altares de familia 2014 / bakersfield californian

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BY STEFANI DIAS The Bakersfield Californian [email protected] D eath gets a bad rap this time of year: zombies want to eat your flesh, vampires want to bite your neck and ghosts want to scare the daylights out of you. But Dia de los Muertos — which falls a cou- ple of days after that other death- obsessed holiday — is a chance to celebrate and honor loved ones. For the sixth year, the Bakers- field Museum of Art will hold its Altares de Familia, an occasion that allows residents to honor the dead and celebrate the day. The event, from 4 to 9 p.m., includes a party with music, dancing and vendors in Central Park at Mill Creek, student contest entries and the “Photography in Mexico” exhibit inside the museum in addition to the homemade altars in the museum’s sculpture gar- den. In response to the celebration’s growing popularity, the museum increased the number of altar spaces from 30 to 50. “They’re all good spots, but we didn’t want everybody’s artwork being crushed together,” said Matt Munoz, the museum’s mar- keting director. “We didn’t have to advertise it much. People knew when they should call in,” and it was fully booked within three weeks, he said. Each year, the event sees the return of many participants, who build altars for loved ones and tributes to celebrities. “The way these families design these elaborate altars, it is truly a work of art,” Munoz said. “A lot of creativity goes into it.” Among those planning to return is Briana Rivera, who said she was initially inspired by a family visit to the museum. “We loved the meaning of the celebration,” said Rivera, 30. “It’s been fun every year.” This is year marks the fifth Altares event for the instructional assistant at Golden Valley High School. “Everyone’s altar is different. You end up recognizing other people that you haven’t seen in years and talking to the families, reuniting with a lot of people.” The altars reflect both the dear- ly departed and those honoring them, Rivera said. She will pay tribute to her grandparents, two uncles and two cousins with por- traits she’s painted on glass can- dle holders to accompany photos and other personal memorabilia. “I keep them forever in my thoughts. Through my creativity, you can tell what their personali- ties were like. “One of my uncles (Andrew Marquez Jr.), he was a 49ers fan and an Angels fan, so I made sure I had something 49ers and Angels for him.” For grandmother Isabel Mar- quez, “I still have some of the items she had in her kitchen, some jewelry and her favorite flowers, which are roses.” Rivera will also honor her Chi- huahua, Chucho, who died this Museum open for altar-ations Celebration honoring the dead to draw thousands for tributes, festivities HENRY A. BARRIOS / THE CALIFORNIAN Liberty High student Anaya Behan’s created a skull art piece for the Altares de Familia annual Dia de Los Muertos event at the Bak- ersfield Museum of Art. Eye St re reet THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 | Editor: Jennifer Self • Phone: 395-7434 • Email: [email protected] 18 AT A GLANCE Update on Kern County Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 ‘McFarland, USA’ ready for its closeup . . . . . . . . . 21 Arts Alive! casts a spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 ‘The Nutcracker’ returns to Fox (already!) . . . . . . 23 The Lowdown on Truxton Mile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 The Emerald Duo ready to shine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 CSUB, BC host music events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29-31 Sixth annual Altares de Familia When: 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday Where: Bakersfield Museum of Art, 1930 R St., and Central Park at Mill Creek Admission: $3, free for chil- dren 6 and under Information: 633-5495 Guy Fieri’s eatery coming to Bakersfield Please see ALTARES / PAGE 28 This altar, by Sonyia Alvarez of Mira Monte High, pays tribute to pop singer Michael Jackson. The entry is one among several featured at the annual Altares de Familia event. BY JENNIFER SELF The Bakersfield Californian [email protected] Celebrity chef Guy Fieri will open one of his Johnny Gar- lic’s restaurants in Bakers- field, a company spokesman confirmed this week. And this place, with its seared yellow fin ahi and bourbon buffalo meatloaf, is no diner, drive-in or dive. Bruce Marano, chief oper- ating officer for the chain, responded via email Tuesday to Californian restaurant crit- ic Pete Tittl, who was inquir- ing about the restaurant’s rumored plans to open at The Marketplace in the southwest. “Yes, what you have heard is correct! We are very excited to be entering the Bakersfield market. ... See you in Bako soon!!” Marano referred Tittl to two of his associates, who didn’t respond by press time to questions about when the restaurant will open or whether Fieri will visit. Repre- sentatives of the shopping center also had not returned calls for comment by Wednes- day afternoon. The Californian reported earlier this month that chain executives were eyeing a space at The Marketplace for- merly occupied by Coldwater Creek. Johnny Garlic’s has restau- rants in Sacramento, Dublin, Windsor, San Jose and Brent- wood. The chain, which opened its flagship location in Santa Rosa in 1996, actually predates Fieri’s TV fame (“Diners, Drive-ins & Dives” and “Guy’s Big Bite” are just two of the Food Network shows he hosts). Johnny Garlic's features a fusion-cuisine mix of salads, sandwiches, flatbreads, pasta, chicken, seafood and steaks. Among the intriguing items on the regular menu are the sashimi won tacos ($14.50), volcano chicken ($17.50), cherry barbecue ribs ($28) and “Old Skool” bananas Fos- ter ($7.95). The speciality after-dinner drinks, all $10, include choco- latey mochi-tini ($10) and the jammin’ Jamaican. The value-conscious lunch menu offers all items — sal- ads, pastas and sandwiches — for $10. Fieri, 46, shot to fame in 2006 after winning Season 2 of “The Next Food Network Star.” He lives in Northern California with his wife and two sons. — Californian dining columnist Pete Tittl contributed to this report LEZLIE STERLING / SACRAMENTO BEE Chef Guy Fieri puts finishing touches on a dish at the Johnny Garlic’s in Sacramento that opened in April 2013.

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Preview of the 6th annual Altares de Familia / Day of the Dead festival at Bakersfield Museum of Art. By Stefani Dias http://www.bmoa.org/altares

TRANSCRIPT

BY STEFANI DIASThe Bakersfield Californian

[email protected]

Death gets a bad rapthis time of year:zombies want to eatyour flesh, vampireswant to bite your

neck and ghosts want to scare thedaylights out of you. But Dia delos Muertos — which falls a cou-ple of days after that other death-obsessed holiday — is a chanceto celebrate and honor lovedones.

For the sixth year, the Bakers-field Museum of Art will hold itsAltares de Familia, an occasionthat allows residents to honor thedead and celebrate the day. Theevent, from 4 to 9 p.m., includes aparty with music, dancing andvendors in Central Park at MillCreek, student contest entriesand the “Photography in Mexico”exhibit inside the museum inaddition to the homemade altarsin the museum’s sculpture gar-den.

In response to the celebration’sgrowing popularity, the museumincreased the number of altarspaces from 30 to 50.

“They’re all good spots, but wedidn’t want everybody’s artworkbeing crushed together,” saidMatt Munoz, the museum’s mar-keting director.

“We didn’t have to advertise itmuch. People knew when they

should call in,” and it was fullybooked within three weeks, hesaid.

Each year, the event sees thereturn of many participants, whobuild altars for loved ones andtributes to celebrities.

“The way these families designthese elaborate altars, it is truly awork of art,” Munoz said. “A lotof creativity goes into it.”

Among those planning toreturn is Briana Rivera, who saidshe was initially inspired by afamily visit to the museum.

“We loved the meaning of thecelebration,” said Rivera, 30. “It’sbeen fun every year.”

This is year marks the fifth

Altares event for the instructionalassistant at Golden Valley HighSchool.

“Everyone’s altar is different.You end up recognizing otherpeople that you haven’t seen inyears and talking to the families,reuniting with a lot of people.”

The altars reflect both the dear-ly departed and those honoringthem, Rivera said. She will paytribute to her grandparents, twouncles and two cousins with por-traits she’s painted on glass can-dle holders to accompany photosand other personal memorabilia.

“I keep them forever in mythoughts. Through my creativity,you can tell what their personali-ties were like.

“One of my uncles (AndrewMarquez Jr.), he was a 49ers fanand an Angels fan, so I made sureI had something 49ers and Angelsfor him.”

For grandmother Isabel Mar-quez, “I still have some of theitems she had in her kitchen,some jewelry and her favoriteflowers, which are roses.”

Rivera will also honor her Chi-huahua, Chucho, who died this

Museum open for altar-ationsCelebration honoring thedead to draw thousandsfor tributes, festivities

HENRY A. BARRIOS / THE CALIFORNIAN

Liberty High student Anaya Behan’s created a skull art piece forthe Altares de Familia annual Dia de Los Muertos event at the Bak-ersfield Museum of Art.

EEye StrereetTHURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 | Editor: Jennifer Self • Phone: 395-7434 • Email: [email protected]

18AT A GLANCE

Update on Kern County Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20‘McFarland, USA’ ready for its closeup . . . . . . . . . 21Arts Alive! casts a spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22‘The Nutcracker’ returns to Fox (already!) . . . . . . 23

The Lowdown on Truxton Mile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24The Emerald Duo ready to shine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25CSUB, BC host music events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29-31

Sixth annual Altares de Familia When: 4 to 9 p.m. SundayWhere: Bakersfield Museumof Art, 1930 R St., and CentralPark at Mill CreekAdmission: $3, free for chil-dren 6 and underInformation: 633-5495

Guy Fieri’s eatery coming to Bakersfield

Please see ALTARES / PAGE 28

This altar, by Sonyia Alvarez ofMira Monte High, pays tributeto pop singer Michael Jackson.The entry is one among severalfeatured at the annual Altaresde Familia event.

BY JENNIFER SELFThe Bakersfield Californian

[email protected]

Celebrity chef Guy Fieri willopen one of his Johnny Gar-lic’s restaurants in Bakers-field, a company spokesmanconfirmed this week. And thisplace, with its seared yellowfin ahi and bourbon buffalomeatloaf, is no diner, drive-inor dive.

Bruce Marano, chief oper-ating officer for the chain,responded via email Tuesdayto Californian restaurant crit-ic Pete Tittl, who was inquir-ing about the restaurant’srumored plans to open at TheMarketplace in the southwest.

“Yes, what you have heardis correct! We are very excitedto be entering the Bakersfieldmarket. ... See you in Bakosoon!!”

Marano referred Tittl to twoof his associates, who didn’trespond by press time toquestions about when therestaurant will open orwhether Fieri will visit. Repre-sentatives of the shoppingcenter also had not returnedcalls for comment by Wednes-day afternoon.

The Californian reportedearlier this month that chainexecutives were eyeing aspace at The Marketplace for-merly occupied by Coldwater

Creek.Johnny Garlic’s has restau-

rants in Sacramento, Dublin,Windsor, San Jose and Brent-wood. The chain, whichopened its flagship location inSanta Rosa in 1996, actuallypredates Fieri’s TV fame(“Diners, Drive-ins & Dives”and “Guy’s Big Bite” are justtwo of the Food Networkshows he hosts).

Johnny Garlic's features afusion-cuisine mix of salads,sandwiches, flatbreads, pasta,chicken, seafood and steaks.Among the intriguing itemson the regular menu are thesashimi won tacos ($14.50),volcano chicken ($17.50),

cherry barbecue ribs ($28)and “Old Skool” bananas Fos-ter ($7.95).

The speciality after-dinnerdrinks, all $10, include choco-latey mochi-tini ($10) and thejammin’ Jamaican.

The value-conscious lunchmenu offers all items — sal-ads, pastas and sandwiches— for $10.

Fieri, 46, shot to fame in2006 after winning Season 2of “The Next Food NetworkStar.” He lives in NorthernCalifornia with his wife andtwo sons.— Californian dining columnistPete Tittl contributed to thisreport

LEZLIE STERLING / SACRAMENTO BEE

Chef Guy Fieri puts finishing touches on adish at the Johnny Garlic’s in Sacramento thatopened in April 2013.

Eye Street28 The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, October 30, 2014

year at age 12, with a tribute she designedwith sister Brittaney Rivera.

“His favorite treat was Pupperoni sowe’ll have that. My younger sister justmade a papier-mache Chihuahua. We’regoing to have that with his collar on it.”

Along with family, Briana Rivera willhonor Jenni Rivera (no relation), the Mexi-can singer who died in a 2012 plane crash.

“She loved butterflies, so I’m going tomake sure I have a lot of butterflies. I’vemet a couple of her family members and Iam going to put (up) pictures I’ve takenwith her daughter and her mother.”

Celebrity tributes are almost as popularas family ones, especially among theyoung. This year’s youth entries — 60-pluscalaveras (skulls) and altars from local stu-dents — honor many stars, including GeneKelly, Michael Jackson and Robin Williams,who died in August.

Student works will be displayed in themuseum’s banquet room Sunday withfirst- through third-place winners in skulland altar categories announced at 7:15p.m.

Munoz said guests should also check outthe “Photography of Mexico” exhibit, apartnership with the San Francisco Muse-um of Modern Art.

BMoA curator Vikki Cruz “will be thereto provide mini tours and give informa-tion,” Munoz said. “SFMOMA provided the(photo) information in Spanish as well,with laminated cards they provided for us.”

Party in the parkBilingual volunteers will be assisting on

the museum grounds as well as in thepark, where the Hispanic Chamber ofCommerce will coordinate entertainmentand vendors.

“We’re letting the reins loose a little bit,”Munoz said. “There are a lot of logisticsand the chamber knows how to handlethese big events like (their) MenudoCookoff.”

The event will debut its first beer garden,and food vendors will sell traditional holi-day treats such as pan de muerto and

sugar skulls as well as tamales, tortas, bur-ritos, posole, tacos, funnel cakes, deep-pitsandwiches and more.

Francis Alvarez, who serves on themuseum’s maintenance staff and moon-lights as a makeup artist, will lead her crewin skull face-painting. Other creative typeswill be selling art and other designs.

“Lots of vendors, tons of artists, inde-pendent artisans that sell arts and craftswith a Latin flair,” Munoz said.

Entertainment runs all day on the mainstage at the park, starting with the Aztecopening ceremony at 4:15 p.m. featuringdancing from Ballet Folklorico Mi Tierra.Other performances include live mariachimusic by Mariachi Juvenil 30/30, Mexicanfolk dancing by groups CCAT Bakersfield,Ballet Folklorico Huastecalli, EscuelasUnidas and music from Mento Buru.

Last year more than 5,500 peopleattended Altares, and Munoz expects morethis year.

“Mariachi Juvenil 30/30 is one of themost successful in the youth mariachiorganizations in the Central Valley,” Munozsaid. “All the mariachi, folklorico groupsare very youth-oriented. During the per-formances, the audience is alwayspacked.”

ALTARESCONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

HENRY A. BARRIOS / THE CALIFORNIAN

Jenn Villanueva from Frontier High created this skull art entry for the Altares deFamilia event at the Bakersfield Museum of Art.

Liberty High student Celeste Ablin paystribute to artist Louis Comfort Tiffany.