Over the Rivera

We'd heard tell of a Diego Rivera Mural Tour, showcasing the famous Mexican painter's masterpiece hidden within a members-only club Downtown. But none of our tipsters could give us the exact lowdown on how to get into the place that houses the spectacular fresco. So it is with great pleasure that we give you the official information: An educated type from the Mexican Museum meets art seekers on the first Wednesday of every month, then walks you up the two flights of stairs at the City Club to properly view the artist's 1931 mural, Allegory of California. It's classic Rivera, with monumental laboring men, bulging earthly bounty, and an intense, serious main figure. The truth of it isn't revealed from just anywhere, though: Only from the top of the huge staircase is the central lady's necklace lit just so. It's gold, of course, and may be a comment by the communist painter on this state's still-insatiable desire for lucre at any cost.
First Wednesday of every month, 3 p.m., 2006