Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Arts and Culture

Bring the family to the Noches de Posada, in Santa Ana on Dec. 3 and 10

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Churches and Religion, Entertainment, Latinos, music, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Bring the entire family to one or both Posadas, Food/Beverages/Piñatas/Caroling/Candy for the kids and much more:

December 3rd @ 7:00-10:00p.m December 10th @ 6:00-9:00p.m

Start: 2nd & Broadway Start: 4th & Spurgeon

Finish: Birch Park (3rd & Birch) Finish: Plaza Santa Ana (4th & French)

Posadas are an important part of Mexican Christmas celebrations. The word posada means “inn” or “shelter” in Spanish, and these celebrations recreate Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem. Posadas are held on each of the nine nights leading up to Christmas, from December 16 to 24th. Continue reading→

Innovative artists to be featured at Raven Studios, in the Santora building

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For Immediate Release
Contact: Jaydee Dizon, (310) 962-4520

The Santora Arts Building Welcomes Innovative Artists at Raven Studios for December’s Art Walk

Artist collaborators: Michael Chomick, June Korea, Yamila Lee Tomas, Michael Costantino, Gilda Paige, Dodd Holsapple, Heather Boucher (HAB), and Jaydee Dizon, a group exhibition introduces, Thinking Outside the Square.  Their unique art works is seen for the first time on Saturday, December 3rd from 6-10 PM at the Raven Studios located in the historic Santora Arts Building. Continue reading→

Pictures from today’s Patchwork Indie Arts and Crafts Festival in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Family, Fashion, Food, Santa Ana Leave a comment

My wife and I visited the Patchworks Festival today.  It is set up through 5 pm today over on Main St., just north of the Bowers Museum.

The event features a vast array of food, craft, and arts vendors – and products available run from gourmet jams and jellies to clothing, jewelry, handmade soap, vegan chocolate, chocolate chip cookies with bacon, and handmade butter crunch.

Vendors included established businesses like the Gypsy Den, Mother’s Market, Calacas and the Memphis at the Santora, and independent businesses run out of garages and trailers. Continue reading→

The Patchwork indie arts & crafts festival returns to Santa Ana today

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The Patchwork indie arts & crafts festival is coming to Santa Ana on November 27, from 11am – 5pm, at 2202 North Main Street.  This festival is a bi-annual event showcasing local emerging artists, crafts & designers. The Grand Central Art Center participates with a booth and invites you to attend the event to eat & drink from local cafe & restaurant booths as you listen to tunes and peruse goods from the best southern California creators.

Look & shop… clothing for men, women & kids, handbags, accessories, art, ceramics, home goods, garden finds, plushies, jewelry, paper goods, edible treats, pet gear, crochet & knit goods, kits & patterns, bath & body goodies & more. Continue reading→

The sad truth about Thanksgiving

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Historical, mexico, Native Americans, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Growing up we were all taught that Thanksgiving was about peaceful Pilgrims and Native Americans feasting together.  Well, they did – once – but even before that the English were enslaving and killing the original settlers of this land.  And afterwards?  It turned into a real bloodbath.  Between small pox and guns, the Natives didn’t stand a chance.

We all have a lot to be thankful for today – but make no mistake about it.  This nation was founded on the backs of the Natives and the African American slaves brought here by the Euros.   Continue reading→

Theatre Out presents sequel to smash hit gay holiday musical

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, LGBT, music, Plays, Santa Ana 7 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 17, 2011

THEATRE OUT PRESENTS SEQUEL TO SMASH-HIT MUSICAL “LAST CHRISTMAS I GAVE YOU MY HEART BUT THE VERY NEXT DAY YOU SAID YOU WERE GAY” IN DECEMBER

Santa Ana, CA (11/17/2011) – Theatre Out is pleased to present the first-ever sequel to their smash hit holiday musical, Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart But The Very Next Day You Said You Were Gay. Opening on December 2, 2011, this new holiday musical by award-winning playwright Darcy Hogan picks up where the first left off. Set 10 years later at the North Pole, Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart But The Very Next Day You Said You Were Gay, Episode 2: The North Pole Strikes Back or; The Return of the Magi sees the return of Santa and has band of gay elves as they try to help Holly and Barry’s child overcome her conservative nature and discover the true gayness of the holiday season. Their plan is going along smoothly until a Tea Party activist follows Mrs. Claus home from the Betty Ford clinic and threatens to out Santa Claus to the world. Of course, true love wins the battle and saves the day. Continue reading→

Bowers Museum to host the Venerable Hui Chi on Nov. 19

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The Bowers Museum is Honored to Host the Venerable Hui Chi, Abbot of the Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple

This Saturday, November 19 | 1:30 PM-2:30 PM

Lecture to Discuss the Influence of Buddhism on Chinese History and Culture

The Venerable will lead a lecture and discussion relating to the Bowers’ new exhibit, Warriors, Tombs and Temples: China’s Enduring Legacy which boasts the most sacred Buddhist relics, the four nesting reliquary boxes of Buddha’s finger bone. The reliquary boxes were blessed by monks from the Hsi Lai Temple in October. Continue reading→

Watch “Mean Girls” at Santa Ana’s Velvet Lounge today at 3 pm

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Bars, Entertainment, LGBT, Movies, Women 1 Comment

Santa Ana’s Velvet Lounge is screening the Mean Girls movie this afternoon, as they start their weekly Saturday Afternoon movie.

Come watch the movie with your friends or make some new ones. Enjoy the full bar, $5 appetizers, a special KALTEEN-TINI, and one of your favorite movies showing on all their TV screens. The movie starts at 3pm. Continue reading→

Cigar box blues to stomp Santa Ana on Dec. 3

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CIGAR Box blues STOMP Santa Ana

For Immediate Release: 11-11-11

The Art and Music of the Cigar Box Guitar

Santa Ana – Southern California’s premiere cigar box guitar blues band, The Budrows, is set to kick it up a notch on December 3, from 6 pm to 11 pm, when the trio hosts a CD release party and art show where fans can win a custom made cigar box guitar.

The Budrows feature the father/daughter combo of Jason Farthing and the young Argentine vocal phenom Macarena Rivera, accompanied by veteran flute and harpman Jesse Boden. Three other artists including Bob Hoard, Cris Portillo and Josh Gayou will join Farthing in displaying their cigar box guitars and artwork at the event. A drawing for the cigar box guitar and other prizes will be held at 9pm to celebrate the release of The Budrows NEW record entitled, 100% Foot Stompin’ Cigar Box Rock N’ Roll. Continue reading→

Cambodian Family Fundraiser Dinner on Nov. 10, in Santa Ana

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The Cambodian Family is hosting their First Annual Fundraiser Dinner, on Thursday, November 10.  The theme is “Celebrate 30 Years of Community Service.”

The event will start at 6 p.m.with a reception and silent auction, followed at 7 pm by the program and dinner. Continue reading→

Vote to send the Santa Ana High School Chamber Singers to Carnegie Hall

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Education, music, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Help the Santa Ana High School Chamber Singers get to Carnegie Hall by supporting their video in the “GLEE! Give a Note” campaign for a chance to win up to $50,000. The video is titled “Help Us Shoot for the Moon, and Land Among the Stars.” Seventy-three schools from across the country have the chance to receive grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. There are nearly 400 schools attempting to win one of the 73 spots, Santa Ana High School being the only school in SAUSD among them.

Lend your voice to the cause by voting for Santa Ana High School. Here’s what you have to do: Continue reading→

9th Annual Dia de los Muertos event drew thousands to downtown Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Latinos, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Thousands of people gathered downtown Saturday afternoon for an annual Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead celebration that has mushroomed in size over the past nine years, according to the O.C. Register.

The event was masterminded by Jackie and Rudy Cordova, owners of Calacas and the new Calacas Cafe.  This was the Ninth Annual Noche de Altares event.  Check out Calacas’ Facebook page for pictures of yesterday’s event.

In related news, Belinda De La Libertad has started a new website called “Altares Por Siempre” which will gather pictures of Day of the Dead altars, to forever commemorate the dearly departed. Continue reading→

Occupy the Santa Ana Art Walk – and Dia de Los Muertos too, on Saturday

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Entertainment, Latinos, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

This Saturday’s Santa Ana Art Walk, on Nov. 5, might be the biggest one ever.  Not only does it coincide with the 9th Annual Noche de Altares (Dia de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead) event, we are also going to see the Occupy Santa Ana movement conduct a protest at 1:00 in front of the Bank of American on 4th and Main, for Move your Money Out Day.  (B of A announced today that they are cancelling their monthly debit card fee increase, so perhaps folks won’t be moving their money out after all).

The Occupiers are then  having a march from 6:30 to 8 through Downtown Santa Ana, where the Day of the Dead Altars will be set up, and then on to the Artists Village.  They will end the march at the Santora Building, at the Studio del Sotano, with a Sangria party. Continue reading→

Standing on Ceremony, the Gay Marriage Plans, at Theatre Out on Nov. 7

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Standing Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays Takes its Message Global

Simultaneous performances planned at theaters across the country and around the world on November 7

THEATRE OUT @ 8:00 pm

Santa Ana, CA (10/31/2011) – Joan Stein and Richard Frankel (Producers) announced recently that the new theatrical event Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays, which premieres Off Broadway at the Minetta Lane Theatre in NYC this fall, will join with Tectonic Theater Project (Moisés Kaufman, Artistic Director; Greg Reiner, Executive Director) to help take the play’s message of marriage equality across the globe. On Monday, November 7, across America and beyond, curtains will rise on Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays as participating theaters everywhere present the play to raise awareness and funds in support of marriage equality. Marriage equality is an issue that transcends borders, and it’s vital that the message of Standing On Ceremony reaches far and wide. Continue reading→

Orange resident Kergan Edwards-Scout announces novel inspired by AIDS victim

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, LGBT, Literature, Orange, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 31, 2011

Circumspect Press Releases Critically Acclaimed Debut Novel

ORANGE, CA – Circumspect Press is proud to announce the publication of the highly anticipated debut novel, Songs for the New Depression, by award-winning director Kergan Edwards-Stout. Kirkus Reviews calls Songs for the New Depression “a distinctively entertaining novel written with moxie and bolstered by pitch-perfect perspectives.” Songs for the New Depression explores the life and loves of Gabriel Travers, who, in the face of his impending death, struggles to make amends to those he has wronged. Continue reading→