A few weeks ago I found myself in Norco, home to many happy Californian cows. Let’s take a looksy from the passenger seat of an automobile.
California Happy Cows
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Dia de los Muertos 2010
Considering how I got a lot of positive feed back from last years impromptu Day of the Dead guide, I was debating whether or not to make another this year too. I mean, I do have a life beyond my random ramblings on this here bloggito. But then again, I love DOD and I love sharing the tradition and parties with as many people as I can. My homework will still be there after I finish. So here it is, your 2010 Dia de los Muertos guide to events you probably already know about and some you may have missed. Also, Day of the Dead is also election day. So, after you vote between a @#!*% and a turd, which I won’t get into lest I be called childish names again, start making your way to Self Help Graphics for the original Dia de los Muertos celebration, going on its 37th year and it’s free. Free !! You can also print and wear this kick @#!*% mask made by Cuéntame, the ¡Latino Instigators!, for a get out the vote campaign. I think it’s hilarious because if you can vote and don’t for whatever reason you have, then you are a cabron and you have no right to complain about how bad things are either. Also, most of these events are pretty self explanatory, soo I’m gonna cut corners and just copy and paste info with flyers and pics really. Anyway, enough jibba-jabber, on to the festivities
The Secret Cave of Lincoln Heights
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?
Tio Rifles is Coming to Town!
Stream Dreams: Stream Spirit Rising
“Passing Through the Arroyo” 2003, Pearl Beach
A few years ago when I started toying with the idea of doing a series of posts about the old streams of the Eastside, there was not much information up on the internet. Since then, there have been a number of blogs, posts and other information regarding Los Angeles’ hidden and forgotten waterways.
As I mentioned before, the stand-out is the awesome site L.A. Creek Freak. It’s written by people who have been instrumental in the positive changes regarding our watershed and have an excellent understanding and knowledge of the issues. Their passion for our city’s waterways is infectious.
Other folks are covering this topic so well, I was conflicted about whether I should continue with the Stream Dreams posts. Even if I’m repeating a bit of the same information, I decided it’s important to keep people interested in the issues of our Los Angeles wetlands and waterways; it’s such a vital part of our Los Angeles ecology.
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Give those ghoulitos some candy!
These two Westside chicks screwed up and told a Chicano cabdriver they wanted to go to the Eastside and party but they were thinking along the lines of Glendale Blvd and Silverlake. Homeboy, like any OG Chicano, took them across the LA River to the real Eastside, to N. Main and Ave 19 site of the infamous “Club Silencioâ€- where to their chagrin and terror – they ran into “La Llorona de Los Angeles.” This La Llorona apparition sure is fine though. Nothing like the “White Lady†chillona, covered with green moss and stinking of LA River water that many of us chavalo’s remember. Cuidado you gentrifiers!
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The Cairo-Cali Connection
Sandra de la Loza, The Art of Lockpicking and the Lockpicking of Art (2010)
Some exciting art news from our friends at G727 Gallery!
“Please check out this exhibition opening in Cairo, Egypt on November 6th. It features Angelinas Sandra de la Loza, Karla Diaz and Lysa Flores, situating their work alongside women artists from Latin America in a Middle Eastern context.
Pilar Tompkins Rivas and I, Adrian Rivas are big fans of LA Eastside and thought the readers might enjoy following this project. I will be posting more about the exhibit on my site as it develops. http://www.g727.org
Please post some comments. We are hoping that some Cairo bloggers will visit LA Eastside soon.”
Citizen, Participant
November 7 – December 10, 2010
Darb 1718 / Contemporary Art and Culture Center Kasr El Sham3 Street Cairo, Egypt
مواطن مشارك نوÙمرب – 10 ديسمرب ØŒ 7 2010
درب 1718 / للÙÙ† املعارص ومركز الثقاÙØ© Sham3 شارع قرص القاهرة ØŒ مرص
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Halloween Shopping
Nevermind the shopping malls, I take to the streets to get my goods! Let’s go do a bit of Halloween shopping in the people’s marketplace of Lincoln Heights! This local parking space/shop has been suppling LH with all its seasonal needs, last mentioned here in regards to the attack bunny. This time it was other monsters on the attack…
Protesting Whitmans East L.A. Office
No one really likes Meg Whitman, for numerous reasons. So she got the bright idea to open up an office in East L.A. to ‘target’ the Latino community. Frankly, if you’re ‘Latino’ and are voting for Whitman, then your off your rocker. Her office has been picketed since day one and almost once a week by unions, orgs or people that just plain don’t like her. It’s become a regular thing, so much so that her office staff have started counter-protesting. It’s quite hilarious.
Los Angeles Archives Bazaar 2010
The 5th-Annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar
Saturday, October 23, 2010
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Doheny Memorial Library, University of Southern California
Southern California history comes alive in exhibits from more than 70 historical collections and archives at the 5th-annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar on October 23, 2010. Browse rare collections, consult with experts, and learn about the hidden stories of L.A. diverse neighborhoods and communities.
Our Eastside-is-east-of-the-river homegirl Patt Morrison is the featured guest speaker. Panel discussions subjects include: Uncovering the Legacy of David Alfaro Siqueiros, L.A. Takes Flight, Extra! Extra! Read All About It! and (ahem) Blogging L.A.
Details here.
“Power of Art” a fundraising event benefiting The Midnight Mission • Saturday OCT 23rd
This Saturday, Crewest will be hosting a fundraising event for The Midnight Mission
Date of Event:
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Time:
6 – 9 pm
Where:
Crewest Gallery
110 Winston St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 627-8252
RSVP to skidrow@crewest.com
More info after the jump
Seen around town
Here at this corner of Lombardy Blvd. & Alhambra Rd. in El Sereno there is a beauty salon that has a North-facing wall that seems persistently in flux. This is what I came across today.