Venice Beach

Ok, Metbloggers and Metblogs readers, get off your bikes and get ready for the Great Los Angeles Walk 2009 this Saturday, November 21.  This annual walk to celebrate Los Angeles has been taking place since 2006.  Here’s Will Campbell’s preview of last year’s walk. This year, over 300 feet are expected to join in.

Who
Great Los Angeles Walk is the brainchild of Mike and Maria, purveyors of the Franklin Avenue blog, and no doubt passionate readers of Los Angeles Metblogs.

What

A 13.5 mile walk from the Shrine Auditorium to Venice Beach, taking in the sights along Figueroa, Adams, Washington, the Mid-City, and Culver City on the way.
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The 1960s may have had its Summer of Love, but in certain neighborhoods in and around Los Angeles, this has been the Summer of Pot. Based on my observations and conversations with friends, the herb has been a-permeatin’.

I can’t recall all the times that I have smelled or seen open weed smoking lately. Venice Beach (where I took the photo) is probably Ground Zero — no surprise there.   Last time I was on Venice Beach, I was in a shop that had a corner window facing South, and, through the window, the smell of chronic was mighty powerful.  I  also notice plenty of 420 in Santa Monica, such as at a recent concert on the Pier.  A friend also tells me that the bud is sprouting a-mighty in West Hollywood.

The little I think I know of the situation is that (more…)

Note: It looks like Mrs. Lulu has snuck into the blogosphere again.

Once again I find myself in a dispute with LA Fitness’ business office.

[EDIT: I am in such strong agreement with Mrs. Lulu's rant here that I'd love to see all our readers share their "my gym screwed me" stories in the comments. I think this is an industry-wide pattern of lying to-- and screwing-- customers. If you have an experience like Mrs. Lulu's, read on & let us know. --Lucinda.]

The second time in my husband’s and my two year membership. The first time there was a problem was when he tried to quit his personal trainer contract after the so-called trial period was up. They simply ignored our written and phone requests and continued to bill my credit card. Even after speaking to one of their reps (not an easy feat to accomplish), two more months of illegitimate billing went by before I disputed the charges with my credit card company and got (partial) satisfaction. (more…)

SEIU-ULTCW’s “Healthy Works Fair + Film + Action” event is taking place Labor Day (9/7) with the centerpiece of the day being marathon screenings of “SICKO.”

If you missed this 2007 documentary by Michael Moore, you should absolutely catch it. Extremely timely and relevant with the raging debates over Healthcare Reform, the film investigates the American health care system, focusing on its health insurance and pharmaceutical industry. It also compares the for-profit, non-universal U.S. system with the non-profit universal health care systems of Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Cuba. After each movie screening, a panel discussion is scheduled with a variety of influential and engaged folks including Laphonza Butler, Congresswoman Judy Chu, Dr. Paul Song, Jose Gonzales, Dr. Toni Lews, Jack Dannibale, Assemblymember Mike Eng, Dr. Rishi Manchanda, Councilwoman Jaque Robinson, Dr. Rishi Manchanda, and more.

Aside from the movie, you can also check out free health screenings/care, rooftop DJs, free stuff, games, and other activities… in an air conditioned venue!

As Congress heads back to DC on Tuesday to continue engaging in a debate on Healthcare Reform that has been erupting fires among citizens all across the country, you owe it to yourself to get informed. If you’re confused about the issues — and let’s face it — there is a lot of information and MISinformation out there, why not take this opportunity to get active in communicating with our leaders before they go?

SEIU-ULTCW’s “Healthy Works Fair + Film + Action” event
Sept. 07.09. 10AM – 6PM
@ Downtown Independent Theater
251 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, California 90012

SICKO screens at 10AM, 12:30PM, and 3:00PM

[UPDATE Wed., Aug. 26: CBS 2 sent a camera and reporter to last night's yoga class at Hollywood Forever. Watch the video  here.]

Do yoga, leave a beautiful corpse, I say. And now you can work on corpse pose at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, which, if you haven’t noticed, has rebranded itself as “not your grandfather’s graveyard.” (Who knew death could be so much fun?)

Toward that end, Antebellum Gallery is presenting Yoga Forever, a yoga class held at Hollywood Forever, on the lawn in front of the mausoleum (where they show the movies) every Tuesday at 7 PM.

This week, Yogi Camille Hines will lead the class with DJ Shawn Parker providing the soundtrack. Bring your own mat– and a blanket and warm clothing, they advise, to ward off the chill.

Bend, stretch, reach for the stars– the ones in the sky as well as those interred all around you.

Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90038. Yoga class is $20, includes parking.

Remote Area Medical, the organization that organized and coordinated a superhuman effort to provide free health care services to the uninsured and underinsured to LA-area residents since Tuesday at the Forum, has officially reached capacity for the duration of their one-week stay.  Starting at 5:30 a.m. every day since Tuesday, RAM has provided services from primary care to cataract surgery to thousands of people, most of whom waited in line for hours upon hours, and some of whom were ultimately turned away as the organization’s daily capacity too quickly hit its max.  On Wednesday, RAM took a page from old skool Ticketmaster and began distributing wristbands to those in line.  Those who received the wristband were told to return for services sometime between today and Tuesday.  As of the end of Wednesday evening, all wristbands and numbers have been distributed, and RAM will not see any band-less patients.  As they warn on their Twitter feed: “If u dnt hav a wrstband, pls do not drive or walk to The Forum.”

A sadly overwhelming success.  Let’s get on with this health care reform thing, shall we?

Yesterday I posted asking for calls to object to Dianne Feinstein’s latest hamfisted, wrongthink “Won’t Somebody think of the CHILDREN” legislation that set manditory 10-year minimum sentences for people making edibles for medical marijuana patients..

Thanks to all of you that called! We were very successful in getting ourselves heard.

Through our calls we were able to get a postponement on the resolution vote. This is a very good sign that it may either be thrown out entirely or rewritten to exclude patients and their providers from legal ramifications resulting from the production or use of medicinal cannabis edibles.

Another Feinstein Folly: the “Save Kids from Dangerous Drugs Act of 2009.”

Would you take a moment and call your LA City Council member today, Thursday August 6th? You can use this quick helpful script for this fifteen-second phone call, beyond the jump.

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