Esotouric™

In the past three decades the communities of Alhambra and Monterey Park, nestled in the foothills of the southwestern San Gabriel Valley, have transformed themselves from sleepy suburban bedroom communities (bursting at the seams from a 1950s housing explosion) to the nexus of a pan-Asian megalopolis spreading east to Diamond Bar and beyond to the county line. Fueled by immigration from Taiwan, Hong Kong, more recently South East Asia, these communities have found their identity, their economic base, and have come into their own as a new type of American “chinatown.”

Hosted by Richard Schave, THE NEW CHINATOWNS is an entertaining and illuminating historical and cultural bus tour that rolls through Alhambra, San Gabriel, Rosemead and (mainly) Monterey Park exploring significant people, remarkable places and delicious delicacies. Join us as we explore the region's fascinating history, from the land and oil booms of the 1920s, its halcyon postwar days as a suburban outpost for lower middle class Angelenos, the birthplace of the Hula Hoop (Wham-o Industries), to the “white flight” of the 1970s which created the vacuum that facilitated the first wave of migration from China. Among the significant sites on our itinerary:

* Paradise Trailer Park (Rosemead), a picture perfect time capsule of gracious, tree-shaded mobile home living in the postwar Southland.
* The Venice Room (Monterey Park), a groovy grill-your-own-steak bar, still family-run after forty years.
* Browning Realty (Monterey Park), site of the 1920s oil mania and still a family enterprise after eighty-plus years.
* El Encanto (Monterey Park), exquisite showplace of the failed 1920s luxury housing development intended as the Beverly Hills of the East.
* Mission Superhardware (San Gabriel), still run by the Fabriano family after more than seven decades, and previously where Howard Roach built some of the Southland's first television sets.
* Site of the original Laura Scudder potato chip factory (Monterey Park).
* Pioneering purveyors of high quality Asian herbs, teas and notions Wing Hop Fung, for a tea tasting.

Today Monterey Park is at the crossroads of economic development. After three decades spent fostering independent businesses-fueled by immigrant’s dreams and sweat, the city is looking to bring in big business, which it claims is desperately needed for its tax base. Can this unique and quintessentially independent community survive another identity crisis, another land boom, this time of a distinctly corporate nature?

Special attention will be paid in the route to a compelling side effect of this sociological revolution: the best Asian food in the world is here as well. We will end the tour with a tea tasting at Wing Hop Fung.

Instructions for passengers:

There are no paper tickets: your name will be on a list. Check in is at 11:30am for a 12pm sharp departure from the Olive Street entrance to the Millenium Biltmore Hotel on Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles.

MAP

The tour is approximately 4 hours, and will we return in time for riders to take high tea--should they choose--in the Rendezvous Court (the Olive Street Lobby where Beth Short spent some the last known hours of her life).

Tickets can be ordered online until the morning of the tour. For last minute bookings, please feel free to call 213-915-8687 after 8am on tour day, and if there are seats available, you can reserve a spot and pay with cash at the bus.

Food and drink are permitted and suggested; no audio or video-taping without permission. We regret that there are no refunds for passengers who miss the bus.

Tour summary

Want to ride both April 26 tours? Take them both for $70, a savings of $15 on the regular ticket price. You may buy online, or contact us to reserve and pay by cash or check.

Charles Bukowski bus Tour Summary

BookExpo attendees, show your badge when boarding to receive a free Bukbird beer coaster featuring Tony Millionaire's cartoon bluebird character, and a very special gift from City Lights Books, a pre-release copy of their Charles Bukowski anthology "Portions from a Wine-Stained Notebook: Uncollected Stories and Essays, 1944 - 1990." "Portions," to be published in September 2008, gathers many essential, uncollected pieces including his first and last short stories, and his first "Notes of a Dirty Old Man" column. Many of the writings have only appeared in 'zines, newspapers, chapbooks, and magazines. Never before has this material been collected and made so accessible. And Esotouric's BEA riders will see it first.

Also, BEA-attending passengers who buy their tickets by midnight on Wednesday May 28 will be invited to City Lights' Los Angeles Book Expo party on Thursday May 29, featuring City Lights authors David Ulin, Kamau Daáood, Sesshu Foster, Alan Rifkin, Terry Wolverton and many others, plus live music, drinks, food and no readings!

Instructions for passengers:

There are no paper tickets: your name will be on a list at the bus door. Check in is at 4.30pm for a 5.00pm sharp departure from Arnie Morton’s Steakhouse in downtown Los Angeles.

MAP

Please note that we are checking riders in at the bar, which will be opening early for this event, so please do not be concerned that the restaurant’s official hours do not match up with our rendezvous time.

Arnie Morton’s is across the street from the Metro Red Line’s 7th Street Station. For BookExpo attendees, note that this is an easy subway or bus trip up Figueroa from the Convention Center.

Parking is in the 7+Fig structure, which is contiguous to Arnie Morton’s. Validations for parking will be handled at check-in and at the end of the tour. Cost for parking after validation is $8. This really is the best place to park if you are driving into downtown.

Tickets can be ordered online until 3pm on the afternoon of the tour. For last minute bookings, please feel free to call 310-995-4591 after 8am on tour day, and if there are seats available, you can reserve a spot and pay with cash at the bus.

Food and drink are permitted and suggested; no audio or video-taping without permission. We regret that there are no refunds for passengers who miss the bus.

Tour Summary

As of Friday morning, the tour is sold out. You may email if you wish to get on the cancellation list, or to be added to the Esotouric email list to be alerted about future tours. And please do join Erik Davis for brunch and conversation on Sunday 6/8 at 11am at Clifton's Cafeteria downtown.

Instructions for passengers:

There are no paper tickets: your name will be on a list at the bus door. Check in is at 10.15am for a 10.45am sharp departure from Skylight Books.

MAP

There is a Public Parking Lot with meters (10 hour limit) just behind the bookstore. Please bring quarters!

Tickets can be ordered online until the morning of the tour. For last minute bookings, please feel free to call 310-995-4591 after 8am on tour day, and if there are seats available, you can reserve a spot and pay with cash at the bus.

Food and drink are permitted and suggested (note that a vegetarian lunch will be provided); no audio or video-taping without permission. We regret that there are no refunds for passengers who miss the bus.

Tour Summary

"Erik Davis' mindblowing lectures are enlightening adventures to begin with — but put him on a luxury bus headed for five of Hollywood's best mystical historic sites and things get positively rapturous." - Steve Nalepa (Flavorpill's pick of the weekend)

California is famous for its diversity, its eccentricity, and its prophetic influence on popular culture. Since the 19th century, the Golden State has also been one of America’s most fertile climates for spiritual and religious movements. Visionary Hollywood is a new Esotouric bus adventure hosted by San Francisco-based writer Erik Davis and inspired by his acclaimed 2006 book The Visionary State. On this journey of exploration through the mystic realms of Los Angeles, you’ll join Erik on a guided tour of five extraordinary religious sites, meet followers of their respective faiths and explore the fascinating history of alternative religious practice in Southern California.

This tour departs from The Bodhi Tree (MAP) in West Hollywood. We list some of the tour destinations below:

The Aetherius Society, a center for cosmic consciousness and healing founded in 1955 by UFO contactee Dr. George King, where we will hear actual recordings of an extraterrestrial voice conveying significant messages.

Krotona Apartments, a former Theosophical retreat founded in 1914, where we will have a rare opportunity to visit the central courtyard and view the Rosicrucian window of this now-private residence.

Parsonage of Sister Aimee Semple McPherson On the northern edge of Echo Park lake is the rock upon which Sister Aimee Semple McPherson built her Foursquare Church. One of Los Angeles’ most charismatic characters, Sister Aimee spread her technologically-inspired Pentecostal gospel from the Angelus Temple, while enjoying quiet moments in her adjoining Parsonage home. Recently restored, the Parsonage is now a museum of her life and work, which to this day contains to ring clear to millions of believers worldwide.

The Philosophical Research Society, founded in 1934 as a non-denominational repository for the wisdom of the world, where we will be greeted by librarian, lecturer and author Maja D’Aoust and given a guided tour of the Society’s remarkable library.

The Vedanta Society of Southern California, founded in 1930 to bring sacred Hindu philosophy to the West, where we will be given a presentation on the Society’s history and programming, and browse in its fine gift shop.

Tour cost includes a coffee break and snacks served at The Aetherius Society and a seat on a luxury coach class bus equipped with monitors, air conditioning and restroom. We encourage you to bring a boxed lunch along on the tour. As the tour date nears take-away specials from nearby cafes will be posted. Please note that on this special edition tour we cannot accept any discounts coupons, gift certificates or season passes.

ABOUT YOUR HOST: Erik Davis is a San Francisco-based writer, culture critic, and independent scholar. He is the author of "TechGnosis: Myth, Magic, and Mysticism in the Age of Information, as well as a short critical volume on "Led Zeppelin IV." In addition to his regular
column in Arthur Magazine, Davis contributes to scores of other magazines and his essays have been included in over a dozen books. He won a Maggie award for his "San Francisco Magazine" profile of the Internet entrepreneur and UFO contactee Joe Firmage, while "The New Yorker" has recognized his expertise in the works of the science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. He lectures frequently on topics ranging from electronic music to the evolution of consciousness.

tour summary

preview guest Ruthann Friedman's 1960s memories

Instructions for passengers:

There are no paper tickets: your name will be on a list at the bus door. Check in is at 11:30am for a noon sharp departure from Amoeba Music in Hollywood. After the tour, there will be an in-store concert and CD signing by our guest star, Ruthann Friedman, composer of "Windy" (a hit for the Association) among other swell tunes.

MAP

Ample public parking across the street from Amoeba on Ivar behind the Arclight Theatre.

Tickets can be ordered online until the morning of the tour. For last minute bookings, please feel free to call 310-995-4591 after 8am on tour day, and if there are seats available, you can reserve a spot and pay with cash at the bus.

Food and drink are permitted and suggested; no audio or video-taping without permission. We regret that there are no refunds for passengers who miss the bus.

tour summary

Tickets can be ordered online until the morning of the tour. For last minute bookings, please feel free to call 310-995-4591 after 8am on tour day, and if there are seats available, you can reserve a spot and pay with cash at the bus.

There are no paper tickets: your name will be on a list at the bus door. Check in is at 3:30pm for a 4pm sharp departure from Philippe’s The Original, across the street from the Union Station.

MAP

Food and drink are permitted and suggested; no audio or video-taping without permission. We regret that there are no refunds for passengers who miss the bus.

Tour Summary

Instructions for passengers:

There are no paper tickets: your name will be on a list at the bus door. Check in is at 10:30am for a 11am sharp departure from Philippe The Original in downtown Los Angeles, just across from Union Station.

MAP

Tickets can be ordered online until the morning of the tour. For last minute bookings, please feel free to call 310-995-4591 after 8am on tour day, and if there are seats available, you can reserve a spot and pay with cash at the bus.

Food and drink are permitted and suggested; no audio or video-taping without permission. We regret that there are no refunds for passengers who miss the bus.

PARKING: There are a couple of pay lots in the immediate vicinity of Philippe’s, along New High Street one block north and parallel to Alameda. Please do not park in the restaurant lot. You may also choose to arrive by train at Union Station, which is a block from the restaurant.

TOUR SUMMARY

Instructions for passengers:

There are no paper tickets: your name will be on a list at the bus door. Check in is at 10:30pm for a 11am sharp departure from Philippe The Original in downtown Los Angeles, just across from Union Station.

MAP

Tickets can be ordered online until the morning of the tour. For last minute bookings, please feel free to call 310-995-4591 after 8am on tour day, and if there are seats available, you can reserve a spot and pay with cash at the bus.

Food and drink are permitted and suggested; no audio or video-taping without permission. We regret that there are no refunds for passengers who miss the bus.

PARKING: There are a couple of pay lots in the immediate vicinity of Philippe’s, along New High Street one block north and parallel to Alameda. Please do not park in the restaurant lot. You may also choose to arrive by train at Union Station, which is a block from the restaurant.

Tour Summary