Elia and I spent the day together we thought it was Friday but actually it was Saturday. Elia took me to the Mexican quarter of Los Angeles, in Olivera Street. We watched musicians and public dancing. I loved the fact people were dancing in the public square. We walked through the markets and looked at the artifacts, clothes and food. We both had a dance in front of a trio of musicians. I encouraged the children to dance and one little girl was shy but in the end I had her dancing. I played the clown. I am sure the audience were amused. I love the spirit of the mexican people and remembered my time in Cancun Mexico with my Mexican host.
Elia took me to the church across the road as a celebration was taking place. I saw people with little dolls. At first I assumed they were real and then realised they were carrying dolls. I was perplexed by this and found out it is a celebration.
This is the custom:
On February 2 (día de la candelaria) this doll is taken to the church to receive a special blessing from the priest. People pay a lot of money to have the doll dressed in special clothes for this blessing. This custom is based on the presentation of Jesus in the Jewish temple after the 40 days of purification of the woman after she gives birth. (http://www.jesuschairez.com/2010/01/30/mexico-city-dia-de-la-candelaria-february-2nd/)
I love the music, the dancing and the food. It is a wonderful culture.
Elia took me to Upper Whittier in her area. We went to a film with Robert De Niro and Jackie Weaver (to my surprise). Jackie is an Australian actress playing the part of an American wife. The film was called Silver Lining and was about mental illness (bi polar) and how two people found each other battling their own demons. It turned into a love story and showed the power of love and healing through the arts, in this case dance. I do think people can be healed of mental illness by doing what they love.
Here is a little rundown on the film and the emotions it evoked. I think there is a lot of mental illness these days and it creates great fear rather than compassion.
Robert De Niro Becomes Emotional Discussing Silver Linings Playbook with Katie Couric Posted by Karen Benardello On February – 5 – 2013 (refer http://www.shockya.com/news/2013/02/05/robert-de-niro-emotional-silver-linings-playbook-katie-couric/)
Robert De Niro became surprising emotional while discussing his acclaimed new romance comedy-drama, ‘Silver Linings Playbook,’ with Katie Couric. While talking about the film with the television journalist on her ABC talk show, ‘Katie,’ the actor started crying when he mentioned how personally invested writer-director David O. Russell is in the film’s subject. De Niro, who is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor this year for his portrayal of Pat Solitano Sr. in the movie, also siad that he doesn’t like to be emotional. But he added that he knows the movie shows the filmmaker’s experience with his son, Matthew, who has a mood disorder.
Also speaking of De Niro’s sentiments, Russell said he also became emotional about ‘Silver Lining Playbook’s subject matter when he first showed the actor the screenplay in his apartment. The director added that everyone knows people who suffer from the same emotional experiences that are featured in the movie, and are easily touched by them.
The Oscar-nominated filmmaker also said it was a surprise to see De Niro become emotional while filming the scene when Pat tells his son, played by Bradley Cooper, that he wants him to get back on his feet. Russell watched the actor cry for 10 minutes during shooting, as he knew he truly connected with the material. The director didn’t write that Pat Sr. would cry during the scene, or even discuss the possibility with De Niro, but felt it was touching.
It is good to hear of people getting emotional, particularly men, we so need them to start crying and feel their emotions that is where the true humanity unlocks and the feeling of life rushes in.
After the film Elia indicated we should go to a nightclub. I was tired but open. What I love about this 66 year old is that she is not limited. How many people have I met over the years that don’t go out and dance. She loves dancing. She bought me a beer and some chips Mexican style. I went off dancing, absolutely loved it. There was another guy who wanted to dance and he was definitely a clown. He had his own style and was not so much an exhibitionist but more just outgoing and not shy, an extrovert. He and I did some dancing. We also clowned around. He took his shoes off and held them making them dance. I liked his style. I offered for him to come clowning but he didn’t go for it. I guess he was shy after all. We danced for hours and I loved the workout. It was really a great night.