Huell Howser Visits a Lowrider Show

I’ve seen loads of Huell Howser episodes. But a friend recently mentioned this one that I had never seen. If I haven’t seen it, maybe you haven’t either. Huell visits the old Sports Arena (now the really nice home to the new Los Angeles Football Club) for a Super Show of Lowriders. It’s an awesome episode highlighting some aspects of Chicano culture. I really like the bike at the 14:00 minute mark, with the Jesucristo wheel, some fish in the bike seat, and a live scorpion to get some attention. Enjoy!

Click on this link to see the full episode.
https://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/1994/09/04/visiting-201-lowriders/

Cinco de Mayo: A Cultural Holiday

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We were driving thru the Westside today, somewhere along the border of Silver Lake and Echo Park, when we thought we saw something stupid headed our way. Sure enough, and cuz I had my camera handy, we were able to take a picture of some innocent dolt dressing up as a Mexican captain of sorts on his way to some shitty place to drink his shitty Tecate beers. Oh yeah, it’s Drinko de Mayo! We of the Chicano variety are not so learnededed on this American holiday so we decided to seek out an experience. Might as well get to know the Ethnic people that live in your city and figure out why they do the things they do.

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Sal Si Puedes #4 Publication Release

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I’d heard rumors oh for many, many years that at long last another issue of SSP would see the light of day. I didn’t believe it, and still don’t, but CT is so convinced of its resurrection that there is an actual “Publication Release” planned for Saturday, March 9th 2013 at 8pm over at Espacio 1839 in Boyle Heights. Seeing is believing buddy. Notice it doesn’t say Release Party? I did. O pues.

If you don’t know, Sal Si Puedes is one of the best literary magazines to come out of the Eastside. I did a review of issue #3 waaaaayyy back in 2005, you should go read it.

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See, doesn’t that sound interesting? It might take another decade for the next issue to come out so if I were you I’d hurry in to get my copy. The going rate is $10 but if you mention that you heard about it on LA Eastside, CT will let you have it for $9.99 and will throw in a free knock-knock joke. Yer welcome!

See ya there!

Check out the Facebook invite here.

Espacio 1839  
1839 1st. St (near Mariachi Plaza)
323.265.3730

Happy Labor Day!


International Ladies Garment Workers Union, Spanish Speaking Branch. Los Angeles, 1933.

While the history of Labor Day is a sketchy one, it was meant to replace the more radical anarcho/commie tinged May Day, it is at least the one day people pay homage to the working class of the good ol’ USA. Except there’s not much ‘good’ around here anymore and – are you working class if you don’t have a job?

This photo is from a 1933 Labor Day parade in Downtown Los Angeles possibly near Olvera Street. It was common for many Mexicans of early Los Angeles to adopt Spanish style clothing when celebrating holidays. It was a fashion thing I think, maybe too much Ramona and Fiesta on their mind. Eighty or so years later and we’ve ditched the ruffles for huipiles.

Stolen Dictionary

No entiendo lo que dice al principio de este letrero, pero parece que nos van a regalar unos boletos para pasar el tiempo sometidos en un tipo de “jucio”, me imagino que es algun “juice” como dicen los Americanos. Que Padre! Prefiero nadar en tamarindo.

Igual, me conviene que solo me la paso de ratero en Español. Sabra porque…