Rockin 2011 curated by Lovegalo:
Come check out this amazing graffiti art exhibition with a historical twist. Featuring LA’s earliest graffiti writers still rocking their shit. It takes a look into the early graffiti by some of these guys at the famous Belmont Tunnel. The show will also feature great art and photography by various talented artist’s.
Tonight: Saturday, August, 27th 2011 @ 7 p.m. Location: KGB studio’s 1640 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, Ca 90012
In remembrance of the passing of Geronimo Pratt this past week, I’m posting this clip of the 1995 movie Panther by Mario Van Peebles. Most of the film was shot in locations around Lincoln Heights. How many places can you name/spot?
Tomorrow night is a meeting concerning proposed changes to the North Spring Street Bridge. It’s true, the bridge could use some improvements but I hope completely replacing structure is not one of the changes being proposed (the video doesn’t make it entirely clear). I’m also concerned about the block of historically significant buildings at the foot of the bridge near Los Angeles State Park. There was talk that these buildings would be destroyed in the bridge widening process. I certainly hope this proposal is off the table.
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Here’s an urban survival tip for you to consider, which might come in handy at some crucial moment in your hectic life. If you want to determine how windy it is outside, say because you want to start a bbq or want to cut some tumbleweeds at the root to see them roll around all over the streets, measure the height of palm fronds on the sidewalk. Here we see a few inches of frond, which translates to a lil’ windy.
Hey, finally something I want to attend at the Workspace gallery in Lincoln Heights. Actually, I never know what goes on in that space, perhaps a calendar in their window would be helpful or some kind of outreach to the neighborhood. In any case, I missed Daniel Hernandez reading from his new book Down & Delirious in Mexico City a few weeks ago and happy to have the chance to hear him read right in my own neighborhood! See ya there!
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LA Eastside received some sad news yesterday, the Lincoln Park Carousel, which has provided thousand of kids with old-timey fun will be closing. In fact, the wooden horses might’ve already taken their last roundabout trip today.
Despite two attempts for the owners to continue on, the poor economic situation is forcing them to close. It’s a distressing situation for carousel worker Ana Salas who dedicated much time and effort to promote the carousel. “It was more than just a two minute ride” she told LA Eastside “It was a little escape and a sense of happiness for the riders. Seeing everyone’s smiles made me happy.”
Much respect to all of the Lincoln Park advocates who spent so much time and energy to keep the carousel moving for the past three years.
Lincoln Park Carousel Facebook page.
Original Los Angeles Times story about happier carousel days here.
El Chavo’s 2008 post about the first time the Lincoln Park Carousel was due to close here.
So there I was, about to eat my veggie torta from Chapalita, when all of a sudden this happens. The yearly celebration in honor of Cuauhtemoc was going on today, these dancers were headed to his statue by Lincoln Park. By the time I got there it was all over cuz nobody was there.
Only on the Eastside.
“But what about the torta?” I hear you asking. Well here it is:
$4 with a soda. Not bad at all.
Alley fence in Lincoln Heights
On the walls, underneath layers of paint is our history. One day archaeologists will uncover the names of those we’ve erased.
Cards purchased in the 2000s from McMonkman Pharmacy in Lincoln Heights
Not too long ago, at the corner of Daly and North Broadway in Lincoln Heights was a pharmacy untouched by time. It seems the good folks of Lincoln Heights had no reason to buy anything from this store except medication from the pharmacy. This resulted in a drugstore that masqueraded as a museum of products from the 1970s. The store never cleared it’s shelves and items stood dusty on display patiently waiting for an uninformed shopper to carry them home.
As you can imagine, a store like this piqued the interest of a curious person like myself. I would wind through the purposely created maze like shelves – shoplifting deterrents – purveying cosmetic items from decades past. La Maja, the dusting powder my mother and grandmother used featured a vampy raven haired Spanish dancer on the front of the box, and as a little girl, I thought she was the epitome of beauty.
The dude with a catchphrase seems frozen in time in this recent billboard excavation. You can practically hear him spewing his phrase, even though he’s missing some lips.
There were rumors that it wouldn’t happen this year, some sort of infighting or some budget issues with the Neighborhood Council. But it looks like something was figured out because it did go on as usual. (Sadly, that wasn’t the case for this years East LA Xmas parade, it didn’t happen.)
So yeah, I went.
Flat Top Hills
Awhile ago a reader asked me if I’d ever found the hidden cave of Flat Top Hill. I first heard about the cave from long-time residents of the area. After begging people to take me there, I was told the cave had been covered up to discourage children from playing in it and the location of the opening was difficult to find. That didn’t stop me. For many years, I spent lots of time exploring the hill (I even camped up there one night, very uncomfortable) but never came across any cave or signs of cave opening.
Earlier in the year, I asked Don Quixote, my blog compadre here on LA Eastside if he could explain where the cave might be. Here it is for those of you still on the quest. Please let me know if you are able to locate it.
And as for the cave above Griffin Ave below “Flattopâ€, if you look for the house on Griffin Ave with the wide driveway and the u shaped buildings at the rear, (I think there are two large Jacaranda trees in front), what you are seeing is what used to be the old “Indian Head Water Co.â€. Above this bldg you will notice a lot of thick vegetation, we used to call it “the Baby Jungleâ€. At the top of the Baby Jungle can see a rocky discolored area, bare rock and granite as opposed to the grass and weeds around it. I can see this scarred area from the Pasadena Fwy when I pass. This is the entrance to the old cave, but it was collapsed or filled in many years ago. Inside the cave, which goes back towards flat top quite a long ways, it was very damp, dripping water, and a kind of moss or roots hung down from the roof of the cave. Someone once told me that this cave was used during prohibition to stash liquor by organized crime people. I can’t verify if this is true.
Just yesterday I was out on a walk and noticed what looked like a dark spot on a rock in the hill. I’m curious if this was some kind of mini-cave that’s been uncovered. Anyone been up in the hills lately?
