Wishing the Eastside: Courage, Strength & Faith in 2009!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Category Archives: Eastside
The Blob That Ate Lincoln Heights!
Oh no, Downtown is on a hungry rampage and moving east! It first started with The Brewery and then The San Antonio Winery and now has consumed every hipsters’ favorite place to shop, The Saint Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Lincoln Heights!
An article in today’s Los Angeles Times features the downtown loft of a “recycled living” bohemian realtor and his fashion designer girlfriend. This couple is really cool cause they are into old stuff that was previously used! Wow! Read what I mean:
In the spirit of adaptive reuse, nearly all the furnishings inside the loft hail from flea markets or thrift shops or are alley finds.
Uh, huh. And where might one of these chic thrift stores be?
Heller stops by downtown’s St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop at least twice a week.
Downtown? How did that happen? According to the Saint Vincent de Paul website, the store is located:
Just north of downtown Los Angeles … in Lincoln Heights, is one of the largest, well-stocked thrift stores in all of Southern California The St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store which according to Los Angeles Magazine is the “Best Thrift Store in Los Angeles.â€
So it’s happened again…Downtown, in it’s appetite to swallow anything that might be “cool” has now gobbled up an even bigger chunk of Lincoln Heights. What will follow?
The Day After Christmas
Spotted on a curb in Cypress Park
I wonder if those religious candles were for before or after they drank the dozen or so bottles of tequila?
Tamale Casserole
Some of the greatest ideas in life are the simplest ones, take for example the Tamale Casserole. Being the son of a Tamalera, I know tamales and when I laid my eyes on that concoction in the aluminum pan, I questioned it and it’s taste. Low and behold I was surprised by it great taste and ingenuity. Curious about the casserole, I asked the chef about it and she told me that it was a recipe her grandmother created back in the day. Chimatli dates it back to the ’50s, but this is the first time I laid eyes on something so clever and tasty.Â
This particular casserole was of rajas and it had monterey jack and goat cheese making for a unique combination to say the least. The japalenos gave it a nice kick too and some extra flavor. Again letting my curiosity got the best of me and I asked how she prepared the casserole. In a nutshell, you take masa and put it on the bottom of the pan, add your toppings of choice and lay another layer of masa on top of that. Pop it in the oven for about 90 minutes and bingo bango, a tamale casserole. Over the holidays I’ve been exposed to a variety of tamale variations including vegetarian tamales. For years I thought that rajas, chicken red/green sauce, pork red/green sauce and pineapple and strawberry were the only ones available. My pallet is forever changed and I’m grateful to have been exposed to such culinary delights.
The 2nd Annual Gran Posada del Pueblo
In the spirit of the season, Boyle Heights residents came together to celebrate Las Posadas with family, friends and of course great food. The East LA Community Corporation and Company of Angels Theater Company helped sponsor the posadas that included a turkey giveaway earlier a couple of days before the posadas. This years celebration, the Company of Angels Theater Company help put on a play, Los Peregrinos del Este, written by Xavi Moreno, Directed by Armando Molina and a dramaturgy by Ricardo Brancho featuring members of ELACC “neighbors building neighborhoods action committees. The play and posada were intertwined as it began at First and Boyle at the mariachi plaza and continued down Boyle to the ELACC head quarters with a few stops along the way. Â
Lincoln Heights X-mas Parade
I’m not going to tell you LA Eastside readers all the nice things I told my CHANFLES! readers but if you want to kill some time this X-mas eve browsing thru an annoyingly long (and late!) post about the LH Xmas parade then click here to have that lousy gift granted!
(I’m even later on the HLP X-mas parade post, but that’ll be coming soon! Pobre de ti!)
IMIX Bookstore
So let’s say despite all the good critiques of avoiding a consumer driven holiday season, you decide you still want to buy some gifts for a few folks. If you’re like me, you avoid anything that has the word “mall” or “Americana” in it. Or perhaps like me, the millions of holiday craft fairs around town have let you down – what to do? One place I always like to pay a visit to around this holiday time (and other times throughout the year too!) is Imix Books (pronounced EE-MEESH) in Eagle Rock. Proprietor Elisa Garcia-Rodriguez is a true bookseller by trade having worked in fabled bookstores like Midnight Special before branching out on her own to start Imix. She has worked tirelessly to create a beautiful community bookstore featuring the latest in Chicano/Latino titles, radical literature, cool handmade jewelry, artist produced tees, author readings, a special collection of children’s books and local artist shows in the store’s gallery. This cozy bookstore, nestled in between the ever changing trendy boutiques on Eagle Rock Blvd, has been able to hold out despite the fluctuating economy and the domination of Amazon (which has caused many an independent bookstore to close). Unlike many other businesses, Elisa has always been supportive of other independent enterprises, bookstores, artists and groups and has many a grateful friend in the community. Bookstores like hers are a rare treat in this day and age, stop in for a visit!
IMIX Bookstore
5052 Eagle Rock Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90041
(323) 257-2512
Continue reading
Eastside 101: Tamal Row
It seems that it’s about time for another installment of Eastside 101, that series that showcases places East of the river that contribute to the unique way of life over on this side of town. Lately there’s been a whole bunch of new fools using the term to give themselves some urban-ness and grit to differentiate themselves from whence they came, even as they look towards the Westside for approval. Yer all sad. Keep it up mofos, we can keep it up longer! Eventually you’ll have to relocate to follow that next media or publishing job and your fake ass “Eastside” will be forgotten. I’ve seen it happen.
But enough about the wannabes, I’m here to present you with a quick roundup of everyones favorite holiday treat: Tamales! There’s a small stretch on Brooklyn with a few different tamalerias which I’ve dubbed Tamal Row, but if there’s another name for this area (Maravilla?) I’m not going to stubbornly try to rename it, just let me know, okay? I figured I’d make it a day trip to compare and contrast their wares! Quieren ver? Pues a la proxima hoja!
First in line !!!!!
Maria Gonzalez(From left)Â , Garcia Enedina and Pablo Torres arrived at 10 a.m. Friday morning to be the first in line for the 27th Annual Miricle on 1st Street Toy give away. Sponcered by the Hollenbeck Youth Center, the give away helps out local residents in Boyle Heights by giving away gifts donated from various corparate sponcers. Gonzalez said that her family have been coming to the toy give away since they were kids and this year marks their 20th year coming. Even as La Crisis keeps getting worse, more families are expected to come and wait in line to compensate for their gifts. Gonzalez her family and other people waiting in line are going to be camping out over night in the freezing cold to keep their space. Of course their efforts are going to pay of in the morning when they’re one of the few families who will recieve a Nintendo Wii said Gonzalez. The gift giving starts at 10 a.m. and of course the line will be TONS of families there creating a mob scence.
WE HAVE A WEENER!!!!
Ajua! Someone has correctly answered all of the questions on the
ARE YOU SMARTER THAN AN EASTSIDER? Quiz!
One very Eastside Culture savvy contestant has demonstrated a profound
knowledge of all things Eastside, and has proven to be truly deserving of the Grand Prize! A certificate good for Dinner for Two from:
EL CONQUISTADOR RESTAURANT in Silver Lake!
(I wanted the prize to be a trip far away from THE EASTSIDE so I picked the very self-proclaimed hip Westside town of Silver Lake!) Que Gácho! Anyway, here are the answers to the quiz: Continue reading
Highland Park Holiday Parade
Creepy clown dance from last year
64th Annual Northeast Los Angeles HOLIDAY PARADE
featuring local schools, churches, community organizations,
elected officials and more…
Grand Marshals
Monica Garcia and Yolie Flores Aguilar, LAUSD
Ambassador of Peace “NORKY the pen-eagle”
Sunday, December 7th, 1 pm
Route: Figueroa St. south from Ave. 60 to Sycamore Grove Park
Highland Park, CA 90042.
Winterfest follows at Sycamore Grove Park
3pm to 5pm featuring music by students from Ramona Hall.
Entry Winners announced. Carnival also offers fun rides!
For more information call (323) 256-3151
http://www.holidayparadeinnortheastla.com
Stirrings around Lincoln Heights
Lately, I’ve noticed all sorts of new spots opening up around town; and this in spite of La Crisis.
New community center opening in Lincoln Heights
More after the jump…