Sunday, June 12, 2011

at 2 pm 

Los Angeles Estonian House

Keynote Speaker: Ago Kõrv

Soloists: Maarja Kivi and Matti Riivald

Estonian Zither Players: Helge Laan and Tiina Repnau

$10 voluntary donation; coffee table

After retiring as Vice President and CFO from a large private company in California, Ago Kõrv has publicized the fate of Estonia and Estonians by means of two historical leaflets, which have been very popular among Estonians and non-Estonians, including the U.S. Ambassador to Estonia appointed by George W. Busch. He served formerly on the Boards of Directors of Estonian House in Chicago and Estonian Society on Los Angeles. Ago's father was arrested on June 1941, and he died in a Ural Mountains prison camp in 1942.

                                          

Jaak Treiman, "A Diplomatic Guide to Los Angeles" (Los Angelese diplomaatiline linnajuht, inglise keeles)

2008. a oktoobris panin kokku nimekirja Los Angelese olulisematest huviväärsetest kohtadest, et värskelt siiasaabunud karjäärikonsulil oleks oma uue ametikoha asupaigas hõlpsam sisse elada. Küsisin konsulaarkorpuse rahvalt, sõpradelt, tuttavatelt ja võõrasteltki soovitusi, mida veel lisada. Nii kasvas nimekiri pikemaks. Sedamööda tahtsin ka ise sellest linnast rohkem teada saada, kus olen elanud üle 50 aasta.

Kuna nimekiri kasvas, siis leidsin, et asjast võiks rohkem kasu olla, kui lisada sellele oma lühikommentaar. Lühidast sai teinekord ka natuke pikem jutt. Tulemus oli raamat, mille paljundasin ja saatsin kõigi riikide Los Angeleses paiknevate konsulaaresinduste juhtidele. See leidis tunnustamist. Tänini antakse üks paljundatud raamatuke igale Los Angelesse ametisse saabuvale uuele konsulile. Katkendeid sellest on avaldatud ka Los Angelese linna elektroonses rahvusvahelises uudiskirjas.

See ei ole restorani- ja hotellikataloog. Juhatan linna külalisi, tugitoolituriste ja elanikke nii Los Angelese kuulsatesse kui ka vähemtuntud kohtadesse, alates Disney kontserdisaalist ja Olvera tänavast kuni Dunbari hotelli, Läti seltsimaja ja Hsi Lai templini.

Kommentaari, sissepikitud anekdootide, ajalooseikade ja faktitutvustuse abil antakse lugejale kild killu haaval sissevaade selle linna ja elanike olemusse, mida on kirjeldatud küll kui "vabaturu-hirmuvalitsuseks", "La-la-landiks" ja "72 eeslinna hulka kadunud linnaks".

Olles algselt kirjutatud Los Angeleses asuvatele karjääridiplomaatidele, kes peavad oma uue asukoha ja selle olemusega kiiresti kurssi saama, on linnajuht jagatud mõttelisteks ringkäikudeks mööda üksteise lähikonnas paiknevaid kohti.

Raamatu sisus hõlbustab liikumist märksõnaloend. Teos on varustatud Los Angelese kohta ilmunud ilu- ja aimekirjanduse viidetega.

Saturday, July 9th, 2011

at 10.30 am

Estonian House

"A Diplomatic Guide to Los Angeles" by Jaak Treiman

In October 2008 I decided to make a list of Los Angeles points of interest so that newly arrived career consul might find it easier to orient themselves to their new posting. As I solicited and received suggestions from colleagues within the consular corps, friends, acquaintances and strangers, my list grew longer. As the list grew longer my personal curiosity about this city I have lived in for over fifty years increased. That, of course, led to further expansions. As my list expanded I thought it useful to add brief commentary. "Brief" sometimes turned into not so brief. The end result was a book that I photocopied and distributed to each head of post in the Los Angeles Consular Corps. I received many accolades and currently the photocopied book is given to each newly arriving consul. Excerpts were also published in the City of Los Angeles's electronic newsletter, International.

This is not a restaurant and hotel directory. I point visitors, armchair travelers and residents to both popular and less well-known sites of Los Angeles ranging from Disney Concert Hall and Olvera Street to the Dunbar Hotel, Latvian Community Center and Hsi Lai Temple. Through a commentary sprinkled with anecdotes, history and little known facts the reader gleans insights into the character of the city and its people - a region that has been variously described as "laissez-faire dystopia," "La La Land" and "72 suburbs in search of a city."

Originally written for career diplomats stationed in Los Angeles, diplomats who have to quickly become knowledgeable about the sites and character of their new home, the book is divided into manageable "tours" of sites in relatively close proximity to each other.  Liberal references are made to current fiction and nonfiction readings about specific sites and an index for convenient searching is included.

Amazon.com