Juanita’s Foods says it all

juanita

There is nothing like bowl of homemade menudo, but even though Juanita’s Menudo is in a can, it still is one of the best and oldest canned menudo companies around.

The menudo factory has been located in Wilmington Ca for over 60 years.  Founder George De La Torre Jr who  recently passed away this year managed to keep the company a family business. You got to love the company logo as well ” Life without Mexican Food is No Life At All”.

History of Juanita’s Menudo

The company also makes  other products  I did not know they had here is a list of Juanita’s other products.

List of recipes

They did have a bit of controversy in 1987 when someone claimed they found something unwanted in the menudo which at the end was false read story here

Stock up on the menudo now because we always hear about that big earthquake we are expecting you can’t be left hungry!

Peace

Doña Junta

P.S

Sorry to my vegetarian friends =)

Antigua Coffee house is open again

I never got to see Antiguas old spot and I heard about it closing down wishing I could have gone to check it out for myself. So, that’s why I made my way with fellow blogera Vicki-chan to their new spot in Highland Park on Figueroa. I had a vanilla ice blend and a chipotle-turkey sandwich. I’m getting hungry again just thinking about it.

Since I never experienced the old location I can’t really do a comparison but the fact that Antigua is open again is something worth noting. So go check it out and enjoy a great cup of joe. Ahhh the simple life.

Antigua Coffee House

3400 N. Figueroa street Los Angeles, CA 90065

(323) 379-6148

LAEastside Goldline

eastside

For the last few weeks, ever since the Linia de Oro was making progress in its construction, I have been trying to take a pic of this lovely scene. Except my phone cam can’t get it. Lucky for me reader Sesosfritos got a screen shot of it and put it up on the blog flickr page. Thanks Sesos. I for one like that they named the Linia de Oro after the blog. I didn’t know Metro held us in such high regards. It warms my heart to see that all our work doesn’t go unnoticed. But naming an entire rail line after us ? We would have settled for free bus passes 🙂

Restaurante Los Pinos

photo2

With a sign like this you know you’ve entered flavor country. Los Pinos is a Mexican restaurant in El Sereno; and I purposefully say Mexican because with much schooling by El Chavo I now realize that there is Mexican-American food and then there is MEXICAN food.  This was most certainly the latter.

Continue reading

Happy Birthday Los Angeles!

00008129
Hand-tinted photograph of the Plaza and the Plaza Church, as seen in 1869 photo courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library. The Eastside can be seen in the distance.

The City of Los Angeles was founded September 4, 1781 which makes our little pueblo 227 years old today.
The indigenous residents of this area, of Hokan and Uto-Aztecan ancestry have a history stretching back between 6,000-10,000 years ago.

Lane Lights on the Pasadena Fwy

Sorry for the crappy video, but I figured I’d share this short clip of some new “lane lights” that are now, uh, lighted on the Northbound Pasadena Fwy that’s supposed to help with that long line to transfer on to the 5. I guess that’s what the signs about lane lights have been about. I noticed these last night and they seemed a bit bright and almost distracting. Not sure if others think that as well but I also noticed there was way more traffic around this time than usual (8:30 pm-ish) yesterday and today. You ‘ll notice that it’s one line of lights and then turns into two lines (don’t cross) near the 5 ramp. Plus they also put up physical barriers to see if they can stop the usual assholes that try to cut in line way up front, though I bet they’ll just be jerks a bit sooner. I usually stay out of this lane precisely to avoid said jerks, but I wanted to get close to safely get this clip. Yes, very safe.

Just an FYI, so you don’t get all freaked out in the middle of the night. If you’ve seen them, do you think they are useful or just a tad distracting/dangerous?

Artists Not Paid by Villaraigosa’s Summer Night Lights Gang Reduction Program

img_2581

I was copied on the following email by east-side artists who have been working on Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s Summer Night Lights project, now in its 2nd year.  A week ago the Mayor visited the Jordan Downs housing Project (pictured above) for a press tour.  Artists have worked diligently to provide what they could with their own resources to children who have no other summer alternative.  I took this picture above and witnessed how crucial art is to inner city youth who are starving to learn and desperately need patient mentorship.  –Victoria Delgadillo

FROM: Community Artist, Apprentices, and Master Artist/SNL 2009

RE: Summer Night Lights (SNL) Contract

DATE: September 2, 2009

To Whom May It Concern,

We the artists of the SNL Gang Reduction Program demand immediate payment for our services.  Many of us turned down other work to be a part of this important effort. The SNL programs success is majorly due to the arts component that is present at all 16 parks.  We all depend on this – this is our work, we have committed ourselves not only to our craft but to our community to provide the services they all deserve. Likewise we deserve to be treated as professionals in our field of expertise.  The Arts community is one of the most effected groups from the current economic downturn and continue to be disregarded by this neglect on the part of the City of Los Angeles.

The experience working hands on with the community has been remarkable. Many of us artist have gone through various lengths and have over exceeded in order to sustain the art, music and dance workshops for Summer Night Lights. For example, asking our colleagues, friends and organizations to donate materials, paying directly from our pockets, swiping our credit cards, borrowed money for equipment and materials. Although we have been partially reimbersed for materials, we have not been paid for our time and professional experience.  There has been a significant amount of preparation, time, planning and effort to make SNL a success. Our efforts have over exceeded our expectations and requirements. Continue reading

Plaque honors forgotten Chinese residents

The city has installed a plaque so current Boyle Heights residents can honor and pay their respects to Chinese residents who were not given equal burial treat meant back in the 1800’s. The plaque is in English, Spanish and Chinese and it gives a little history about Evergreen Cemetery, some history on some of the more prominent deceased Chinese residents resting in the cemetery and why the plaque was placed there. Which is to acknowledge the wrong doings of the past so that the bodies that were found during the Linia de Oro construction can also rest in peace as well. I came across it yesterday evening walking my dogs. They should be finished by today because the plaque still had pieces of wood holding it in place. As I stopped to read it most people didn’t bother to read was on the plaque and only guessed at what it was. Then there are those who just say stupid, racist things and choose to completely ignore the importance of such a plaque. None the less, it’s good to see that they’re getting the respect they deserve and that even though racism and classicism are still around, they’re not as bad as they use to be back in the day.

Debora Iyall, Sept 3 at the Knitting Factory

 

Debora Iyall

My Debora Iyall from Romeo Void post came back to life just in time for some some good news for LA based Debora fans.

She is playing a show at the Knitting Factory this Thursday (September 3.)  Her band includes Peter Dunne, Frank Zincavage and Dave Scheff.

Wire Train and Translator will also be playing.

I know this is LA and there is alot going on, but how about going to a traditional new wave show, though possibly putting traditional in front of new wave is a bit odd, but you know what I mean.

-Browne Molyneux