New Orleans Trip: Part I

Some photos from my trip to New Orleans last October. Most of the photos are from the St Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square and the Beauregard-Keys House. New Orleans was like no other and some of my favorite things about it was the rich, deep rooted history, the amazing architecture, rod iron work, PLANTS all over! and the food of course.

Vintage Post Cards: Disneyland

I found these vintage postcards at a local thrift shop. The set above is Disneyland possibly in the 1960s or 1970s. I was captured by the top card because it reminded me of my first visit to Disneyland in the late 1980s when they still had the "Matterhorn Mountain" with the baskets flying through it.

East LA House

Random house shot in East LA

Hello 2016

I miss my blog---I did not post one time like I said I would one year ago around this time. A lot has changed. I am used to the Instagram and facebook posts that do not require much work, but I did enjoy the thought that was put into a blog post. I am now a full-time student in social work graduate program which leaves even less time. However, all that is probably an excuse lol.

Have all the ideas for a blog post been taken up? Sometimes it seems like things have been repeated over and over or played out. But lets see what I can figure out.

Blogging 2015

I started blogging on here in 2007, oh how time flies. I slowed down like four years ago I would say due to more use of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I think microblogging took over and less people looked to blogs. It's not necessarily a good thing, it just gets readers lazy. I want to come back to blogging and devote at least one blog post a month. I know I can do it I just need the drive again. I have ideas flowing in my head and its time to let them out.

Thanks Friends!

Saturday, July 27, 2013: Savage City Apocalyptic Art @ Bauhausu Long Beach

Check out this event Saturday, July 27, 2013 at Bauhausu in Long Beach great art, music, fashion, drinks and more!
1950 E 4th Street, Long Beach, Cali
www.bauhausulongbeach.com

United Wilmington Youth Foundation Restoring Historical "El Mercadito Market" Mural

The decaying historical mural that adorns the exterior of El Mercadito "Maravilla" market on L and Hyatt streets in Wilmington is finally getting a restoration by members of the United Wilmington Youth Foundation and community volunteers. 

The current owner "Jorge" has occupied the store for the past 33 years. Around the same time in 1979 the mural was painted by Javier Moreno and Mario Falcon. Moreno passed away four years ago and the whereabouts of Falcon are unknown. However, their significant mural has became a cultural historical landmark loved by the community. A much needed restoration of the mural has been necessarily for years. The mural has suffered damage from the past decades of gang warfare in the area. Graffiti and age on the mural have caused some of the original parts to become distorted and worn down. 

Old photographs of original mural are used in restoration 

(Defaced) Jose Maria Morelos Mexican Revolutionary for Independence 

Emiliano Zapata and images of gang truce for peace

Restoration day 4

History of El Mercadito
The building of El Mercadito has been standing in the same place for 113 years. It has gone through about 4 different owners and renovations. The first business was a small gas station then it was turned into a market. Jorge explains, the first two owners were of American decent. As the community  and demographics started to evolve  the market was centered around the Hispanic community. Inside the market there a carneceia and kitchen where people can buy homemade menudo, pupusas, and other antojitos.

Food and Fresh Meat Counter

Original Refrigerators 60-years-old and Still Going

Although I never lived in area, the neighborhood holds significant memories for me. In the 1970s and into the 1990s my parents and family went to church down the street at Holy Family  Catholic Church or better known as Sagrada Familia. The mural on the market was always something I looked at and never forgot as we drove past on L street on the way to mass.  20 years later its no wonder that mural means so much to the community. The impact of the colorful mural captures the spirit of a by-gone era with its cultural pride and message of peace but will continue to impact the newer generations within. 

Important Dates

• Restoration will continue until June 28, 2013 
• Cupcake and lemonade sale Saturday June, 22 2013 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 
• Youth essay writing contest deadline August 23, 2013 prize $1000 email UWYF for rules on the contest info@uwyf.org
• Revealing and celebration September 7, 2013 more details will be posted

Volunteers and supplies are welcome! please stop by Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m

United Wilmington Youth Foundation is a non-profit organization started in 1992 by Santos Trani in order to empower youth in Wilmington to contribute in the community positively and avoid gangs. The non-profit was  revived last year with a new set of energetic youth and mentors ready to start making changes in the community. Follow them on Facebook here

Photo Re-cap: Legends Car Show By The Sea

Legends Car Club in San Pedro, held  its annual fundraiser last week ending the summer at Point Fermin with a classic car show. The whole month of July I been going up to the park for Music by the Sea, so this show was a must see to end my summer. Enjoy the pictures. 

More Pictures after the jump!

LA Weekly: Sight UPN

I have to give it up to Sight Upn who just got featured in this week's LA weekly. He was always a very anonymous and definitely one of the humblest cats I know. He went  through a lot in the graffiti world, so check out this rare interview with him .The article also features Sand One, Vyal, Man One and Rime.

Los Angeles' War on Street Artists

My first time picking nopales

Before my family had plenty of yard space we lived in a crumby apartment on 14th street in San Pedro. I written a few stories about that time, so if you like to look back at those days check out my "Tales from 14th Street series"

Not having a yard in the 80s and 90s meant we could not grow our own plants and vegetables. Nopales were also not as abundant in the grocery stores during those days. Mexican foods were around but it was not as accessible. My parents somehow found a "huerta" (orchard) of nopales growing wild on the side of a canyon near Hernandez Ranch and Reina Park in San Pedro. I remember as a kid I would go with my dad once every few weeks to pick nopales from the huerta. My dad was always ready to climb the steep hillside with his pail and knife. I just would stand near the top and watch him cut fresh nopales, but since I was a kid I was not able to do it myself. In 1995 they moved to the house they are currently living in and they didn't need to go to the huerta anymore since they planted nopales here themselves.

I remembered the huerta recently and decided to make a field trip to see how it is today. My parents decided when we got there that they are not in the greatest shape anymore to be climbing the steep hillside so I decided to take the chance.  Here are photos from the trip.

Sign that greets the entrance to nopale canyon

walk way to the nopales behind a quiet neighborhood

trail towards the nopales

view from top of the canyon

Parents trailing behind

The picture does no justice on how steep it is 

Another view from the top

I climbed down the steep embankment its not as easy as it looks

near the bottom of hillside

gully I never noticed at the bottom of canyon it used to be full of trash back in the days

The hurrta was kind of dry but I got a good dozen nopales!

I could not take the espinas off my dad is a pro at that

But I did grill them with olive oil, salt, pepper and chili powder

Peace, 

DJ