Category Archives: los angeles

70th Anniversary of Los Angeles Chinatown

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On Saturday, June 28, Chinatown will celebrate the 70th anniversary of “New Chinatown.”

The public is invited to gather in Central Plaza from 7 to 11 p.m. to enjoy 1940’s style big band music and dancing, cocktails from the era, a video montage of the many movies shot in Chinatown, and a narrated video presentation of historic photos. A “Best Costume Contest” will be held to judge those who choose to come in 1930’s or 1940’s attire. Other entertainment will feature Chinese martial artists, lion dancers, and book-signings and readings by authors whose books celebrate Chinatown history.

The event will be kicked off with the re-dedication of one of the original plaques—recently discovered buried in storage—and an original replica on which is inscribed the words “Dedicated to the Chinese Pioneers Who Participated in the Constructive History of California.” This plaque was originally dedicated by California Governor Frank Merriam on June 25, 1938. The Governor was joined by a host of local dignitaries including Los Angeles Mayor F.L. Shaw, Republic of China Consul T.K. Chang, Princess Der Ling of China, actress Anna May Wong, and artist Tyrus Wong. In Governor Merriam’s words, New Chinatown “represented a monument to those Chinese who played such an important role in building the West and a lasting evidence of American Chinese amity.”

“New Chinatown” was an enclave of restaurants, shops, offices, and residences, which replaced an older settlement which had been displaced by the construction of Union Station. “New Chinatown” was billed as the first modern American Chinatown owned and planned from the ground up by Chinese. Today, “New Chinatown” is known as Central Plaza and is home to old and new establishments including curio shops, restaurants, bars, art galleries, and Chinatown’s trendiest boutiques.

The plaza that was dedicated seventy years ago became the heart of a much larger Chinatown, and today forms the backbone of a vibrant and expansive Southern California Chinese American community.

The free festival will run from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. at 951 N. Broadway Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Parking around the area is plentiful, and the festival is also easily accessed via Metro Gold Line rail from the Chinatown Station.

Here’s a video with the sights and sounds of Los Angeles Chinatown

Far East Movement needs your help

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Far East Movement is waging a campaign to be in the radio rotation on Blazin 98.9 in San Diego. We got a note from them. Here’s how you can help no matter where you are in the country:

WE WON 4 NIGHTS IN A ROW on Blazin 98.9’s “Hate it Or Love It”!! 1 MORE TO GO….

wanna thank you guys for voting and spreading the word to get people to vote this week for LOWRIDIN on Blazin 98.9 “Hate It Or Love It”. we won tonight with 89% votes “Love IT” for LOWRIDIN thanks to you guys. We need to win 1 more night and they’ll retire Lowridin with 5 wins and they’ll start playin it more in San Diego.

619-864-1989 – Vote “LOVE IT” around 7:35pm pst ish 🙂

you can listen LIVE ONLINE at 7:25pm pst at http://web.blazin989.com/ if your not in the San Diego area. WE CAN DO IT!!! just 1 MORE NIGHT!

Far East Movement performing Lowridin’ in Sacramento

Kimora Lee Simmons gets the kids

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Ming Lee

Aoki Lee

“The Insider” obtained court papers that show Kimora Lee Simmons, 33, has won sole custody of her two daughters – Ming, 8, and Aoki, 5. The half Japanese and half African American CEO of Baby Phat will have the legal authority to make decisions regarding her daughters’ health, education and welfare. Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, 50, gets the girls one week out of every eight and time for summer vacations & holidays.

Russell Simmons will pay Kimora Lee $20,000 per month per child. (That’s almost $500k per year for both kids!!!) The child support will be paid until each girl reaches age 19 1/2, becomes emancipated, dies, marries, becomes self-supporting, no longer lives with Kimora Lee Simmons, joins the armed forces or if the court later orders otherwise. Also he is required to purchase or lease a new car that is valued at no less than $60,000 for the use and benefit of his daughters once every 24 months.

Here’s a post by Russell Simmons on his blog entry entitled “Russell Sets The Record Straight“

You you want more Kimora Lee Simmons, you can watch her on “Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane“

iaTV rebrands and expands

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Earlier this week iaTV announced a new primetime lineup, but they are not done this week. iaTV just rebranded themselves today. On their website, the thought bubble logo is gone and a new logo in text with a light burst in the behind it has taken it’s place. (you can see it above.) Their shiny new tag line is America’s only network for Asian Pop Culture.

Also iaTV announced that they have expanded with both COX Communications and Charter Communications in the Los Angeles area. iaTV premieres on Cox Communications in Orange County, California on July 11 on Channel 475. Meanwhile, the Charter Communications footprints expands beyond San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire system. Now, iaTV can be viewed on channel 143 in those two areas, as well as in Glendale, Burbank, Long Beach, Whittier, and Malibu; on channel 219 in Cerritos; and on channel 137 in Ventura. More iaTV for you in Los Angeles!!!

Here’s some programming you can expect. Pancrase on iaTV

Grade changing hacker

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Omar Khan, 18, hacked into school computer servers of the prestigious Tesoro High School (This is the same school on the show Real Housewives of Orange County and also on Newsweek’s list of best high schools in America.) Between Jan. 23 and May 20, Khan changed his “D” and “F” grades to A’s. How did he do it? Omar Khan stole a master key, broke into classrooms, hacked teacher computers to steal tests and answers, and change grades. The reason: He wanted to get into UC Berkeley. Instead of graduating this week, Khan had almost 70 charges against him (34 counts of altering a public record, 11 counts of stealing and secreting a public record, 7 counts of computer access and fraud, 6 counts of burglary, four identity theft charges, 3 counts of altering a book of records, 2 counts of receiving stolen property and 1 count each of conspiracy and attempted altering of a public record.). He could face up to 38 years in prison.

This is not the end of the story. His co-conspirator, Tanvir Singh, was also busted, but on lesser crimes. A dozen other students had their grade changed as well. When the final investigation is complete, we will see what the final results will be. College admissions could be rescinded.

Is there too much pressure in Asian/Asian American families to get good grades?

Watch the news report of the grade changing hacker

Gay marriage – Helen Zia and George Takei

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Last month, the California Supreme Court said denying gay and lesbian couples the right to marry each other violated the state constitution. The decision was a close 4-3 vote. The ruling made California one of just two states, along with Massachusetts, that grant the same rights to same-sex couples as opposite-sex couples. Yesterday was the first day for gay marriage in California.

In Northern California, Writer & activist Helen Zia, 55, and her partner, Lia Shigemura, 50, got hitched. The pair sang “The Chapel of Love” as they walked to the city attorney’s office to get married. The couple was also on the home page of the NYTimes briefly as well.

Meanwhile, in Southern California, actor and gay rights activist George Takei, 71, and his longtime partner Brad Altman, 54, got their marriage license. They’re planning a September 14th wedding in Los Angeles. The whole crew from the original Star Trek is expected to attend except William Shatner. The wedding will take place at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

While all this celebration is happening, all this can be overturned on the November ballot when the people of California will vote on a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Eight years ago, 61 percent of California voters approved the 2000 marriage ban, while only 52 percent of voters told pollsters they favored the proposition. While Californians may respond with politically correct answers, their true beliefs are shown at the ballot box.

Here’s the proposed California Constitutional Amendment

LIMIT ON MARRIAGE. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Amends the California Constitution to provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: The measure would have no fiscal effect on state or local governments. This is because there would be no change to the manner in which marriages are currently recognized by the state. (Initiative 07-0068.)

If you live in California, vote your true beliefs at the ballot box.

Helen Zia and Lia Shigemura getting married

George Takei and Brad Altman first in line to get a marriage license in West Hollywood