Tag Archives: East L.A.

One more thing to do this weekend:Maravilla handball tournament

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~ Courtesy of Tommy Nishiyama, Sr. ~

“Handball is a pride sport. It’s not about winning money, it’s about pride. It takes the skills of a boxer and the mind of a chess player to win.” In the barrio, sometimes pride is just as important as money. ~ United States Handball Association national champion Elias Barajas

Pride is more important than money, other wise we wouldn’t be here, but that’s just me. I was sent this info to pass along and post via Chuy 90023 and a friend of his who sent me the info. Thanks guys 🙂 This weekend, as if there wasn’t enough things to do already, the Maravilla Handball Court will be holding a co-ed youth tournament this Saturday and Sunday. Here’s the info: The first-ever co-ed handball tournament for youth at the historic Maravilla Handball Court, the oldest handball court in East Los Angeles. The court was built brick-by-brick by East L.A. residents in 1923 and reflects the rich layers of history common in Los Angeles. The Old Timers—former members and veteranos of the Maravilla Handball Club, which was once open to men only—will attend the tournament to mentor and train a new generation of handball players. The junior singles tournament has four divisions: ages 17 and under, 15 and under, 13 and under, and 11 and under.

Maravilla Handball Court Sat & Sun December 19 and 20, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
501 N. Mednik Avenue (between Hammel and Dozier)
East Los Angeles, CA 90022

COST:
Free for spectators, $4 entry fee for participants with proceeds going to the Maravilla Historical Society

For more info and some of the history of the handball courts, click here.

Keeping kids in check

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The L.A. Times published a story today about how some teachers can’t control their classrooms and how it makes for a horrible learning environment. The story focuses on how teacher school doesn’t teach teachers how to  handle discipline problems because it’s all circumstantial and what may work for one class won’t work for another. The story didn’t shed any light on anything we already didn’t know really. So, since I am a product of the LAUSD system and have seen a lot of shit, even in my day, I’m going to chime in with my own two cents and offer my suggestions to would be LAUSD teachers on how to deal with the discipline issue of teens.  Also, if teachers, former and current, can chime in with their war stories and what worked for them, anonymously of course, it will be greatly appreciated.

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Continuing to preserve Wyvernwood

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This Thursday, residents from Wyvernwood will be giving visual presentations on the importance of the community there. This looks like it’s going to be a great event because as the flier says, this is all from the residents themselves. If you need to catch up with what’s going, read Chuy’s 90023 blog spot about it. Here’s more from their statement:

The Wyvernwood Garden Apartments was developed in 1938-39 and was the first large scale garden apartment complex in Los Angeles. Determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, not only is Wyvernwood architecturally significant, but it also reflects the cultural heritage of the neighborhood, where the residents have created a strong sense of place and belonging. The original design intent has been realized, having fostered a close-knit, multi-generational community among its residents, many of whom have stayed for decades, intermarried and started their own families. As in many parts of the city, the apartments were racially segregated for decades, until the first Latina/o family moved in during the 1960s. Today, Wyvernwood is predominantly Latina/o.

However, residents are in danger of losing their homes. In January 2008, owner Fifteen Group announced plans for a $2 billion development that would replace all 1,100 rental apartments and over twenty acres of open space with four times the density, including new condominiums, rentals, retail and commercial space. Come out to show your support of the Wyvernwood community and participate in a unique event where residents will be sharing their own stories and oral histories through multi-media presentations. Comité de la Esperanza (an active resident group of 25 years) will lead a procession/vigil to the event starting at 6pm, which will begin on-site at Wyvernwood at 2802 Camulos Place (near 8th and Soto). The presentations will follow at 7:30pm inside gymnasium at the Costello Recreation Center (3141 E. Olympic Blvd). At 9pm residents will return to Wyvernwood in procession.

Sign the petition for the Breed St. food vendors

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Notice anything out of the ordinary here? Well if you ate here, you would know that a few hundred people eating some of the greatest soul food around are missing. Over the last few weeks, the vendors at the street food oasis have been getting raided by the police. Normally, they would disappear for a while only to come back in full force as if nothing ever happened, but something did happen. Things got out of control and the oasis got burned, big time. First it was the L.A. Times a few years ago, as Chimatli tells me, and fellow bloggers putting it on blast and telling everyone to go check it out. And there’s nothing wrong with that, but because this was an under the table operation, there was a need for a level of discretion that helped the vendors make a living and kept the cops at bay. That harmony is now gone and so are the vendors.

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My ride on the LA EASTSIDE Linia de Oro

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All I have to say is, eh. That’s right eh. But I’m being to harsh,  so let me take you along for a ride and let you form your own opinion about the new line. All aboard !!

(Editor’s Note: I uploaded all the pics on here through my phone the first time around, but I fixed it now and everything should show up. Sorry for the glitch.)

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Lucha Libre in East Los

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It’s no secret that I am a HUGE Lucha Libre fan. The sport of the working class folk. The little people that are the salt of the earth and make the world go round. This ballet of high flying, explosive acrobatics is some of the best entertainment on the face of the earth. I’m not talking about that stuff you see on American tv, even though it has its moments. No. Lucha Libre is beyond those theatrics of male soap opera and is an entity all of it’s own. Blue Demon Sr/Jr, El Santo & Hijo del Santo, El Perro Aguallo, Tinieblas, El Rayo de Jalisco, Atlantis, Octagon, Mascara Sagrada, Conan, Super Porki and Mil Mascaras are just some of the legends I grew up on because my father was a luchador in his day. I don’t care what anyone says about Lucha Libre. If you don’t have anything great to say about it then shut your pie hole !!! That goes out to all the mensos that don’t know better when they preach that it’s fake. OF COURSE IT’S FAKE !!!!! I can walk you through a whole match and explain the dynamics of this eloquent dance, but that’s not the point of it all. It’s a show. Entertainment. Escape from a weeks worth of busting your ass at some dead end job, trying to put food, clothes and a roof over your families head. It’s an escape from the realities of life because you don’t know where your next meal may come from. This is where families come to bond and share precious moments as they yell out profanities in Spanish and flip wrestlers off with great gusto. I almost lost my voice yelling my head off at the ref for cheating and helping Los Rudos win and you know what ? It’s all part of the show. The experience. The life style of the lower class. Horse racing may be the sport of kings, but Lucha Libre, that’s the sport of the working class. A class I’m proud to be a part of. All of the pics were taken by the GF who was a trooper and took one for the team because we ended up going to the show spontaneously. She has a great eye right ?For those of you interested in going to the next revancha, here’s the info. See ya there. Arriva los technichos !!!!!

M.F.W. Presents Goodrich Hall Lucha Libre

Every Sunday or every other Sunday at 5-5:30 p.m.

1239 Goodruch Blvd in the city of commerce. Entrance on Olympic and Union Pacific

Free parking. Tixs $7 Adults Kids $3

For more info (323) 812-8749 / (323) 812-8003

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East L.A. meets Napa

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Going into its fourth year, the Alta Med fundraiser East L.A. meets Napa brings Mexican food and fine wine together to cater to a crowd that likes a good chardonnay with their tamales. And why not ? I had the opportunity to go and not knowing bupkis about fine wine, I decided to go in with an open mind and empty stomach. Needless to say I was impressed not only with the wines, but all the delicious food available and what wines go good with what. All the pictures were taken by my gf Gamin.

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Tierra Mia Coffee House

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First impressions are everything and let me tell you, Tierra Mia Coffee left me wanting more. It just sucks that it’s in South Gate, not that there’s anything wrong with South Gate lol, it’s a little too far off my regular route here  Boyle Heights. So how did I end up in South Gate in the first place ? Well I was on my way to malandrinas show a few weeks back, which was totally awesome and I ended up going to go check out the coffee house with my date. And because my friend works there and he would hook it up. You know how I do. While I only took a quick pic of my chocolate chip muffin and Horchata Frappe, the place was awesome. I was joking with the bartistas that I was glad to be in  a coffee house where grande meant large. The place just had a great vibe to it. I didn’t outta feel outta place or like I was getting the stinky eye, like when I roll with friends to a crapbucks or shitty bean. It reminded of my P3000’s post about not having certain foods in the barrio. I WOULD LOVE for Tierra to come to Boyle Heights and East Los. Then I wouldn’t have to go to Highland Park to Antigua for free wifi. There is a need for a great coffee house here on the East side and after visiting Mi Tierra, I WANT MY COFFEE and WIFI. Hold the gentrification.

El Mercadito

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Part of my super, duper, amazing spring break series of post, I stopped by the Mercadito to do what I do best and that’s work son. There’s more than 90 pictures coming at ya so sit down and relax for this one. It wasn’t easy, but I consider this post one of my greatest photo essays to date, not to brag or anything. I knew El Mercadito would be a challenge to shoot, by I went, I saw and I shot. Here’s a post Chavo did a while back ago for some other site. Hmm… looks like there’s a new kid in town eh Chavo ?? 😛 FYI I’m working on a separate post about it’s history and the people there coming soon.
~ This post was made possible in part by the EL Random Hero Scholarship Fund. ~
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