San Gabriel Mission archeological dig tour March 9

Discover lost L.A. with a free San Gabriel Mission archeological dig and
Weird West Adams crime bus tour

WHAT: LAVA ­ The Los Angeles Visionary Association presents two days of
hidden L.A. lore, featuring a San Gabriel Mission Archaeological Excavation
Tour (Friday, 3/9, 12-2pm, W Main St & S Ramona St.,San Gabriel, CA, 91776)
and Esotouric's Weird West Adams Crime Bus Tour (Saturday March 10,
12pm-4pm, departing from Benny H. Potter West Adams Avenues Memorial Park,
2413 2nd Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90018)

COST: Archeological Excavation tour is free but space is limited and
reservations are required; bus tour is $58/person

INFO: http://lavatransforms.org/ace-sgtrenchproject and
http://esotouric.com/westadams or call 323-223-2767

On March 9 and 10, LAVA ­ The Los Angeles Visionaries
Association, presents two events celebrating the hidden Los Angeles lore
that lies beneath the surface, from newly-revealed Spanish Mission-era
artifacts to forgotten tales of true crime and offbeat social history. The
fun starts with a free, LAVA-exclusive tour of the ongoing archeological dig
opposite the historic San Gabriel Mission and continues with one of
Esotouric's popular neighborhood crime bus tours.

1) On March 9, make your lunch break a time travel trip back to the Spanish
era of Mission life when LAVA visits the archeological dig which is part of
the Alameda Corridor East Construction Authority¹s San Gabriel Trench
Project. During the SAN GABRIEL MISSION ARCHEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION TOUR, staff
archeologists will discuss the excavation process and share highlights of
their discoveries as they uncover the site of the Bishop's Garden, which was
first cultivated in the 1780s.

The on-site tour should prove to be most interesting, as objects dating back
to the late 18th century are being uncovered, providing a rare glimpse of
life at the Mission, an intersection of early Spanish development and
indigenous settlements. Among the thousands of artifacts found at the site
are bits of pottery, the foundation of an adobe structure, shells, beads,
remnants of animal bones, 19th century railroad spikes and a Spanish silver
coin dated 1816. Will the excavation reveal the location of the Mission's
legendary (and possibly imaginary) Treasure Tunnel? Join us to find out!

To reserve your spot for this free event, visit
http://lavatransforms.org/ace-sgtrenchproject

For more info about the archeological dig, visit the links below
http://www.theaceproject.org/sangabrieltrench.htm

http://www.archive.org/details/AlamedaCorridorEastConstructionAuthoritysSanG
abrielMission

2) On March 10, Esotouric, the offbeat bus adventure company that unearths
fascinating criminal skeletons from L.A.'s civic closet, offers its
occasional neighborhood true crime tour, WEIRD WEST ADAMS. West Adams locals
and interested bystanders won't want to miss the chance to hear all the
newly-unearthed dirt.

ABOUT THE TOUR: On this guided tour through the Beverly Hills of the early
20th Century, Crime Bus passengers thrill as Jazz Age bootleggers run amok,
marvel at the Krazy Kafitz family's litany of murder-suicides, attempted
husband slayings, Byzantine estate battles and mad bombings, visit the
shortest street in Los Angeles (15' long Powers Place, with its magnificent
views of the mansions of Alvarado Terrace), discover which fabulous mansion
was once transformed into a functioning whiskey factory using every room in
the house, and stroll the haunted paths of Rosedale Cemetery, site of
notable burials (May K. Rindge, the mother of Malibu) and odd graveside
crimes. Featured players include the most famous dwarf in Hollywood, mass
suicide ringleader Reverend Jim Jones, wacky millionaires who can't control
their automobiles, human mole bank robbers, comically inept fumigators, kids
trapped in tar pits, and dozens of other unusual and fascinating denizens of
early Los Angeles.

There are even some celebrity sites along the route, including the death
scenes of Motown soul sensation Marvin Gaye and 1920s star Angels baseball
catcher Gus Sandberg. And the architecture too is to die for, as the Crime
Bus rolls down the elegant streets of old West Adams, lined with gay
mansions, adorable bungalows and signs of a century's decay which only
enhance the neighborhood's charm.

Passengers on this eye-opening, funny and informative tour will forever see
the West Adams district in a new light. It is highly recommended for natives
and newcomers alike, crime and history buffs and anyone who likes to seek
out the unexpected.

For more info about Weird West Adams, visit http://esotouric.com/westadams

Upcoming Esotouric bus tour and LAVA special event schedule
Sat Feb 25 - Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles: The Lowdown on Downtown
Sun Feb 26 - Victorian Los Angeles Part Two (info at www.lavatransforms.org)
Sat March 3 - Hotel Horrors & Main Street Vice crime bus tour
Sun March 4 - Inside the Mind of the Arsonist (info at lavatransforms.org)
Fri March 9 - San Gabriel Mission Archaeological Excavation Tour (info at
lavatransforms.org)
Sat March 10 - Weird West Adams crime bus tour
Sat March 17 - Pasadena Confidential crime bus tour (weekend pass available)
Sun March 18 - East Side Babylon crime bus tour (weekend pass available)
Sat April 7 - Charles Bukowski's Los Angeles (weekend pass available)
Sun April 8 ­ John Fante's Dreams from Bunker Hill (weekend pass available)
Sat April 14 - The Real Black Dahlia crime bus tour
Sat April 21 - Crawling Down Cahuenga: Tom Waits' L.A.
Sun April 22 - Open House at the historic Stendahl Galleries (info at
lavatransforms.org)
Sat April 28 - Maja's Mysteries: Rapture & Release
Mon April 30- The LAVA Salon at Musso & Frank featuring John Buntin (info at
lavatransforms.org)
Sat May 19 - Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles
Sun May 20 ­ Blood & Dumplings crime bus tour

For more info on LAVA, visit http://www.lavatransforms.org
For more info on Esotouric, visit http://www.esotouric.com