THE APPA Newsletter

July 4, 2006

Fourth of July:

http://www.usacitylink.com/usa/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)

See This Weekend

MISSION STATEMENT:

Promote full utilization of the capabilities of the Enterprise's employees and champion the betterment of the company and community. Promote interest in Asian Pacific issues and culture and act as a bridge to all groups within our community. (substitute in your Enterprise and company, etc…)

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ed. by Douglas Ikemi

(dkikemi@pacbell.net)

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Back issues of the newsletter for all of 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 are available at http://www.ikemi.info/APPA/newsletters.html if you want to look up some past event. The website www.apa-pro.org no longer exists. This newsletter was originally published under the auspices of the Hughes Asian Pacific Professional Association (no longer extant). It currently has no affiliation and is available to anyone who is interested in downloading it.

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Please send in information on cultural events and news items to dkikemi@pacbell.net or dkikemi@mac.com . Thanks to those who have.

Long range calendar items:

Chinatown Farmers Market Every Thursday, 3:00pm to 7:00pm Chinatown Business Improvement District http://www.ChinatownLA.com/ For Information (213)680-0243

Los Angeles Public Library Celebrates our DiverseCity

http://www.lapl.org/kidspath/events/diversecity/index.html

Mani Wall and A Sacred Geography

Exhibition at UCLA June 11 - September 10, 2006

In 1996, artist/writer Mary Heebner and her husband, photographer Macduff Everton, traveled to the walled Kingdom of Lo in Nepal’s Mustang district to visit Heebner’s daughter, Sienna Craig, an anthropologist and writer who lived in Nepal intermittently from 1993–2005. They rode horses and trekked, stopping at villages along the way. In 2004, Heebner and Everton returned again to visit Craig, who was then working as a medical anthropologist in Lhasa, Tibet.

“Mani Wall and A Sacred Geography” — on view at the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History from June 11 through Sept. 10 — is the result of a creative collaboration by Heebner, Craig and Everton, inspired by the landscape of these regions and the wall of painted boulders etched with Tibetan prayers (mani) that they encountered in Nepal.

In 2003, Heebner made individually pulp-painted sheets of paper, using variations of the ochre, gray and white stripes of the mani walls, to frame a collection of 12 sonnets that Craig had written about the Himalaya and Tibet. These sheets of paper became the loose-leaf pages of the elegant, limited-edition book, “A Sacred Geography: Sonnets of the Himalaya and Tibet,” which will be displayed at the Fowler in its entirety.

Heebner later used the same hues to create the “Mani Wall” series of paintings, also on display. Interspersed along the gallery walls will be a selection of 14 panoramic photographs of Nepal by Everton. Together, the words and images from this family project create a loving and personal tribute to this sacred region.

About the artists

Mary Heebner’s collages, paintings, works on paper and artist’s books are exhibited throughout the United States. A version of her artist’s book, “On the Blue Shore of Silence: Poems of the Sea by Pablo Neruda,” was published in 2004. She also writes travel articles for several magazines including Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Life and National Geographic Traveler.

Macduff Everton’s widely published photographs are exhibited and collected around the world. He is a contributing editor at National Geographic Traveler and Islands Magazine, as well as a correspondent for Virtuoso Life. Currently he is updating his seminal book, “The Modern Maya.”

Sienna Craig is completing a Ph.D. in medical and cultural anthropology from Cornell University. In 1998–99, Craig and her husband, Kenneth Bauer, founded DROKPA, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to form partnerships with pastoral communities in the Himalaya and Central Asia to implement grass-roots development and catalyze social entrepreneurship. In addition to her dissertation research, since 2002 she has been an ethnographer and research coordinator with a National Institutes of Health/Global Network for Women’s Health project based in Lhasa, Tibet. Her memoir, “Horses Like Lightning: A Passage Through Mustang,” will be published in 2007.

Visiting the Fowler

“Mani Wall and A Sacred Geography” is presented in conjunction with the debut of a major, traveling exhibition, “The Missing Peace: Artists Consider the Dalai Lama,” and will be on view in the Fowler Museum’s Goldenberg Galleria. The Fowler Museum, part of UCLA’s School of the Arts and Architecture, is located in the north part of the UCLA campus.

Related event: 1–4 p.m., Saturday, June 24, A World of Art Family Workshop: Books of Place

Write original poems about a special place — real or imagined — and combine them with watercolor paintings to create your own artist’s book based on the exhibition “Mani Wall and A Sacred Geography.” The cost is $10 for members; $15 for non-members. Reservations are required; call (310) 825-7325.

12:00 PM - 5:00 PM

UCLA Fowler Museum, Los Angeles, CA 90095

The Missing Peace: Artists Consider the Dalai Lama

Exhibition at UCLA June 11 - September 10, 2006

 UCLA Fowler Museum to Premiere the Traveling Exhibition 
 
Seventy-seven contemporary artists from 25 countries have contributed artworks for an exhibition inspired by the messages, vision and values of the Dalai Lama. “The Missing Peace: Artists Consider the Dalai Lama” — on view at the UCLA Fowler Museum from June 11-Sept. 10 — explores themes of peace, compassion, patience and tolerance. Participating artists have considered the Dalai Lama in a broad array of new and existing works made in a variety of media expressing their personal interpretations of and reflections on his philosophies and ideals.

A photograph of the Dalai Lama taken in India in 1998 by the late Richard Avedon was among the first works contributed to “The Missing Peace.” Many artists, including Bill Viola, Mike and Doug Starn, Sylvie Fleury, El Anatsui, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Michal Rovner and Chuck Close, have created new works for the exhibition. For example, Viola recently traveled to India to meet with the Dalai Lama to create a new work that will debut at the Fowler.

All works in the exhibition have been donated by the artists and will be auctioned to raise funds for the peace initiatives of the Dalai Lama Foundation and the Committee of 100 for Tibet, the co-sponsoring organizations. The Dalai Lama, who has met with “The Missing Peace” organizers on several occasions, supports the project and will be lending a work of art from his personal collection.

Darlene Markovich, president of the Committee of 100 for Tibet, is executive director of “The Missing Peace,” leading a team of more than 20 individuals and 17 international advisers who have been organizing the exhibition for more than two years.

“Our goal is to use art as inspiration and a catalyst to shift attention towards peace. We hope the exhibition will inspire others to explore and embrace these ideals,” Markovich said. “Peace may be elusive in our world, but the Dalai Lama consistently shows us that dedicating oneself to peace can have widespread positive impact.”

Randy Rosenberg, curator of “The Missing Peace,” formerly served as curator for the art collections of The World Bank and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

“The exhibition’s 77 artists bring their individual stories and experiences as well as a rich and diverse array of media and styles,” Rosenberg said, “but together their works speak eloquently to the Dalai Lama's vision of compassion, peace and the unity of all things.”

The exhibition and associated educational programs endeavor to make an enduring contribution to the global dialogue about peace. Extensive public programming planned in conjunction with the exhibition, from artists’ panels to family workshops that will encourage dialogue about peace and ethics, will be announced in the spring.

The Dalai Lama Foundation, founded in 2002, supports the development of our shared global capacity for ethics and peace. The Dalai Lama Foundation runs three initiatives: a free study guide and study circles on ethics and peace based on the Dalai Lama’s book “Ethics for a New Millennium,” online courses on ethics and peace topics, and curricula for “The Missing Peace.” Visit http://www.dalailamafoundation.org/.

Visiting the Fowler

The Fowler Museum is open from noon to 5 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays; and from noon until 8 p.m. on Thursdays, The museum is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The Fowler Museum, part of UCLA’s School of the Arts and Architecture, is located in the north part of the UCLA campus. Admission is free. Campus parking is available for $8 in Lot 4.

For more information, please visit http://www.dlportrait.org

Time: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM

UCLA
Fowler Museum
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Cost: Free

www. fowler.ucla.edu

From Heart to Hand

Exhibition at Pacific Asia Museum June 22 - September 17, 2006

Modern Japanese Prints from the George and Marcia Good Collection. From Heart to Hand focuses on 15 modern Japanese prints from the post war era as represented in the George and Marcia Good collection, donated to Pacific Asia Museum in 1990. These prints have been selected to present a sample of the wide array of styles and techniques found in works of the modern Japanese print movement.

Time: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Pacific Asia Museum, 46 N Robles Ave, Pasadena, CA  91101

Special Instructions

Wednesday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fridays 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Tel: (626) 449-2742, www.pacificasiamuseum.org

Merging: The Art of Diana Shui-Iu Wong March 18, 2006 – October 15, 2006

Merging features a collection of work that spans four decades, from Wong’s early impressionistic portraits and landscapes to recent abstract compositions inspired by the Chinese philosophy of the I Ching or The Book of Changes.

While Wong’s classical training in both Chinese and Western painting form the basis for her techniques, her study of the I-Ching offered her a decisive break from traditional modes as well as new creative directions. In 1962, Wong began to experiment beyond the conventions of her formal art training to explore the liberating complexity of abstraction. Discovering that she could express pride for her heritage and culture through her work, Wong has also found self- empowerment through her art making. Wong’s most recent work ventures boldly into abstraction while grounded in nature and the elements. Her striking images, like color-flooded snapshots of the cosmos, explore universal questions about being and balance.

Chinese American Museum

El Pueblo de Los Angeles

125 Paseo de la Plaza

Los Angeles, California 90012

www.camla.org, (213) 485-8567

Wednesday, July 12, 2006 REEL Hapa

Every second and fourth Wednesday through July and August, the National Museum will host screenings of film shorts that explore issues of identity. Following the films, community leaders, artists, activists, and others will share their own perspectives on identity and build upon issues discussed in each film.

July 12 films
What Are You Anyways? (2006) by Jeff Chiba Stearns
(10:40 min)

Sex, Love, & Kung Fu (2000) by Kip Fulbeck
(7:00 min)

In conjunction with the exhibition kip fulbeck: part asian, 100% hapa

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM, 369 East First Street, Los Angeles, California 90012, phone: (213) 625-0414, fax: (213) 625-1770

Thursday, July 13, 6 pm – 8:30 pm

Hong Kong Association of Southern California and the Irvine Chamber

of Commerce cordially invite you to attend the

4th Summer Mixer

Irvine Marriott Hotel

18000 Von Karman Avenue

Irvine, CA 92612

Co-sponsors:

Asian Business Association of Orange County

Asian Business League of Southern California

Asian Pacific-USA Chamber of Commerce

Black Chamber of Commerce of Orange County

Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Orange County

Latino Business Conexion

OCA – Orange County

Orange County Chinese American Chamber of Commerce

Orange County Korean American Bar Association

Orange County Korean American Coalition

Organization of Chinese American Entrepreneurs/Advisory Network

Singapore American Business Association of Southern California

South Asian Biz Alliance Network

Corporate Sponsors:

Cathay Pacific

Southern California Edison

Member/Co-sponsor: $15/person

Non-member/At the door: $20/person

For information, please contact Hong Kong Association Secretariat

213-622-9446, email: info@hkasc.org

July 15,16 Pasadena Buddhist Church Obon (626) 798-4781

1993 Glen Ave

Pasadena, CA 91103

July 16, 2006 Sozenji Community Obon Festival Sunday - 12 noon - 7:00 pm

Sozenji Buddhist Temple, 3020 W. Beverly Blvd, Montebello, CA  90640. Free and open to the public. For information, call (323) 724-6866

At Home in this World? Indonesian, Filipino, Thai and U.S. Music, Dance, and Theater

Exciting performances by artists from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and the U.S.

July 19 - Performances by artists from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and the U.S.

See photos at http://www.wac.ucla.edu/cip/appex/2006/APPEXPerformances.html

Performances by Fellows of the UCLA Asian Pacific Performance Exchange (APPEX) Program.

APPEX Fellows 2006
18 artists, from Asia and America, were selected through a highly competitive review process to participate in the 2006 Asia Pacific Performance Exchange Fellowship (APPEX) program from July 3-August 11, on the UCLA Campus. APPEX is the groundbreaking laboratory where artists teach their craft to each to her and create work together. Since its inception in 1995 APPEX has brought together more than 200 traditional and contemporary artists from Asia and the USA. In this postmodern world where it is so easy to co-opt imagery and create cultural pastiche, it is essential that we seek collaborative models that are equitable, self-reflexive and culturally informed. Join us to witness the efforts of the APPEX artists and consider the benefits of international exchange and collaboration.

Individual works Performances

July 19, Wednesday

July 21, Friday

Collaborative works

August 9, Wednesday

August 11, Friday

Time: 7:00 pm, Glorya Kaufman Dance Theater UCLA, 120 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles www.wac.ucla.edu/cip

Tickets: $12;  $10 students & seniors $36 to attend all 4 shows. Limited offer.

www.tickets.ucla.edu; 310-825-2101. Funded by U.S Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, National Endowment for the Arts, Ford Foundation, Ford Foundation-Jakarta and National Commission for Culture and Arts-Philippines. Co sponsor: UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture, UCLA Department of World Arts & Cultures and UCLA Center for Southeast Asian Studies

Glorya Kaufman Dance Theater, UCLA Campus, Los Angeles, CA 90095

Cost: $12; $10 students & seniors

Special Instructions

Parking at UCLA costs $8.

For more information please contact

Barbara Gaerlan
Tel: 310-206-9163
cseas@international.ucla.edu
www.international.ucla.edu/cseas/

The San Fernando Valley Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple will hold its Obon Festival on July 22 and 23. It will be held at the SFV Japanese-American Community Center, 12953 Branford St., Pacoima, CA 91331. Ondo dance practices will start on July 6 and will continue on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m.

At Home in this World? Asian Music, Dance, and Theater

Exciting performances by artists from the Philippines, India, and USA

July 19 - Performances by artists from the Philippines, India, and USA

See photos at http://www.wac.ucla.edu/cip/appex/2006/APPEXPerformances.html

Performances by Fellows of the UCLA Asian Pacific Performance Exchange (APPEX) Program.

APPEX Fellows 2006
Cultural, historical, religious and aesthetic influences converge when 18 artists work together for the first time. Join us to witness the vision and virtuosity of the  artists and consider the benefits of international exchange and collaboration.

Individual works Performances July 19, Wednesday July 21, Friday

Collaborative works August 9, Wednesday, August 11, Friday. Time: 7:00 pm, Glorya Kaufman Dance Theater UCLA, 120 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles 
www.wac.ucla.edu/cip

Tickets: $12;  $10 students & seniors $36 to attend all 4 shows. Limited offer.

www.tickets.ucla.edu; 310-825-2101

Glorya Kaufman Dance Theater UCLA Campus, Los Angeles, CA 90095

Cost: $12; $10 students & seniors

Special Instructions

Parking at UCLA costs $8.

For more information please contact

Barbara Gaerlan Tel: 310-206-9163, cseas@international.ucla.edu, www.international.ucla.edu/cseas/

July 29-30 Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple Obon Carnival, 505 E. 3^rd Street., Downtown LA Little Tokyo

July 29, 2006, Halau Hula Kawik Laua 'O Leinani presents Ho'ike 2006

Saturday, 3pm & 7pm

Featuring the songs and dances of Hawai'i, Tahiti, New Zealand and the wonderful sounds of the Kalika band.

For more information call (909) 396-4775 or e-mail, kawikaleinani@aol.com.

$20 General Admission

Aratani Japan America Theatre  

Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, 244 South San Pedro Street, Suite 505
(between 2nd and 3rd Streets), Los Angeles (Little Tokyo), CA 90012 (213) 628-2725

July 29-Aug 20 The Fox Lantern, a family puppet theatre production set in feudal Japan. World premiere at Triumirate Pi Theatre, Sat 11AM & 2PM, Sun 2 &4PM. (no 2PM show Aug 5, no performances Aug 13. Centenary United Methodist Church Social Hall, 300 S. Central Ave., (3^rd & Central in Little Tokyo). $10 adults, $5 children, For reservations call 213-617-9097, email cumcshotokyo@aol.com.

Aug 12-20 Nisei Week, Downtown LA Little Tokyo

Parade Aug 13

Ondo Aug 20

http://www.niseiweek.org/

Aug 12-13 Tofu Festival, Downtown LA Little Tokyo

September 1st, 2nd, & 3^rd E Hula Mau 2006 E Hula Mau is Southern California's only Hula and Chant competition, staged annually every Labor Day weekend since 1995 by Na Mamo, a non-profit organization based in Southern California.

Our goal is to blend honored traditions with innovative ideas, and to present for everyone from participating halau to special friends and guests, a wonderful experience from the Hawaiian people.

For halau, we strive to give them a setting where their artistry can be presented at its best. For the audience, an opportunity to experience the kinetic poetry that is hula. We wish for all that they have the feeling of being welcomed as `ohana, or family.

E Hula Mau is three days of hula, mele, arts, crafts, food, and fellowship. It is held in the beautiful Terrace Theater of the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center in Long Beach, California. Participating halau come from all over the mainland United States.

E Hula Mau is Not Only a Competition...

E Hula Mau has cultural workshops to share the Hawaiian heritage. It also has associated events such as the E Hula Mau Kanikapila Jam, featuring live entertainment, hula show, `ono foods, local snacks (crackseeds), and beautiful arts and crafts. Bring your guitar or `ukulele and jam with us Saturday night after the competition at the host hotel in the courtyard. Check our website periodically for additional information.

To top off the weekend, the Mahalo Bash is held Sunday night after the competition, always featuring the best in contemporary Hawaiian entertainment.

The heritage lives on through you.

It's official, E Hula Mau 2006, the 12th annual edition of the event, is scheduled, so mark your calendar now. The specifics are:

Labor Day Weekend, September 1st, 2nd, & 3rd, 2006

Terrace Theater

Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center www.longbeachcc.com/maps.htm

namamo.org

September 16, 2006 Queen Mary Asian Heritage Festival Saturday - 5:00 pm Queen Mary Special Events Park, Long Beach, CA

October 7 34^th Annual Akimatsuri Fall Festival 12-8PM East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center,

1203 West Puente Avenue                   

West Covina, California 91790 

http://esgvjcc.741.com/home.htm

SAVE YOUR SATURDAY NIGHTS FOR COLD TOFU!

AND NOW - WATCH VIDEOS ONLINE!

Join us for our monthly improv shows at Maryknoll!

Upcoming shows in 2006!

JULY 22, 7:30 pm

AUGUST 19, 7:30 pm

SEPTEMBER 23, 7:30 pm

OCTOBER 21, 7:30 pm

NOVEMBER 18, 7:30 pm

DECEMBER 16, 7:30 pm

Maryknoll Catholic Center

222 S. Hewitt St., LA 90012 (Located east of Alameda, between 2nd & 3rd Streets) Admission: Pay-What-You-Can

Make your reservations by calling (213) 739-4142 or e-mail us at coldtofu@hotmail.com. Email for details. www.coldtofu.com

See LA Library DiverseCity events at http://www.lapl.org/kidspath/events/diversecity/index.html

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This Weekend (and earlier)

July 8th and 9^th Zenshuji 48th Annual Obon Carnival

At Zenshuji Soto Mission of Los Angeles

Zenshuji Soto Mission of Los Angeles is pleased to announce the Zenshuji 48th Annual Obon Carnival will be held on July 8th and 9th, from 11am to 8pm. The carnival will include traditional Japanese cultural exhibitions, food, and entertainment such as:

Ikebana Exhibits 
Tea Ceremony Demonstrations 
Taiko Drumming (Zendeko) 
Carinval Games 
Photo Contest 
Karaoke Contest 
Karate (Matsubayashi Shorinji Ryu) 
Folk Dancing (Awa-odori) 
Folk Music (Matsumae Kai) 
Itayaki, Takoyaki, Teriyaki Beef, Udon

11:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Zenshuji Soto Mission, Los Angeles, CA 

Cost: Free

zenshujiobon@earthlink.net
www.zenshuji.org

July 8 Oxnard Buddhist Temple Obon Festival 250 S. “H” Street, Oxnard, Telephone: 805.483.5948

July 07, 2006 Performance - Odissi: An Experience in Elegance

At Thousand Oaks Civic Art Center, Scherr Forum

A vibrant and enchanting dance presentation by the Rudraksya Dance Troupe of India, July 7-9,2006

Odissi is the graceful and lyrical dance form of the eastern state of Orissa, India. Famous for its grace and charm; the dance is characterized by its rounded, fluid movements, as well as the abundance in sculpturesque poses, bearing close resemblance to the relief sculptures of the famous temples of Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar. Rudraksya ( www.rudrakshya.com) is led by Guru Bichitrananda Swain. At a young age he has become a reputed choreographer and is considered as a unique and great dance teacher (Guru). His choreography presents a distinct vision both in the theoretical and practical components of dance. Sri Swain is particularly interested in developing new work for the " purusha Anga " or male form.  Saturday, July 8, 2006 at 7:30 PM Cypress College Campus Theater, 9200 Valley View St, Cypress. Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 3:00 PM, Performing Arts Center, Cal State University, Northridge, 18111 Nordoff St, Northridge 

Friday, 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

Thousand Oaks Civic Art Center, Scherr Forum, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks, CA 

Cost: $50, $ 25 , Students $ 15

Special Instructions

For more information and tickets : Sunity Behera ( 310) 589 8451 Rickie Patnaik ( 818) 735 7821 Nandita Behera ( 714) 521 5655 Sushma Aggrawal ( 818) 718 6770 For Thousand Oaks Program also contact the ticketmaster.com or the box office at (805 ) 449 2787

www.rudrakshya.com

July 07, 2006 Screening - The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros (Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros) At DGA Theater 1

(Philippines, 2005) Dir.: Aureaus Solito

An award-winning example of the new digital cinema revolution currently sweeping the Philippine movie industry, this neo-realist feature essays the story of a young boy who cheerfully fulfills the role of dalaga (young lady) in a motherless family composed of an outlaw father and two older brothers. Maxi cleans the house, cooks, washes clothes and repairs tattered jeans for his relatives, who are all petty thieves. He even supplies them with the odd alibi, when needed. Maxi's homosexuality is accepted by his nearest and dearest. Loved and protected by his relatives, Maxi has a calming influence on the family and is the one in charge of the day-to-day running of the household. Things work out fine until Maxi meets Victor, a respected, principled policeman who awakens Maxi's dreams of a better life-on the straight and narrow. This is a recipe for disaster as far as the family is concerned, and it is not long before the situation incurs the wrath of his father, his brothers and his sisters.

100 minutes, color, narrative, in Tagalog with English subtitles

Friday, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

DGA Theater 1
Los Angeles, CA 

Special Instructions

Tickets go on sale May 30 for members and June 8 for the general public.

Tel: 213-480-7088
www.outfest.org

July 08, 2006 Kuh 25 Years Concert by Filipino singing star Kuh Ledesma

At The Grove of Anaheim

The Original Pop DIVA of the Philippines, KUH LEDESMA, celebrates 25 years of glorious music and entertainment with a much-anticipated concert in Los Angeles. Often compared to Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion and Sade, but with her own distinctive rich vocal style, KUH is first class all the way and her concerts back home are richly conceptualized with high-end production values.

Kuh Ledesma's music career spans 25 years of performances, which include more than 300 concerts, numerous awards in the Philippine music scene, and 18 albums in the local recording industry. She was the first Filipino singer to be the recipient of the Salem Music Awards in March 1989. In 1997 she released an international debut album entitled PRECIOUS, a collaboration of the best American and Filipino songwriters, arrangers and musicians.

In the 90's Kuh had a series of back-to-back concerts with foreign artists like Noel Pointer, Jack Jones, and Kenny Rankin (and later with The Platters and Michel Legrand). This later led to the popular POWER OF TWO concert series that had Kuh performing with Filipino artists such as Regine Velasquez, Pops Fernandez, and Jaya in a bid to show that artists can work together and go against formula in creating a good show.

Produced by Katz Entertainment and Red Fox Entertainment, KUH 25 YEARS is presented by Diverse and Inclusive Visionary Artists (DIVA), KSCI TV
18 and Seafood City Supermarket.

Joining KUH will be musical greats BASIL VALDEZ, CHRISTIAN BAUTISTA, Kuh's daughter ISABELLA and multi-award winning actor CHRISTOPHER DE LEON.

Saturday, 8:30 PM - 10:30 PM

The Grove of Anaheim. 2200 East Katella Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92806

Cost: $55 / $75

For more information please contact

Tickets Tel: 562-529-8680 , www.kuhledesma.net

July 08, 2006 TAIKOPROJECT: Rhythmic Relations 2006

A pulse-pounding drumming spectacular from TAIKOPROJECT, one of the nation's leading Japanese drum groups and its affiliated adult, collegiate and youth ensembles in innovative arrangements and crossover pieces merging the decades-old tradition with fresh, new energy.

Featuring

TAIKOPROJECT

Bombu Taiko

Kitsune Taiko

Yukai Daiko

Saturday, 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Ford Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, CA 90095

Cost: $35, $30, Children 12 & under $12

Tel: 323-461-3673, www.fordamphitheatre.org

July 9, 2006 Bridge USA Magazine Summer Japanese Festival Sunday - 5:00 pm, Torrance Cultural Center, Torrance Blvd & Madrona Ave, Torrance, Admission Required

Call:  (310) 532-5921 for more information

July 8-9 Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple - pm Tel. (213) 680-9130, Fax (213) 680-2110 815 East First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

July 7-9,2006 Performance - Odissi: An Experience in Elegance

At Cypress College Campus Theater

A vibrant and enchanting dance presentation by the Rudraksya Dance Troupe of India,

Odissi is the graceful and lyrical dance form of the eastern state of Orissa, India. Famous for its grace and charm; the dance is characterized by its rounded, fluid movements, as well as the abundance in sculpturesque poses, bearing close resemblance to the relief sculptures of the famous temples of Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar.Rudraksya (www.rudrakshya.com) is led by Guru Bichitrananda Swain. At a young age he has become a reputed choreographer and is considered as a unique and great dance teacher (Guru). His choreography presents a distinct vision both in the theoretical and practical components of dance. Sri Swain is particularly interested in developing new work for the " purusha Anga " or male form. 

Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 3:00 PM, Performing Arts Center , Cal State University, Northridge, 18111 Nordoff St, Northridge 

Saturday 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

Cypress College Campus Theater , 9200 Valley View St, Cypress, CA 

Cost: $50, $ 25 , Students $ 15

For more information and tickets : Sunity Behera ( 310) 589 8451 Rickie Patnaik ( 818) 735 7821 Nandita Behera ( 714) 521 5655 Sushma Aggrawal ( 818) 718 6770 For Thousand Oaks Program also contact the ticketmaster.com or the box office at (805 ) 449 2787

Sunday, July 9, 2006, 2pm Duane Ebata Memorial Award Fund Reception

Honoring 2006 Award Recipient Bando Hidesomi

The Duane Ebata Memorial Award is given annually in honor of Duane Ebata, former Artistic Director of the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center who passed away in 2000. The award recognizes emerging Asian Pacific Island performing artists.

This year's recipient, Bando Hidesomi, began her dance training under Madame Bando Mitsuhiro at the age of 3 years old. After continuing her study in Japan, Hidesomi returned to the United States to form Bando Hidesomi Nihon Buyo Kai through which she continues to foster understanding and appreciation of Nihon Buyo.

Program will include Japanese classical dance performances by Bando Hidesomi and members of Nihon Buyo Kai and light refreshments.

Please contact Lauren Miyamoto at (213) 628-2725 ext. 148 or Gail Matsui at (213) 628-2725 ext. 108.

For more information about the Duane Ebata Memorial Award, please contact Johnny Mori at (213) 628-2725 ext. 139.

The reception is free and open to the public. RSVP required by July 6.

George J. Doizaki Gallery

Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, 244 South San Pedro Street, Suite 505 (between 2nd and 3rd Streets) Los Angeles (Little Tokyo), CA 90012, (213) 628-2725

Last weekend I went to:

Institute for Japanese Art, Hanford http://www.shermanleeinstitute.org/

This is a small but elegant little museum in the middle of nowhere, so to speak. While I was there I got to meet the patron, Mr. Clark, and view the unpackaging of a new acquisition. They also gave me a free bottle of water. If you’re in the area, near Visalia/Fresno, give it a visit, but it’s closed in August and July.

Shinzen Japanese Garden in Fresno http://www.shinzenjapanesegarden.org/ Surprisingly nice and large garden in Wadsworth Park at the north end of Fresno, which is really huge these days.

Anime Expo, Anaheim. Unfortunately, this convention is getting very big and impersonal, but they are trying to add some cultural features such as a tea ceremony.

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Links to selected articles from the LA Times. To actually access the articles, you may have to sign up for a free account.

In Defiance, North Korea Fires Missiles

At least six land in the Sea of Japan. One, a long-range Taepodong 2, fails soon after takeoff. The White House issues a strong condemnation.

By Bruce Wallace and Barbara Demick, Times Staff Writers

July 5, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-fg-missiles5jul05,1,5368575.story

Erin Aubry Kaplan: Immigration debate club

High-schoolers show us all how to talk about immigration with passion and persuasion.

July 5, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-kaplan5jul05,1,6755174.column

Music Group to Sue Yahoo China

From the Associated Press

July 5, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-yahoo5jul05,1,3158403.story

Ryutaro Hashimoto, 68; Tough Former Prime Minister of Japan

From the Associated Press

July 2, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/state/la-me-hashimoto2jul02,1,348695.story

Japan's Koizumi Shakes Up Graceland

The prime minister, long a fan of the King, cuts loose as he tours with the Bushes and Presleys.

By Peter Wallsten, Times Staff Writer

July 1, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-bush1jul01,1,1588147.story

Japanese dancer wins ballet contest

From the Associated Press

July 1, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-quick1.6jul01,1,727920.story

Is what's funny in Japan funny in L.A.?

The Yoshimoto Kogyo comedy troupe will find out today when it takes the Kodak stage.

By Bruce Wallace, Times Staff Writer

July 1, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/la-et-comedy1jul01,1,3857743.story

High Court Rules Out Tribunals for Gitmo Detainees

By Joel Havemann, Times Staff Writer

11:05 AM PDT, June 29, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-062906scotus,1,749938.story

The draw at Anime Expo? Manga

Fans of the popular comic books are expected in droves. Costumes optional.

By Alex Chun, Special to The Times

June 29, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-wk-alt29jun29,1,1571793.story

Honda Selects Indiana for New Plant

From the Associated Press

June 29, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-honda29jun29,1,6366123.story

Orphans of the Chinese Economy

Millions of children are separated from parents who have left their villages to make a living. The social effects may be tragic and far-reaching.

By Ching-Ching Ni, Times Staff Writer

July 5, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-fg-children5jul05,1,4399306.story

China wary of S. Korean film

From Reuters

July 5, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-quick5.4jul05,1,2300790.story

Foiling Beijing's cyber cops

'Tunnels' help Chinese users bypass censorship and access blocked Western websites.

By Bill Xia, BILL XIA is chief executive officer of Dynamic Internet Technology Inc. (www.dit-inc.us)

July 3, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-xia3jul03,1,4283228.story

A Rail Through the Roof of the World

As China inaugurates a train link with Tibet, natives bemoan effects on the environment and what they see as Beijing's effort to exert control.

By Ching-Ching Ni, Times Staff Writer

July 1, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-train1jul01,1,2650557.story

For Chinese Fans, Games Are Must-See TV

Reuters

June 30, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-cupwindow30jun30,1,2894005.story

Irvine Reverses Its China Policy

O.C. city will rework sister city agreement to include Taiwan partner.

By Jean O. Pasco, Times Staff Writer

June 29, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sistercity29jun29,1,3243675.story