TNC Tonight: Comedy, Cocks, Opera, Poetry

It feels like forever since the last time I heard The Fighting Cocks play. I think it was November, at applesauce's farewell party. (And oh yeah, the frontman is also The Park's Finest bbq master & TNC Resident Host Johneric Concordia.)

This is also going to be the last time in a while that I'll get to hear Mary Rose's sweet soprano live since she's going off to grad school in Santa Barbara. Ah, so much is changing.

Also, along with the tide of theatre that has come to Los Angeles this month (including the 3rd National Asian American Theater Festival & Conference) came Laos In The House from the Midwest. 

Too much good stuff, as is always the case in LA. 

Dayshots: Gardena to Long Beach // Biking

I biked12-13 miles from Gardena to Long Beach a few weeks ago. I considered taking public transit, but the trip planner said to take the 125, which is slow and often very late (yes, even by LA Metro standards-- I took this line often in 2009 because it was one of the few which run through the little ol' town of Bellflower). And I'd have to transfer to a Long Beach Transit line to get to my final destination. The public transit option wasn't much faster than the biking option, and I didn't have any strict time constraints, so I biked it.

Central & Walnut

It was a good ride, especially along the stretch near CSU Dominguez Hills. There were large plots of flowers, the sidewalks were wide and smooth, and Del Amo Boulevard actually has a really sweet bike lane. The most difficult part was probably the uphill ride over the 91 freeway, when I gave up and walked my bike. I'm a wuss sometimes.

Spider along the LA River

It took me about 90 minutes to get to Carson & Cherry. It may have taken less time if I hadn't taken Gardena Boulevard and meandered through unfamiliar neighborhoods. I didn't realize it would end and just kept turning south and east until I hit a familiar street. The ride made me think about how rarely I travel toward a destination without time constraints, and how the amount of time it takes to get somewhere sometimes seems so important even when I don't have them. It was good to stop and let go of that fixation for a bit. 

Khmers On Three Stages // LA Theatre

You know what's exciting about living in Los Angeles right now? Other than my blossoming and fruiting little garden? Theatre. Seeing Khmer Americans stories and/or actors take the stage. I'm planning to see them all.

Extraordinary Chambers
(Seeing this on Tuesday!)

Year Zero

Krunk Fu Battle Battle
(I work at EWP where this is playing, but I haven't seen this yet. Soon!)

Gardening Schemes with Colorish Dreams // 1st&3rd Tuesday Night Cafe

My friend A'misa (artist, writer, and creator of Colorish Dreams) and I have been sharing our growing dreams and schemes-- from future claimed public spaces to throwing all sorts of seeds into the moist earth to see if they grow. She and her mother have been incredibly successful with their saved seeds. Particularly cantaloupe seeds.

baby melons

She gave me this little pot of half a dozen seedlings (which I have no idea where to plant), and has a bunch more that she's trying to find homes for. We're on the lookout for a good spot for a guerrilla melon patch.

As for me, I have at least four dozen chamomile sprouts that I foolishly sowed into an egg carton. I have plans for places to plant them, but I doubt I'm going to find enough homes for them. They don't take much care, though, once they get established, and apparently even flourish with a little bit of neglect.

just-sprouting chamomile 

So we're going to bring our extra seeds and little seedlings to the next Tuesday Night Cafe and share them with any takers. I'm sure there are seed bartering/exchanging events around LA, through the Seed Library of Los Angeles and the like, but it's always nice to be able to incorporate new things with old stand-bys. And, there's going to be music, poetry, live art, vendors, and general community goodness at TNC. So why not add some living green things, too? Not sure where we're going to put them, but we'll figure it out.

Guerilla plant exchange/giveaway
1st&3rd Tuesday Night Cafe
Aratani Courtyard
120 Judge John Aiso St, 90012
Show starts at 7:30 so come by at around 7:00 to check out what plants make it to Little Tokyo.

If You Want Midweek Music Goodness

Go to these events:

MidTones TONIGHT (& every 1st Wednesday), 9p. in Chinatown

MidTones Open Jam takes place at legendary Grand Star Jazz Club on the 1st Wednesdays every month, offering an inclusive venue for musicians, noise-makers and music-lovers to experiment, explore and experience. Led by SK, music at the event ranges from Miles Davis to Black Sabbath, Michael McDonald to Bob Marley, Frank Zappa to Prince, Journey to uncategorizable pure improvisation.

common ground open mic (for music, poetry, and some tasty community vibes)

This month's common ground features Andrew Figueroa Chang (whose EP I fell in love with last winter), Quincy Surasmith (Tuesday Night Project live web stream master), and forWord (a spoken word collective of fellow UCI grads & Uncultivated Rabbits), which means, obviously, that I must go. 

One day, there will be convenient, efficient mass transit between Los Angeles & Orange County. This is the mantra I'm going to repeat whenever I find myself taking a circuitous 2+ hour transit route or sitting in soul-crushing rush hour traffic between the two.