The CAMP in Costa Mesa launched its Sustainable Cinema Series on Sunday with the help of you-know-who 
to show thought-provoking and socially conscious films with great discussion after.
The first film on the summer line-up: Black Gold. This wonderful film takes a look at the one of the most traded commodities in the world’s marketplace: your morning cup of Joe. The film concentrates on Ethiopia, the “birthplace of coffee” and how an unregulated market has drastically altered the livelihood of so many farmers who depend on coffee prices to afford the most basic of necessities.
(film watchers enjoying the film and awesome weather)
I have to say, i was super excited to be sitting next to Mr. Martin Diedrich (yes from the beloved Diedrich Coffeehouse and now LOVED Kean Coffee). Raised in Guatemala and in the essence of coffee-culture, Martin knows the ins-and-outs of what is means to grow, roast, sell and market the bean through and through. I cannot think of a better person of talk to after such a film.
(our panel-hey, that’s me!)
Martin did make some interesting points: from his perspective, fair-trade coffee has suffered in quality and that the film only examines coffee trade in the form of the BIG players (think bigger than Starbucks even-they are the fifth largest!) like Nestle & Proctor and Gamble-types. His solution: buy from small-indie outfits that give a damn about quality, beans, roasting and creating an end-product that respects the environment, people & palate…a coffee triple-bottom-line!
read more about coffee growers
On the list for future holiday gifts is this great find: dog portraits from Nepal.
Michelle Page, founder of the site, became intrigued by the various “danger dog” signs she saw in Nepal and also noticed that these artisan signs were being replaced by high-tech graphics. She now sell the artworks to galleries everywhere and in return saving livelihoods.
This is such a great idea for a gift (i believe they do cats as well), so personal and comic, but meaningful in the preservation of global arts and man’s best friend.
I am currently selecting a photo of my beloved daughter Sweet Pea for what will be the greatest masterpiece known to humankind…
(one of the many photos for consideration)
If you end up ordering one of these, please be sure to let me know so that i can have it shown on this blog.
one of the items of interest that i must point out has been a recent collaboration with Costa Mesa, free-spirit, hard working mo-fo’s to the wall Evocal a venue that sells local, creative items as well as hosting a number of arts-related events and music. This place rocks!
this is there signage. pretty sweet heh?
Bret, proprietor and work engine of this place is simply amazing. you will see more of his work in the coming posts at PaTcHwOrk:2 event that was last weekend. buton a personal note, this guy works more than i do so gold stars to this chap!
the space is really an artists’ collective, they really pool from the community and group of talented peeps to drive their large music events that i must say are in need of a larger venue. tonight, i stopped by to give a small token of Family Van candle and Ecover hand cleaner for a job well done.
they already had the house packed and the music from local faves Satisfaction and others was a real treat. please stop by and shop and support these great people!!
my friend Danielle and her girlfriend are helping to promote the bike movement in in Canada with their adorable shop Revolution Montreal.
always a big bike-enthusiast, Danielle brought her mad bike skills up north and started the store that also specializes in : lesbian haircuts! i guess because it works better for the helmet, right?
i love this sign. But what i really love about Revolution Montreal is that it is really taking advantage of the space they have! the concept is funky, original and i have to admit, the best marketing…are you ever going to forget about the lesbian haircut-bike store?
danielle is the bad-ass on the bike, they also have art shows too!
if you are even in the area, stop by and say hello for me!
so if you didnt know already, i am totally in to crafts….can’t make them too well, but i always have the feeling, when i first embark on a craft project that i will be making something original and exciting (never turns out that way). crafts are the only way for me to be somewhat “artistic”, and makes for some interesting gifts during the holidays.
Crafty Chicas definitely know how to get their craft on: think Dia De Los Muertos meets funky-fun-artsy. Many of the ideas (also see the link on their blog to their book & website) use recycled, discarded or underutilized objects that spend most of their time occupying space in the dark & dusty corners of the house.
don’t be surprised if you start seeing ideas from this site in the future.
craft chicas
PS isn’t their logo cute?
do you ever pull over the side of the road when driving….to work? or realize that the flowers & plants growing in your yard are beautiful just where they are?
William Blake said it best:
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
Joel Robinson, Park Naturalist for the City of Santa Ana made me see that Orange County the home of: Legoland, track homes, strip malls, chain restaurants, gentrification, urban development and everything else we despise in humanity overtaking the world still has that wilderness left, and it is beautiful! I must say that i was a little shocked that Joel took these while on regular hikes in the hills, so close to home.
2 of these images were blown up, and i can’t express how amazing it is to see the smallest of things bigger than yourself….