HAPPY BELATED LABOR DAY!!!

I desire to love myself as I truly am - and to live courageously.
~Jonathan-Lockwood Huie


WASSUP FAMILY!!!

DEAR DIARY:
That's right, it's LABOR DAY. For those of you who don't know, Here n the United States, Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of their country.

For most working people, labor day means a well deserved day off from work where they can stay with their families, rest, go shopping, etc.

I hope everybody out there enjoyed their Labor Day.

Mine was fantastic!!!

Yesterday, I went up to Griffith Park for some exercise, and some hiking.

From there, I went to Crenshaw Mall, got some shoes, then went down to Leimert park for the Leimert Park Artwalk!

There was food, things to buy, live shows, a drum circle, just anything you could find.

While there, I ran into 2 ladies selling their herbal products... They didn't allow me to take photos of them, but they did let me take photos of their buisness cards:

In case you can't read them, the name of the lady on the first card is CHRISTINA MARTINEZ, and she's a Herbalist/Universal Soldier,
And her email is natureshealingsource@yahoo.com.

And the name of the lady on the second card is Ayana Nataki, and she's a Herbalist, Fitness Trainer, and Health Coach.
And she has a web site, www.natakiwellnesscenter.com.
And her email is ayana@natakiwellnesscenter.com

Christina has also told me that she and Ayana go to Leimert Park almost every Sunday, so if you're in the area, come on down, say hello, and buy something.


And now, for the reason I went there.

The reason I went to the artwalk at Leimert park is that every month, the CentroEsportivo CapoeiraAngola L.A. holds an Open Roda there, where capoeiristas from all over L.A. come to play Capoeira Angola.

Here's some photos I took of them.

Once Again, the Open Roda was hosted by the Centro Esportivo de Capoeira Angola de Mestre Pastinha - Mestre Cobrinha Verde - Mestre João Grande de Los Angeles.

Capoeira Angola classes are held three times each week:

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to noon. The location for these classes is:

Chuco's Justice Center
1137 E. Redondo Blvd.
Inglewood, CA 90302
(1 light West of Crenshaw Blvd, 1 block North of Florence on West Blvd.)

Class attire is:
~ white or khaki full length pants with belt
~ white shirt long enough to stay tucked into pants
~ comfortable athletic shoes
~ headwrap/cover for long hair

Single movement and music class is $15.
Single music class is $10.
Members of the Chuco's Justice Center student, faculty, staff and activists in support of Chuco's see Uncle James for discount.
A month pass for all classes is $100.

Under 18 years train without charge.

Elders check with Naana or Uncle James for discount.

Students of other capoeira schools, new students and visitors are welcome to come learn the Capoeira Angola of Mestre Joao Grande at CECA-LA!

We can be found on Facebook at:
www.facebook.com/CentroEsportivoCapoeiraAngola.LosAngeles
or CentroEsportivo CapoeiraAngola L.A.

Our email address is:
cecademestrejoaograndela@gmail.com

Our phone number:
424-200-4968









HUMANITY'S TEAM

The angels will always help you.

All you have to do is ask them.

– Doreen Virtue
FROM HUMANITY'S TEAM
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE HUMANITY'S TEAM NEWSLETTER







So, what did I do on Labor day?

I'm glad you asked. check out this video:



This amazing song is being performed by RACHEL LYNN SEBASTIAN. In this video, she was performing at ROOM 5 in Hollywood, the same night I first met her.

To those of you who don't know who she is, RACHEL LYNN is a singer/songwriter originally from Irrigon, Oregon.

Acting as a soulful storyteller, Rachel Lynn brings a dramatic vibrancy to the stage. Her lyrics are soaked with passion, irony and humility and only her unforgettable voice and presence can facilitate the power of her message.

She released her debut album, NEW DAY, c/o Rolling Beat Records, in 2006. Then, after more than a dozen single release post-album, she came out with her collaborative 5 song digital EP with producer Eric Monsanty, 'Hard to be There' and has just released her 2nd full-length album, "Raven Heart", which was 100% fan funded.

(I admit, I didn't contribute much at all for her album, but I did write a couple of blogs about it. you can check of them out HERE.)

Her mission is to empower community to empower each other to realize their dreams. Now I always thought that this is a pretty good description of Rachel, which is why I use it. But I thought I'd do you one better.

I thought I'd show you this video, where tells us a little bit about herself in her own words...



Published on Aug 25, 2013
Many times I feel like a facade...with so much content online. I wanted to give you a chance to get to know the human being behind the music. You are LOVED and I am so very grateful for the love that give me.

http://www.rachellynnsebastian.com
Category
Music
License
Standard YouTube License


Anyway, on the night of Labor Day, I went out to Riviera 31 Lounge in the "Sofitel Hotel", for her welcome back party!!! You see, for TWO YEARS, she's been away from L.A., which she considers her second hometown. but now,

SHE'S BAAAAACK!!!


AND I FOR ONE, AM VERY HAPPY SHE'S BACK!

Now of course I wasn't the only one there to help her celebrate. There were many of her friends and loved ones there to help her celebrate.

Let me tell you about a few of them.

Now if you read this blog, these people need no introduction... But I'm gonna do it anyway.

The couple on the left are Lucas Francis and Roxie Sakura. They are Newlyweds, and part of an AMAZING band called THEKI.

The ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL woman on the right is Amanda Espinoza, but I'll talk about her a little bit later.

So, what is THEKI?

TheKI is an ensemble that fuses pop, jazz and electronic music with ancient wisdom and serves as one more voice in the movement to combat the abuse, in all its forms, of human rights and freedom. With jazzy harmonizations floating over ambient grooves and topped with inspirational quotes, theKI invites audiences and listeners to dance, chill, and feel inspired.

Roxie Sakura- Vocals
Sean Hill- Spoken Word
Lucas Francis- Bass and Electronic Beats
Antonio Dangond- Keyboard and Vocals
Nick Kraus- Drums and Percussion

This is their signature song, and my favorite, "Breathe".





Now, about Amanda.

Amanda Espinoza is the lead singer of a band called BELLA SOL. I first met her at the TRIP on lincoln blvd. in Santa Monica where she, along with a few other bands performed for the victims of the boston marathon bombing, I believe.

So, what is Bella Sol?

The Bella Sol band brings to the table an amazing array of Pop /Rock/R&B music filled with contagious melodies and soulful lyrics. A colorful collection of pop /rock, acoustic, ballads, and dance music, that is sure to please. Keeping it real, our music is about life… taking a vision, a moment, an emotion, and translating it through our instruments. Driving, funky, rhythmic, tender, and raw, each song takes a life of its own.

Bella Sol has the pleasure of playing and writing music with an amazing group of musicians. Each bring forth a special ingredient that give the music life. She and her band of talented musicians are based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Here's a small taste of what they can do:





Check out this picture below:

The guy on the right with the Duckface (Yes, when you see somebody willingly doing a duckface, THAT'S how you know you're listening to some DAMN GOOD MUSIC) is Luis Narino, lead singer/guitarist of THE NOBLE CREATURES.

This was the first time I met him in person. I was introduced to him online last September by Roxie Sakura, when she shared a link to the kickstarter campaign his band had made for their album "Strange Behavior". I checked out their campaign, and listened to their music, and thought it was really cool, so I posted a link to their campaign on my blog, and told Roxie about it, which led to the introduction.

So, what is NOBLE CREATURES?

FROM THEIR WEB SITE: Noble Creatures was set loose in 2008, introducing a unique breed of Latin Alternative Pop and Soul-Funk grooves to the streets of Los Angeles. Their performances are passionate, raw, and electric with an unmistakable and intoxicating sound. Fueled by signature tracks like “Had Enough,” a rockin’ soul-groove track with a dance-inducing backbeat, and “Canta,” a bilingual summer anthem boasting the LA nightlife, Noble Creatures is an experience that leaves an impression with the senses.

El Segundo TV did an interview with Luis, where he talks about what Noble Creatures is about in his own words.

------CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT------

Here's an excerpt from the interview:



This Saturday, Noble Creatures is having a CD release party at The Virgil, 4519 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA. 90029. So, if any of my readers out there are in the area, come on down and let's get our party on!!! Anyway, to sum up the night, I CAME, I SAW, I PARTIED!!! Well, not totally... there were times when I just sat by myself and became a wallflower... I can do a good wallflower at parties.

But there were times when I did have some fun, mingled and got my boogie on... I danced with Rachel and Amanda, AND I got a picture with the most RADIANT woman in the room!!!

Yep, it was great to be me that night.

But I DO regret 2 things.

One, I didn't get to hear Rachel sing that night, and two, I FORGOT TO ASK HER ABOUT GETTING A SIGNED COPY OF RACHEL'S ALBUM RAVENHEART!!

Well, next time I guess.

But until then...


WELCOME BACK, RACHEL!!!!!!


For some reason, this has become one of my favorite of Rachel's songs.











Your mind is a living temple where God lives.
~don Miguel Ruiz