LA Eastside

The vato that time forgot? Nah, just another incarnation of the classic cholo/skater look.
Dia de los Muertos at Self Help Graphics.

Botanitas is an ongoing feature bringing you stories and news from various sources, upcoming events and other bits of ephemera that might be of interest to LA Eastside readers. Suggestions welcome!

Last minute weekend edition, click thru for events!

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A special van.

Every year I go to the Brewery. It’s an automatic pilot type thing. I have very few traditions. In fact I have only two traditions. I go to the Hollywood Christmas Parade every year (if I’m in Los Angeles) and I go the Brewery Art Walk. I’ve been going to both of these events longer than I can remember. I’m so obsessed with them that I will actually go by myself. I remember two years ago I couldn’t trick anyone to come with me to the crappy Hollywood Christmas Parade, even my boyfriend refused to do it, “It’s lame why do you do this every year.”
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Regular commenter Urbanista submits the following pics and text about another DDLM event that took place tonight, enjoy! (Oh yeah, if you ever want to send in your own pics and text, get in touch with us via the contact us page.)

Good Evening LA Eastside,

I wanted to forward some pictures (cell phone pictures) from the event that took place over at El Gallo Cafe. There was artwork displayed as well as altars. There were some vendors selling some of their crafts with the theme of dia de los muertos. They also had a live band - Upground which got a mini mosh pit going and revived the crowd (no pun intended lol). (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yvy3FBHBhWc) <=== (Dia de los muertos song). I also got a signed “Viva Obama” print from Lalo Alcaraz.

More pics ahead.

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I suppose it shouldn’t be unexpected that there might be a traffic jam at an LA cemetery, but it was still kinda surprising to run into this long line of cars trying to make their way to some loved ones grave. Crazy.

Click ahead for some more pics of Resurrection and a human traffic jam at SHG.

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November 1, 2008-I’m surviving a Halloween Hangover this morning following one of the best October 31st celebrations I’ve enjoyed in a long time…. (more…)

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Launderland Disfraces, Lincoln Heights, 2008

Botanitas is an ongoing feature bringing you stories and news from various sources, upcoming events and other bits of ephemera that might be of interest to LA Eastside readers. Suggestions welcome!

Halloween and Dia de los Muertos events after the jump!

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~ Alter from Teocintlis Dia de los Muertos celebration ~

I love Dia de los Muertos. The beautiful art work, the food and of course the unity of family and friends remembering loved ones. It’s a celebration of life because your not really dead until people forget about you. As long as family and friends honor their loved ones, they’ll never be gone. Doña Junta knows exactly what I’m talking about because she built one of her own and it looks awesome. Whether it’s personal or communal,big or small as long as your heart is in it it’ll be a wondrous sight to behold. Ofelia Esparza and her family have been gaining recognition since 1980 for their beautiful alters at Self Help Graphics and all over the world. I never really knew the full meaning behind the celebration until I saw her give a presentation at ELAC last year. The following is excerpts edited together from the story I wrote for the school paper last year. 

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I took the Purple Line to the 720 to an art event on Sunday.

And this happened:

I was pouring myself some wine and a woman said, “That’s a beautiful dress you have on.”  I said thanks. She went on to say it was the first time she had been at this particular establishment on Wilshire Blvd. I told her I went to this particular establishment all of them time, well rather used to.

I said the place had lots of events. Art talks, poetry, jazz…she then stopped me.

“Oh I like jazz, but I don’t like rap music, sorry. I don’t like it.”
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Los Angeles, you are in luck! If you haven’t been able to make it to Chicago for the past two Latino Punk Festivals, this time around you’ll only have to figure out how to get to Montebello cuz it’s taking place here! I don’t have much else to say about this event because I haven’t been to the previous ones but I’m quite sure it’s the largest festival of Latino Punk bands in the US. (Err, maybe it’s the only one?) It’s also appropriate that the Fest take place in LA, easily the city with the biggest Latino Punk scene, not that anyone outside of the Eastside would notice. For more info about the event, check out their FAQ where they have helpful info like this great tip:

4. I get out of work late, what can I do?

–If you can afford it, call in sick or take the day off! How many fest like this one will you have an opportunity to attend in your life time? A lot of the bands playing the fest are traveling from out of town so there will be all kinds of shit going on all day, each day, where you can hang out!

Ditch work, nice! You can check out the full 3 day schedule here, though I think most punks are gonna try and get into the Saturday show to see the reunion of Los Crudos, or cuz they just want to get a glimpse of a band that would name themselves “Cara De Mil Putazos“, certainly one of the best band names ever! Hopefully we’ll have some coverage of this event to report back, there’s some young and not-so-young punks here on the staff of LA Eastside!

Latino Punk Fest 3 October 23-25 (Thursday thru Saturday)
All happening at:
Terraza Jamay 104 S. 10th St. Montebello, CA 90640
Click here for google map.

Click to hear a preview of some of the bands.

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