Memories of A Lost Boulevard; Ghosts of the Eastside

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old-whittier-bl

The character of the E.L.A. that I knew growing up is long gone. Everything changes, evolves.
Those who lived there before me surely must have cherished their own “good old days” as much as I do mine. And twenty years from now, others will do the same.
We are beings that exist in that sliver of time between our past and future. Yet, if we were to somehow erase every memory from the past out of our minds, who would we be? The sum of our experiences, the memories of what we have lived before, are essentially the totality of who we are at this moment. So have my experiences and present memories of growing up in E.L.A. formed this person that I am today. E.L.A. is in my DNA.
It now brings me joy to reminisce, because I can relive those times. Many thanks to all of you out there who join me on these little journeys to memoryland. So let’s take another trip….

Cruisin’ Music

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LH Monolith

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Here it is:

lh_monolith

Why it’s on a block with no businesses is beyond me. Need to move it down at least 2 blocks. Also, we have «districts» in LH? Man, I want to be in naming on the districts of LH!

¡Qué ridícules!

But otherwise, it’s pretty nice looking.

[on Broadway between Thomas St. & Gates St.]

Sheriff Joe Arpaio goes Hollywood

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A new and scary low for humanity, Sheriff Joe marches shackled immigrants through selective neighborhoods of Phoenix to heighten the impact and gain some publicity for himself.

Does the right wing want Mexicans to be tattooed with an ID number and have to wear a symbol of their ethnicity? Maybe a star of David like the Nazis had the Jews wear on their clothing in Europe?

Last year in Maricopa county Arizona during Easter Sunday Sheriff Joe set up roadblocks in  Chicano neighborhoods surrounding churches and stopped and questioned every “Mexican looking” family on their way to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

Could this happen here? If Walter Moore gets elected Mayor he already has his “Jamiel’s Law”, written up to “legally” profile Mexican Americans. It seems the failed right wing is looking to scapegoat the Mexican American population and use the issue of immigration as a wedge issue since they have nothing else to whip up enthusiasm for their “cause”

It can happen here!

Sheriff Joe goes Hollywood

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGx4ke9eeBo

Sheriff Joe Arpaio Marches Immigrants Through Public Square

New America Media, Commentary, Douglas Rivlin, Posted: Feb 05, 2009 Review it on NewsTrustReview it on NewsTrustReview it on NewsTrustReview it on NewsTrustReview it on NewsTrustReview it on NewsTrust

Editor’s Note: On Wednesday, Maricopa County, Ariz. Sheriff Joe Arpaio marched shackled immigrants through the streets of Phoenix as a show of force and to promote his Fox Reality Channel television program. Meanwhile, former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, the new Secretary of Homeland Security, has called for a review of Homeland Security immigration enforcement measures, including 287g, which allows local police to enforce federal civil immigration law. Maricopa County has entered into a 287g agreement with the federal government that gives Sheriff Arpaio greater latitude to go after immigrants, whether or not they are accused of committing criminal offenses. Douglas Rivlin is communications director of the National Immigration Forum, a non-partisan pro-immigrant advocacy group in Washington, D.C.

La Crisis: Jardineros okay for now

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El Jardinero by Los Originales de San Juan

The Wall Street Journal had an article on how paisa gardeners in Los Angeles don’t seem to be suffering as much their compatriots in construction and other blue-collar jobs. Despite La Crisis some of them seem to be doing remarkably well.

Many Immigrants Still Till the Land of Opportunity
As Some Foreign Laborers Head Home, Veteran Gardeners Find Their Dream of Middle-Class Prosperity Uneroded

“Gardening isn’t like working at a factory, where you depend on one employer,” says Manuel Quezada, a 54-year-old veteran gardener, as he and his team put down sod in the front yard of a house here. “If I lose one house, it doesn’t hurt that much.”

For immigrants, gardening has long been a stepping stone to prosperity. Japanese immigrants with a background in agriculture pioneered residential gardening in California in the early 20th century. The physical labor didn’t require education or fluent English but it lifted them into the middle class. In the mid-1960s, Mexican peasants began flocking to the U.S. Southwest in large numbers. By the 1980s, they had come to dominate the residential gardening niche, Mr. Ramirez says, and some have thrived financially.

I can see how this industry would continue to do well. Some neighborhoods are required to have a certain amount of landscape maintenance and most of these folks that live in these areas are not going to do it themselves. However, if water rationing is implemented (California is currently in emergency drought conditions), I wonder how long it will be before gardeners start feeling the pinch.

On a related note, I’ve been hearing anecdotal tales about immigrants moving back home or at least away from Los Angeles. Anyone have friends or family affected by La Crisis that have decided to move on?

Scene from the River

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Under the Sixth Street Bridge, a shopping cart sits in the Los Angeles River.

Hopefully, a few Eastside residents auditioned for Cornerstone Theater Company held auditions for “Flow,” a Julie Herbert play about the Los Angeles River and surrounding communities.

When  CTC called for anyone who live, work, or loves the LA River to try some acting,  El Chavo commented “I’m gonna see if I can be the shopping cart somebody threw into the water.”

I saw this on Sunday. So I took a photo.

ADD: A play worth writing is one that talks about what the Eastside is.

Pictured: Under the Sixth Street Bridge,   a shopping cart is sitting in the Los Angeles River (or it’s El Chavo doing some method acting for “Flow”)

Dream Drums

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img_0148 I went to my monthly drum circle that hasn’t met in several months due to rain and stuff.

img_0146My homie La Bruja Mafufa gave me a drum last year. I have gone to a few circles this is one of the better ones.

Today a few very good drummers kept the beats solid.

img_0149For more info go here

La Crisis: The County Line

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Coolio’s County Line, the anthem for GR (General Relief) recipients in the early 90s.

According to the Los Angeles Times, one in five Los Angeles residents is receiving public assistance.

One in five Los Angeles County residents — nearly 2.2 million people — are receiving public assistance payments or benefits, a level county officials say will rise significantly over the coming months as the fallout from the recession continues.

County officials warn that tens of thousands of additional frustrated job seekers — unemployment in the county currently stands at 9.5% — are expected to seek aid to weather the persistent recession once their other benefits run out.

Based on the amount of folks I know personally who have recently lost their jobs,  I imagine the numbers will go up even higher. While some may think applying for public assistance is a fairly straight forward process, Coolio’s video isn’t all that much of an exaggeration. According to the article not much has changed down at the DPSS office. Yes, the process for applying can be extremely daunting and maybe for some, humiliating but look at it this way, obscene amounts of your tax dollars are going for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, might as well use some of the crumbs for yourself. During these times of La Crisis, you gotta do what you gotta do.

First, check the DPSS website to see if you qualify. While I’m not condoning it, sometimes applicants slightly adjust the true value of their assets on the application i.e. your car. Ask people who are waiting in line for tips, most will offer friendly advice. Also, if you’re worried about what people might think when you go to pay for your food at the supermarket, now you don’t even have to suffer the indignity of paying with food stamps, you’re given a debit card to use. These debit cards are also widely accepted at local farmer’s markets so you can really stretch that $176. Obama’s new stimulus plan calls for an increase in food stamps benefits, so perhaps in the future you can even go organic. (Never mind, see here) So what are you waiting for? Put down that cold cup of ramen noodles and get yourself down to the county line. You might even qualify for General Relief.

Walter Moore Hates Spanish Speaking Mexicans

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For good reason, many people are down on Villaraigosa and his bid to be Los Angeles Mayor again. Yes, he is a disappointment, which is to be expected when you put too much hope for change in a politician. (Obama fans, get ready.) Real change rarely comes from the ballot box. Still, I don’t understand the “anyone but Villaraigosa” approach, much less when Walter Moore is presented as somehow an acceptable option, when he is clearly a man on a mission against Mexicans.

Oh wait, I mean, he just hates the language they speak, cuz it’s so Third World-ey. And really, if they can be taught to say “can I take you plate?” they can surely be forced to communicate amongst themselves in a semi-useful but stunted Queen’s Kinda English. At the very least, it’ll reassure real Americans that the help isn’t saying things you already know they are thinking. Yes, they really do think that about you. Yes, even despite that nice tip. Welcome to the other LA!
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Metro Eastside rail safety meetings

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~ Picture courtesy of Metro ~

Metro is going to be holding rail safety meetings in the next few days. I saw a flier walking to school and then read the press release from Metro. Here is a list of times and locations where residents can go to and ask questions and find out what it takes to be safe around the tracks. 

~ Benjamin Franklin Library, 2200 East First Street, Tuesday, March 3, 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, March 14, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

~ East Los Angeles Public Library, 4837 East Third Street, Saturday, March 7, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and Wednesday, March 11, 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

~ Little Tokyo Library, 203 South Los Angeles Street, Thursday, March 19, 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, March 21, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

~ Stevenson Public Library, 803 Spence Street, Tuesday, March 24, 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, April 4, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

~ Anthony Quinn Library, 3965 East Cesar Chavez Ave., Monday, April 6, 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, April 18, 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

And they also explain what the meetings are about in a nut shell:

~ Exercise caution at all times.

~ Always wait for “walk” signal before entering crosswalk

~ Always use crosswalk

~ Always be prepared for what may be coming from around the corner

~ Always look both ways before crossing any street

~ Never make a left turn on a red arrow signal

~ Never make illegal right turns

~ Never run to catch a bus or train

~ Never walk, play near or on rails tracks

~ Never jaywalk across the street

~ Obey all the traffic signals and warning signs

~ Watch for TRAIN signal

~ Watch for buses and trains from both directions

Tortas de Camaron!

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tort4
(El Huarachito’s version.)

Do you all know what today is? It’s the beginning of Tortas de Camaron season! If you look around town, most respectable Mexican eateries will have a sign taped on their window announcing this customary dish that’s mostly seen during Cuaresma aka Lent. Whereas most give up eating land animals and turn to the seas during this period, I give up not eating sea animals and partake in these delicious tortitas of egg and ground shrimp, smothered in a spicy chile sauce and covered with nopalitos. (Yeah, my Veggie god will disown me, but fuck him too!) Consider this a suggestion on what you should have for lunch today.

I’ve reviewed a few examples of this dish at some Lincoln Heights restaurants over on my blog so I’m not going to repeat those efforts here, but if anyone finds a place with a good version of this dish, let me know! Click ahead for some more cruddy pictures of tortas de camaron.

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Audition for the LA River

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tour5

For those who have love for our beautiful concrete oasis better known as the LA River and would like to show off your theater skills, check this out.

The Cornerstone Theather Company is holding audiitons this Upcoming Saturday for a LA River based production called “Flow” written by Julie Herbert and directed by Juliette Carillo.

Being a fan of the LA River I though this was a very unique concept for a play. If anybody is interested here is the information.

***AUDITION***
for a play about the LA River
with Cornerstone Theater Company!

FLOW

Written by Julie Hébert
Directed by Juliette Carrillo

We are looking to cast people who live in, work near, play at and love the Los Angeles River. Are you a friend of the LA River? An activist? Do you live or work in Elysian Valley/Frogtown? Play in Atwater Village or Glendale Narrows? Or thrive in another community along the LA River?

No experience necessary. Only an adventurous spirit.

Saturday, February 28 (10 am – 5 pm)
or
Sunday, March 1 (10 am – 5 pm)

At

Cornerstone Theater Company
708 Traction Ave, LA 90013

To make an appointment to audition, call Ramy Eletreby at 213-613-1700 x20. Visit www.CornerstoneTheater.org for more information. See you there!