A Few Days Before Xmas…

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…while the  shopping malls were overflowing with new junk as both the normal and “green” consumers did their bit to sustain an unsustainable economy, the volunteers for the LH Carbon Credit Reclamation Project were taking care of last years new junk, now known as plain old junk. Because of their concern for this fragile eco-system of ours, they willingly rummage through your detritus to reclaim some use of that product you so thoughtlessly discarded. And yes, if they get offered a bit of payment for those efforts, they will not deny your attempts at charity. But don’t be confused, they don’t need your guilt money, they only do it because it pays to be Green.

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Salvaging something from the consumer society.

Lincoln Heights cares.

Posted in Analysis, Fotos, La Politica es un desmadre.., Lincoln Heights, Shit I love | 9 Comments

Thrift Store Lofts at Night

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Look how purty! It seems the new owners of the Thrift Store Lofts have restarted work on those abandoned lofts from last year. And they must have deep pockets since they’re lighting up that empty box already. Could this be the reason for the recent brownouts in LH? Oh, did you not know they’ve now been officially declared the Thrift Store lofts by the locals? Yup. First they tried to get us to call them the Fuller Lofts, but that quickly lead to the Full o’ Shit lofts, a very uninspired reworking. But hey, it did the job. Soon after, they went bankrupt. Now it looks like some new developers have taken over that project and have dubbed it the Alta Lofts, where we are encouraged to:

Take a step outside the norm. Wander past where and what you know and discover ALTA Lofts, where dramatic open spaces take loft living to new heights within a vibrant  neighborhood alive with possibilities.

It’s the next great place. Could there be a better reason to get in now?

Great. I’m glad I got in now, in this neighborhood that is alive with possibilities. Isn’t it just great that we have to envision the “possibilities” in order to stomach this neighborhood? Thanks for the endorsement! As for yet another stupid name they’ll try to get us to use: neh pollos, we’ve been down that short road before. It’s in the Thrift Store district, it just makes sense. If yer up to it, why not wander past where and what you know to discover the Thrift Store Lofts website, it has a lil’ bit of info on these “Provocative lofts in downtown Los Angeles close in the fabulous Lincoln Heights neighborhood”. That just rolls off the tongue.

Posted in Lincoln Heights, Shit I hate | 3 Comments

Huevos Rancheros: Guanajuato Edition

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Do my HR reviews even make sense anymore? They’re all over the place. I certainly seem to have dropped the ball on this endeavor. If you recall, I started this lil’ project 3 years ago just to keep track of where to get a decent plate in my city of Los Angeles. But I’ve given up on trying the dish in many locations just cuz I’d rather have a decent meal instead of an experiment that will no doubt disappoint. My stack of regrets just keeps growing, and the posts just get pushed back until some other time. There’s a few good ones in the works but yes, I am very behind.

Oddly enough, even though it’s not really relevant to me or the people that end up finding this blog, now I kinda like doing the far away ones, checking out how different places interpret this dish. Going through the Southwest this past summer was revealing: I learned to appreciate their unique take on Mexican food. And as you would imagine, being in Mexico even for just a little while is always a gustatory extravaganza. I don’t check out the “foodie” places, partly because I don’t care enough to do my research, but also because I just like to see what kind of food is available to the average person walking thru a city. Yes, I’m very pedestrian.

On this last trip to Mexico we were able to check out Guanajuato, which was new to me. Thankfully CT mentioned this next restaurant that turned out being super close to where we stayed. So for what it’s worth, I present you with a review of the HR’s at Truco 7! There’s possibly some value in that, no?

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Posted in Chanfles, Fotos, Huevos Rancheros, La Comida, Mexico, Shit I love, This Chicano Life | 7 Comments

Modern Laundromat Entertainment

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I doubt the existence of heaven. It’s just impossible that it could ever top the luxury and wonders of Modern American Living. Above is a snapshot of the American Dream, a room full of robots that will wash your clothes AND squeeze out the water! And they do it without complaint, so long as you keep feeding them little metal discs.  Sure, we still have to haul all our dirty clothes to the washer robots, but until somebody invents a better solution to this age old dilemma, its the best we can do. For now. There must be intelligent people trying to fix this problem of the hauling of clothes TO the robots, but with all those great minds the universities keep churning out, the drudgery of going to the laundromat will, no doubt, soon be vanquished. Technology:  always making the world a better place. And the water necessary to run these robots gets delivered via this wonderful invention they call “indoor plumbing”, which is truly amazing. I’m looking forward to having it installed someday.

I don’t usually go to the laundromat on N. Broadway, but I always forget why. I remember quickly every time I do go back. They don’t pump enough water into the robots, so your damp clothes just swish about in a few inches of muck. Plus, it used to be that while you folded your pants (another thing the robots still can’t do) they used to have lil’ televisions blaring at you from behind a plexiglass that protected the off button from your natural inclinations. It was a bit annoying. But now it’s even worse: with those 2 flat screen tv’s way up in the sky that also blare insipid morning programming like Despierta America and Don Pancho, but at a much higher volume. Way too much sentimentality for such an early hour. But yes, those two incessant monitors are considered a bit of luxury entertainment for you the clothes wearer, while the robots do their work. Can the American Dream get any better?

Oh yes it can!

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Posted in Fotos, Lincoln Heights, linux/tech, Pendejadas | 8 Comments

Funding the Arts

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Despite my criticisms of Art, every once in awhile I do make a major contribution to support that field of human expression. I don’t think this recent grant will get me a plaque (maybe just a mention in a catalog regarding my sponsorship) but  i figured I’d let you all know about my efforts to fund the Arts. See, I care.

The sign above translates as “if you know how to appreciate art, YOU WILL COOPERATE!” Emphasis my own. Cuz yeah, it sounds like a threat.

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Posted in Fotos, Mexico, Shit I love | 6 Comments

Por Solo $5 Dolares

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I couldn’t figure out what this guy was selling. Paquia? Packaged mantequilla? Migel = my gel? Lotus flower? What strange things for sale.

And then I see that Pacquiao beat Cotto in a boxing match. Oh, now I get it.

Posted in Fotos, Fun with Words, Lincoln Heights, Shit I love | 4 Comments