The Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum (PIEAM) is located at 7th Street and Alamitos Avenue in the East Village Arts District of Long Beach, California. The district lies in the eastern half of downtown Long Beach, within the borders of Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach Boulevard, 10th Street and Alamitos Avenue. The East Village offers an eclectic mix of artist lofts, high-rise condos, and a wide array of cultures, coffee shops, boutiques, restaurants and galleries. A central feature of the Arts District is the Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA), which focuses on post-World War II contemporary artists from Latin America.

PIEAM is situated on a triangular piece of land bordered by 7th Street, Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, and Alamitos Avenue; it is, appropriately, an island. The mural design on the exterior of the PIEAM building, created by Long Beach native and famed muralist Art Mortimer, recreates a traditional Men’s House from the Island of Yap, one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia. Mortimer’s impressive resume and long history in painting murals throughout Southern California made him the obvious choice for this project. Many of his murals can be seen at www.artmortimer.com.

The museum also showcases the diverse cultures from the Pacific who call this area home, including the Marshallese, Samoans, Chamorro, Fijian, Carolinian, Tongan, Micronesian, Hawaiian, the Ni-Vanuatu, Niuean, Tuvauluan, Maori, Polynesian, Papuan, Austronesian, Nauruan, Melanesian, Palauan, the I-Kiribati and many more distinct nationalities.

PIEAM’s mission is to generate interest in these diverse cultures and educate its varied audiences by bringing the beauty and culture of Pacific Island ethnic art to Southern California. PIEAM stays true to the heritage of the Pacific Islands, highlighting all forms of Pacific Island ethnic art.

White Wash, the documentary, is a film exploring the complexity of race in America through the eyes of the ocean. Examining the history of “black consciousness” as it triumphs and evolves into the minds of black surfers, we learn the power of transcending race as a constructive phenomenon. The story is narrated by the legendary, Grammy Award winner Ben Harper (Fistful of Mercy, Relentless 7, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals) along with Tariq “Blackthought” Trotter of the Grammy Award winning hip hop group, The Roots whom also originally scored the film.

Ia Orana! This Saturday ALOHA HULA Polynesian Dance Studio in Granada Hills on 17634 Chatsworth Street, Granada Hills, CA 91344,will be offering an exercise class more specifically a low impact workout using Tahitian dance steps. This will be a great workout and a great way to get in extra practice on technique if you are a current Tahitian dancer.

The class will be 1 hour. If you are an Aloha Hula member cost will be $6 per class. If you want to bring a friend who just wants a good workout- their cost is $10 for the hour.

The age group for this is 16 and above. Wear comfortable clothes, hair up, bring a sarong/pareu and water.

You can check out Aloha Hula on you tube at

http://www.youtube.com/user/AlohaHulaSFV/feed check out our Facebook page too!

A Weekend of Hula with Kumu Hula Association of Southern California

March 16, 17, & 18, 2012 – Camp Hess Kramer/Gindling Hilltop Camp
11495 East Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265

Hula Workshop Costs: $185.00/per person
Includes accommodations, classes, 3 meals on Saturday and 2 meals on Sunday.
Friday, March 16th is early optional check-in and no meals are included.
Late registration: After February 27, 2012 costs $210/per person.

Online Registration starts Monday, Jan 23.  Limited to first 150 people.
(All classes and workshops have limited class sizes. Register early.)

Questions/Information please call:  Lowell Edgar 805-390-2918

Directions and other information available at http://punawai.org/

This weekend Saturday, January 28, 2012 and Sunday, January 29, 2012 will be the 113th Golden Dragon Parade: Sat, Jan 28th 1pm-4pm (commencing at Hill and Ord Streets and concluding at Broadway and Cesar Chavez). Grand Marshals are Disney’s Mulan and Mushu and international bestselling author Lisa See. Honorary Grand Marshals include David Lee, Collin Lai and James B. Wong. For Parade information, contact the Chinese Chamber of Commerce at (213) 617-0396.

Chinese New Year Festival
Central Plaza & West Plaza
943-951 N. Broadway
Saturday, Jan 28: 12pm-8pm
Sunday, Jan 29: 12pm-5pm
(213) 680-0243
FREE to the public

STREET CLOSURES
Saturday, January 28th, starting 11am to 12:00 noon
• Ord Street from North Broadway to Hill Street
• Cesar Chavez Avenue from North Broadway to Main Street
• North Broadway from Bernard Street to Cesar Chavez Street
• Bernard Street from North Broadway to Hill Street
• Hill Street from Bernard Street to Temple Street
• Spring Street from Cesar Chavez to Temple Street

Celebrate the weekend’s festivities with us by taking METROLINK! METROLINK is offering a $10 special weekend pass. Bring your pass to the Information booth at the festival site and receive a special something from us for supporting public transportation and METROLINK.

“Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.”

For more info visit www.facebook/japanla and also like their page on FB facebook.com/japanla

Update: I was so so so glad that I decided to go to this sale!  I got some AMAZING deals that I never would have imagined I would get my hands on. I met some really cool people and I have some treasures to share with my daughter, sister and niece mainly for my sister, Jessica’s Harajuku Lover’s themed baby shower.  My haul included a tokidoki bag, hello kitty and twin stars goodies, tons of decora items and jewelry.  I also bought a pachinko machine for my hubby a super rare find! Thanks Jamie and Stephiee for all the super cute stuff!

The weekend gets an early start on Friday with a Sushi-Sake tasting event presented by Patina Restaurant Group. Enjoy the flavors of Japan and sample delectable sushi prepared by Chef Travis Kamiyami paired with amazing sake. $75 per person. Reservations required: (818) 790-3663. In the Courtyard.

Always a crowd favorite, the taiko drummers will perform at noon both Saturday and Sunday in the Under the Oaks Theater.

Yami Yamauchi will create origami on a grand scale at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday. Using an 8-foot square of paper, he will demonstrate the traditional Japanese art of paper folding. Want to try it out yourself? Origami lessons will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in the Minka. Yami will teach young and old to create beautiful folded paper flowers.

On Sunday, witness a Japanese tea ceremony in the Minka. The ceremony will be performed at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Seating is limited. Order early – this popular event will sell out. Tickets, priced at $10, will go on sale October 1 at Ticketweb.com.  www.descansogardens.org

For more information on Tina’s Port of Paradise and the festival, vistit their FB page or call (805) 985-1683 or email tinasportofparadise@yahoo.com

Aloha Hula Dance Studio had the wonderful opportunity to perform at the first annual Villiage of Polynesian during the Simi Valley Days Music Festival.  Groups as far as Oxnard came out to perform and enjoy all the weekend festivities.

Aunty Dorothy Ae and her talented team organized this much needed Polynesian event.  Mahalo to Aunty Dorothy and everyone who donated their time and talent to make the Villiage of Polynesia a reality.  We hope to celebrate with them next year as well.