{"id":13197,"date":"2020-02-26T17:42:41","date_gmt":"2020-02-27T01:42:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/hi-lo\/?p=30000007656"},"modified":"2020-02-28T12:40:49","modified_gmt":"2020-02-28T20:40:49","slug":"things-to-do-in-long-beach-this-weekend-including-pickles-pizza-and-excellence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/things-to-do-in-long-beach-this-weekend-including-pickles-pizza-and-excellence","title":{"rendered":"Things to do in Long Beach this weekend including… pickles, pizza and excellence!"},"content":{"rendered":"

1. 2ND ANNUAL CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE (Saturday)<\/h3>\n
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Darick Simpson is one of five to be honored at the 2nd Annual Celebrating Excellence event. Photo courtesy Dreamkreator Studio.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In partnership with Dreamkreator Studio and 9th District Councilman, Rex Richardson, this free community event at the Michelle Obama Library is set to honor a select group of Long Beach individuals who exemplify achievement in media, arts and education.<\/p>\n

\u201cCelebrating excellence is all about honoring those who exemplify extraordinary prestige,\u201d Rhonda Love, co-founder of Dreamkreator studio and coordinator of the event, said. \u201c[Those] who do great, excellent works in their professions and who they are as individuals and [how] they\u2019re give[ing] back to the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s honorees include Andrae Russell, long time host and program director of Stevie Wonder\u2019s radio station, 102.3 FM KJLH; port of Long Beach\u2019s government relations analyst, Nina Turner; Darick Simpson, the CEO of The Miller Foundation, one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the city; Glenda Williams, director of the Long Beach Public Library; and Tracy Kelly, student affairs admin support coordinator at Cal State University Long Beach.<\/p>\n

Kicking-off the event will be a red-carpet interview and photo-opp, where guests will gather in the Community Room at the Michelle Obama Library and hear from the honorees, who will share their thoughts in two, 15-minute interviews about what excellence means to them as well as their journeys and triumphs that have lead them to where they are today.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s guest speaker is actor, director, producer and writer, Bill Duke. Some might recognize the Hollywood industry veteran as Cooke and, later, as Sergeant Mac Eliot in the Arnold Schwarzenegger films Commando and Predator. He\u2019ll be giving a keynote conversation during the later half of the programming.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, those who can\u2019t attend can tune into channel 32 (on Spectrum) and 41 (on Frontier) to see the televised event by PADNET, Long Beach\u2019s community media center and public access television station. (Cheantay Jensen)<\/em><\/p>\n

Another great thing: <\/b>Because a celebration wouldn\u2019t be one without live music, soul meets funk and rock outfit Brown Suede\u2014a group of African American musicians who work as attorneys by day\u2014will be performing live.<\/p>\n

Giving us a moment\u2019s pause: <\/b>It\u2019s nice to get appreciated sometimes.<\/p>\n

The 2nd Annual Celebrating Excellence event is Saturday Feb. 29 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Michelle Obama Library inside their Community Room; 5870 Atlantic Ave. The event is free to attend, you can RSVP <\/i>here<\/i><\/a>.\u00a0 For more information, click here.<\/i><\/p>\n

2. DIPIAZZA’S FAREWELL SHOW: LONG BEACH GRAND OLE OPRY WITH GYPSY TRASH AND GUESTS (Saturday)<\/h3>\n
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Mark and Marilyn DiPiazza at their restaurant and music venue as they prepare to retire from the business in Long Beach, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After 36 years churning out pizza and live music for the masses, Mark and Maralyn DiPiazza are retiring. We\u2019re sad to see them go, too. In the weeks leading up to their departure as proprietors of their Italian restaurant and live music venue, DiPiazza\u2019s, musicians all over Southern California have picked up their instruments for a night to send off the city\u2019s godparents of live music.<\/p>\n

This Saturday is the last and final, truly final, farewell show for the long-time business owners who have, for decades, ensured that Long Beach bands have a place to play.<\/p>\n

Taking stage this time will be Long Beach\u2019s own D.D. Wood and Robbie Allen of cow-funk band Gypsy Trash. They\u2019re also long-time friends of Mark and Maralyn.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I first met Mark, you know, I’m like 115-pound kid in a petticoat with cowboy boots and crop top. And you know, now I’m a chubby, middle aged teacher,\u201d Wood said, with a laugh. Wood teaches music and arts at Millikan High School.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I think the cool thing about Mark is, you know, he helped to keep us all connected. He and Maralyn really kept the music scene going for many, many years in Long Beach.\u201d<\/p>\n

A handful of guests will be performing with Gypsy Trash, a group their dubbing the \u201cLong Beach Grand Ole Opry,\u201d including bluesman Mike Malone, world-class guitar player Brophy Dale, Western duo Cowboy and Indian, singer-songwriter Lexi Lou, Chase Petra\u2019s Hunter Allen and all of Woods’ kiddos.<\/p>\n

Indie acts Rufrano and South Hollow will open the show. (CJ)<\/em><\/p>\n

Another great thing: <\/b>Those of you who might be panicking, don\u2019t worry, DiPiazza\u2019s isn\u2019t going anywhere. New owner Steve Guillen (former owner of Iguana Kelley\u2019s) promises to maintain the name and legacy Mark and Maralyn built with all the thin-crust pizza, live bands and booze to boot.<\/p>\n

Giving us a moment\u2019s pause:<\/b> Word from Guillen is there\u2019s a new mural in the works for the venue\u2019s interior. You didn\u2019t think Mark and Maralyn were leaving behind all the concert memorabilia, did you?<\/p>\n

The Long Beach Grand Ole Opry with Gypsy Trash and Guests Farewell Show is Saturday Feb. 29 from 6:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. at DiPiazza\u2019s; 5205 E. Pacific Coast Highway. Cover charge is $7.<\/i><\/p>\n

3. OAXACALIFORNIA (Sunday)<\/h3>\n

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The full name of this exhibition, which opens Sunday at the Museum of Latin America Art, is OaxaCAlifornia: Through the Experience of the Duo Tlacolulokos. That’s important since the eight murals featured explore the intersections of language and culture as a key lifeline to sustaining the shared experience for those who call both Southern California and Mexico.<\/p>\n

Tlacolulokos is made up of artists Dario Canul and Cosijoesa whose work not only focuses on exploring the underrepresentation of indigenous peoples\u2014there are approximately 250,000 living in Southern California\u2014but also the many times demeaning way they have been presented in art throughout the centuries. The duo point out that while conquerors have been portrayed as dignified while the indigenous people they abused were presented as “cute.”<\/p>\n

The pair point out that they’re depictions are of a “proud” and “angry” people that speak myriad languages. Fittingly, when the exhibit was originally mounted at the Los Angeles Central Library it was under the title ‘Visualizing Language: Oaxaca in L.A.<\/p>\n

Plus, just look at the work above. Looks great. (Steve Lowery<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Another great thing:<\/strong><\/p>\n