Showing posts with label fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fun. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

End of Summer Beach Party Hike (9/26)


WHAT HAPPENED?
Vegan Spiritual No Meat and Mingle Party
We gathered about 10:00 am on a warm day, high tide, threat of a mysterious storm affecting the water due to some distant storm. We huddled and headed for the hills, six miles to the summit. Others biked, lounged on the sandy beach. Climbing to the first loop, some returned, whereas others soldiered on to the peak. Affirmations, a land acknowledgement to the Chumash's unceded land, and gratitude for all Nature were given at the top of the first loop. The cool breeze made the direct sun bearable, with temperatures in the upper seventies. Then we made our way down the mountain above Leo Carillo State Park to wooden tables tucked between PCH and the seashore. Dave got the BBQ grill going with Beyond Burgers and buns; Annie Vitality had a raw fruitcake; a special guest broke out his new product, vegan sorbet and gelato (the day's winner for biggest treat); everyone else had salads, rice, sauces, creams, sprouts, tofu dogs (Smart Life), cookies, and sundry creations. Lots of socializing, hugs, stories, a moving share by a Palestinian guest, who reports that Israelis (illegal occupation forces) have been changing "sewer water" signs with "drinking water" signs. Many of the Jewish anti-Zionist guests commiserated. When it was time to dance, we hit the water in high surf, rocks, and seaweed fragments as if some distant disturbance were  uprooting plants and coral.



If only all LA county beaches were paradise
Join Veggie Hikers, Vegan Spirituality, Dharma Buddhist Meditation...at summer's end for the “No Meat & Mingle” at Los Angeles' Leo Carrillo State Beach for our annual hike and vegan cookout!

Can’t make the hike? Attend the cookout BBQ (or vice versa). The hike starts at 10:00 am. The potluck cookout portion with beach BBQ starts at about 2:00 pm. Leashed dogs welcome at the beach, but not on the hiking trail.
Plant based foods are delicious
See details about the hike and where our cookout will be in the "Notes from Hosts" section. In order to participate in the potluck portion of the event, all participants must bring a ready-to-eat vegan dish to share or vegan items to grill and share (veggie kabobs, vegan burgers, tofu hotdogs, etc.) Not doing so may not seem fair to those of us who do.

VEGAN means leaving out dead animals and their byproducts, avoiding meat, fish, eggs, dairy, honey -- free of all animal byproducts.

Everyone, bring a prepared dish and food to grill to serve at least 10 people to have enough food for all to enjoy. This is a FREE event. Donations welcome but not required. Funds pay pricey Meetup dues, supplies, and other costs for future potlucks.

Friday, May 1, 2026

BeachLife Festival, May 1-3, 2026 (LIVE)

The Chainsmokers "#SELFIE" (official music video)

BeachLife 2026 | The Weekend Playlist

Artist Lineup | BeachLife Festival
(BeachLife Festival) Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, May 1-3, 2026, is time for the annual BeachLife Festival. This is BeachLife 2026 (tickets at BeachLife Festival | Live Music Festival | Redondo Beach, CA, USA). Here's a weekend playlist built the old way—listening together, dropping the needle, and letting the music choose itself. It's three days by the ocean in sunny Southern California. Here is music meant to be shared with the people we come with and meet on site. In memory of Greg Browning, whose spirit is always part of the room. 📍 Redondo Beach, Cali 📅 May 1–3, 2026 🎟️. Suzanne Hoffs blew it up last year. Will The Chainsmokers or Sheryl Crow do the same this year?


FEATURING: The Chainsmokers, Duran Duran, Grouplove, Flipturn, Fitz and the Tantrums, The Offspring, Slightly Stoopid, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Sugar Ray, SwitchFoot, Bad Suns... James Taylor and his All-Star Band, My Morning Jacket, Sheryl Crow, Peach Pit, Poolside, Mike Watt...

Renaissance Pleasure Faire (4/4-5/17)


Visit before the season ends: renfair.com/socal
Who doesn't love the cleavage-rich styles of the Renaissance when boobs were elevated to high fashion like a jiggling platter to behold? And there's feasting, jesting, jousting, and cosplay of all kinds...whatever the Faire means to attendants.
 
This is the only chance to experience it in SoCal until next year. And who knows if there'll be a next year, what with all those meteors, UFOs, Israeli nukes, Iranian retaliations, and Trump implosions coming. So join RenFaire for one last Huzzah!

Tickets at renfair.com/socal/tickets. BUY TICKETS NOW. IF ALREADY PURCHASED, USE THEM OR LOSE THEM! If there are still tickets for this season in pocket or purse, please plan to join in for some fun before the final day of this season. Tickets are non-refundable. Please click here to learn how to exchange them for any remaining 2026 Faire day.

NOTE: If a date is sold out, no one will be able to exchange tickets to that date. Make exchanges ASAP! As the Faire heads into its final weekend, a quick reminder to help keep things running smoothly for all: Tailgating, outside alcohol, and cannabis/marijuana are not permitted on the Faire grounds, inside the Faire, or in the parking lots of the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area. The Faire appreciates everyone's cooperation in creating a safe, welcoming experience for every guest. It can’t wait to celebrate one last magical season with all! For safety, everyone is encouraged to drive into the Santa Fe Dam. Climbing over the rock wall is not advised, as there is an increased number of biting rattlesnakes on the rock wall. Pedestrian traffic in the roadways impedes vehicle traffic, so please stay on sidewalks if walking the 1.5 miles into the Dam.

Pro Tips to Enter and Exit the Santa Fe Dam: Follow the directions of the traffic team, and please be patient. Bring $15 cash in exact change for the park entrance fee. Watch for bicyclists and please yield! When leaving, take the asphalt road to Peckham Gate, or take the dirt road closest to the dam wall. That road leads to Arrow Highway. Exit right to get to the 605 and 210 Freeways. Find all directions and parking tips here.

Friday, March 13, 2026

WQ meeting at KROQ Comedy Show (3/13)

(OCV) What is stand-up comedy? Dave Chappelle explains with some examples for Johnny

WHAT HAPPENED?
The club filled up with lots of hooting and hollering patrons eager to see Johnny make a mockery of himself as he dies on stage. But there are many other standup comedians doing the heavy lifting. Vanessa actually dressed up for the evening, wearing a very low-cut blouse that makes her visibly uncomfortable, getting hit on by Blind Charlie's date. She's touching and rubbing away while High T Vanessa visibly squirms and tries to get her to stop. Jake looks like a pregnant B with a small dog strapped to his belly as he yells. The poor thing must be deaf by now as his nervous human companion tries to fade into the woodwork. Klein is sitting up front, but Ally is missing in action, having joined DJ Omar Kahn for a private confab in oblivion. The crowd roars as Johnny is forced to take the stage, six inches off the ground, with a stream of drinkers repeatedly heading for the washroom to see or smell what kind of mess Jake has made. He doesn't bomb! The crowd loves him. He's a simpleton but very affable, and he seems to have prepared some material that he didn't practice on the radio show. He even has a guitar hidden away, which he pulls out in Minute 4 to peals of "Tamales Tamales!" But he has a new song, maybe prepared for the occasion. His girlfriend in skulking in the back surprised to see the crowd participation and encouragement. He was set to fail as he does on most episodes of "Johnny Doesn't Know," but his ego has survived the ordeal. Klein cuts out and by the time Jake stumbles onto the stage as the headliners, the crickets are chirping and the crowd is getting antsy. He doesn't seem well prepared, considering himself an old hat at this, he's sure he can just wing it by memory and a cheat sheet. The crowd tries to help, but Vanessa puts down her phone and it just gets worse and worse. Meanwhile, the WQ meeting has moved to the NoHo Buddhist Temple on Oxnard, the Sarathchandra Buddhist Center. The most amazing this to come from the evening are the knowledge that The Good Nite is full of free standup, music, and open mics most nights and WQ has set its next meeting for the Kwan Yin Meditation Temple in Monrovia, hugging the foothills next to Old Town.


World Champ MJF roast Klein. Ally. Show. | Friday the 13th
(KROQ) Streamed live morning of March 13th. It's the Klein.Ally.Show. (KAS) on KROQ.com. There's snow in New York and a heatwave in Los Angeles as we all head out for the big comedy show with Host Dirty Jake Dill.

On today's show: Jewish wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) joins KAS in studio, "Johnny Doesn't Know," "5-10-20," and more.

It's another Friday the 13th and another day of not-so-gentle ribbing, this time from All Elite wrestling star MJF (Maxwell Jacob Friedman). He stopped by the studio while gearing up to defend his AEW World Championship title. He mercilessly roasts Klein's new nose, Ally's lack of hygiene, Dirty Jake's virginity, Columbian Vanessa's odd voice, and Low T Johnny the Postman's everything.
The show also brings back 5-10-20, challenging listeners to place three KROQ alt rock songs in order: One from 5 years ago, 10 years ago, and 20 years ago.

The show also hears Low T Johnny's final ideas before his big 5-minute [self-immolation] set for tonight at the Good Nite in NoHo at 7:00 pm. Be there!

Today being Good Luck Friday the 13th, Wisdom Quarterly: American Buddhist Journal is meeting to see stand-up comic Low T Johnny from KROQ's KAS Jake Dill (Instagram) is putting on a comedy show at The Good Nite Bar tonight at 7:00 pm.
Join the entire morning zoo crew: Ally Johnson, Kevin Klein, High T Vanessa the Columbian, Dirty Jake Dill, Low T Johnny, and maybe even the elusive and never-before-seen DJ Omar Kahn.

Monday, February 9, 2026

Punk's not dead on Mermaid Island

  • WARNING: Some cussing, foul language, and poor Hamilton Morris gets it!
Mermaid Island LIVE @ Knucklehead Hollywood, California
(Blur's Dream) KNUCKLEHEAD HOLLYWOOD. I brought my Sony A7R IV to Knucklehead Hollywood to document this up-and-coming punk rock ensemble. The bill consisted of M-16, Spunk, Mermaid Island, and Spray Allen. The energy at this show was wild. Shoutout to the Latex Vixens for dancing during the live sets. I had a ton of fun, and the bands played super dope music! Apologies to M-16 for not filming the first half of the set. Go check out Mermaid Island.


SETLIST:
  • Perfectly Happy 0:20
  • Don’t Ask 3:00
  • He Started It (dedicated to Hamilton Morris) 6:05
  • Panic Button 8:30
  • Ice Cream 12:55
  • Subtitles 17:20
  • Shit Out of Luck 24:28
  • Mona Lisa 29:09

Links: mermaidislandband, linktr.ee/mrmdisland...
  • Mermaid Island, Dec. 4, 2025, Blur's Dream, Dec. 10, 2025; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

Thursday, December 25, 2025

New Year Sacred Ceremonies (12/27)

  • Come to a conscious yoga party!
    10th Annual New Year Sacred Ceremony, Fundraiser, and Veggie Potluck with Stella Han
  • KINSHIP STUDIOS kinshipyoga.com
  • Highland Park, Northeast Los Angeles
  • Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, 6:00-10:00 pm
  • Room: Studio B
  • Register here: Kinship Studios
Event: Tenth annual New Year Sacred Ceremony (yoga fundraiser for girls, veggie potluck, and gift-giving blanket Native American tradition). Social, potluck, gift-giving blanket price: $25 in advance, $33 day of event.

Beneficiary: Fundraising proceeds will be donated to Yoga Gives Back (YGB), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that empowers women and children in India through education and micro-loans.
ABOUT: Join us for Kinship Yoga’s beloved annual year-end gathering to honor what we are releasing and welcome what we are inviting in. We do this through community, intention setting, and celebration with live music and activities, plus a vegan/vegetarian potluck to share with all -- and lots of gifts.

All fundraising proceeds are donated to Yoga Gives Back (YGB)!

Event Schedule and Flow
  • 6:00 pm–7:45 pm: Sacred Ceremony - a contemplative space honoring the interconnectedness of all life, with culturally respectful observances and shared intentions for peace and renewal in the year ahead.
    • Smudging with Sage – cleanse and ground as we begin.
    • Guided Journaling – reflect on the past year and set clear, heart-aligned intentions.
    • Sacred Chanting – unite our voices and cultivate collective harmony for the New Year.
  • 7:45–10:00 pm: Gift-Giving Blanket, Fundraiser, and Veggie (vegan/vegetarian) Potluck Gift-Giving Blanket – inspired by Native American traditions. Bring one or more new or gently used (mindful) items to place on the blanket, then select a gift someone else has offered. (No purchase necessary—and re-gifting is highly encouraged!
ALL ARE WELCOME—whether or not you're bringing a gift, come to receive.

Fundraiser for Yoga Gives Back
– How? We’ll host a small silent auction and raffle gift certificates. Anyone can also donate monetarily by Venmo: @stella_han_yoga. (Please note “Yoga Gives Back” or “YGB” + your email and phone; this info is visible only to Stella Han). Cash/checks accepted on site. For checks, please write: “Yoga Gives Back.”

Veggie Potluck (optional)
I have to choose what I wear very carefully.
If you’d like to contribute a vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free dish, please email Stella (coordinator) at email stellaheartyoga@gmail.com or come with the dish's name and all ingredients on a small card. All dishes must be vegetarian or preferably vegan (purely plant based). Please include a small ingredient card for transparency (noting any potential allergens. It's appreciated by the health conscious). Potluck contributors will receive 2 raffle tickets—so please let the host know when arriving with one.

What to Wear?
Yoga pants and gear are fine. Or dress warmly and comfortably. Festive or spiritual white attire is welcome (optional) as we gather to set intentions for the New Year.

Questions? Please contact Stella Han by email (stellaheartyoga@gmail.com) or call the studio or send through the Wisdom Quarterly messaging system.

Second party option (FREE)

All are cordially invited to our festive holiday party to celebrate the winter solstice with good cheer and join a candlelight ritual to bring light to animals suffering in dark places around the globe. The ritual includes devotional chanting with Devi Daly as sacred witnessing and an expression of compassion. As the shortest day and longest night of the year, the solstice symbolizes rebirth, renewal, and the return of the light. May our lights usher in a new era of inner peace and peace for all beings! It's a vegan potluck, too. Calabasas, in the San Fernando Valley More

Sunday, May 25, 2025

What happened to 1980s' California?


The California of the '80s that is gone forever
The good, the bad, and the phony. Seriously?
(California Rewind) May 21, 2025: The California that disappeared — and why it matters. Imagine this: It's the summer of 1985. You're cruising down Sunset Boulevard with your Walkman blasting The Cure. Neon lights flicker above. Skateboards scrape through empty pools. And your biggest worry? Getting home before dark.

That California — wild, rebellious, full of soul — is gone. This video goes back to a time when California wasn’t curated, polished, or priced out of reach. From skate culture in Dogtown (Venice Beach) to punk clubs on the Strip…from mall arcades and middle-class dreams to a Silicon Valley built in garages not glass towers, this is the story of a California that was messy, electric, and alive.

Discover:
  • How the streets of LA once belonged to teenagers, skaters, and artists
  • Why arcades and shopping malls were the heartbeat of a generation
  • How radio, not algorithms, shaped identity and sound
  • The Silicon Valley that existed before billionaires
  • And how California’s bohemian soul was slowly erased
This isn’t just about nostalgia. It’s about remembering the culture we built — and how it was quietly taken away. Did you grow up in that California? Or do you wish you had? What do you miss? Say it in the comments. We’re listening. 👇 Like, comment, and subscribe if this hits a nerve. Let’s keep the memory alive.

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

9 US National Parks to visit in spring

Yoga (tree pose) above Yosemite, looking down at Half Dome rising out of Yosemite Valley
I want to do something different this year, something dog-friendly, maybe paddleboarding.
9 U.S. National Parks that offer unforgettable April adventures
Twenty-nine unusual activities to try in America’s natural parks like tree climbing
.
There’s something magical about April: It’s not too hot, not too cold, and everything feels like it’s waking up from a long sleep (including megafauna after a long winter of indoor hibernation).

It’s the absolute sweet spot for getting outside and soaking in some stunning landscapes without freezing toes off or melting into a puddle of sweat.

Where better to do that than in some of the most awe-inspiring national parks the US has to offer?

From vibrant blooms to wild adventures, this is the season when these national treasures really show off their best sides. Let’s skip the tourist brochure chatter and get right into the good stuff. More

Saturday, October 5, 2024

Mayan Magic Tour of Mexico (12/6)


The Sun God shines all day then transforms itself into a jaguar to pass through the underworld. Learn more about these Maya and pre-Hispanic philosophies and belief systems, while viewing sacred sites, natural wonders, and reveling in rich Mexican traditions and vegan food. This is our Mayan Magic Tour of Mexico.

We’ll camp out on the site of the pyramids of Teotihuacan, before taking a hot air balloon ride at sunrise the next morning.

We’ll admire floating gardens, explore the pyramids at Chichen Itza, delve into Mexican-German artist Frida Kahlo’s life at her blue house museum, swim in pristine cenotes or volcanic sink holes, hike to the top of a sacred mountain with a hidden temple at the top, indulge in local vegan delicacies, while on a rooftop overlooking the luminescent skyline, and dance salsa in the Zocalo or central square of Mexico City’s vibrant plaza.

These are just some of the wonders that await participants. ellorawellness.com


ITINERARY
(Subject to change. All activities led by licensed, experienced, native tour guide)
  • Day 1: Arrive in Mexico City, head to Teotihuacan pyramids for group dinner, hold opening ceremony, yoga, meditation, camp on site
  • Day 2: Hot air balloon ride above Teotihuacan (optional), guided tour of ancient pyramids, head to hotel in Mexico City, yoga, meditation
  • Day 3: Visit anthropology museum, tour the Zocalo, see downtown Mexico City, aerial and/or acroyoga class (optional)
  • Day 4: Tour Coyoacan, view Blue House (Frida Kahlo's home), salsa dancing in center square, aerial and/or acroyoga class (optional)
  • Day 5: Boat ride down Xochimilco floating gardens, drive to Tepoztlan, check in to hotel, hike mountain to Aztec temple, sacred plant ritual (optional), meditation on mountaintop
  • Day 6: Drive or fly to Chiapas, check in to hotel, bathe in cenotes, hike​
  • Day 7: Tour San Cristobal de las Casas, homecooked vegan meal, yoga, meditation
  • Day 8: Fly to Valladolid, tour the town, sound and light show (if available), check in to hotel, yoga, meditation, community circle
  • Day 9: Tour Chichen Itza, yoga, meditation
  • Day 10: Drive to Bacalar, check in to hotel, enjoy beach time, yoga, meditation
  • Day 11: Drive to Playa del Carmen, volunteer at nearby animal sanctuary, Black Sheep Retreat Sanctuary, community circle, yoga, meditation
  • Day 12: Drive to Cancun, closing ceremony, fly home.
  • Shared room: $2,800; Private room: $3,100
  • (Prices subject to change due to airline fees)
  • Price includes: breakfast, lunch, snacks (all the food served on this retreat is vegan), purified water, and transportation within Mexico.

All are welcome! Organized by Vanessa Marsot, the genie starring in this Los Angeles home movie with her wacky vegan Valley friends, in conjunction with Lisa Levinson (Vegan Spirituality LA Meetup). Get tickets:
  • Venmo: @Vanessa-Marsot
  • Zelle: (818) 383-5998
  • PayPal: vmarsot@gmail.com
  • To use credit card, contact vmarsot@gmail.com
  • Minimum 4 participants needed to allow trip to happen at level described.
  • ellorawellness.com

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Short Attn Span Theater: Genius

  • The editors of Wisdom Quarterly have collected this diverse batch of clickbait time consumers that make us wonder how we lived before TikTok taught us so much. Enjoy

Monday, September 2, 2024

Pyromania at Burning Man 2024 (video)

Do not ask for whom The Man burns, Allison. He burns for us. - Us? - The Burners of Mankind
.
Sparkly things and fire at Burning Man 2024
(Commotion Camp) Sept. 2, 2024: Gorgeous weather was enjoyed this year at Burning Man 2024 for the 70,000+ Burners who made their way to the annual week-long, large-scale art event in the Nevada desert.

Would Cailee Spaeny burn? You better believe it
This year's Burning Man highlights include a surprise DJ set by Rufus Du Sol, a plane that shot flames and lasers, a magnificent art installation titled "Naga and the Captainess" [a naga in Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism being a sea serpent, reptilian, dragon], some new super creative art cars, and the always entertaining Burning Man fashion choices. They were spotted on the playa and throughout Black Rock City the whole time.

Songs: Alan Watts' voiceover, "Overthinker" by INZO, and "Magic Carpet Ride" (Moon and Sun Remix).
Hot times inside the Orgy Dome theme tent
Sure, new Burners might make their escape into a long traffic jam all day long, creating a 14-lane traffic jam to the nearest paved road.

But experienced festivalgoers will remain to catch the symbolic burning of The Man. It's almost the whole point, which is really about community and creativity. This is just the capper.


Take your MOOP home and out of the desert.
There's a mania, a manic mode, that overtakes the crowd when the fire begins. Things explode, the desert glows, and everything spirals into a Bacchanalian feast. There's only this, and it's better to hit the road in the morning, after cleaning up and removing the MOOP ("matter out of place," aka trash). "Leave no trace" is a principle of this alternative festival.


If Black Rock City is the latest city to be built in America, what was the first? Is Caral, Peru, the Oldest City in the Americas?