Author Archives: El Random Hero

About El Random Hero

Bailo tango, masco chicle, pego duro, tengo viejas de a montón, tururú...

Los Juan Diegos

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edit-3Beautiful isn’t it ? I was amazed when I first saw it and I’m still amazed every time I see it when I pass by it on Chavez and Lorena. I love art and since I’ve been learning about the artists who helped make Chicano Art what it is today, I have a tremendous appreciation for it. I have great respect for any artist and Chomps is no exemption. Chomps has been working on his this mural called, “Los Juan Diegos” for quite some time. He named it after himself and his brother. Like any artist, he has to make a living some where else to pay the bills and spends what free time and money he has on his art. He ends up borrowing equipment to get the job done a lot.

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UCLA Festival of Books

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It’s extremely rare that I take a Saturday off because that’s when I make my money. However, since I had to call off work because I had an interview in the morning, I decided to make a day out of it and make my way over to the UCLA Festival of Books. I have never been to one and decided to see what it’s all about. I mean, I love reading books and comic books so this should be right up my alley right ? WRONG.

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Fiesta Broadway 2009

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This years fiesta sucked ass !!! It will never be as I remember it when I was a kid, walking around with my parents and sisters getting in lines to get free samples of things we don’t need and taking pictures with celeb look-a-likes. What happened to you Fiesta Broadway ? How did you lose your heart ? Did you even have one to begin with ? I know that the corporate advertising is part of you, but companies use to give out WAY better things. Now, your lucky if you even get a stupid pamphlet telling you to buy some crap you don’t need. Sigh… this years fiesta really was no different than last years and Chavo posted a good photo essay, which was ok I guess. I think mine is better, but I’ll let you’se guys decide. Sigamen los valientes !!!!!!!

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Metro Freeway Service Patrol, Your My “Random Hero”

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photoI don’t know what I did or what I said but whatever it is, someone out there loves me and is watching out for me. Today was an unusual day that could have taken a turn for the worse, but thanks to the Metro Freeway Service Patrol, it ended nicely. My friend calls me up asking me to help her take one of the dogs to the vet because the cabeson broke his leg last week. We get there, drop him off and make our way to a gas station because my friend didn’t put oil in her car and it was smoking harder than a hipster at an art show. ZING!!

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Made in L.A. ~ May Day Campaign

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Click here to see a clip

When I first saw Made in L.A. last year after it won an Emmy, it hit a soft spot in me to say the least. When my father first came to this country way back in the ’90s to pave the way for the rest of the family to make it over, he worked in one of those garment factories. I remember those days because of where we lived, how we lived and my father telling us later on, in his drunken ramblings, how much he hated that work when he was doing it. Yet, he did it and put up with it because that was what he needed to do in order to get the job done, so to speak.
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Highland Park farmers market

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So I run into Victoria K. at the library during my super, duper, amazing spring break and we decide to kick it old school at a coffee house in Highland Park. We make pit stops at our pads and make our way over there. I see the farmers market and I tell V to go with me and check it out. These are the pictures that came about from that frolic. I ended up running into artist Sonia Romero and her cohort Tina Rodas, who decided to post up at the market that day to promote this weekends show at Avenue 50. Needless to say it was a great time all around and it was really close to with the metro stop being right in front of it. The market is held every Tuesday from 3 to 8 p.m.

~ This post was made possible by the El Random Hero scholarship fund ~

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El Mercadito

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Part of my super, duper, amazing spring break series of post, I stopped by the Mercadito to do what I do best and that’s work son. There’s more than 90 pictures coming at ya so sit down and relax for this one. It wasn’t easy, but I consider this post one of my greatest photo essays to date, not to brag or anything. I knew El Mercadito would be a challenge to shoot, by I went, I saw and I shot. Here’s a post Chavo did a while back ago for some other site. Hmm… looks like there’s a new kid in town eh Chavo ?? 😛 FYI I’m working on a separate post about it’s history and the people there coming soon.
~ This post was made possible in part by the EL Random Hero Scholarship Fund. ~
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One Year Later

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I can’t believe it’s been a year since this blog started !!! Damn time flies by so fast, I don’t even know where it went. I remember when Chavo and the rest of the crew started this blog and I was like “whoa !? this blog amazing !! It’s all that and a bag of chips (90s slang).” I then remember reading that Chavo was looking for writers for the blog and I emailed him about writing and a few weeks later it was on. Now one year later, here I am. Stronger, smarter and humbled to be with so many talented artist, writers and all around great people that I’ve ever met. I’ve personally grown and developed in soo many ways that I can’t believe it myself sometimes. It truly is a pleasure to be in cahoots with everyone on this blog and interacting with the people responsible for making this possible, our readers. If it wasn’t for everyone who reads and comments, passionately at times, on this blog, none of it would be possible. Gracias to all of you as well. I can’t wait to see what the next year will bring in terms of future post, discussions and keeping people in check who claim the Eastside is in other parts of town. Trucha cabrones !!!!

A.R.T.E.S.

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The planning and development for an Art’s District in Boyle Heights is underway. Artist are uniting and getting the ball rolling on making sure this opportunity doesn’t get shelved and tossed to the side. The projects origins can be traced back to local council member Jose Huizar approaching a teacher at UCLA.  From there, 12 urban planning students surveyed Boyle Heights and presented their findings to Huizar a while back. Alfredo Huante and Carolina Martinez are two of the students and were at tonight’s meeting explaining what the current situation is and who their meeting with Huizar went. The students finished their commitment and got their credit. They explained that they no longer have a stake in the survey and said that projects like this usually go ignored because there is no one to pick up where they left off. That’s where A.R.T.E.S. comes in. With so much ground work already started, the students are passing everything on to them as they are getting organized and creating an infrastructure to make sure that the district meets the needs of the community and artist.

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True Love

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Member way back in February when I was auctioned off for $45 to a mystery buyer at Self Help ? Well after our date we hit it off like no ones business. I would have posted something afterward but she didn’t want our relationship to go public because she gets enough attention as it is. So who’s This Mystery lady ? Follow the jump to find out !!!! Continue reading →