Mixed Bag of Announcements

Here are a few things worth noting:

First, one of the books featured here has just won another award--actually, two awards. Quest for Flight: John J. Montgomery and the Dawn of Aviation in the West by Craig Harwood received Honorable Mention in the 2014 Los Angeles Times Book Festival Awards and came FIRST in the Great Southwest Best Festival, Regional Lit cateogory.

Not too shabby!

Second, LAVA--the Los Angeles Visionaries Association--will have another FREE Sunday Salon with featured speakers, followed by a downtown walking tour, on March 30.

• The first speaker, Tom Sitton, takes the stage at noon to talk about LA County government from 1850 on, and some of the problems that still plague the county today.

• Next speaker (at around 1) will be Kim Cooper, co-founder of LAVA and author of The Kept Girl, a novel based on a 1929 cult killing spree with links to Raymond Chandler. Artist Paul Rogers will be on hand to discuss the cover art, too.

The Sunday Salons are fascinating and take place on the Mezzanine of the Les Noces de Figaro on Broadway downtown, so you can enjoy macarons and cafe au lait or a full-on meal while you listen. You don't have to feel guilty because you will walk afterwards, learning a segment of downtown history. But you DO have to rsvp for the walk. LAVA is very strict about that.

Thirdly, the DaCamera Society presents all sorts of concerts at historic LA venues, like the April 2nd Glass Harmonica concert. Come on--you've always wanted to see a glass harmonica in action, haven't you? The instrument was invented by Benjamin Franklin, and yes, I did know that, even though it's printed on the Press Release. The location is an 80-year-old private club downtown which must remain a secret until you buy your tickets!

Also upcoming from the Society is the April 26th concert at the Doheny Mansion, featuring Brazilian artiste Heloisa Fernandez on jazz piano. The concert will take place in the Pompeian Room, under the golden glass Tiffany dome.