Here we see a Lincoln Heights street corner during the day, an average mini-market with the usual fare and the occassional pedestrian stopping in to pick up some snacks. Click ahead to see what happens to this sleepy corner at night!
I was near El Centro recently and seen these treats at the check out counter at the local AM PM. I only really seen edible crickets for sale at El Mercadito or sometimes at swap meets, and they are usually in big tambos sold by the pound. I know in some places in Mexico they are a common snack (or maybe its grasshoppers?). I am not sure if they are being sold at any LA am pm yet, but maybe just maybe I might get the nerve and try them.
They got a variety of flavors too; bacon and cheese, salt and vinegar, sour cream and onion yum!
I Googled the company Hotlix and to my surprise they been in the business over 20 years! and got tons of other insect treats.
This weekend I came upon a gem of an article in the LA Times that described what steps you should take when you’re unemployed.
And here are a smidgen of some of the great tips:
“Leftovers are also great — I have barbecued chicken today, and tomorrow it’s in my enchiladas and then it’s in a chicken salad,” said Marguerite Womack, director of economic and workforce development for United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
I’ve seen the United Way office. It is next to the Starbucks where a policeman harassed me for looking homeless. There is a big sign by that building around 5th street in downtown and on the building it says: Don’t give the homeless money, because they’ll just ask for more…ok it doesn’t say that exactly, but pretty close.
Here’s another crumb of advice:
Jessica Hodgdon, 24, was out of work recently for six months. To save money, she moved into the East Los Angeles apartment of a friend, who waived rent in exchange for Hodgdon’s help cooking and cleaning.
Free rent please.
Whether I’m on my way to school or work, there are somedays were cafe hits the spot. At school, I always have it with pan from my local “El Pavo” bakery and when I’m my way to work, I grab a cup at Jim’s Burgers on First street. I order myself a sunrise burrito with chorizo and have my breakfast waiting or on the bus. I tell ya, on a cold breeze morning, that cup of joe makes my day. It’s no wonder these old timers do the same thing. As I was waiting for my burrito, I over heard them talking to each other about some random topic that I’m sure got them all riled up.
They all had a cup of coffee in front of them, black and a carton of smokes in the middle. They have to be some tuff old men to still be drinking black coffee and smoking at their age. Hell, I hope to be able to still walk and form coherent thoughts by the time I get that age too. I shared a brief moment with those old timers. For a second there I was just like them, sitting down, drinking my coffee and reminiscing about the past. A second later I grab my burrito from the order window and rush to get on the bus. All the while taking sips from my morning cafe.
One of my fondest memories growing up was going to the movies with my parents. Even in San Diego, we had our version of the Million Dollar Theatre, but ours was in Logan Heights.“El Coronet†was where Mexican cinema was a weekly Mecca for the culturally starved and homesick. It didn’t matter if I had a small Spanish vocabulary, at 8 years old I began to understand the tension between women and men giving into love, keeping their principles and resolving their differences to come together. All this visual-audio negotiation took place in a spectacular romantic Ranchera Musical, with fabulous costumes, handsome leading men and strong principled women. It was there that the emotionally charged scaled notes began to send chills up my spine, at the same time made my heart well up with cultural pride. My friend, John Santos an Afro-Cuban drummer told me he feels the same deep emotion when he hears bagpipes, because he is part Irish. Makes me wonder if sounds are also part of our genetic make-up. Denise Chavez’novel Loving Pedro Infante reaffirms that we Chicanitas learn about our ideal hombre through these icons of Mexican cinema.
I’d been to this eatery maybe a year or so ago, when it was simply called La Tia and they were trying to specialize in tamales (no doubt to compete with the Eastside institution next door known as Tamales Liliana) but the food was just okay and it seemed like they were still getting things in order. About a month ago a friend told me that they now carried “all kinds of moles” and that it was under new ownership. Could it really be the same place? Only one way to find out!
I was waiting for the bus today after work listening to music thinking of how bad I hate my job sometimes. As per usual I was craving some sort of treat for a hard days work and from the corner of my eye what do I see ? A paletero walking up behind me ringing his magical bells like a pied piper. I quickly grab my board and catch up to him. Making my way to him I noticed the killer dubs on his carrito. I grab myself an ice cream sandwich and I compliment the vendor on his tricked out ride. I ask if I could take a picture of his carrito and he agrees. Seeing the huge smile on his after I asked, I knew this was a man who took pride not only in his carrito, but in his job too. I took a bite of my sandwich and wished him the best. Ring, Ring, Ring is all I heard as he continued on his way selling paletas and ice cream in one pimped out carrito.Â
That sandwich hit the spot.Â
I’ve dated a couple of vegetarians in my day, and they were the first ones I ever saw order tacos de papa. The first time I tasted them, I thought “They’re ok.” I was never into the tacos with the hardened / fried shell. My mom loves tacos with hardened / fried shells, but she never made tacos de papa. I began eating them at the monthly Caracol Marketplace. These are very good tacos de papa.
They got shredded cabbage, homemade guacamole, some cheese, sour cream and of course fried tortilla and papa. This weekend we stopped by for breakfast and my picky eater of a daughter loved them! So I decided I need to learn how to make my own. Here is what I came up with.
It has cilantro-jalape~o hummus, fresh sliced tomato, Tapatio sauce and of course fried tortilla and papas. It’s a gentrified taco de papa since everything except the Tapatio sauce is from Trader Joe’s. I hope she likes them.
Okay kids, lets lower those voices, class is about to begin. Ahem. Thank you all for showing up to yet another lesson in the Eastside 101 lecture series, an online extension program of the UGTWHTUPAY4 university. For those of you that have been taking notes, this series was started some time ago over at blogging.la as a way to shine some light on the life of those on the Eastside, that seemingly invisible place just on the other side of the river. Though the original mission of this series seems to have served its purpose (namely, defending the definition of the term Eastside) I still have a few insights and tips to share with all of you that might be interested. I’m crossing my fingers that I don’t unintentionally give away some secrets!
Oh yeah, the subject this time is Elotes!
First they came for our raw tomatoes. Then they came for our chiles, lumping jalapenos in with serranos, just cuz some fools can’t tell the difference. And now, in a total assault against Mexicans and their salsas, they’re setting their targets on molcajetes, that ancient and simple kitchen tool used to grind down ingredients by hand.
When will the insanity end? At what point do we take up arms to defend our simple condiments? I wonder if right after they ordered the planes into the towers, the Ketchup Lobby planned this war against salsas? I better tune into KPFK to find out.
(Thanks to Burro Hall for that hilarious link to the terrorist lava rock bowls!)
Walking down Cesar Chavez yesterday to go see my friend at work I was thinking, “Man I could sure go for a churro right about now. That sweet,greasy stick always hits the spot anytime, anywhere.” Just as I think my hunger for churros will go unfulfilled, I see a man and his cart standing in front of the Big Buy full of churros. 
Four for a dollar he yelled and like Batman to the bat-signal, I grab a dollar from my pocket and with a smile on my face I asked him to help me fulfill my sugary craving. The vendor was an older looking man, late ’40s early ’50s, he had a light beer smell to him, possibly budweiser and looked as if he just crawled from under a pickup truck. Despite his rugged appearance I didn’t hesitate as I took a bite of my churro, still warm and soft as it was recently made. The man told me that his suegra had rushed him out the door to go and sell after she finished making them. He asked her if he could have one more beer before he left the house, but no dice. Across the street from him other people were selling other various foods and random items. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday it gets packed on that side walk with people buying food and just enjoying themselves. However I digress from my point, which is that no matter what your craving there will be someone in a cart or stand selling what ever your craving for a reasonable price and extremely delicious. I <3 Boyle Heights. Â
Corporate
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of the BBQ Sparerib Potato Chip
Purchased: 7-11 (Freedom’s waiting for you)
Design: full color, slick, do enjoy the juxtaposition of slabs of meat and the statue of liberty
Taste: good going down especially in the morning after eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Post-consumption: severe headache
D.I.Y.
Purchased: next to a gas station late at night while driving up to Kalasin from the woman who made them
Design: simple, right up my alley, pre-printed info tag, rubber bands and staples to keep the contents of the delicious treat inside while cooking
Taste: sweet, smokey, coconut mixture grilled over charcoal, very delicious (did I write delicious enough?), purplish in color
Post-consumption: raring to go and no sugar crash