo.

There is also a little seen painting by artist Frida Kahlo “Mi vestido cuelga aqui” (My dress hangs here) from 1933.

The exhibition is organized by FEMSA and has been traveling throughout South America. This is collaboration between the Bowers Museum, FEMSA, and the Mexican Consulate. Hope you get a chance to see it.

Para más información

http://www.bowers.org/

or follow them on twitter for upcoming events

http://twitter.com/Bowers_Museum

Pistolera gives birth to Moona Luna – The first female-led bilingual family band! The new musical project is brought to you by the Latin-Alternative group Pistolera. The last time Team OCGente saw them was at Pasadena’s free concert series last Summer.

Lead singer/songwriter Sandra Velasquez was inspired by the birth of her first child—during the making of the last CD “En Este Camino”. Fans of all ages have already enjoyed Pistolera’s music; Moona Luna continues the party with songs that are educational and inspiring to girls and boys–and their parents!–everywhere.

Moona Luna is the first female-led bilingual band of its kind, the songs are in both Spanish and English continuing the band’s tradition of positive messages and toe-tapping beats. The world debut at the Trouble Worldwide and Barbès Records “Here Comes Trouble” CD Showcase will be in New York City on Friday, January 8th. ¡Buena suerte! on your new project we wish you well.

Para más información

http://www.myspace.com/moonalunamusic