Route 36 – La Paz, Bolivia

Click on the image to read about the cocaine bar in Bolivia (which, incidentally, is illegal). Here’s an excerpt from the article:

“Tonight we have two types of cocaine; normal for 100 Bolivianos a gram, and strong cocaine for 150 [Bolivianos] a gram.” The waiter has just finished taking our drink order of two rum-and-Cokes here in La Paz, Bolivia, and as everybody in this bar knows, he is now offering the main course. The bottled water is on the house.

The waiter arrives at the table, lowers the tray and places an empty black CD case in the middle of the table. Next to the CD case are two straws and two little black packets. He is so casual he might as well be delivering a sandwich and fries. And he has seen it all. “We had some Australians; they stayed here for four days. They would take turns sleeping and the only time they left was to go to the ATM,” says Roberto, who has worked at Route 36 (in its various locations) for the last six months. Behind the bar, he goes back to casually slicing straws into neat 8cm lengths.

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Cari Amici,

We’re writing with some WONDERFULLY good news!

First, the USA Fund Raising Tour was a resounding success! Not only did we exceed our goal of $20,000, but we added hundreds of members to Gli Amici dell’Art Monastery, and 5 brilliant experts to our fund raising and production teams! Thank you all so much for showing up at the events and helping us to make this dream a reality.

In May in Calvi, Christopher, the Alpha Team, and our first visiting artists participated in the medieval festival of San Pancrazio (patron saint of Calvi) with a Gregorian Chant Vespers for San Pancrazio in the church and “Tra Quercia e Ulivo” a Duncan dance and medieval music performance in the (rainy) piazza, much to the delight of the locals. Relations here have never been better.

On June 17, we moved from the Casa del Popolo to the Bio-Agriturismo Santa Brigida, a luxurious bed&breakfast on a working olive farm. It is a gorgeous place (in fact, it’s listed in the 2007 Michelin Guide) and we hope to take over the management in order to create another income stream for the Art Monastery. We plan to run workshops and seminars here–more info on that will come soon.

Meanwhile, you are all invited to come and visit us in our new digs!

Feeling spontaneous?…

We’re offering members of Gli Amici dell’Art Monastery 50% off market rate** from now until July 15! We will offer double rooms or two-double room suites that normally go for 90 or 125 euros per night (they’re the most luxurious rooms in Calvi) for 45 or 60 euros!

Don’t let high airline ticket prices be an excuse — United Airlines is having a European Summer Fare Sale starting at $385. It’s a great deal, but you have to book by this Friday, June 25. With gasoline at the price it is, heading to the next town is almost more expensive! Now is the time! Have an Italian vacation and support the Art Monastery at the same time!

See you soon…
A presto…

Betsy & The Alpha Team

**To book, please email mia@artmonastery.org

The ART MONASTERY Project

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A Thank You from Forever for LiB

It’s been two weeks since LIB and we can still hardly believe what we got to see and experience and learn under those oak trees. We keep hearing the echoes of beats. We keep seeing flashes of so many radiant smiling faces. We keep feeling the ground shake with the magnificent force of daring minds and dancing feet. We are forever grateful.

It is YOU who helped to make LIB08 a truly life-changing experience, and for this we offer our gratitude not just with words, but with images! Check out the faces on the LIB08 Thank You page, and add your own. ~ Pass it on…

The Lightning in a Bottle
Producers and Crew

Much Lightning in a Bottle Photos and Video to See

Visit the LiB website for a non-stop treat of visual snacks… It’ll make you cry for joy… and eager for next year!

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Wilderness Skills Review Overnight Camp
Saturday, May 17, 2008
10 am Shangri-La

You are invited to participate. After a short condensed class here (at Shangri-La in Topanga Canyon), we’ll car-pool to Zuniga and hike in to the private land in the center of Red Rock Canyon State Park for our overnight campout. Overnight camping is not allowed in the surrounding park, and almost no one knows that this 40 acres is private (owned by a close friend), so we have the whole area to ourselves. In addition to the Big Shade???s propane fire (see photo ??? classified as a barbeque for fire regulations), our multi-person shelter ‘club-house’ built by previous classes, also has a legal propane central fire. These are both great to sit around and talk, take pictures, and imagine tribal times and activities.

Beautiful Red Rock Canyon

There are a number of small dry clean sandy caves in the area that are just the right size for one or two people to sleep in. I suggest you bring everything you normally would for camping out, and then if you want to improvise so you don???t need pieces of it, great. Otherwise, just getting out there in a comfortable sleeping bag is stretch enough for most people.

Please bring your own lunch for Saturday, and pot luck contributions for an evening meal Saturday and for breakfast Sunday, as well as any snacks you might want. We???ll light a charcoal barbeque Saturday night, and I???ll bring steaks (we can visualize that our trapping was a success). The moon will be almost full.

What Will Be Reviewed?

• Class 1 – Shelters, Debris Bed, Make a Lean-to
  • Fire Methods 1
• Class 2 – Drinking Water, Edible and Useful Plants
• Class 3 – Refurbishing Our Multi-Person Shelter
  • Drinking Water 2
  • Fire Methods 2
• Class 4 – Hunting, Trapping, Cleaning, and Cooking Wildlife
  • (with Practicum)
  • Fire Methods 3
• Class 5 – Make Cordage, Tools, Weapons, and Implements
  • Fire Methods 4
• Class 6 – Keeping Your Bearings, Navigation
  • Communications
  • Signals
  • Knots
• Class 7 – Creating Your Survival Kits, Caches
  • Home Survival Retreat
  • Course Review
• Class 8 – Overnight Campout, Practicum

Checklist of items you might want to bring:

knife, water, sun-hat, jacket, food, bowl, cup, spoon, small flashlight, compass, camera, sleeping bag and mat, ground cloth, small tarp, 2-Qt. pee bottle/jar/can, flip-flops, and a pack to carry it all in. If you don???t have any of these items, I have a few extras of everything, so call to reserve anything you???d like to borrow.

I???ll also bring a big cooking pot, spatula, big spoon, paper towels, wet-wipes, eight family-band walky-talkies, extra nylon cord, shovel, ax, and first aid kit.

Cost is on a sliding scale about $30 per person with no one turned away for lack of funds.

To register, and for answers to any questions, contact William or phone at 310-455-0980

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Mind States, Costa Rica

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 – Sunday, June 17, 2007

Featuring presentations by:

• Joe Coleman, apocalyptic artist
• Erik Davis, author of TechGnosis and The Visionary State
• Earth Erowid, co-founder of erowid.org
• Fire Erowid, co-founder of erowid.org
• Jon Hanna, author of The Psychedelic Resource List
• Jonathan Ott, author of Pharmacotheon
• Mark Pesce, futurist and author of The Playful World
• Alexander “Sasha” Shulgin, chemist & pharmacologist
• Ann Shulgin, co-author of PIHKAL and TIHKAL
• Tommy Thomas, gentleman farmer
• With Sheelo Bohm, facilitating morning Holotropic Breathwork sessions.

Held at an eco-resort on a 2000 acre sanctuary of virgin rain forest set at the juncture of two rivers near the town of Horquetas de Sarapiqui. Swim by natural waterfalls or in the pool, relax in a hot tub, enjoy refreshing beverages at the bar, challenge one of the presenters to a paddle boat race, marvel at the botanical gardens, or arrange a zip-line canopy tour, horseback ride, white water rafting trip, or massage through the resort.

Price includes admission to lectures and workshops, one spot in an incredibly spacious double-occupancy room, and all meals (vegetarian and vegan available).Not included in the price are airfare and transportation to the resort (about 1.5 hours outside of San Jose).

• Space is limited–purchase your ticket soon.
• Cost is $1,400 per person afterwards.

Payment can be made with a credit card through the Mind States site

Or you may send a check or money order to:

Mind States
P.O. Box 19820
Sacramento, CA 95819

For more information, please visit the Mind States Web site

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WELCOME TO ALMA PARADISO

June 1-3, 2007
La Salina Beach, Baja Mexico

This is going to be a great festival on the beach, filled with all the fun freaks you know and love. Many, many talented DJs and live musicians will be there, in a summer party to remember.

Capacity: 450 _ Unfortunately, we cannot increase the capacity as to keep the core family intact and make the experience as meaningful as possible.

As you know, these events sell out fast. Due to the overwhelming response and positive feedback, we are expecting more interests this year. Therefore, BELEIVE US when we say to get your tickets now.

Entertainment:

The main stage will fire up the sounds on Friday and Saturday night from 8pm to 4am. There will be a full stage along with a dance floor constructed on the beach right in front of the waves. This main stage will serve mainly for DJs and fire performances.

Saturday Tribal Sunset Set:

On Saturday as the sun goes down, Saynt will be laying down some earthy tribal beats and all drummers and percussionists are encouraged to bring instruments with them to join in. Dancers, Shaman, and Muses you presence is requested.

Paradise Lounge:

We are also building an exotic venue for acoustic alchemy sets during the day and after hours (2am-8am) with chillout, lounge, and sunrise sets with many live performances, world music, belly dancing and down tempo DJ sets. From Organic Music, Art and Yoga in the morning to an Electronic, Cosmic Meditation throughout the night. From the sand between your toes to your head in the Cosmos, paradise lounge will be there when needed:

• Friday Night (2am – 8am)

• 2:00am – 3:30am – Brutus
• 3:30am – 4:30am – Sandbag
• 4:30am – 6:00am – Dr. Feelin’
• 6:00am – 7:30am – Carly

• Saturday Night

• 6:30 – 7:30 Dan Rockett
• 7:30 – 8:30 Electro Gypsys / Talisman Dance
• 8:30 – 9:30 Danyavaad and Shimmy Sisters
• 9:30 – 10:00 Kirsten Ashe
• 10:00 – 11:00 Sandbag, Anja, and friends

—- sound off at 11pm, on again at 2am —-

• 2:00 – 3:00 DJ Blue (downtempo)
• 3:00 – 4:30 Blackass
• 4:30 – 6:00 Seda

MAIN STAGE

• Friday Night

• 9:00-10:30 Nick The Neck
• 9:30-11:00 Guardian
• 11:00-12:30 J.Cush
• 12:30-2:00 Sammy Bliss
• 2:00-3:30 Porter Tinsley
• 3:30-5:00 Mark Zabala

• Saturday Afternoon

• 11:00-12:00 Phil Dog
• 12:00-1:00 Zak Brown
• 1:00-2:00 Skandar
• 2:00-4:00 JP & Rhines
• 4:00-5:00 Moody Moore
• 5:00-6:30 Saynt

• Saturday Night

• 10:00-11:30 Hyjynx
• 11:30-12:00 Machina Candeo
• 12:00-1:30 Fatfinger
• 1:30-3:00 Oscure
• 3:00-4:00 Blue
• 4:00-5:30 Jokton
• 5:30-7:00 Jesse Wright

DJs, fire performances, a cantina and our OWN PRIVATE MEXICAN BEACH!

For complete details and ticket sales visit:
www.almaparadiso.com

EARLY ARRIVAL:

We are discouraging people from arriving early as we won’t be having security on site until Friday morning.

* Remember: You do NOT need a passport if you are driving into Mexico. Any passport or state issued ID will do.

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The 2nd annual southwestern Burning Man regional event is underway as of today Thursday May 17. The arts and music festival runs through Sunday night May 20th.

At last year’s Dark Skies Singularity event, somewhere in the vicinity of 700 participants showed up for the four day festival. I was one of the producers, being at that time the L.A. Burning Man regional director. I had hooked up with Cameron Grant the Las Vegas BM regional director and his team, and the rest is, as they say, history.

Though I’ve retired my role as a BM regional head and am not involved with the production and organization of this event any longer, I can attest to the amazing hard work of all involved, in particular the Las Vegas crew. It’s their baby. Everyone really puts their asses on the line. It’s a labor of love, and it shows. It became a multi regional effort last year, as Cameron and I had been talking about “connecting the dots” in regards to pooling our resources as heads of the regions. Once our alliance was set, the Las Vegas crew picked up the ball and ran with it. That’s not to diminish the efforts of the L.A. contingent, without whose influence and committed efforts and immeasurable passion the event could not have become what it is!

Here are some shots from last year’s event: The Boogie Man doing what he does best! Just to entice you. I hope it helps!

Directions with photos on the DarkSkies Website.

This event is exceptional in its diversity. Come on out. It’s high time for a road trip! Last year we had participants from Salt Lake City, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, NYC, Vancouver… and probably a few others

It’s about a 3 hour drive to the Roach dry lake-bed from Los Angeles. With some friends and/or satellite radio to keep you company, that’ll fly by. You’ll be on the mini-Playa in no time!

There are hotel accommodations nearby if camping isn’t on your agenda this time around! Showers, rooms, casinos, restaurants… Brush up on your poker! Check the Primm Valley Resorts Website for accommodation information (though turn off your speakers to avoid the stupidly horrible music that begins playing immediately).

You can be a proactive communicator by joining the Dark Skies Tribe on Tribe.net

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Southwestern Burning Man Regional Event

Dark Skies / Singularity Calling for Art

CALLING ALL ARTISTS!!!

Art Curator Dale Youngman says:

Yes, it’s time for the art wrangling to begin!

Dark Skies / The Singularity Event is taking place near Primm, Nevada on Roach Lake May 17-20. This is the second annual South West Regional Burning Man event jointly organized by two regional teams in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. This year is shaping up to be spectacular, but we need your participation for it to be all that it can be!

This year, in addition to mutant vehicles, art sculptures and large scale installations, we are also featuring a real gallery-style fine art and photography show inside an amazing structure called “Innermind”, by Gary Stadler. Some of you may remember the beautiful 85′ x 40′ conical structure from Burning Man a couple of years ago – it has a beacon of light that shoots out of the top, and is a very impressive art piece all on its own. This year it will function as the center camp, and will house white flats upon which we will hang artwork from both regions, as well as smaller sculptures and installations.

As our hanging space inside is somewhat limited, the space will be curated, and regrettably not every submission can be hung (but there is room for plenty!). We are asking for jpegs and sizes of all art submissions to be sent to

art@la-burningman.com

where they will be reviewed and coordinated by myself and other team members. (Since I also have a gallery I run downtown, I am always looking for new art anyway -so please send me your info!) Decisions regarding content will not be made until the first of May, when we know the actual sq. footage of interior space and see the quantity of art work submitted.

This year, in order to facilitate the many sculptural artists living here, we will have transportation for larger pieces leaving from L.A. We are hopeful that this will allow many more of you wonderful LA artists to be represented out on the near-playa . If requesting transport of large installations (or any artwork for that matter ), please include size, weight, and any special info necessary for us to assist you in your art’s appearance at the event. Let’s show Vegas what we can do!

Any questions, please write me:

I am daleydale, and I am here to serve !

Link to project online: http://www.heartmagic.com/inner_mind.html

Singularity Tickets

Dale Youngman

daleydale100@yahoo.com

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