The Power of Kindness: Troy Alexander – Troy Skincare for Men

My mother always said, “Troy, always be nice, you never know who you will meet that could change your life.” I had the pleasure of sitting next to Rabbi Kalman Samuels on my flight to Miami today and having the most fascinating talk about life: dreams, meaning of life and purpose. He wrote a book titled Dreams Never Dreamed, a powerful story about his son, who lost his sight and hearing, the Helen Keller of Israel.

It was such a powerful chat about pain, anger, positive thiniking and never giving up no matter what and how God has purpose for all of us. He and his wife dedicated their existence because of their son to helping families / children with disabilities regardless of religion, ethnic background, or financial capability. They started small and now Shalva is one of the largest organizations in Israel helping 2000 children through birth to adulthood weekly and they built a $25 million dollar facility. Through being of service, it has turned him into a very successful man, as he stated. I shared what I am building and the hurdles, he said, “God has you, young man. You have purpose and meaning, your time is coming, keep going and don’t listen to the noise, everyone has an opinion, have they built anything? And lets keep in touch there are alot of men in Israel who need skincare.”

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Bruton sisters make return in new art exhibition

The table Wendy Van Wyck Good saw in her design magazine was unlike anything she’d seen. Traversing eras and styles, the librarian wanted to know more about the unique piece. So she started digging and discovered the Bruton sisters, Helen, Margaret and Esther, San Francisco artists who pushed each other across mediums and styles over nearly five decades.

There wasn’t much within easy reach in 2018 when she first began her journey, so she kept looking.

The more she read, the more she wanted to know, leading her to write a book and now present a guest-curated selection of 18 works by the sisters at the University of California, Irvine Langson Institute and Museum of California Art.

“People don’t realize how respected they were, particularly in the 1930s,” she said.

Coming from a well-to-do family, the sisters were able to focus on their art in Depression-era California and beyond, living together for a large portion of their careers.

“They were always trying something new, and when one sister found a new approach, the others often tried it as well,” Good said. “There was no ego. No rivalry.”

The exhibit, “The Bruton Sisters: Modernism in the Making,” opened Saturday and will run through May 6.

It’s the first group exhibition of their work in more than 50 years, with some pieces on public display for the first time.

The Bruton sisters’ work shows off a range of styles, covering some pivotal years of American history.

Among the pieces on display is “Barns on Cass Street” by Margaret Bruton, a painting from 1925 that represents a starting point of her career.

Good said it shows her roots in impressionism before moving into other schools of painting, like cubism, eventually giving up the medium in 1930 in favor of new modes of expression.

Each sister drove the innovation of the other two as they all gained fame and recognition. But their fame waned as the times changed.

“After World War II, their popularity began to decline and, unfortunately, were largely forgotten by the 1980s,” Good said.

The memory of their work returns in the new exhibit. Open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, the show is at 18881 Von Karman Ave., Suite 100.

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Gustavo Dudamel will leave LA Phil to join NY Phil

LOS ANGELES — Gustavo Dudamel, the charismatic musical director of the LA Phil, will leave Los Angeles to join the New York Philharmonic, the NY Phil announced Tuesday. Dudamel will succeed Jaap van Zweden in becoming music director and will also assume the role of artistic director for a five-year term starting with the 2026-2027 season.

He will serve as music director designate in 2025-2026.

“We are thrilled to welcome Gustavo Dudamel as the next music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic,” NY Phil Board Co-Chairmen Peter May and Oscar Tang said in a statement. “Building on his orchestra’s great legacy, he joins a historic list of distinguished music directors.”

Gustav Mahler, Arturo Toscanini and Leonard Bernstein have all served in the role previously.

“Today, above all, I am grateful,” Dudamel said in a statement. “I am grateful to the musicians and leadership of the New York Philharmonic as we embark upon this new and beautiful journey together; to my beloved family at the Los Angeles Philharmonic and YOLA for helping me to learn and grow through countless challenges and triumphs; and to my Maestro Abreu and the musicians of Venezuela who have been there with me since the beginning.”

He continued: “As the great poet Federico Garcia Lorca said, ‘Every step we take on earth brings us to a new world.’ I gaze with joy and excitement at the world that lies before me in New York City, and with pride and love at the world I have shared — and will continue to share — with my dear Angelenos over the next three seasons and beyond. All of us are united in our belief that culture creates a better world, and in our dream that music is a fundamental right. I look forward to the work ahead.”

Now 42, Dudamel debuted with the New York Phil in Nov. 2007, conducting 26 concerts, including pieces by Dvorak and Prokofiev.

Dudamel has been the music and artistic director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 2009 and music director of the Opera National de Paris since 2021.

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Knott’s Berry Farm kicks off the Peanuts Celebration

— If you’ve ever wanted to know what it feels like to be a part of Charles Schulz’s Peanuts gang, now is your chance.

What You Need To Know

Knott’s Berry Farm is hosting a Peanuts Celebration through Feb. 26
The month-long celebration features meet-and-greets with Peanuts characters, shows and photo ops
Knott’s Berry Farm was the first theme park to license Peanuts in 1983
Cartoonist Charles Schulz created the Peanuts comic strip in 1950

At Knott’s Berry Farm, photo booths show that you’re pulling the football from Charlie Brown, and another where you’re clutching onto Linus’ blanket or receiving a kiss from Snoopy.

There’s a child-to-teacher translator booth where you can hear yourself make the Wah Wa Wa sound.

Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang have taken over Knott’s Berry Farm.

The Buena Park theme park is again celebrating Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang by running a Peanuts Celebration event through Feb. 26.

The month-long event features a rock-and-roll show starring Snoopy and meet-and-greets with Peanuts characters such as Franklin, Marcie and Pig Pen. There are speech bubble exclamations with iconic catchphrases like Charlie Brown’s “Good grief” throughout the park.

Visitors could also learn how to draw certain Peanuts characters from a resident park artist, learn more about Schulz’s famous comic strip characters at Charlie Brown’s Trivia Challenge, and check out an exhibit that showcases Snoopy’s relationship with NASA.

Knott’s Berry Farm was the first theme park to license Schulz’s Peanuts, such as Charlie Brown and Snoopy and the rest of the gang, in 1983.

Since that partnership, Knott’s has created a themed area called Camp Snoopy where visitors can meet Peanuts characters, and a seasonal Snoopy on Ice show that is 40 years running.

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LA Civil Rights Opens Nine Peace & Healing Centers

LOS ANGELES – Today, the Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department (LA Civil Rights) launched Peace & Healing Centers in nine communities, called LA REPAIR Zones, across the city. The $2 million pilot program works with community-based organizations to create physical spaces and public programming centered on environmental, social and economic healing.

“Too often, communities suffering from historic neglect are continually ignored. Today is a step towards breaking away from that status quo,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “During my administration, I look forward to working closely with the LA Civil Rights department as we take action on behalf of all Angelenos.”

“So many Los Angeles communities were shut out from progress and opportunity, and those same communities now suffer from the highest rates of poverty, pollution and violence,” said LA Civil Rights Executive Director Capri Maddox. “They also happen to be primarily communities of color. Peace & Healing Centers are one way we can begin to repair this harm, by working with trusted community partners and creating public spaces for social, economic and environmental healing.”

Eight community-based organizations were selected to operate Peace & Healing Centers in nine REPAIR Zones, which stands for Reforms for Equity and Public Acknowledgement of Institutional Racism. REPAIR Zones have some of the highest pollution and overcrowded housing in the city, and account for half of all Angelenos living in poverty. Roughly 87% of the people living in REPAIR Zones are people of color.

Peace & Healing Centers will offer mental health and other supportive services to these communities impacted by a legacy of systemic racism. The Peace & Healing Centers are:

Para Los Niños in the South LA REPAIR Zone.
Volunteers of America Los Angeles (VOALA) in the Southeast LA REPAIR Zone.
Bryant Temple AME Community Development Corporation in the West Adams, Leimert Park, and Baldwin Village REPAIR Zone.
Central City Neighborhood Partners (CCNP) in the Westlake REPAIR Zone.
YMCA LA in the Wilmington and Harbor Gateway REPAIR Zone.
Proyecto Pastoral in the Boyle Heights REPAIR Zone.
Creating Justice LA in the Skid Row REPAIR Zone.
El Nido Family Centers in Arleta-Pacoima REPAIR Zone and Mission Hills – Panorama City – North Hills REPAIR Zone.

Each Peace & Healing Center is required to offer at least 20 hours a week of open-door healing programming, but it can be tailored to meet their community’s unique needs. Examples of programs include meditation and healing through art in Skid Row, youth mentoring in South LA, street vendor permitting and community gardening in Pacoima, and a women’s mental health group in Westlake. Together, they will create a citywide network of Peace & Healing Centers that can provide community spaces for healing and dialogue in times of crisis.

“The new centers will provide an opportunity for our communities to heal from the generational trauma caused by economic hardship and disinvestment,” said Community Investment for Families General Manager, Abigail R. Marquez. “While we cannot undo the systemic racism that has deeply hurt our communities, especially communities of color, we can address them through intentional work. We believe the impact of this program will create environmental, economic, and social growth.”

“The Youth Development Department is proud to join in the celebration of the City’s first Peace and Healing Centers, a step in the right direction to implement culturally informed programming for our communities and generations that have been harmed through institutional and structural racism,” said Lisa Salazar, Executive Director of the Youth Development Department. “Through its nine centers, youth in Los Angeles residing in the highest levels of poverty, overcrowded housing, and pollution will be supported through an array of services that focus on environmental, social, and economic healing. We are proud to be a partner in sharing these resources and investments for our youth.”

The Peace & Healing Center program follows the LA REPAIR Participatory Budgeting program, launched by LA Civil Rights in the same nine REPAIR Zones last year.

Click here to find the Peace & Healing Centers webpage.

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MALIK BOOKS & PAFF JOIN FORCES FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH

BLACK-OWNED, INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE BRINGS THE LOVE OF READING TO THE 31ST ANNUAL PAN AFRICAN FILM & ARTS FESTIVAL

LOS ANGELES, CA (February 1, 2023) – For Black History Month, Malik Books is excited to bring the love of reading to the 31st Annual Pan African Festival & Arts Festival. During the film festival’s run, the black-owned, independent bookstore will host a book-signing and Q&A featuring attorney and television personality Eboni K. Williams, author of BET ON BLACK: THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT BEING BLACK IN AMERICA TODAY. The book calls for Black people worldwide to adopt a fresh, highly-informed mindset that will change lives. Devyn Bakewell, who serves as assistant managing editor of the Los Angeles Sentinel and the Los Angeles Watts, and a romance novelist – the author of GREATER LOVE and GREATER LIFE — will serve as a moderator.

Audiences may be familiar with Williams thanks to her appearances on ABC’s “The View” and Season 13 of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New York.” In her new book, BET ON BLACK, Williams delves into some of the cornerstones of leading a first-class Black life, ranging from knowing one’s history to understanding the power of representation to investing in the sometimes challenging processes of success.

As Williams writes in her introduction, “Black excellence is as much an individual journey as a collective one. I will admit that my belief in what I consider to be a fundamental truth about the place of Blackness in our society didn’t come effortlessly. My own road to embracing who I am and what I can do has been met with many obstacles in my career and personal life, a couple of which I’ll share with you. At one point in my education and career, I thought it would be easier to make myself smaller. But over time, I’ve learned how to stay true to my ideals, and Black foundation, so becoming small was no longer a viable option.”

“We are excited to collaborate with the Pan African Film Festival in celebrating Black culture,” said Malik Muhammad, who founded Malik Books in 1990 at the corner of Crenshaw and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards before moving to the mall four years later. “Our bookstore provides a vehicle where people can embrace their Blackness and educate and empower themselves to connect with their African American heritage. Without censorship, a person can explore his or her own Blackness and be enlightened through the pages of hundreds of books at Malik Books.”

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Beyonce Announces 2023 Renaissance Stadium Tour

Last year, Beyoncé released Renaissance, her first album of original songs in six years. Today, the superstar announced a world tour in support of it.

The tour will hit stadiums around the world, beginning in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 10th. The European leg concludes with a show in Warsaw on June 27. The North American leg kicks off a few weeks later with two shows at Toronto’s Rogers Centre on July 8.

Last month, Beyoncé played her first proper show in five years at the opening of a hotel in Dubai. This will be Beyoncé’s first proper solo tour since 2016, when she hit the road in support of Lemonade. In 2018, she co-headlined a tour with her husband Jay-Z.

The announcement comes days ahead of the upcoming Grammy Awards, which she’s nominated in nine categories

Beyoncé 2023 Renaissance tour dates:

5/10 Stockholm, Sweden – Friends Arena
5/14 Brussels, Belgium – Baudoin Stadium
5/17 Cardiff, Wales – Principality Stadium
5/20 Edinburgh, Scotland – Murrayfield
5/23 Sunderland, England – Stadium of Light
5/26 Paris, France – Stade de France
5/29 London, England – Tottenham Hotspur
5/30 London, England – Tottenham Hotspur
6/6 Lyon, France – Groupama Stadium
6/8 Barcelona, Spain – Olympic Stadium
6/11 Marseille, France – Orange Velodrome
6/15 Cologne, Germany – Rheinenergiestadion
6/17 Amsterdam, Netherlands – JC Arena
6/21 Hamburg, Germany – Volksparkstadion
6/24 Frankfurt, Germany – Deutsche Bank Park
6/27 Warsaw, Poland – PGE Nardowy
7/8 Toronto, Ontario – Rogers Centre
7/9 Toronto, Ontario – Rogers Centre
7/12 Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field
7/15 Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium
7/17 Louisville, KY – Cardinal Stadium
7/20 Minneapolis, MN – Huntington Bank Stadium
7/22 Chicago, IL – Soldier Field
7/26 Detroit, MI – Ford Field
7/29 East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
8/1 Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium
8/3 Pittsburgh, PA – Heinz Stadium
8/5 Washington, D.C. – FedEx Field
8/9 Charlotte, NC – Bank of America Stadium
8/11 Atlanta, GA – Mercedes Benz Stadium
8/16 Tampa, FL – Raymond James Stadium
8/18 Miami, FL – Hard Rock Stadium
8/21 St Louis, MO – Dome at America’s Center
8/24 Glendale, AZ – State Farm Stadium
8/26 Las Vegas, NV – Allegiant Stadium
8/30 San Francisco, CA – Levi’s Stadium
9/2 Inglewood, CA – SoFi Stadium
9/11 Vancouver, British Columbia – BC Place
9/13 Seattle, WA – Lumen Field
9/18 Kansas City, MO – Arrowhead Stadium
9/21 Dallas, TX – AT&T Stadium
9/23 Houston, TX – NRG Stadium
9/27 New Orleans, LA – Caesars Superdome

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Spaghettini: Rebecca Jade& The DK Cruise House Band with Special Guest Ken Turner, Thursday, February 2nd

You’re in for a treat with the House Band from the Dave Koz Cruise! (Dave Koz will not be present).

Tickets – https://spaghettini.com/event/dave-koz-cruise-all-stars-featuring-rebecca-jade-2-2-23/

You’ll get a taste of the musical vibes that rock the ship on the Dave Koz Cruise with Rebecca Jade. Rebecca is a vocalist and has been involved with music her entire life. Growing up in a musical home and having generations of musicians in her family, she has been exposed to a vast assortment of artists, genres and styles. Her Mother was a professional jazz singer in Puerto Rico, so it was only natural for Rebecca to follow in her footsteps. Rebecca has been described by many as having a chameleon-like quality to her voice due to her ability to deliver each song in a unique way. Music lovers express that she has the ability to transfer the emotion of each song to her listeners.

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Cirque du Soleil ‘Corteo’ 2023: LA Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles

March 23 – April 30, 2023

Wednesdays-Fridays: 7:30 p.m.
Saturdays: 3:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. (April 1 – additional show 11:30 a.m.)
Sundays: 1 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Microsoft Theater, 777 Chick Hearn Court, Los Angeles, CA

“Corteo, one of the most enchanting productions from Cirque du Soleil is heading to Los Angeles, set to charm audiences with an alluring storyline, magnificent acrobatic feats, and an atmosphere like never seen before.

“This unique spectacle, directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, has amazed over 10 million spectators, in 20 countries, on 4 continents.

“Corteo will be presented at the Microsoft Theater as the second show to premiere on behalf of Cirque du Soleil’s partnership with the Los Angeles venue.

“The set curtains, inspired by the Eiffel Tower, and the central curtains, which were hand painted, give a grandiose feel to the stage. This sets the tone for the poetry of Corteo.

“Corteo, which means cortege in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The show brings together the passion of the characters with the grace and power of the acrobat to plunge the audience into a theatrical world of awe, comedy and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth.

“The show follows a clown watching his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, as quietly caring angels watch over him.

“In the City of Angels, Los Angeles is set to get a new and enticing twist to its namesake, as the show juxtaposes light with dark, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection.

“As the show draws on the extreme emotions of the human spirit, it highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us.

“The music turns lyrical and playful carrying Corteo through a timeless celebration in which illusion teases reality.”

MORE INFO & TICKET LINKS HERE

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Lunar New Year Celebration & Lion Dances 2023: Original Farmers Market, Los Angeles

Sat, Feb 4, 2023 at 2:00 PM. The Original Farmers Market, 6333 W. Third St., Los Angeles, CA. More info here

“Lunar New Celebration: Wrap up the Lunar New year festivities on Saturday, February 4^th from 2-4 p.m. with a family-friendly celebration on the Farmers Market Plaza.

“Enjoy traditional lion dance performances, balloon twisting, and a rabbit crown-making workshop.

“Fifty lucky attendees will be the winners of mystery red envelopes containing prizes ranging from Farmers Market Gift Certificates to vouchers for free hoodies, trucker hats, Ames Bros posters, and burlap tote bags.

“Lucky 8 Specials: Through Sunday, February 5^th, over 20 Market merchants will be offering must-have items at ‘Lucky 8’ special prices. Specials range from .88 cents to $8.88 and beyond and include Orange Chicken plates, Matcha Green Tea ice cream pints, Year of the Rabbit stickers, postage stamps, lottery scratchers, Tsing Tao beer and much more. The full list of specials is athttps://farmersmarketla.com/market-buzz/lunar-new-year–lucky-8-specials

“Year of the Rabbit-inspired Mural/Photo Opp.: Stop by 3^rd & Fairfax rhrough February 5 to see a larger than life, custom illustration mural and photo opp. display and snap a selfie. The Mural is located on the southside of the iconic Clock Tower in the Farmers Market Plaza.”

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