Sidewalk Stamps

A collection of sidewalk stamps I’ve photographed on pedestrian dérives around Lincoln Heights, Highland Park and Downtown L.A. Exact locations have been forgotten.

For more on sidewalk history, see this previous post.

“Fun, Guns, Alcohol, Liquor”

Maybe its me, but given the violence throughout Mexico with the Cartel wars and the fact that more deaths related to this war have occurred (28,228 since 2007) than in Iraq—is a gun to suck on really appropriate now? “Fun, guns, alcohol, liquor” are the actual search engine words for this product on-line.  I understand that this is a commemorative limited edition tequila, meant to celebrate the 100th year of the Mexican Revolution, meant to sum up who we are as the children of that revolution–but, as represented here,  is violence and aggression our only legacy?
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Bye Bye Big Buy



Another fine contribution from guest contributor Jessica2cents. Check out her awesome new blog Mis Neighbors!

According to Big Buy’s Manager, Tom Rumack, Walgreens Pharmacies will be replacing the long-time grocers. Big Buy Foods, Inc. leased the property after the Walgreen Company bought it a couple of years ago—but the lease is up at the end of the month, and Walgreens did not wish to renew.

“We’re very sad to leave our customers,” said Rumack. His father and uncle opened the family-owned business-turned-corporation in 1962, when Boyle Heights was a predominantly Jewish community. Today, working-class Latinos make up most of the population and see Big Buy as a part of the neighborhood landscape.

As for the official closing date… “We’re taking it day by day but I’m pretty sure we’ll be closed by the end of this week,” said Rumack.

-Jessica Perez

Botanitas: December 8, 2010


Spotted on Mission Road aka Car Window Alley

There are way too many things to do in Los Angeles! So many in fact, I sometimes don’t end up doing anything because there’s always so much to choose from. So how to decide? With the help of Botanitas, of course!

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!
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Stream Dream: Johnston’s Lake


Johnston’s Lake, 1888. Photo courtesy of the USC Digital Archives.

Awhile back, I was re-reading Charles J. Fisher’s book on Highland Park which is brimming with old photos of the Northeast LA area. One photo that caught my attention was of a flock of sheep gathered around a small “natural” lake in the San Rafael neighborhood just north of Highland Park. I figured it was lake that had been filled in and forgotten because if it still existed, we’d know about it, right?

By coincidence, a few days later, I read an article in the Los Angeles Times about a garden in the San Rafael neighborhood which was said to be across the street from a lake. Could this be the lake in the photo? The article provided some geographical clues and with the aid of Google maps I was able to locate the general area of the mystery body of water. Time for a visit to the San Rafael Hills!

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DREAMS DEFERRED: Artist Respond to Immigration Reform

From the press release: “The Chinese American Museum (CAM) and El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument are proud to present Dreams Deferred: Artists Respond to Immigration Reform opening this Thursday, Dec. 9 This exhibit will showcase local artists exploring the tensions, repercussions, hopes, and dreams of immigrant communities in the face of new immigration legislation, through a broad spectrum of art including street art, graffiti art, sculpture, painting, and multimedia installations. Continue reading

Last push for the DREAM Act

I think most people know by now that I ain’t got no papers and if you didn’t,well now you do. In the past, I’ve posted a few things here and there for the DREAM Act. I do enough of that everywhere else, so that there’s no need for me to keep blasting it out on other sites I contribute to, but this is one of those few times where I dip my spoon in several cups. Just in case you haven’t heard, the DREAM Act is going to come up for a vote before the end of this week, before the lame duck session in congress finishes. So, basically what is happening is that all the Democrats that are leaving wanna stick it to the Republicans and they’re using the DREAM Act and possibly AG Jobs to do it.

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Silver Lake: The National Joke

Like the rest of you, I was flipping channels this morning wondering where the hell the football game was: it wasn’t on Telemundo, nor TV Azteca, y menos on Univision. Turns out it just started (4pm) on ch. 52 a late start to the Mexican futbol championship game. I did tune in a lil’ bit to the Republica Deportiva show, which is sometimes informative but mostly stupid banter between the hosts that seem to not like each other. Today Felix made a joke about Rosana having a mustache, she didn’t find it funny.

But whatever, we are not here to comment on stupid things like tv shows. We are here to notice the t-shirt being worn in the background. It’s not an Ed Hardy nor a Hollister but the next in line for that fine trajectory of quality clothing: Silver Lake.

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French Tacos

Somewhere in El Sereno a Mexican food truck that tends to the taco business goes by the name of “La Cuisine Francaise”. Hey, they have no twitter feed so that works for me. But the dog seems a lil’ bit scared, por que sera? Bon Appetit!