The Heart of the Harbor is Beating

A walk down a familiar street....Avalon Boulevard in Wilmington, each time I walk this street I spot something I did not notice before. Enjoy the walk.

Ticket booth at old Granada Theater now a church 

C & C Liquor with an apartment on top possibly the owners place 

The signage is pretty 1960s 1970s 

Lobo taking a bath! he used to live behind Slanguage but he moved to a different bar

Fonts from the hood

Doorway one

The last pay phone on earth 

They don't even want to advertise here

Graphic Design studio been here since the 70s.....nice doorway too

A peek into Amelia's Dance Club..They even got a disco ball

Engine blocks made into sculptures 

Thank you for hanging in there more city beauty to come


Peace

DJ

The side streets

What's up my peep's

I am just posting a random " hello" I am planning on new  posts for the near future, but I been once again busy with school and side projects.The blogging world has gotten super crowded. There is so much to read now, so many blogs about everything. I used to have like a favorites list, but now it's hard to even keep up with that. I have my sidebar with interesting blogs so I most likely click on those if that. How do you blog readers and writers do it? feeds, links etc. I am trying to find a new photo for my header, but I totally forgot how to do it, and I am not sure how to add a graphic or make it look legit so any suggestions please shoot them. 
So with that said I am out the door, but will be back shortly.




Alrato


D.J

La Michiocana Cream and Crunch: Wilmington

It was a hot Thursday in LA County and Wilmington was no exception. It was close to 100 degrees which definitely called for a nice cool treat.
The Slanguage folks made a field trip to the local paleta shop for yummy frozen goodies.

La Michocana is a small shop located on busy Anaheim street. They specialize in home style paletas, scoop ice cream and other treats like nachos etc.



Lots of flavors to choose from
Mango Chili paleta
refreshing!

Old school limon flavor lol
Two paletas mango and mango and chili
Thumbs up on this spot

Even the mannequins had some
This shop is next door to the ice cream place, but hey they go hand in hand!

La Michiocana Cream and Crunch
716 W Anaheim
Wilmington, Ca 90744
(310) 847-7005

Finding Donut Spots??

What the heck! I guess they decided to switch over to Mexican food lol (click on photo for better view)

What to do?

Man I want to post, but I have had little time to do so. I have so many things lined up too. I do not know where to start. I want to update on " Tales from 14th Street" for sure and post pictures of recent events. I am sorry for lagging it at times, but I got a busy schedule. I know I say this like every six months haha but it is true. So hopfully today let's see que pasa...

What is your commute?

Photo via Google

The beginning of February I will be relocating, everything is fine but now I will have a longer commute on the freeway. I work in Torrance and right now my commute is about 27 min with traffic coming from San Pedro. Now San Pedro is only two towns away from Torrance but it takes a little longer because there is so much school traffic in the morning and I am taking the streets. According to Google directions my commute to Torrance should only be about 17 min and it is 6 miles away. I take short cuts everyday to work and it is still about 27 or so minutes. The only time it is about 17 min is when there is holidays and school is out or people have the day off. Now I soon will be traveling to Torrance from downtown LA on the 110 S. According to Google it is 22.3 miles and it will be about 33 min. Now I know that really means about 45 min's with traffic. The 110 south is not as bad in the morning then the 110 north but still. It is going to be a real commute compared to what I do now. I have a buddy who works with me that lives in Highland Park who says he makes it to work in about 30 min. The sucky part will be going home at 5 p.m there is a lot of traffic still on the 110 north, not as bad in this case then the 110 south. I might have to just hang out in San Pedro until it gets later lol. I don't look forward to miles on my car but oh well lucky the gas is cheap for now. It really sucks that there are no trains that even go near Torrance in that case I would be able to at least park and ride. Now until I find a job in LA (won't happen anytime soon) I will have to travel. I really am going against traffic both ways but with the mass amount of cars nowadays that don't even matter sometimes.

So now I am curious since I will soon be driving 44 miles (round trip) and be on the road about 30 to 45 min(one way) , I was wondering what kind of commutes do you all have? How many miles do you travel to work? how long does it take? weather it's short or long let me know. I look forward to feedback =)

Hello Everybody

Forgive me for my absence even though I might not have any readers lol. I been super busy with school so that is taking up so much of my time. For those of you that do not know I also contribute to another blog www.laeastside.com I got a more recent post on that side-of-town, so you can go over there and check it out. School will be over soon sometime next week so I will try to get some more posts over here.

See ya soon

Dona Junta

Conserving can be little things like...

Hanging your clothes out to air dry instead of using a dryer it is a great way to conserve some energy! People live busy fast paced lives and forget we can do out part even with little simple things like this.

















San Francisco

"We The Broke People"

Photo Google

This Past Saturday was the music festival “We the People” at the Los Angeles State Historic Park between China Town and Lincoln Heights.

The line up was pretty good, some of the acts I seen, and some I had not seen ,but the $45 price kind of turned me off since I been pretty broke these days. The same deal was with my friends who also wanted to go but did not want to pay the price. I understand times are changing and not everything is free or cheap in life, plus artist need to get paid as well.

I don’t condone sneaking in ha! But a couple of friends and I was we went up North Broadway to see if we could ear hustle at the acts, to our surprise many other people thought the same thing!

There was an open lot with a hole in the fence overlooking one of the main stages, there where people hanging out on chairs and on the broken concrete slabs that maybe once was a parking space for something. People kept walking and riding up in groups it was interesting.

I wish we would have come sooner! We only caught two acts, one was Barrington Levy who rocked it, the other was Dilated Peoples, but I don’t really dig them as much as when they first came out on the scene.
It was a good time for free, I know it sounds cheap and bootleg but times are ruff.

There where tons of cops and security but nobody was trippen they where deep because apparently a man got ran over and died on Broadway not to long before we got there , that is really sad and unfortunate.

The location was the shit though , a beautiful view of Downtown LA, I am sure they might cock block for a future event but it seems like a hassle to have them block off the top, I hope not!

Did anybody go to the event? how was it?

Eating alone

My friend told me I should blog about this topic when I was telling him about how weird this restaurant made me feel because I was eating by myself.

Saturday afternoon I was lounging out at home relaxing and working on some homework, I had got a craving for some shrimp cocktail Mexican style, you know cocktel de camaron! just to make it clear I am not the talking about the plate of shrimp you dip in cocktail sauce.

I decided to go by my self since nobody was around to go with me and since it was just a few blocks down I decided to walk.

I love walking, but I have been lazy with walking to places around town like I did as a youngster, I would ride my bike but I got two flats, not good and I been wanting to by a new used bike or a not so expensive new bike hopefully soon, anyhow having a car makes one lazy and I am guilty of that sometimes.

I grab my camera and head out the door, I walk down the street exactly 2 1/2 city blocks.
I see the place and start taking pictures of the front of the place it really has this cool ocean theme mural on the outside. I proceed to walk in but I noticed a sign that said CASH ONLY being that I always use my darn ATM card I had to walk another block tot the liquor store on the next corner to pull out money.

I head back and go inside, there was a few people when I walked in and a couple of groups eating at the booths against the wall.

At the bar in front of the kitchen was three men drinking some Modelo's and talking with the waitresses.

I walk to back towards the wall and sat in this HUGE booth made for 5 to 10 people! I though it was funny since there where smaller tables, but that one had the best view lol.
This waitress comes up to me with her mini dress and scrunchy curly hair, she had these long ass nails with diamonds on them pretty fancy I say.
She had TWO menus in her hand even though she only seen ME go in the place, right away she assumed I was probably going to meet up with someone. I told her it was just me and I only needed one menu, she say's "estas sola" I go "si" she just gave me a kind of confused look and said "ok."

She goes back towards the kitchen bar area and since I got the best view of everything I see I am getting stared at by the men at the bar, I mean being a girl I guess it's nothing new but they where killing my dining experience by staring so obvious!
I was sitting towards the way of the bathroom so they all kept going to the bathroom at least two times each while I was there it was starting to get annoying.
I ordered my shrimp cocktail it came fine,but miss long nails was not very nice she just was bland and not to friendly.
I got to admit I was taking pictures of the food and that might of caught some attention but I was doing it as low pro as I could.
The cocktail was okay but it was better the last time I had one there, that did not help at all with the eating experience,I did not even eat it all the way just because I started to get annoyed with the gawking.

I payed, and before I left I gave a dirty look at the men for ruining my food, the waitress didn't get tipped either since she simply was not friendly sorry lady!
I eaten solo many times but it is usually during lunch time at work, so I guess it's suppose to be different other times?

My friend said eating alone is a sign of a strong person, I am strong but I think eating alone being a women is way different then eating alone being a man.

I did not want to blog the place after all so I erased all my pictures, I just felt it was not worth going there again, but fuck it if I want to eat alone I can they can assume what they want. I just will take a book or something next time and ignore the burning on the side of my face! lol

So I was wondering:

How do you feel eating alone? is is a good experience or do people assume your lonely or weird?

Do you think it makes a difference being a man or a women eating alone?

Have you had any interesting experiences?

Trapos, Garas y Raspados

Trapos, garas, camisas, chamarras,vestidos, ropa para ninos it's all for sale on 4th and Mott st in East LA



and if you walk down to the corner after buying tus pinches garas, go get your self a cool icy raspado they are yummy!

The tumbleweeds are rolling in

I been lagging on the blogging, it just seems like there is so little time to get things done after work, weather it is doing chores or meeting up with someone,by the time I get home it gets late and this is suppose to be summer time I am not even in school yet! lol anyhow I got so many ideas and a short amount of time but I know I can't make excuses so I shall try to make more room for my inner thoughts.

Anti-illegal-immigration group taunting immigrants?

"An anti-illegal-immigration group's Adopt-a-Highway sign was re-posted this week on Interstate 5 near the Border Patrol checkpoint in San Clemente after a federal judge ruled that it did not pose a danger to the public.

State transit officials had moved the San Diego Minutemen's sign to a less-busy highway in eastern San Diego County, saying they were concerned that it would become a gathering place for protesters and clog the busy interstate"
By molly.hennessy-fiske
read rest of story here

In a recent LA Times article it says that the Minutemen contributed to the adopt a highway program in exchange for a freeway sign bearing their name. Now I know I am going to be biased when it comes to this issue being that I am Mexican and my parents came here illegally, but it just seems that the Minutemen are turning a good cause like donating money to keep the highway clean to taunt illegal immigrants with some ridicules sign; especially in the San Diego area of all places, why didn't they adopt somewhere else? why in that location?
because it is near the boarder? of course. Now the"so"called illegal immigrants can see the sign and know they are not welcomed.
I really hope their stupid ass sign gets tagged on because to me that is a slap in the face!
donate for a good cause somewhere else!
I know this is a one minded point of view and I agree with donating for a good cause but there is an evil intent behind this don't you think?

Signs of Old Times

My father worked over at Terminal Island for about 30 yrs and I remember he used to park in the " 920 Barracuda st" parking lot as displayed on this rusty decaying sign. After the Star-Kist cannery closed down and most cannery jobs went overseas, the lot stood empty for many years until Del Monte took over operations, as you see now there is smaller newer sign displaying the street name. I still love the old sign of course and I am glad they kept it around.



.
This sign is for my comadre Doña Licha
located on 7th and Santa Fe

I saw her name and had to take a picture for her. I think the place closed down I am not to sure, if anybody has eaten there how is it?

Update Update I found an awesome photo page displayimg pictures of Licha's Santa Fe grill. It also has pictures of the inside! look here Licha's

Desierto update!

A few months back I posted about the desert town of Calipatria, Ca I showed a few photos about this donut shop/ pizza place/ Mexican restaurant but it was named Avenue Arcade, I did not go in that time and I was wondering if It had an Arcade as well. This weekend I went back to the town and actually went into the place to get coffee and to my surprise there really was an arcade!




They took it way back with these arcade machines too funny this had to be at least mid 80's or earlier right? If anybody knows please tell =)


There where various other games as well

At first I though the prices displayed on here where like in Mexican money denomination but I quickly seen the token game next to it to get the prizes.
It was a total mix of everything in that place, I guess in isolated desert towns that is how they do things.

My eyes are tired

So I am back in LA after the long, long 6 hour drive from up north; traffic was light since we left late around 7:30pm, I ended getting home at 2am.
I was barley drooling in my sleep when the alarm went off at 6am to get up for work, (you know the feeling) that tired feeling is the most horrible feeling in the world! plus to top it off it is Monday not my favorite day of the week I know the the millions of people working Monday thru Friday agree with me on that womp womp womp!
So I am debating if I should still go to the gym after work since I ate like a mad man the whole weekend or go take a nap?
I figure if I take a nap I will do nothing productive since I probably won't wake up till like 9pm then have to go back to sleep. If I go to the gym I will feel a bit better but dread the tiredness we'll see.
I got alot to work on this week new posts on here and LA Eastside, lucky for me no summer school this semester! yesssss

Fourth of July

So what does everybody's fourth of July weekend look like?
Well for me I will be heading up North with family.I usually spend the fourth at my older brothers house here in LA County, but this year I decided to road trip it.

I am staying with other family in Soquel it is a nice little town about ten minutes away from Santa Cruz.
Hopfully we can catch a cool fireworks show, and roam around the city.


We will also head out to San Francisico for a day or so to check out the scene over there.
Can you believe I never been to Alcatraz, well I haven't and the last time I went up about a year ago the tour was booked.
I read a really awesome book by a Chicano man still alive who actually spent time in Alcatraz when it was still an operating prison, it is called
"To Alcatraz, Death Row, and Back"
Memories of an East LA Outlaw
By Ernie Lopez and Rafael Perez Torres
Check it out, it is a really good read with so much history of LA as well.

I really hope everybody has a safe and fun weekend.I will try and take some cool pictures to share when I come back!

Peace

Dona Junta

Drive-By

On my way to a friends house in South Central I passed through so much awesome signage. Being that I was alone and on a time limit I was only able to take the pictures while at stops or red lights lol.

I really wish I would of got the whole building but we had to move, check out this bar sign in South central do you all want to go get a drink sometime? lol the girls are waiting!

Now I do not understand why in the world they would have this place on Central and 72th? ...hehehe by the way this picture was taken through my dirty ass windshield!

Sometimes there are Spanish words that just tickle my funny bone, I don't know why they just sound funny to me compared to English, here is one of them "Alfombras" which is Spanish for "Carpet" and check out the mattress store next door ahahahha it says " Colchones" thats another one that makes me bust up! lol. What Spanish words make you laugh? or is that mean of me to ask?

Victory Ashes

I ran into this burned down church in the same desert town of Brawley Ca it's a real trip how they never tare buildings down no matter how it looks or what happened to it.
This Victory Out Reach car wash(below) is interesting,we should have one of these in LA I am sure it would be more useful since there are so many unfortunate gang related deaths every year.


So both pictures are church related but one is burned down because of fire and the other uses water to clean dirty souls..

Desierto

California is a huge state, we sometimes forget there is life outside of Los Angeles and the surrounding cities. I took a few shots of random things in a couple of small desert towns about 3 hrs 30 min from Los Angeles.


This is in the town of Brawley Ca it is a nice quiet little town approximately 210 miles southeast of Los Angeles, 126 miles east of San Diego, and 30 miles north of Mexicali, Mexico. According to the city web page Brawley was incorporated in 1908. As I was walking around it was pretty dead and it seemed like the good mom and pop places to eat where closed on Saturday the bad thing was I forgot my camera so I had to borrow one so I was not able to get to many shots but when I go back I will be sure to take more.


This building below was nice and historical looking it looked like at one point it was a theater or a dance hall. I tried to find some history online but it was not much. I did find a site that said the theater was damaged in a 1979 earthquake and from the looks of it it seems like that was the last time it was used read more

120 N Plaza
Brawley CA



Foster's Freeze below is thee classic ice cream spot to got to, I found it right behind the old theater, with locations around California I got to say the banana ice cream shake is the best thing ever! Real banana chunks milk and ice cream very yummy...
Fosters Freeze
130 N 5th St , Brawley, CA
Phone - (760) 344-7566

for locations closer to home view




Calipatria Ca is located about 15 min from Brawley you can drive through it and not even realize it as much as I wanted to take tons of pics I was very limited sorry folks I will post more soon.

This place below was a trip it was a donut shop slash Mexican restaurant slash pizza place all in one if you notice the sign above the restaurant also says avenue arcade could there be an arcade in there as well?? only If I hadn't been lazy and stayed in the car darn I could of found out!
Donut Avenue
138 E. Main St.
Calipatria, CA 92233
(760) 348-2700



Caldo De Res y Tamales a su orden yum! by the way this is the desert okay and it gets to be like 110 degrees or more in the summer,now we all know that our lovely Mexican parents love to make Caldo De Res on the hottest day!! this fits perfect yessss!



Now this structure was across the street from the Mexican Donut/Pizza/Arcade place I guess they could not keep up with the competition..