This week I was invited to the Japanese Consul General’s residence to celebrate his new post assumption and the Emperor of Japan’s birthday.  In a section of Los Angeles known for the Playboy Mansion, I was able to meet the most interesting mix of people.  Between spreading the word about the JETAASC and being engulfed in great conversations, the event was a success.

One of the most interesting people with which I was able to spend time was George Takei.  Many of you know George from his role as Sulu on Star Trek.  I’ve never met such a sincere conversationalist before.  He is so happy, present and interesting.  I have to say that I was sucked into his great stories.  How could one not!  He is involved with quite a few Japanese related organizations.  There were a few parallels between some of his organizations and the JET Programme.  As a side note, Russell Iriye (in the photo above) has an interesting family connection with George.  Apparently, Russell’s grandfather used to cut George’s hair in the US Internment Camps during World War II.  Talk about 6 degrees of separation.  Another side note is that my wife and George have the same voice over agent here in Los Angeles.  Who knew?!  We look forward to seeing him again soon at the holiday party.  I can’t wait to hear what he’s got up his sleeve that night.

The drinks continued to flow as the speeches by Consul General gave a speech before the Controller of the State of California gave his.  The speeches were peppered with live shamisen music by a young man from San Diego.  Once the music subsided, the drinks flowed again and local dignitaries were working the event like pros.

After speaking with George we were able to strike up conversations with Cyril (Consul General of South Africa).  He was another engaging person filled with wonderful anecdotes about Rwanda and South Africa.  We learned quite about South Africa’s current situation and people.  Additionally, we realized that we know the same person that works with the South African board of tourism.  Again, a small world.  Between Los Angeles, Tokyo and Cape Town we were able to travel the world yesterday.  I’ll keep you posted about the next time we have the pleasure of chatting with George.

Rock climbing can trace its roots to the Southern California.  The birth place of modern rock climbing is spread across the arid and mountainous areas of Southern California:  Idyllwild with its Taquitz, Sierra Nevada Mountains with its Yosemite National Park, Palm Springs with its Joshua Tree National Park and….wait for it….LA County’s Stoney Point.

Stoney Point is very much a part of rock climbing iconic history, but it bears a much different history and evolution over the last 50 years.  Situated in the northernmost part of Los Angeles in Chatsworth, Stoney Point is the closest cluster of rock formations upon which rock climbers can ply their craft.  It’s also the closest area for gang bangers and trouble makers to spend time late in the evening.

What many people don’t know is that the founders of the global brands Patagonia and The North Face were the forefathers of modern rock climbing.  Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Black Diamond and Patagonia, learned to climb at Stoney Point; as did his rock climbing and merchandising contemporary, Royal Robbins.  Most climbers in LA don’t realize that those two living legends were refining their beginner skills in Los Angeles on a series of rock formations in Chatsworth.  Who knew!?

The sad truth is that this place has devolved into the antithesis of what rock climbers promote, seek out and protect.  If you were to go to Stoney Point right now- even if you are not a rock climber- you’d be disgusted.  Unlike its counterparts- Yosemite National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, San Jacinto Mountians- Stoney Point is the rock equivalent of that friend with which you grew up that took the wrong path in life and wound up in jail.

Stoney Point is littered with millions of glass shards.  They are everywhere.  It doesn’t matter how high one travels on the rocks, glass is everywhere.  Each dirt path or ledge leading to the top of each section of rocks is strewn with multi colored beer bottle shards.  The browns and greens glitter like a path of gems in the early morning light.  It’s depressing.  Of course, there is the obligatory plastic bags, condoms, cigarette butts, cigarette wrappers, etc.

If that is not enough, taggers have littered the rock faces with lame spray paint scrawling.  Just when one thinks they will get high enough and not see any gang or tagger call signs, they are quickly proven wrong.  We actually found a Courvoisier bottle at the highest area.  The cherry on top is that most of the areas where there are deep cracks or holes, a rank stench of urine and body fluids rises up like a cloud of doom welcoming any rock climber hoping to climb and enjoy nature.

LA based art and object creators, Electroland, have outdone themselves with their creation of the Urban Nomad Shelter.  Not only does it provide a place for homeless people to sleep, it is pleasing to the eye like a piece of modern art.

If you’ve spent any time on any skid row or highway underpass in the world, you’d know that there is a need for the Urban Nomad Shelter.  Sure, it’s pleasing for the eye of the person driving by in a car, but it’s the only logical solution for housing the homeless on their terms.  Sometimes a homeless person may find an old camping tent, but they are heavy and difficult to transport.  This shelter enables the person to blow it up and deflate each day.

Since we all know municipal governments aren’t going to do much about the homeless problem other than issue tickets, this would at least help the community in which the homeless people are sleeping.  It would be a win-win, but not a solution.  Thanks for doing your part, Electroland.

A few weeks ago LA showed its true colors when a group of gangbangers in the Highland Park area of East Los Angeles shot a cyclist in the back.  Every few weeks the Midnightridazz, a bike enthusiast group, gathers to take part in themed mass bike rides across East LA, Hollywood, downtown LA, Silver Lake and Echo Park.  Known to last until the wee hours of the morning, these rides are made up of hundred of bike riders.  Unfortunately, last Friday’s “Neverland Ride” turned out to be more like the “Straight outta Compton, crazy muthaf&^%@# named Ice Cube” ride.

The sad truth is that on most of these rides there is a large percentage of people working on a buzz or already drunk as hell riding fixed gear bikes with no breaks, breaking traffic laws and/or wearing costumes.  One could see how a 300 person ride like this could get out of hand quickly.  But, did all of that culminate into the shooting on July 10th?  Nobody knows.

As the group was riding through Highland Park (an area most people won’t walk through in the daytime), bottles began to fly from a house on the corner.  The street was littered with broken glass, making it difficult for the bikes to get through.  This split the large group of cyclists.

After word spread ahead that a female cyclist had fallen or been knocked down, many riders went back to check on her.  That’s when the trouble started.  Approximately 10 gangbangers ceased throwing bottles at the cyclists in the street and began beating riders and stealing their bikes.  One of the gangsters had a shovel and was threatening to hit people.  That’s when things escalated.

One of the riders yanked the shovel from the hands for the thug and yelled, “What’s up now!!!????”  In the following seconds other gangsters and riders exchanged punches.  Next, the rider holding the shovel found himself facing a black 22 caliber handgun.  As the rider turned to run, the gangbanger shot him in the back.

Apparently the backpack the rider was wearing helped slow down the bullet; keeping it from lodging into his spine.  The police arrived in a few minutes and were now faced with a gunshot victim and a standoff with the thugs.  The police stayed camped out in front of the house until early morning.  Eventually, there were able to apprehend all of the gangsters and return the bikes to the owners.

About these rides…

Midnight Ridazz and other rides like them across Los Angeles garner polar opposite responses from the bike and non-cycling community when asked about them.  To some, these rides are an excuse for people to rebel and cause traffic problems and proclaim “bikes have rights too”, though this mantra is illustrated by incessant violation of traffic laws.  To others, these sorts of rides are a way to “wake up” drivers in a city that is infested with car drivers that feel cyclists have no right to be on the road.  What’s more, some cyclists feel this is their way of showing that they’re fed up and  tired of being hit by cars or run off the road by malicious or irresponsible drivers.

It’s important to note that this is not a cyclists vs. automobiles situation.  Many riders in the LA cycling community frown upon these sorts of rides, as they feel they drive a wedge further between the cyclists and drivers.  To some it forces an unneeded tug-of-war.  To others it creates a necessary discomfort that is needed to force motorists to learn that they don’t own the road.

Either way, this is the sort of Los Angeles we love. Viva Venice Beach.