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Meet author and businesswoman Tina Aldatz at Libreria Martinez tonight

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Tina Aldatz at Libreria Martinez

Meet author and businesswoman Tina Aldatz tonight, Saturday, May 9th, from 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm at Chapman University’s Libreria Martinez, located at 216 N. Broadway, in Downtown Santa Ana.

Tina Aldatz’ childhood dreams of an improved life for her and her family were grounded on an unshakeable confidence that would lead the young fashionista to create a multimillion-dollar designer shoe accessories company, Foot Petals Inc. In this intimate, no-holds-barred autobiography, Tina candidly shares her humble yet tumultuous upbringing and lessons learned throughout her life that served as the impetus in her eventually calling her own shots. Filled with wit, wisdom, and unrelenting honesty, From Stilettos to the Stock Exchange offers a detailed look into the life of a very creative and successful “serial entrepreneur”. Continue reading→

Author to sign her book, A Tale of Survival, at Librería Martínez

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A Tale of Survival

Author Grace Flores-Hughes to Speak and Sign Her Book “A Tale of Survival: Memoir of an Hispanic Woman” at Librería Martínez de Chapman University, Tuesday, February 18

Author Grace Flores-Hughes will appear in person to talk about and sign her book “A Tale of Survival: Memoir of an Hispanic Woman” at Librería Martínez de Chapman University on Tuesday, February 18 at 7 p.m.   In the presentation and in her book, Flores-Hughes tells her own story — of a Mexican-American girl growing up in south Texas during the ‘50s and ‘60s and the challenges she faced on a daily basis just to survive.

The event is free and open to the public, and Flores-Hughes’ book will be on sale at the venue.   Librería Martínez de Chapman University is located at 216 N. Broadway in Santa Ana – call 714-973-7900 for more information.  Sales of the book (and all items in the store) benefit the educational programs of Librería Martínez de Chapman University. Continue reading→

How about a Santa Ana gun exchange – for books at Librería Martinez?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Literature, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Gun exchange

“Appearing at a gathering of Santa Ana City Council members and Santa Ana Unified  School District leaders in front of the Old Orange County Courthouse, Pulido  discussed organizing a gun buyback program and support for gun-control  legislation on the state and federal levels,” according to Mayor Pulido’s blog.

Gun buyback programs have not always been a success but the concept is a good one if implemented correctly.  For example, limiting the gun buyback to guns no older than 15-20 years and accepting only guns in working condition.  Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s ESL Toastmaster Club meeting on Sunday, Feb. 13

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ESL TOASTMASTER CLUB NO. 1 #1565170 – Chartered 10-29-2010

Sunday, Feb. 13, 2010, 3-5 P.M.
Libreria Martinez Books and Art Store
216 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92701

Agenda – Theme- My Best Friend

  • 2:00-3:00 p.m. Arrival, Set-up, Sign-in, Mentor/Mentee Meet; Photo, Recordings, Snacks, Name Tags (Reception Table,etc, Joy Torres, Tina Shin, LeslieVu, Linda Kulp)
  • 3:00 p.m. Call to Order V.P. Education, ESL Club, Dr.Patricia Adelekan, DTM
  • Words of Inspiration Pastor Bernardo Ramirez, CC
  • Mission Statement of a TM Club Leslie Vu
  • About US – ESL Club No. 1 Steve Buhler
  • Humor Michael Lang
  • Word of the Day Steve Buhler
  • Idioms of the Day George Collins
  • Recognition of Guests/New Members: Dr.Patricia Adelekan, DTM, Linda Jaeckal,ATMB,Cl,Mr. Van Pelt
  • 3:10 p.m. Introduction of Toastmaster Angel Rayogoza
  • 3:10 p.m. Mentor/Mentee Program Jason Brady and Dr. Pat. Adelekan, DTM
  • 3:30 p.m. Introduction of General Evaluator — Linda Jaeckel ATMB, CL — Introduces Evaluation Team
  • Grammarian 1- Jason Brady, Grammarian 2- Dr.Pat (Tenses/Present/Past)
  • Ah Counter, Veronica Knight
  • Tellers, Joy Torres, Michael Yang
  • Timer: Gloria Chen
  • Pronunciation, Susan Uriate, CC,CL
  • 3:35 p.m. Table Topics Master — Toah Pena Bendure (Timing 1-2 mins) Kindness
  • 3:50 p.m. General Evaluator –Call for Timing of Table Topics — Vote for Best Table Topics
  • 4:00 p.m. General Evaluator Introduces Evaluators  Speakers
  • Speaker 1 – Michael Yang (5-7 mins) George Collins, (2-3 mins)
  • Speaker 2 – Olga Vlasova Linda Kulp
  • Speaker 3 – Janet Collins Toah Bendure
  • 4:20p.m. General Evaluator(GE) — Call for Timing and Vote for best Speaker- Linda Jaeckel
  • 4:20p.m. GE Calls for Evaluations (2-3 mins)
  • 4:30p.m. GE Call for Time, Vote for Best Evaluator
  • 4:30 p.m. Call for Reports: Ah Counter, Grammarian1, Grammarian2, Pronunciation, 2-3 min
  • 4:40 p.m. Announce Awards — General Evaluator, Toastmaster, President
  • 4:45 p.m. Recruit New Members- V.P. Membership
  • 4:45p.m. MariCarmen Ceballos, Asst. Manager, Libreria Martinez, About the Bookstore and Tour
  • 4:50 p.m. President, Announce. Next Meeting, Sign-up for Roles, Next meeting, Feb.24,
  • 4:55 p.m. Adjourn — Thank you for coming. Let’s Make a Difference!!!, Photo and Refreshments

Let us begin our shopping today — here at Libreria Martinez Books and Art Store — English Idioms, and other books
Thank you Mr. Rueben Martinez– Please join our ESL Toastmaster Club – as an Honorary Member/ Mentor
Buy Today — CD From Panic To Power by 3 World Champions of Public Speaking & Guest: Dr. Patricia Adelekan

Another day in the life of Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 14 Comments

I met with Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido yesterday morning, and he was kind enough to share with me, again, his itinerary.  Remember as you read this that Pulido is a part-time Mayor – but he clearly spends a lot of time doing the job he was elected to do:

What a day!  And Pulido still has an afternoon full of additional appointments to work through.

We are fortunate to have a Mayor who can spend so much time on city business.  Mayor Pulido made it clear that he is available to talk to anyone who wants to meet with him with regard to city business.  If you want to meet with him contact Becky Magallon, at City Hall, at BMagallon@santa-ana.org. She is an Executive Assistant to City Manager Dave Ream.

Click here to read our previous installment, A Day in the Life of Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido.

ESL Toastmasters meeting today at Libreria Martinez

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The ESL Toastmasters are meeting today at 2:30 (set up) at Libreria Martinez — 216 N. Broadway (next to Subway) and near First Street, Santa Ana, Ca 92702.

Both ESL speakers and native speakers(English) are invited!

Toastmaster helps you to:

  • Become better speakers and communicators
  • Become effective leaders
  • Strengthen their oral grammar skills
  • Strengthen their oral sentence structure
  • Increase their English Vocabulary
  • Improve their English pronunciation
  • Learn American idioms
  • Speak with more confidence
  • Lead and to give back to others — help others improve their oral language skills

Parking on the street is Free on Sundays and there are 2 parking structures (Free). Approach both from Broadway and 3rd. Turn right or left and you will see the PARKING STRUCTURE– Again there are 2 — one turn right and the other turn left off Broadway and 3rd.

Doors will be open at 2:00 p.m. for us to arrive, set-up and be prepared to START ON TIME at 3:00 p.m. to finish on time at 5:00p.m.

They are expecting a great time and turn-out. Please feel free to bring guests (famiy, friends and even enemies.)

There will be light refreshments and if you may bring something light as well if you like.

Their goal is for mastery of all members in presentation and leadership skills (focussing on language strengthening) and for “unity in diversity.”

The ESL Toastmasters also meets on the 4th Thursday of the month at Rancho Santiago Community College Room 114

2323 N. Broadway
Santa Ana, CA. 92706 5:30 – 7:00 pm

Contact Information:

Dr. Pat Adelekan, DTM, Coordinator/Sponsor, at p_adelekan@yahoo.com (714) 628-9844

Meet author Victor Villasenor, this Wednesday at Librería Martinez

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Come Hear Best-Selling Author Victor Villaseñor.  He will be speaking and signing books purchased at Librería Martinez.

Please note: Only the first 100 guests to arrive can be guaranteed a seat for this exciting event. Don’t miss out!

Wednesday, Dec 08, 2010, from 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Librería Martinez, Books and Art Gallery
216 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714) 973-7900

Some of Victor’s books:

BURRO GENIUS 2004 HarperCollins Publishing imprint RAYO.

BURRO GENIUS, a Pulitzer Prize nominee and a Nationally Acclaimed Best Seller, was included in the 2005 New York Public Library Books Teen Age List, 12 to 18 years old. Also available in Spanish

»Publishers Weekly Review

BURRO GENIUS continues the Villaseñor family story and goes into Victor Villaseñor’s own youth and education. With his signature of bold vitality, and his own incredible life-story, BURRO GENIUS takes the reader into the soul of a young boy full of confusion . . . . and yet encouraged by the love for his brother and a sense of artistic destiny and magic.

RAIN OF GOLD 1991 Arte Público Press (Hard Cover)

RAIN OF GOLD is a true-life saga of love, family and destiny, pulsing with bold vitality, sweeping from the war-ravaged Mexican mountains of Pancho Villa’s revolution to the Prohibition days of California. Bursting from the pages with real-life characters and passionate drama, RAIN OF GOLD is a major work by a Mexican-American writer of extraordinary power, Victor Villaseñor. In RAIN OF GOLD, Victor Villaseñor weaves the parallel stories of two families and two countries…bringing us the timeless romance between the volatile bootlegger who would become his father and the beautiful Lupe, his mother – men and women in whose lives the real and the fantastical exist side by side…and in whose hearts the spirit to survive is fueled by a family’s unconditional love.

CRAZYLOCO LOVE
2008 Arte Publico Press

Crazy Loco Love is Best-Selling Author’s Very Personal, Passionate New Book

HOUSTON, TX—September 2008 From Victor Villaseñor, one of America’s most beloved writers, author of Rain of Gold and Burro Genius, comes Crazy Loco Love (Arte Público Press, September 2008, $26.95, 416 pages, clothbound, ISBN-13: 978-1-55885-315-7), a compelling memoir of his adolescent search for meaning and identity. In this new work, Villaseñor deftly undermines the macho stereotype so often associated with Latinos, while exposing the tender vulnerability and naiveté of a young man grappling with his own sexuality and spirituality. Kirkus Reviews says, “Readers will find Crazy Loco Love a departure in a new direction, for now the author, revisiting his late-adolescent self, becomes exceedingly interested in matters of the flesh.”

THIRTEEN SENSES

2001 HarperCollins Publishing imprint RAYO. (Hard Cover or Quality Paperback)
Nationally Acclaimed Best Seller.  Also available in Spanish

THIRTEEN SENSES, the sequel to RAIN OF GOLD, continues the powerful family epic as told by master storyteller Victor Villaseñor. Set in the colorful backdrop of Southern California amidst the bygone era of Prohibition and the Great Depression, this memoir recalls the story of Salvador and Lupe’s first years of marriage. Filled with thrilling action, gut-wrenching suspense, ancestral wisdom, and timeless love, this adventure never lets up. Embracing unconditional love, profound grit, and the tenacity of two spirits which transcend all obstacles, THIRTEEN SENSES demonstrates the strength of women, the power of magic, and eliminates the narrow boundaries set by Euro-American five sensory world.

For information about forthcoming events, please call (714) 973-7900 or send email to Ruebén. To make comments, go to his “Guestbook” page where you can leave him a message.

Tonight’s Santa Ana Art Walk was safe, crowded and a lot of fun

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My wife and I visited tonight’s Santa Ana Art Walk, in downtown Santa Ana, and had a great time.  We started our evening with a surprise.  The big parking garage just north of the Proof Bar was full.  So we drove to the Federal Court parking garage and found a free space there.

We then walked over to Calacas, and checked out their annual Dia de los Muertos exhibit.  It was fantastic!  They have a lot of great t-shirts and art available for sale.  They are located at 324 W. 4th St., Ste. B, in Santa Ana.

Then we walked over to the Santora Building.  It was really warm inside but we had a good time visiting the various exhibits and galleries.  MC Art Gallery had some terrific sculptures for sale.  They also hold art classes on Monday nights.  Click here to read about that.

We wrapped up our visit to the Santora and headed out to the CSUF Grand Central Art Center.  It was really crowded so we stayed outside and checked out the Southwest Art Car Caravan & Film Tour.  The cars on exhibit were incredible, especially the van that was covered in cameras.

Then we headed across the street and visited Rueben Martinez’ bookstore, Libreria Martinez.  We got to speak to Rueben and met his family.  He has actually authored a book and has a great selection of books for adults and kids, in Spanish and English.  He also has a lot of great art on display.

We were getting thirsty now so we headed back across the street to the new Copper Door bar.  We had a laugh when the guy at the door checked our I.D.’s.  First time that has happened to me in many years.

We met Marta Gumm, one of the owners of the Copper Door.  She is so nice!  She treated my wife to a strawberry beer that tasted like fresh strawberries!  I had a Belgian white beer that was so smooth, with hints of citrus.  We also enjoyed  a jar of smoked almonds, which was only $3.  They have over forty beers!  The place is huge and Marta says they are planning a psychedelic Halloween party that should be out of this world!  The Copper Door is located at 225 1/2 N Broadway.

We were tuckered out after all that, so we headed back to our car and drove off.  We did notice an increased police presence tonight.  We also saw the security guards that the folks at Downtown, Inc. pay for.  We never felt anything but safe.  There were a lot of nice folks out.  It was great to see our downtown hustling and bustling!

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez will give away a free book at Libreria Martinez this Saturday

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Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez will be giving away a free congressional book this Saturday, at Libreria Martinez, here in Santa Ana, located at 216 N. Broadway, in the Artists Village, from 12 noon to 12:45 pm.

Take an hour of your day, have some fun and get your children reading!!!

Click here to RSVP on Facebook.

Bookstore, art gallery, children’s books center, community center, and ground zero for the campaign to get entire communities reading – Libreria Martinez Books & Art Gallery has emerged from its humble origins as a barbershop with books into a national phenomenon. Along the way, Libreria Martinez and its CEO and chief missionary, Rueben Martinez, has discovered a market for books in Spanish that mainstream publishers still continue to miss and a hunger for Latinos (and non-Latinos) to understand who they are, where they have come from, and where they are going.

To develop a market for the bookstore, Martinez has relied upon his experience as a community activist and organizer. He brought in the best authors, spent endless hours speaking at local schools, hosted events for teachers and librarians, all the time finding through these guerilla marketing techniques a demand that had been missed. More importantly, Libreria Martinez defines its mission as more than commercial success. It is rather, to develop a community of readers thereby improving the performance of children in schools, enriching families, instilling pride in the cultural roots and traditions of Latinos, and celebrating the successes of learners. Pursuit of this mission gives them deep penetration into markets that other booksellers struggle to reach.

Click here to read more about Libreria Martinez.

Libreria Martinez’ new store is fantastic!

Posted on by Posted in Business, Education, Jose Solorio, Latinos, Literature, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

I visited Rueben Martinez’ bookstore, Libreria Martinez, at its new location, on 216 N. Broadway, just north of the Santora Building, on the West side of the street.  Martinez recently reopened at tha location.

The store is a delight!  It served yesterday as the site of Assemblyman Jose Solorio’s Election Night party.  There was a lot of food and cold drinks available, and a couple of cakes.  It was a festive evening.

The store has a great selection of novels, magazines and children’s books.  Their Chicano studies area is superb! 

You will also enjoy all the artwork in the store and the friendly surroundings.  Be sure to vist them soon!

Librería Martinez 2010 U.S. Census celebration set for Feb. 27

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U.S. Census Bus Tour

To respond to uncertainty of the Latino community in Santa Ana as to why participation in Census 2010 survey is vital to all, a local Santa Ana business owner has sought the support of Chapman University Public Relations Student Society of America and the U.S. Census Bureau to develop a campaign to assure fellow residents that the census is easy, important, and confidential.

With the support of Reuben Martinez’s own family and staff, Librería Martinez, the largest seller of books in Spanish in the U.S., will host a FREE Census Celebration; a day of crafts, stories and education for the families of Santa Ana to learn about the census and celebrate the opportunities it presents to the community.

The Librería Martinez Census Celebration will be hosted at Librería Martinez Saturday February 27th, the last Saturday before surveys are distributed. Activities will go from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM and include live entertainment, food, arts, crafts and booths with information about Census 2010. The book store staff will read a special interactive story designed to educate families about the importance of the census. Continue reading→

Dr. Ana Nogales to sign her books at Librería Martinez this Wednesday

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Dr. Ana Nogales

Dr. Ana Nogales signs her books “Parents Who Cheat” and “Latina Power!” at Librería Martinez Books and Art Gallery on Wednesday from 6 to 8p.m.

A native of Argentina, Dr. Nogales is one of the most well-known and respected Latinas in the United States. Through her private practice, media presence, books, and organizational leadership, she has dedicated herself to ensuring the mental health and success of women, Latinos, and anyone else who struggles with cultural and personal issues, victimization, and inequality. Continue reading→

Meet author Graciela Limón at Libreria Martinez this Saturday

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Graciela Limon

Meet the Author Graciela Limón at Libreria Martinez this Saturday, September 19th, 6:00pm – 8:00pm, at 1200 North Main Street, Suite 100-D, in Santa Ana.

Live reading with questions and answers. Song of the Hummingbird book signing.

How Much : Free!

Additional Information : Continue reading→