newsbriefs


Lightning in a Bottle Slated for Memorial Day Weekend


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he 7th Annual Lightning in a Bottle International Music and Arts Festival (LIB) will take place May 24 through 28 at the Oak Canyon Ranch in Silverado. LIB combines a weekend in nature with music, art, entertain- ment, speakers, yoga, workshops and child-friendly activities.


This year’s music lineup in- cludes Bassnectar, The Glitch Mob and Tipper. Reverend Michael Bernard Beckwith, Barbara Maxx Hubbard and


Mirabai Devi are just a few of those speaking at LIB’s Temple of Consciousness. Yoga classes will led by Mark Whitwell, Jo Tastula and Micheline Berry, among others. Workshop titles include Urban Permaculture, Make Your Own Beer, Grow Your Own Spirulina and Solar Cooking.


At the heart of LIB is a deep commitment to sustainability. LIB’s environ- mental credo is “Leave It Better. Leave It Beautiful.” As they tout on their website, “leaving no trace” is no longer an acceptable goal.


The festival opens Thursday, May 24 for camp set up and early arrivals. Fes- tival programming begins Friday, May 25 at 7 a.m. All attendees must vacate the festival by Monday, May 28 at 4 p.m.


LIB will be held at the Oak Canyon Ranch in Silverado. The box office is located at Santiago Canyon College, 8045 E. Chapman Avenue, Orange. For more infor- mation, visit LightningInABottle.org.


Venice Beach Beer Company to Launch in May


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he Venice Beach Beer Company is expected to ship its first beers later this month. According to co-founder Tim Benedick, they will debut two beers. The first, expected to be their flagship brand, is Venice Ale, an American amber ale. The second


is June Gloom, a Belgian white beer featuring coriander and orange peel under- tones. Each beer will be available on tap and in 22 ounce bottles. Benedict, a veteran of the restaurant industry, founded the company with Kerr Smith, an experienced actor. Benedict explains their motivation for the new venture, “We both have been home brewing for the last three years and are eager to get our beer on the market for people to try.”


Benedict explains the company will utilize contract brewers as they refine their business model. They intend to establish their own brewing facility within two years. Once they are operating out of their own brewery, they will run the operation with minimal environmental impact.


Current distribution efforts will focus on the Venice and Santa Monica area during start up. Their beer will be available at Venice Whaler, Larry’s, Chaya, Baby Blues BBQ, Mercedes Grille, Baja Cantina and Brick + Mortar. Take-out beer will be sold at Whole Foods in Venice. Benedict expects three or four other Whole Foods locations to carry the beers.


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For more information, visit VBBC.us. Los Angeles


NaturallyLA.com


Yoga Event to Benefit No-Kill Cat Rescue Group


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ownward Dog for


Cats, a yoga event ben- efiting Kitt Crusaders, a nonprofit, no- kill cat rescue group for cats and kittens will be held on Saturday,


Tracy Gittens


June 16 from 1-2 p.m. The class will be held in Griffith Park in L.A. at the Crystal Springs picnic area. Downward Dog for Cats is the brainchild of Rose Bruno Bailey. Bailey suggests arriving 15 minutes early for the event as that is when they will be collecting donations and to bring along a mat and water. “Kitt Crusaders networks cats and kittens from local L.A. city and county shelters as well as from the streets and saves them from the fate of being euthanized,” according to Bailey. “They raise funds for vet- erinary care, food and shelter. Kitt Crusaders matches cats with foster homes if they cannot take them on themselves and is always looking for potential adopters to give the cats a loving, permanent home.” The yoga class will be taught by Tracy Gittens. Gittens obtained her yoga certification through Yogaworks in Manhattan. She now specializes in Aerial Yoga, sharing her knowledge and energy with her fellow yogis in San Diego.


Griffith Park is located at 4730 Crystal Springs Dr., Los Angeles. For more information about Kitt Crusad- ers visit Facebook.com/kittcrusaders or Twitter.com/kittcrusadersla. For information about adopting a cat or donating to the organization, call 323-216-1921 or email mary@ kittcrusaders.com.


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