Hijo de E-Ho

Out With The Old, In With The New

2009-12-31T20:29:00.000-08:00

Effective January 1, 2010, this blog will no longer exist. Hijo de E-Ho has been re-branded and is moving to a new location. The new blog is called elsongeles.

The URL for the new blog is: http://elsongeles.elsongs.com

I figure it's a great way to start anew...see ya on the other side!

A Change Is Gonna Come...

2009-12-02T14:53:00.000-08:00

This is my first attempt at blogging, but with too many gaps between posts, I'm gonna go re-tool this thing and come back fresh with a slightly different angle and direction. So on January 1, 2010, look for my new blog - I'll post the link here.

'Community' Comes To LACC

2009-08-03T20:18:00.000-07:00

On my way biking back home on Heliotrope after being interviewed today at City College Cafe by a Cal State LA Sociology student on community issues in East Hollywood, I passed by Los Angeles City College and saw the peculiar-looking sign pictured atop, which read, "GREENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE."

Being a Hollywood-area native, I knew what was up without even guessing. It was obviously a prop for a film shoot. But the odd thing was, there were no film crew trucks nor cameras anywhere in sight.

Just to be sure, I knocked on the "concrete" sign. Yup, sure enough, it gave me a hollow tone, which meant the thing was nothing more than wood and plaster, constructed by a prop house.

I did briefly confirm with a campus security guard, who told me, "We're still LA City College, don't believe the hype." I asked him what was the filming for and he said he thinks it's "Greendale Community College."

Sure enough, while walking past the TV this evening, I see a promo for an upcoming NBC sitcom called "Community." After a trusty Google search, I learn that the series premieres this Fall, and stars comedian Chevy Chase. And lo and behold, the synopsis mentions a "Greendale Community College." Eureka!

The NBC website also created a mock Greendale CC website for the school, meant for promoting the show. Hollywood comes to East Hollywood. So there it is - "Community's" Greendale Community College is LACC. At least they're filming something in my neighborhood besides "The Shield."

Off The Wall: E-Ho Remembers Jacko!

2009-06-30T01:43:00.000-07:00

After his shocking, sudden death on June 25, it didn't take long to memorialize the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson - depicted in his '80s Thriller-era look - at this wall at Hel-Mel (Heliotrope at Melrose). The mural is an aerosol piece by David "Rabi" Torres of dtladesigns, who also did the new Villaraigosa mural at Santa Monica and Madison.

"Michael Jackson's music has always been the shit! When I was about seven I wanted to be him....along with everyone else in the world," said the artist. "His message was love and happiness. So when he passed, I remembered that Michael."

Rabi also added that he spent seven hours on Friday, June 26 - the day after Jackson died - making the mural.

The wall stands next to a storefront that was once the 1980s home of DMC Records, a record store catering to DJs, which moved a few miles west down Melrose in the early 1990s.

Speaking of the '80s, this mural stands right across the street from where another iconic '80s scene, from the movie Breakin', was filmed.

Our Farmer's Market Is Finally Here!

2009-06-24T16:50:00.000-07:00

Today Kaiser Permanente's Los Angeles Medical Center Farmer's Market made its debut, to a lunchtime crowd of medical staff, nearby employees and members of the community who perused the stalls set up at Barnsdall Park's street level parking lot to enjoy their new weekly market.

In keeping with Kaiser's "Thrive" program, promoting healthier lifestyles, the market features fresh, mostly-organic produce (grown in Southern and Central California), baked goods, flowers, food stalls and live entertainment.
I bought some sweet strawberries ($6 for a 3-pack box), some lettuce and arugula, and lunched on Fijian Soul Food - a tasty fusion of Polynesian, Indian and African American cuisine. East Hollywood seems like the perfect place to have a diverse dish, of course!

The new farmer's market is open year-round every Wednesday from 12 noon to 6 p.m.

Remembering the Amrenian Genocide

2009-04-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

Today across East Hollywood, Glendale and elsewhere in Southern California, Armenian-owned businesses will shut their doors in honor of the 1.5+ million who were killed in the Armenian Genocide.

April 24 marks the anniversary of that day in 1915 when Ottoman Turks arrested over 200 community leaders, intellectuals and influential men in the Armenian community, who were subsequently jailed and later executed. Many historians believe the systematic killing of Armenians started many years before 1915, but this event, which was intended to weaken the community by removing its thinkers and leaders, marked the symbolic and obvious beginning of what was to unfold over the next eight years.

Thousands in the Armenian community will wear black and take to the streets of Little Armenia (along Hollywood, Normandie, Western and Sunset) in a march and rally at noontime today to call to the attention of the occasion, and to protest the Turkish government's longtime refusal to officially recognize the Genocide.

Though the observed start of the Genocide was in 1915, the issue still makes headlines today, especially weeks ago when President Obama visited Turkey. The handling of the issue caused much controversy both in and outside the Armenian community.

Tomorrow, during the East Hollywood Earth Day Festival, at 11:00 a.m. a Canary Island Pine tree at Santa Monica and Vermont will be dedicated to the memory and legacy of assassinated Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

Celebrating Songkran on Hollywood Blvd

2009-04-05T22:17:00.000-07:00

The sixth annual Songkran - Thai New Year Festival today attracted over 100,000 to Hollywood Boulevard in Thai Town to eat, drink, see, dance, paint, buy or just hang out on a nice warm Spring Sunday afternoon. It's hands down the biggest yearly party in East Hollywood!

2009-03-21T03:24:00.000-07:00

A Long Way From E-Ho!

2009-03-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

Today's the day I fly off to Sydney, Australia for a week's vacation. I haven't left the US since 2003 when I visited the Philippines, as well as Singapore and Malaysia.

It seems that every two years I take a major trip that involves an airplane: in 2007 I went to Portland, OR; 2005 I fortunately got to see New Orleans 5 months before it was devastated. In 2003 was the aforementioned Asia trip, and I also got to visit the East Coast as well. In 2001 I visited the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia as well as Hong Kong. In 1999, New York City. In 1997, the Philippines. 1995, Europe (England, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium); 1993 the East Coast and 1991 the East Coast and Canada.

This time, it's the Land Down Under. Why? Because it's far away. It's also the end of Summer there (though it's starting to get summer-like here). I'll also get to fly there in a Qantas Airbus A380, and thanks to the recession, I got a sweet promotional deal on my ticket ($877 RT)!

I plan to explore the city of Sydney on foot and transit (maybe rent a bike if I can) for three days, then rent a car - yes, I'll be driving on the left side of the road (wish me luck)! and visit the Blue Mountains National Park, and Canberra, the capital city of Australia (which is like driving the same distance from L.A. to Tijuana). Then I return to Sydney then leave on Friday the 27th.

I travel because I love to learn. I've discovered I learn way more traveling than sitting in a classroom. And like any place I've never been to before, I have no idea what to expect aside from any preconceived notions I might have. But once I'm there, they will all be shattered, replaced with experiences that become memories upon my return home.

Sydney, like Los Angeles, is a diverse metropolis of 4 million with many immigrant communities. One of my hopes in Sydney is to stumble upon a community there that seems to resemble East Hollywood. I've already gotten some leads via some Internet forums.

This being the 21st century, though I'll be some 9,000 miles from home, I'll still be tethered to the world I know through technology. I will hopefully update this blog while I'm there, as well as my Facebook and Twitter (twitter.com/elsongs) profiles. If you've been there before, feel free to send any tips my way!

Until then, G'day, mate!

Taking Notice: A DC-Based Blogger Gives Props to E-Ho!

2009-03-12T02:38:00.000-07:00

Just got an email from Washington DC-based blogger Kaid Benfield of the National Resources Defense Council who took notice of the ArtCycle video on Streetfilms.org, who did some research of his own and found my humble old 'hood (and the work of the EHNC) to his liking, featuring it on his neighborhoods and sustainability blog, Switchboard. It's always cool to see people from outside Los Angeles, much more even outside California/the west take notice! Thanks, Kaid!

Garcetti Jams With The Soul Barkada!

2009-03-12T02:28:00.000-07:00

After getting my video camera back (my sister borrowed it for her trip to the Philippines), and wrestling with YouTube's uncertain upload process, I finally got the video of last week's election night party, where my R&B/funk/soul band, Elson and the Soul Barkada got the honor of playing for Council President Eric Garcetti's election night party at the Avalon Hollywood on March 3. So here's my band, singing "Are You Ready (For Garcetti)."
I also got the honor of introducing my councilman, who joins in with the band. I think we'll make him the honorary 9th Soul Barkada member.

Good Morning

2009-03-11T07:55:00.000-07:00

The eager rising sun peeking over the clouds, illuminating the San Gabriel Valley. Morning, everyone.

TortaQuest '09 Continues!

2009-03-10T23:13:00.000-07:00

Still on this torta fix, I decide to drop by the infamous twin taco trucks of East Hollywood, which are on the lot of an auto repair shop on Western and Lexington avenues, right by the 101 Freeway. The trucks, which are here every night, have gained a reputation as one of the best taco trucks in town, most notably the northernmost one, El Matador, which LA Taco.com claims as its #1 taco truck in town.

Well, they sell tortas as well - "Delicioso" as the menu claims. Alrighty then! I order una torta de pastor.
Note the nearly-transparent grease spots on top. They ain't foolin' here. The bread is nice and a little toasty, and the al pastor pork is characteristically spicy as anyone who's had an El Matador taco would attest. However, due to its greasiness, the whole thing kind of flops over when held. Don't get me wrong, this is good stuff, but the grease content was a bit high even for a torta! I'll stick to their tacos.

Transit Titos!

2009-03-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

Growing up Filipino, a "tito" is your uncle, whether he's your parent's brother, cousin or longtime friend. Titos have long been a source of either wisdom, entertainment or humor (sometimes not intentionally). A typical Filipino party usually ends with a group of titos, bodies full of varying amounts of alcohol, singing into the Magic Mic Karaoke (with full echo engaged of course), singing Sinatra's "My Way."

So in my commute home after an overtime day of work, I get on the Red Line at Union Station and two Filipino guys, about the same age as my dad, maybe a little older, come on board, and ask the riders in the subway car to produce their "teeykets" and passes.

Now, I believe a Filipino can do anything, but someone donning a Sheriff's Dept vest on a subway train with the slight possibility one illegitimate rider might react in an unruly manner after being questioned, made me wonder. Certainly there could be a big, surly Filipino dude somewhere who can ask riders for proof of fare payment.

But if I was the only rider in the train amused by the fact that the validity of my subway ride was checked on by a pair of titos, then so be it.

In Search Of The Perfect Torta, El Taurino

2009-03-08T22:26:00.000-07:00

Hankerin' for a torta on a Sunday evening, I head over to El Taurino on Hoover and 11th in the Pico-Union district. A favorite taco joint of a certain noodle-headed friend of mine, I decided to check it out after long last.

Expecting an outdoor stand a la E-Ho's El Gran Burrito, this was a completely indoor place, with two counters and two lines - both rather long.

I figured it must be good, so to bide my time I decide to pull out the ol' Blackberry and do a Facebook update:

Elson is @El Taurino, in search of the best torta. (7:21 p.m.)

Which was followed up by:

Ken L. at 7:24pm March 8

Where is the best torta, you think? I'm fond of the Taco Reyes taco truck on Sherman Way, but I'm happy to continue the search for delicious tortas.

Elson at 7:26pm March 8
I've been on a torta trip lately.
You're quite a bit Valley-biased, aren't you? :)
But thanks, I will leave no stone unturned, and will check it out next time I'm over the hill!

Joe B. at 7:34pm March 8

gerlie says there's a good one in monterey park where they bake their own bread. don't know the name of it though.

Ken L. at 7:35pm March 8
I'm on the LA side a bit as well, so I would love to hear about any good torta trucks/restaurants.

I'm Valley-biased, sure, but only because I live out here, not because I think all the good tortas are out this way!!!

Elson at 7:35pm March 8 via Facebook Mobile
Joe: hot damn! I gotta check that one out!

Ken L. at 7:36pm March 8
Joe, please find out!!

Although most of the time when I'm out that way, I'm at Ocean Star Seafood or Dumpling Master, etc. on Atlantic. No tortas there.

Peter H. at 7:37pm March 8
It's called Cook's Torta's...on Atlantic Blvd....at the intersection of Floral Dr. Its pretty good. I do tend to prefer the proper roach coach though, lol. I'll have to pick you up and take you there Elson, they even hand make their own tortillas for their tacos.
*Drooling already*

Elson at 7:37pm March 8 via Facebook Mobile
Ken: Just jokin witcha man! :) There's some good Valley spots so I'll check out any suggestions there as well!

Ken L. at 7:40pm March 8
The taco truck one I mentioned is my favorite so far. It's a good torta, a little bit hit and miss, but almost always good, but I'm looking for an absolute killer torta. I ate at El Taurino a while back, and King Taco (had tacos at both, not tortas), and enjoyed both.

Thanks, Peter!

Elson at 7:40pm March 8 via Facebook Mobile
The line @ El Taurino is long..been here over 10 mins. This better be good! Big Korean clientele too! I'm getting the bistec con queso torta...cheeseteak!

Peter H. at 7:44pm March 8
Geeze, I really dislike King Taco. The salsa's are icky, I guess i'm just used to what my Mom makes here at home. ONE taco stand on Fletcher Drive (next to Foster's Freeze) had VERYYYY good tacos. Great variety of meat....the Al Pastor kicks butt there.

Elson at 7:47pm March 8 via Facebook Mobile
Peter, you're so Atwater Village-biased, lol! :)

Ken L. at 7:48pm March 8
The one time I've eaten at King Taco was in Pasadena. It was good. It wasn't killer. Still on the lookout for killer. You can't ever beat homemade, I don't think, but it doesn't mean you don't keep looking!! :)

Peter H. at 7:53pm March 8
The little corner place on Fletcher is AWESOME. I mean, I could eat there nightly and not grow tired. Salsas are g0o0o0od, lol. I'm from the hood Elson, what do you expect :p

The hospital I run is a few blocks away from Cook's Tortas in Monterey Park. I'd rather hit the roach coach scene than eat there. Just my opinion....I say we meet up and go on a sample night, haha!!

Elson at 7:54pm March 8 via Facebook Mobile
I've ordered, am waiting. I'm. #662 and they're only calling #636!

Elson at 7:57pm March 8 via Facebook Mobile
Haha, the lady sitting across from me is on the cellphone w her man, she said, "They don't sell tortas @ King Taco!" Guess I'm not alone in TortaQuest '09!!

Joe B. at 7:58pm March 8
cook's tortas
1944 S Atlantic Blvd

Peter H. at 7:59pm March 8
Hey EL....that's when I throw in the towel and go to YOSHINOYA :p

Elson at 8:00pm March 8 via Facebook Mobile
BTW thanks guys, you're making my long wait a little less tedious, haha

Elson at 8:03pm March 8 via Facebook Mobile
This place is quite trilingual! Español, English and Korean...

Peter H. at 8:04pm March 8
El, where is the place you're at located?

Elson at 8:06pm March 8 via Facebook Mobile
El Taurino on Hoover, half block S of Olympic

Peter H. at 8:06pm March 8
Could you imagine some kimchi on your torta instead of onion and cilantro? Hahaha. ACK!

Elson at 8:08pm March 8 via Facebook Mobile
Peter; That's not too farfetched: www.kogibbq.com

Peter H. at 8:09pm March 8
Damn boy, you're too far out for me. I live in a box, lol. UNLESS I'm going to MANNA all you can eat Korean BBQ....then it's acceptable to travel south on Western. Otherwise I ain't doing a drive for food that's far away. Yet you ask yourself "The how does this dude stay to damn fat, haha." I ONLY went to Rosemead today because I was already in Monterey Park checking in on my nurses.

Elson at 8:15pm March 8 via Facebook Mobile
I'm just lol'ing at the size of this comment thread! I was in the area, was driving on the 110 near downtown after church and felt an urge to stop by El Taurino (1st time here).

Peter H. at 8:17pm March 8
Hey, i'm just trying to entertain you. It seems you'll be there all night long, lol. Holla if you need company. I think it's time for a HUGE bowl of cornpops, haha.

Elson at 8:21pm March 8 via Facebook Mobile
No prob man. HEY TORTA IS READY!

Ready, yeah. Take a look at the timestamp. It's been one hour since I got in line. ONE HOUR?!?!
So here it is in all of its torta glory:
Peter H. at 8:23pm March 8
ENJOY!

Elson at 9:43pm March 8
30 replies, all about a freaking sandwich! :) I love Facebook!

Ken L. at 7:26pm March 9
Hey, so how was it?

How was it? After posting a photo of the said torta, I captioned it so:

Great torta, but not worth waiting an hour for!!!

A Day of Boxers and Bikes: Manny, LA Bike Summit and Lance Armstrong

2009-03-07T23:31:00.000-08:00

My Saturday: 18 miles, 13 hours, four locations and two world-class athletes.

It was one of those days. And what a day.

I left the house at about 9 a.m. and rode the two miles to Historic Filipinotown to catch a "Mayor's Community Day of Service" event at SIPA on Temple, where there were already hundreds of people there partaking in a mini neighborhood fair on a closed-off Robinson Street. City-sponsored young citrus trees were being given out to residents, teams of volunteer cleanup crews, armed with brooms, left and returned, music played and people waited patiently to see the champ: Manny Paquiao.

At about 10:30 a.m. he came out, planted a tree on Temple, and was given a proclamation by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. When Manny spoke, I was curious as to how the champ would botch the mayor's name, as most people are prone to anyway (FTR: he pronounced it, "Billyaaaaaa...uhhh...agosa." Close enough for jazz!).

Surprisingly, yet unsurprisingly, scores of community folks came out: Filipino senior citizens, Filipino American college students, and even the Los Angeles Derby Dolls - who are tenants of SIPA-owned property - united in keeping the neighborhood clean. Of course, without Manny it wouldn't have been a big deal (nor as well-attended), but whatever works, works.
An hour later or so I skeedaddled on bike down Temple, Glendale, Figueroa, 4th and down Flower to L.A. Trade Tech college, where the LA Bike Summit was taking place. The usual workshop format I'm quite used to as a community person awaited me, but it was cool nonetheless.

I did see many familiar faces in the local "bike culture" scene, including people I've never seen outside of the Hel-Mel element. That made me wonder whether this preach-to-the-choir event had any efficacy to it at all, or whether it was meant to inspire optimism, organizing, advocacy and action.

One of the workshop sessions I attended was LA County Bike Coalition's "CiclLAvia" concept of setting up a weekly network of streets closed, yet permeable, to automobile traffic (open to bicycles and pedestrians) based on Bogota, Colombia's "Ciclovia," which has been a tradition there since 1976.

The concept got everyone's minds a-buzzing, bringing up ideas and concerns alike. Some people asked about how transit buses would be affected, which was a legitimate question. I suggested that outreach be done to community groups and nonprofits to increase buy-in by having them schedule coinciding festivals or events. I also recommended including churches (who are also prone to be affected) and having them encourage their congregations to ride their bikes to church.
I'm curious though to see the after-effects of this program. Granted most people or organizations already knew each other, and probably see one another fairly often on bike rides. But Saturday was a day to keep the two-wheeler stowed away and use our heads for a moment.

Still it was cool to be in the company of bike-minded folks, (including fellow Barackcyclist Carlos Morales from the East LA Bike Club) who want to make a difference.

Afterward, I rode with friend and fellow cyclist blogger type Will Campbell back to East Hollywood where we caught up with 698 other riders for the 2.3-mile LiveSTRONG ride with none other than Lance Armstrong.
We donned yellow shirts reading "Hope Rides Again" (the lucky few got to wear black shirts and
start the race alongside Mr. Armstrong. All this time I couldn't help but be amused by the fact that the world's most famous cyclist will be riding a bike in my neighborhood, reputedly the center of the city's bicycle culture. Just amazing.
We set off towards the Sunset along...well, Sunset. Yellow boxes of chalk were given away for people to draw or write messages expressing their or their loved one's experiences with cancer.
I also got a kick out of someone scrawling "MIDNIGHT RIDAZZ" and the skull logo on Sunset by Edgemont, wondering whether Mr. Armstrong saw it...
The ride ended not too long after it began, with a dramatic swoop of yellow-shirted masses turning due north on Vine Street. We dismounted just yards ahead at Selma, and parked our bikes at the bike valet, when lo and behold a giant Shepard Fairey iconic mural for Armstrong was painted on the south wall of the Ricardo Montalban Theatre. The messages: "Defiance, Courage, Action!"

Inside we were treated to a private audience with Mr. Armstrong himself, alongside Lance Armstrong Foundation head Doug Ulman and Nike CEO Mark Parker, and later joined by artist Fairey. Armstrong was introduced by actor and comedian Ben Stiller, with the night closed by a concert by another famous Ben - Ben Harper and his new band, the Relentless 7.
Mr. Armstrong was humble, honest and inspiring. He even made a comment advocating for better safety for cyclists on the streets.

An interesting point, as when I talked to some fellow cyclists prior to the ride, I noticed that most of them were the "sport cyclist" types that ride only in closed-road conditions, one I talked to told me he was "terrified" to ride on the streets! This is something I do every time without much thought...Just an interesting perspective on the different types of bike riders that are out there.

To end this real long post, and to tie it all together, I'm reminded on the power of celebrity. Los Angeles, and especially "Hollywood," for whatever definition is applied, gets a lot of flak for its association, or even obsession, with celebrities. But todayI saw the power of celebrity being used to encourage and inspire -- whether it's fighting blight on the streets of Historic Filipinotown or fighting cancer worldwide, prominent role models can get people off their apathy chairs and into action...if it works, it works.

Now, imagine if we can get Lance to advocate for bicycle safety awareness by motorists on the streets. Imagine a PSA with a motorist cussing out a cyclist on the street, only to learn it's Lance Armstrong. And no one would cuss out Lance Armstrong. Again, if it works, it works.

East Hollywood ArtCycle Video!

2009-03-05T15:07:00.000-08:00

Streetfilms' Clarence Eckerson Jr., who rode along on the 3:00 p.m. ArtCycle ride I led (The 2-hour Extended Director's Cut edition :)) made this great video that shows the energy and excitement of last weekend's East Hollywood ArtCycle. Check it out, you might also see some familiar faces too...

My Endorsements: Garcetti, Amerian

2009-03-03T12:01:00.000-08:00

Today is election day in the City of Los Angeles, and like any active informed citizen, I'm gonna vote at my local polling place, which is Lexington Primary Center.

So here's who and what I'm voting for, heck it's my blog:

City Council, District 13: Eric Garcetti

Running for his third and final term, Garcetti is the deserving choice for re-election. As an organizer/activist in my community, not just here in East Hollywood, but also in nearby Historic Filipinotown, among many reasons, he's one of the few public officials anywhere who understands the issues of this City's ethnic communities. Plus, his staff is some of the coolest people around, and hey, the dude is on Facebook.

I won't say anything negative about the character of Garcetti's opponent, who happens to be a friend of mine and is my colleague on the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council governing board. Gary Slossberg has been a hard-working and responsible board member and treasurer/corresponding treasurer. However, despite his knowledge of the issues in the Hollywood and East Hollywood areas, I don't feel he knows very much about the other 2/3rds of the 13th district, neighborhoods that have very different issues.

Here's what some people from the East Hollywood community, both of whom I know, have worked with and respect, have to say about Garcetti:

City Attorney: Michael Amerian

In one of the more hotly-contested races are five candidates vying to succeed Rocky Delgadillo, two of which happen to have the same name. Michael Amerian, the only candidate with actual experience in the City Attorney's office has been nice enough to outreach to me and my community by attending one of the EHNC's meetings and the recent East Hollywood ArtCycle. I haven't heard from any of the other four, so Amerian gets my vote.

Measure B: COIN TOSS!

One of the most controversial measured in this ballot has to do with the use of solar energy in the City. Both sides support solar energy in L.A.; one side says it'll bring more jobs and economic development in a time when people need it and the other side says the plan is poorly drafted and without proper community input. I have very good and respected friends on both sides of the issue and still none of them have made a clear argument for me on why I should vote their way. So I will bring a quarter to the polling booth, flip it (heads yes, tails no) and vote accordingly.

Kaiser's On A Roll

2009-03-02T01:20:00.001-08:00

This week, the new 7-story wing of Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center on Sunset Blvd opens, the first major step of the hospital's modernization project. This weekend, I noticed the building will have colored lighting effects illuminating parts of the facade, which shift in color a la the LAX light towers.

The new building is designed to be built as a replacement for the existing Kaiser facilities, which will move in. Long term plans for the hospital have the other buildings towards Edgemont St be demolished and replaced with new structures. Exciting but also a little saddening for me personally, since this is the very place where I was born (the 2nd floor maternity ward, to be exact...), and where my mom worked for 25 years.

According to Ellen Zaman, who heads community affairs of neighboring Children's Hospital LA, to commemorate the opening of the new Kaiser wing, the three major medical centers of East Hollywood, which also includes Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, are trying to get the City of L.A. to designate either an area or an intersection with signage to recognize the hospital presence in the area, but a name hasn't been decided yet.

I've heard the hospitals jokingly referred to in the past as "Bedpan Alley." But I guess myself being the "Hijo de E-Ho" (So I guess that's a title of royalty now?), having been one of the people to come up with the "Hel-Mel" name for Heliotrope and Melrose, has thrown this suggestion for the med center zone:

"Healthcare Square"

East Hollywood ArtCycle!

2009-02-28T23:38:00.000-08:00

Today was the big day for East Hollywood ArtCycle, our community's version of an art walk/artcrawl. It was something that was born in the fall of 2008 at the EHNC Arts & Culture committee meetings, and it's the brainchild of the co-chairs of the committee -- Jennifer Moran, an artist, and Enci Box, a cyclist. After months of planning, organizing, outreach and a $2500 budget from the EHNC, it finally happened.

But a simple artwalk on two wheels it was not. It was helluva lot more than that. It was a street festival at Hel-Mel, it was a concert, at least four candidates in this coming Tuesday's municipal election showed up to represent, and there was even a (n illegal) fireworks display!

Much of the people came from elsewhere, but nothing wrong about that - part of the reason this was organized was to highlight East Hollywood. I did see the neighborhood Latino and Armenian kids and families either curious join in or extended the party to their front yards by putting up lights and blasting their own music.

I got to lead one of the four hourly bike rides through the neighborhood from Hel-Mel to art studios in the Cahuenga Library area to Sunset Junction - which is technically Silver Lake, but it's still East Hollywood Adjacent, to La Luz de Jesus gallery on Hollywood and a couple of private studios in Thai Town. My ride, which had over 20 people, left Hel-Mel at around 3 p.m.

Of course, myself being the "Hijo de E-Ho," I wanted to show off some of the 'hood...so I gave them the Director's Cut. The 1/5-hour ride turned into a 2-hour ride, not only stopping at the designated galleries and studios, but pointing out things like the histories of the Ukrainian Cultural Center, LACC, Thai Town, Little Armenia, and even Keifer Sutherland's secret lair (shhhh!), the lighting yard-cum-park to be and the "EAST HOLLYWOOD" advertising kiosk at Hollywood and Sunset.

The event attracted several hundred people. Not bad, eh?

It was a true community event. I got to re-connect with familiar faces in the community. I got to
connect with new people involved in the EHNC. I even met, for the first time, a neighbor of mine who lived in East Hollywood about as long as I have, and he even rocked his own Y-Que "East Hollywood" t-shirt. One of my friends turned up just because he read my Facebook status on ArtCycle!

Personally speaking, I'm real tickled. This is the first major event of the EHNC that I didn't have to directly plan and organize, and I'm actually happy about that - it's about damn time! Most of all it's gotten the "East Hollywood" name out there, as the event posters have attested, and it would leave no doubt to the visitors as to where and what E-Ho is. Kudos to Jen, Enci, everyone who helped out and look forward to ArtCycle 2010!

My New Laptop, Sorta!

2009-02-27T18:12:00.000-08:00

Just got a new keyboard delivered at work today - no, not a music keyboard, nor a computer keyboard. But it's a Freedom Universal2 Keyboard, a foldable keyboard that works with cellphones and PDAs via Bluetooth. It's also got a little retractable stand for my phone - which is really more like a micro laptop computer, since it's got way more computing power than the 386 I used to rock when I was in college.

I got this just for my Blackberry Bold - so I can maximize my time, especially writing and blogging while during my Australia trip. This way, I don't have to haul around a big laptop -- and be afraid of it getting lost or stolen -- nor do I have to search for an Internet cafe. Closer to home, I also might want to do some writing while commuting on the Metro to or from work.

So far, it works great, Bluetooth was a slight enigma at first but it works smoothly now. My only complaint is that the right-hand "SHIFT" key is waaay too small, and I'm having trouble typing out capitalized characters. I got it for just under $100 including shipping from BlackBerrySource.com.

WE'RE #1!!!!

2009-02-26T10:37:00.000-08:00

This week Forbes magazine unveiled its list of America's Worst Intersections [sic], the last word being a misnomer, since once reading the article, you learn they're talking about highway/freeway/expressway interchanges and exits and not a place where two surface streets cross, unless the Forbes folks live in a region where an "intersection" means something else - kind of like how those Midwesterners call carbonated soft drinks "pop."

Anyway, I was pleased/displeased/amused to learn that not only is Los Angeles ranked #1 in traffic congestion (w00t!) but the worst bottleneck is in East Hollywood -- namely the Vermont on/off-ramp of the Hollywood Freeway (101). Ain't that a dandy.

This, folks, is a cause for celebration.

Of course, I try to avoid this as much as possible. I'm speeding about 55 mph in a subway train 60 feet below the street to and from work every day, and in a car I'm wise enough to use Beverly or Temple as a reasonable alternate route.

Ash Wednesday @ The Cathedral

2009-02-25T20:30:00.000-08:00

Went to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels right after work on Wednesday to get some black stuff put on my forehead. Also took some pics from the plaza, which also included the towering "space coaster" or "robot statue" thingy from the "Central Los Angeles New High School #9," the moon and an airline contrail lit by the setting sun:

Small Businesses Don't Have To Suck

2009-02-21T14:37:00.000-08:00

While biking home from my campaign volunteer activities and CD shopping at Amoeba, I passed by this humble little vacuum store on Fountain and Hobart that had n array of upright vacuum cleaners lines up inside the shop, outside the door and right at the curb.

Seeing that I've long procrastinated buying a couple of small attachments that got lost from my Hoover upright vacuum cleaner, I wondered if this store would have them in stock.

I asked the man at the counter and he told me he didn't think he had them but found a compatible part, much bigger than the one I looked for, yet still able to fit the Hoover vacuum hose.

Then looking down at one of the used Hoover models I pointed out that the attachments looked exactly like those attachments, and the proprietor, whose name was Sabatino, told me he'd be willing to sell them to me. The price was $4 each - making the purchase $8. I produced a five and three singles from my wallet right away.

He told me his business was only around for a couple months, having relocated from Sunset and Tamarind (near the Arby's)...and that my $8 was the first sale he ever made.

I was kind of floored. I don't know how many of you reading this (if at all :)) are in need of a used vacuum cleaner or repairs to your existing one, but if you do, this store can give you what you need. It saved me from an online purchase that would charge me more in shipping than it would for the item itself! So come check out Sunset Vacuum Shop & Service on 5324 Fountain Ave (at Hobart). I just love it when everything you need is pretty much nearby.

I also did some neighborhood council outreach, telling him about what we do and gave him my card, offering to help him out with any city-related issue he'd see in the neighborhood.

Yeah, there's a joke somewhere that says that no matter how well you do in the vacuum cleaner business, it's always going to suck...But sometimes it doesn't have to!

Hooray for Hollywood

2009-02-21T14:31:00.000-08:00

As the area gears up for the Academy Awards on Sunday, on my bike ride en route to Central Hollywood to do some precinct walking for Eric Garcetti's campaign, I happened upon the sight of Charlie Chaplin waiting for a DASH bus at Fountain and Vine(!).

Okay, sure it's one of those impersonator dudes who stand in front of Mann's Chinese Theatre, but you just can't pass this up. Where else but in Hollywood?

Cirrus-ly Speaking

2009-02-20T18:29:00.000-08:00

Nothing more to say other than the simple beauty of the purplish cirrus clouds following the setting sun on a Friday evening.

Show Some Love For Children's Hospital LA!

2009-02-19T23:49:00.000-08:00

East Hollywood's very own Children's Hospital Los Angeles needs your support!

The medical center is currently part of an Internet competition among 11 hospitals nationwide as part of the "Show of Love" program sponsored by the Colgate-Palmolive company and the Starlight Foundation to help seriously ill children cope with the pain, fear and isolation that often accompanies serious illnesses, such as Sickle Cell Disease. Each of the 11 hospitals will be receiving a Starlight Fun Center mobile entertainment units for pediatric patients, but the top three hospitals receiving online votes by February 27 will get a second one!

The "Fun Centers," valued at $4300 each, consist of a Sharp LCD HDTV, a DVD player, and Nintendo Wii video game console and are designed to help seriously ill children cope by providing fun and diversion at their bedside.

Currently, CHLA is ranked #3, right behind hospitals in Houston and Detroit. Keep CHLA in the running and support a winner in East Hollywood! The voting ends at 12 noon EST on Friday, February 27. You may vote once per 24-hour period from any single computer. Vote early and vote often!

To vote, visit this site:
http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/Corp/CommunityPrograms/show-the-love/vote.cvsp

Then select "Los Angeles - Children's Hospital Los Angeles," enter the capcha code and submit! It won't cost you a dime, only a minute of your time!

Metro Kettle Corn!

2009-02-19T23:19:00.000-08:00

I happened upon quite amusing sight when I emerged from the Vermont/Santa Monica Metro station at the end of my commute: A kettle corn booth! Right smack dab in the middle of the station plaza! I love kettle corn! So I shelled out the $6 for a big bag...had to show my support.
Normally kettle corn booths are a common sight at county fairs or farmer's markets. This time, it takes on a decidedly more urban setting.

But perhaps we'll see a farmer's market in East Hollywood. SEE-LA, the Hollywood Farmer's Market operator, had been running a small Wednesday evening farmer's market at the old Sears parking lot near Santa Monica and Western since 2001, but had to move out due to the new Paseo Plaza development coming there soon. They're currently looking for a new home in East Hollywood, possibly setting up in Hel-Mel (a.k.a. the bicycle district at Heliotrope and Melrose).

Snow Wai!

2008-12-16T07:53:00.000-08:00

One of the cool things about working in Pasadena, basically right below Mt. Wilson, is that, when it's cold, and after a rainstorm, I get to see a fresh blanket of snow up atop the San Gabriels. I caught a distant glance at it from East Hollywood right before I descended into the subway, and as the sun rose and my Gold Line train arrived at Sierra Madre Villa, there it was, some 5,000 feet above me.

It may not look much, and I'm sure some east-coast type people will crack up laughing, but up atop the mountain is one of the closes places us SoCal folks "go to the snow." Which reminds me, the last time I actually got up there to play in the snow was some 21 years ago.

Actually, once you're up there, it's a veritable winter wonderland, and thanks to the magic of the Mount Wilson Webcam you can see it in all its powdery glory.

I Made The Front Page!

2008-12-07T23:28:00.000-08:00

Twenty years ago, as the editor-in-chief of my high school paper, and geared up to study journalism in college, if you asked me if my name make the front page of the Los Angeles Times, then I would have said, "Oh definitely." Of course, my name would have the word "By" before it, and I would be the one writing the article. Two decades later, my name's on the front page, but this time, I'm the one being quoted.

On Sunday, both my name, and one of my little creations - the BARACKCYCLE! bike ride - made the front page!

Link to the online article here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-moment7-2008dec07,0,2308931.story

A few weeks ago - on my birthday, in fact, someone with a 415 area code phone number called my cellphone, and it was an LA Times reporter who had heard of the BARACKCYCLE V!: The Victory Ride on the Obama website was interested in covering the event for an inauguration-related article. I told him, "Sure!" and rounded up the troops. But alas, the November 29 ride was on Thanksgiving weekend, so the chances of a good turnout were slim. Most of the BARACKCYCLE! veterans were out of town or occupied that day, but we managed to get a good turnout of 15 folks, and the presence of Times reporter Peter King and photographer Kirk McKoy made the ride all the more interesting.

Man, it still hasn't sunken in...I made the front page of the L.A. Times!

A Dime vs. A Nickel

2008-12-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

Like every other Filipino out there, I spent Saturday night watching the big Pacquiao vs. De La Hoya fight, which resulted in an 8-round TKO by the Pac-Man.

Call it ethnic pride, but I knew the Pacquiao would win...but not in this way. I figured it would go a full 12 rounds, a drawn-out bout of size vs. speed with the judges giving Pacquiao the decision, not the Pinoy pummeling of a 147-lb punching bag.

Once the starting bell sounded, I had to admit I had a few reservations with the taller De LA Hoya sparring against the more diminutive Pacquiao, sending there might be a little unfair mismatch action going on here.

But eight rounds later, I was instantly reminded of a quote by Carlos P. Romulo, a 20th century Philippine hero and once the president of the United Nations General Assembly. Romulo, an intelligent, industrious man, stood all but 5' 4" inches among his fellow global dignitaries, and his stature made for many comments and prejudgments by others. But he one said that he felt like "a dime among nickels" -- referring, of course to the fact that a dime is smaller in size, but larger in value to a nickel.

So on Saturday, December 6, 2008, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the world witnessed a nickel being defeated by a dime.

And here's a picture of myself with a fellow 5'6" left-handed Filipino Sagittarian (Taken June 14, 2008 at Lake Street Park in Historic Filipinotown):

Hollywood Area Fire

2008-10-27T08:25:00.001-07:00

Found a thick column of smoke emanating from the northwest as I left the house this morning. It looks close enough that it may still be in E-Ho. I can hear helicopters overhead approach towards it and the faint wail of LAFD sirens in the distance. This picture was taken at about 6:40 a.m. at Santa Monica and Edgemont. Acording to the LAFD blog's alert widget, it's a single-family dwelling at 5675 Franklin Ave., where a tree fire spread to a 4-car garage. It took 30 firefighters about 20 minutes to douse the flame, and no injuries were reported. Great work, LAFD!

BARACKCYCLE 4! Rides Through NELA

2008-10-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

Today we had our last regular Obama bike ride, BARACKCYCLE 4! which rode a 17-mile route from Olvera Street through Chinatown, Lincoln Heights, Mt. Washington, Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Glassell Park, Atwater Vilage, Elysian Valley, Cypress Park, then back through the industrial areas north of Downtown back to where we started.

The pack met at the plaza at Olvera Street, as I rushed to head over via Red Line. We spent the time attaching the Obama signs to our bikes using a hole puncher and zip tie, and I also distributed spoke cards - thanks again, Stephen Box for the lamination services - and the "BARACKCYCLE!" logo buttons my sister made.

This was the first time none of the previous BARACKCYCLE! regulars were on the ride, a lot of them had other commitements. Still, we had about 11 people ride out. As each ride is in a different area, we got a different group of riders. This time, the majority of the riders were male. (Only one female rider rode, in contrast to BARACKCYCLE 3! which was all-female, save for me and two other dudes), Latino - I learned a new Obama cheer - "¡OBAMANOS!" - and the riders rode primarily road bikes. The ride was also rather quick; we finished before 2:30 p.m.

We also made pitstops at the Flying Pigeon bike shop in Highland Park for some air, grease, and a cool-down break (Josef wasn't yet in). We also dropped by the Northeast L.A. Democratic headquarters, in a minimall located at Figueroa and the Gold Line tracks, where we said "hi" to the staff, and they treated us to coffee, water, donuts and bagels. Some of the group also bought some Obama shirts they had for sale there.

Afterwards, we ended up on the campus of Occidental College in Eagle Rock, where Obama spent his first two years of college, from 1979 to 1981. We got to stop outside the Haines Hall dorm, where Obama lived during his freshman year:
It's also been said that the multicultural atmosphere of L.A. influenced Obama, as he arrived from Hawaii as "Barry Obama" and left as a transfer student to Columbia as Barack.

Instead of taking lunch in Eagle Rock, since we were well ahead on time, we just continued on and decided to finish the ride and get lunch at Philippe's. Incidentally, we saw a few other people wear "Obama-Biden" buttons.

Another great ride meeting some great folks. So what next for BARACKCYCLE!? If Obama wins, I plan to organize a victory ride in November, and also an Inauguration ride in January. I also plan to continue the last-Saturday-of-the-month ride in a different form, perhaps as a general L.A. tour, with stops at a couple eateries.

Attack of the Flying Pigeon!

2008-10-22T21:11:00.000-07:00

I stopped off at the Gold Line Highland Park station after work today to drop by Flying Pigeon Bicycles (5711 N. Figueroa St.) to drop off a flyer for Saturday's BARACKCYCLE 4! ride.

Right there I saw the owner, Josef Bray-Ali, whom I met earlier this year at the March EHNC meeting where we endorsed the Cyclist's Bill of Rights. We chatted about neighborhood councils and how communities and elected officials can gain important resources through existing data services and the work of grad students. He was totally cool about me promoting my ride there, and even offered to have our riders do a pit stop on Saturday.

The bike shop is unique in that it sells just one kind of bicycle - a (Mainland) Chinese-made utility bike - a rather large one at that - complete with front basket, rear-axle kickstand, rack and rear-wheel lock. They come in different colors, though from their size look rather heavy. Even if large Chinese bikes aren't your thing, the shop also does bike repair and sells needed bike parts and accessories, such as tires, tubes, lights and brakes.

The shop, which has a strong "overseas" scent to it (anyone who's traveled abroad knows what I'm talking about) and a flatscreen TV that plays DVDs of martial arts films, also hosts events. On October 29 at 7 p.m., the shop will host a debate on Measure R between transit advocate Hank Fung (Yes on R) and blogger Randall Flemming (No on R). They also host a Dim Sum ride
which starts at the shop on Sundays. In addition to bike, the owners are also passionate about guerrilla gardening, where they've planted strawberries and other small plants in a pavement cutout right on the sidewalk.

Flying Pigeon adds to the already unique flavor of Highland Park, so definitely check it out if you're around.

Ode To Joy - Fishing Tackle

2008-10-18T13:22:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this shop along Santa Monica the other week while walking to church: Joy Fishing Tackle (4914 Santa Monica Blvd). A fishing tackle shop, 15 miles from the nearest shore? LOL WUT? So during my deli quest today, I discovered it was open and decided to check it out.

The store sells fishing poles, tackle, nets, reel, bait (both frozen and live), other fishing-related gear, and even fishing licenses.

In chatting with the owners, I learned that this shop recently relocated from their old location near 1st and Western in Koreatown, where they had been operating for a few years. The folks behind the counter, a woman and a man, in their 50s or 60s, run the place. The guy, whose name is Shin, is the owner and I did some outreach and gave him my EHNC card. I also talked to the customer at the counter and asked him where he does his fishing. He told me he goes deep-sea fishing off of San Pedro and has been a loyal customer of Joy Fishing Tackle since they were at their old location.

Well that sort of clears it up, at first I thought opening a fishing tackle shop 15 miles from the sea was rather crazy, but if they were able to run for years in Koreatown (14 miles from the sea), then I guess that's not that too far-fetched. Anyway, when I was a kid and went fishing with my dad, he'd get his fishing gear from the local Thrifty's (now Rite-Aid), at Vermont and Santa Monica. He even got his fishing licenses there. Of course, Thrifty's didn't sell bait, we'd often get it closer to where we fished (in the local Southern Cali lakes or by the sea).

The last time I went fishing was sometime in the fall of 2003, on a boat off the coast of San Diego. And before that was when I was a kid. I guess if I wanted to take up fishing again, I know exactly where to go!

Hello, Deli!

2008-10-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

I woke up hungry this morning, after a full night's sleep, wanting to make omelets, especially ones with melted cheddar cheese inside, and a sprinkling of feta on top. I really didn't wanna make a supermarket trip, so I decided to head over to the local deli.

A deli? In L.A., you say? Well, certain neighborhoods in town do have markets with a delicatessen counter. Here in East Hollywood, home of Little Armenia, many Armenian markets have meat-and-cheese deli counters, and the strip of Little Armenia near my place on Santa Monica Blvd is no exception. I went into the best-stocked counter, at Taslakian Market (4906 Santa Monica Blvd.) where I bought half a pound of cheddar ($3.99/lb) and a pound of Greek feta ($2.99/lb) for my needs. I also discovered they sell flaky-crust boreks here, for $1 each! In no time I was cookin' up some cheesey omelettes. Scrambled eggs with feta cheese = yum!

Farmer's Market, Highland Park Style

2008-08-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

While riding the Gold Line home today I finally got to check out the farmer's market in Highland Park, called the "Old L.A. Certified Farmer's Market," which happens every Tuesday just outside the Highland Park Metro Rail station, an extremely convenient location if there ever was one! Right after stepping off the train, I quickly perused the L-shaped market grounds looking for a bite to eat, and maybe some produce to take home. The fruits looked - and tasted, judging from the sample slices - delicious, but a little pricey for my budget. I did get a jack cheese and pepper tamale from one of the food vendor tents, which was considerably larger than the average tamal.

But I actually spent most of my time there chatting with the community folk at the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council's outreach booth. I asked them about what was up with the Southwest Museum, which, since 2003, has been under the guise of the Autry National Center and currently under seismic renovation. To my surprise, they informed me the museum is actually open, but only on Saturdays. I was also introduced to and had a chat with Ruth Anne Tarletz, a former member of the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council who currently organized a Northeast L.A. area peace march that got a lot of community participation. Guess that's what I do as a community leader -- talk shop with other community leaders.

My train ride continuing back home was an easy few steps away. It may not be as big as the one in Hollywood every Sunday morning - but then again, what farmer's markets are? - but it's definitely worth checking when you're in the area.

(Re)Birth of a Mural

2008-08-24T22:57:00.001-07:00

Artists Eye One (left) and Caché (2nd right)

hard at work on the new mural.

While going down my street on Sunday I discovered a rebirth of the recently-defaced Caché mural on Heliotrope and Melrose. The incident not only created a neighborhood crapstorm, but apparently caught the attention of Metblogs L.A. and the L.A. Weekly. Not long after, my friend Enci Box contacted her friend Caché, the mural's artist, on the deal. Apparently the artist is currently living with his girlfriend in Massachusetts, but expressed a willingness to return back home to fix what's been broken. Well, he went good on his word to head Back West and not only restored the old mural, but designed a new one.

I introduced myself to Caché and asked him a little about his process. He showed me his sketchbook which had the image of the familiar Zapatista and chicken characters (as seen on his Silver Lake/Echo Park murals along Sunset Blvd) riding bicycles and holding U-locks. I also asked him about his color schemes, by which he revealed to me he does have his own familiar set of bright background colors. Also, the wall is so coveted by local artists, that other muralists were ready to jump on putting their own pieces there. However, the staff at nearby Orange 20 Bikes took great pains to reserve the wall for a Caché mural redux.

Artist Caché sprays on some familiar-looking tentacles.

Assisting him on his mural was artist Eye One, who actually devised the hooded Zapatista character and himself looked...rather familiar. I asked Caché what his real name was and it confirmed that my guess was correct - Eye One was an old classmate of mine from Marshall High! I hadn't seen him since graduating...uh...19 years ago! When I was the Editor-In-Chief of the school's Blue Tide campus newspaper in Spring of 1989, he was the Art Editor. Now, I'm a community leader in East Hollywood and he's one of the artists that designed one of its most popular murals. How things go full circle. After a long "catch up" conversation, he told me he's stayed local and has been active as a graphic artist for many years. We also have a few post-high school mutual friends, so it's a wonder why our paths hadn't (re-) crossed sooner. He also talked about his art, as well as the idiosyncrasies of his mural pieces - for instance, the arrow on the Zapatista's zapato usually points to the northeast when it's in murals (though the new Hel-Mel mural is an exception, as he discovered).

But hey, it's a small neighborhood, a small town and a small world.

Tear Down This Wall!

2008-08-24T22:46:00.001-07:00

The construction barrier for the new L.A. City College parking lot/athletic field along Heliotrope Drive came down on Thursday after being up nearly three years. The diagonal parking appears to remain, though the parking meters have yet to be re-installed.

The 950-space parking lot will be open on Tuesday, September 2 - the start of the LACC school year. Work on the rooftop athletic field, which will feature a track, plus a soccer and softball pitch, will continue for another two months.

Purty.

2008-08-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

Although it's Summer, ~~June~~ ~~July~~ August gloom can be a nice thing sometimes, especially in the early morning when you get to see the San Gabriels peek from a layer of cloud cover. This view of Mt. Wilson greeted me as I waled towards the office, so I had to take a snap.

Interestingly, the cutie who gets on the Gold Line at Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park and seems to work near me said something like, "Are you okay?" as I took this. I just briefly explained to her that it looked beautiful. Hey, like the clouds, the ice has been broken. Wish me luck.

Welcome To The Cube

2008-06-04T21:08:00.000-07:00

My new domain.

Today is the first day of my new jorb. After several months of ~~unemployment~~ free time, I entered the work force today. Welcome to the 9 to 5. Or rather, the 7:30 to 4:30, although I got to start my first day at 8:30 a.m. Not an easy thing for a person who's kept up "artist's hours" for over a year and a half.

Last month I accepted a job offer as a "Grants Research Analyst" at a company in Pasadena called eCivis. If you really do need to know more about what I do, just email me, as I really don't want this blog to be about *work* per se insomuch as it's about the work experience. Got it? Besides, if I start, say, griping about my job on his blog, I can potentially get into some deep doux doux.

The view from my window:
The structure on the left is the Gold Line Sierra Madre
Villa Station Park N Ride.

The cool thing about my job so far? I work just yards from the Metro Gold Line's Sierra Madre Villa station. Though I drove to work on my first day, I look forward to taking the Red and Gold lines there... from Vermont Santa Monica (VSM) to Sierra Madre Villa (SMV). From East Hollywood to East Pasadena. How bout that?

Construction Time Again

2008-06-03T18:59:00.000-07:00

A large construction crane raises a likewise large concrete panel into place at the new L.A. City College athletic field/parking structure. The structure is slated to open just in time for the opening of the LACC Fall semester, the athletic field a number of weeks following that.

Yes, Virginia, There IS an East Hollywood!

2008-05-28T00:21:00.000-07:00

Twelve years ago, I got into the community improvement thing partly because I lived through the 1992 L.A. Riots and wondered, "Okay, I'm still here, what should I do now?" and partly because back then, after volunteering for a community cleanup event in Echo Park, I wondered, "Wow, how do I get something like that going in my neighborhood?"

So I started a little community improvement association that year and wondered what name to use to describe the area. I guess I decided to use "East Hollywood" because it's the eastern, non-touristy part of Hollywood, and also that I heard some vague historical reference that this area once actually had that name.

"East Hollywood" was common sense to many and a hard sell for some; a few of the improvement association members bought into the "Anything that's the 'East' is not good" stigma, but I didn't care. Eventually it just grew on me and a semblance of community pride grew around that term. And eventually I organized a neighborhood council with that name.

A few years ago, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority contracted French outdoor advertising company JCDecaux to place street furniture, newsstands, ad kiosks and coin-operated, self-cleaning public toilets near transit stops around Los Angeles, just as they have done in Paris, or more locally, in San Francisco. The Los Angeles amenities either have "Los Angeles" emblazoned on the top of the dark-green structures, or the names of the communities in which they are located. I always thought it would be cool to see an "East Hollywood" ad kiosk, for example.

On Tuesday night, bicycle activist, fellow urban geek and friend Stephen Box gave me a call and told me he spotted exactly one of those over the weekend, on the corner of Hollywood and Sunset boulevards -- yes they do intersect, at a complicated 6-way junction. I got so excited I rode my bike there ASAP and snapped the pictures above.

I hope having those things help put to rest those silly names some people call this community, as well as an overall lack of neighborhood identity. Aside from having a certified neighborhood council, our Councilmember Eric Garcetti's Office recognizes "East Hollywood," there's an East Hollywood Business Improvement District and the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has an "East Hollywood" project area. One local pizza chain lists their Vermont Ave. location as "East Hollywood." I even saw a newscast tonight that used "East Hollywood" as a dateline for a police incident - okay, not the greatest thing to be proud about, but I'll take it.

The only thing missing? Those wonderful blue community signs that officially designate communities in the City of L.A. There are about 170+ of them, and the EHNC is spearheading the effort to gather the 500 signatures to get East Hollywood an officially-designated community. Within East Hollywood there are the designated communities of Thai Town and Little Armenia - both of which long-deserved - that represent the businesses and cultural institutions of their respective ethnic groups. An "East Hollywood" designation will neither cancel nor downplay any of their designations - in fact many prominent Thai and Armenian individuals and groups support the "East Hollywood" designation - but rather tie them both together into one super-diverse community (joined with many other groups as well). We are also home to "Virgil Village," designated in the late 1990s, which started as a project neighborhood of the Richard Riordan-created Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI) program. But not many people actually use "Virgil Vilage" and the LANI project quickly became inactive after its implementation, and not much happened after the project's local organizer passed away in 2003. There's also a "Wilshire Center" sign in our neighborhood, and no one uses "Wilshire Center" to describe any neighborhood anymore (It's either Mid-Wilshire or Koreatown).

The old East Hollywood also included a large portion of modern-day Los Feliz and was in fact an independent city until 1910. It, along with Hollywood, got annexed into the City of Los Angeles to tap into L.A.'s aqueduct water supply. Hopefully, by 2010 we can celebrate a century of East Hollywood being a Los Angeles community, with an official designation for this neighborhood.

Happy Birthday, Scoops!

2008-04-09T11:28:00.000-07:00

Today, Scoops celebrates three years of business!

Well, not really. Owner and proprietor Tai Kim isn't much into celebrations or milestones. He professes that he doesn't even celebrate his own birthday. But East Hollywood's own eclectic ice cream sensation opened on Saturday, April 9, 2005.

After honing his ice cream Jedi-Master skills at Portland's Western Culinary Institute, Kim apparently searched for an ideal location for which to sell his tasty, cold wares. He settled on the row of shops on Heliotrope Drive mainly because of its proximity to Mondo Video, of which he was a huge fan of when it was located in Los Feliz. Right timing, since the Bicycle Kitchen also set up shop around that time as well. And the genesis of the corner came about after the now-defunct Night in Tunisia Cafe opened in late 2001 and got people used to hanging out on the diamond-motif sidewalk.

In the three years that Scoops has been serving unique gelato-like ice cream (or is that ice cream-like gelato?), sorbets and soy-based vegan flavors, he's spent virtually zero dollars on marketing -- an entrepreneur's dream. The fanaticism has been propagated via word of ice-cream-filled mouth, hastened by today's technological media: Internet forums such as Chowhound.com, blogs, sites like Yelp.com and text messaging. Ironically, Scoops does not have its own website, and Mr. Kim seems to prefer it stay that way.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Happy Anniversary, Tai and Scoops!

John Williams All Up In My Hood

2008-04-03T17:51:00.001-07:00

Oscar-winning film composer John Williams made a visit to his alma mater, Los Angeles City College on Wednesday night. He spoke in a Q&A session with LACC music professor Dr. Doug Dutton (my brother's music appreciation teacher, who also owns Dutton's Books in Brentwood), who asked the maestro questions from LACC music students.

He talked about attending LACC in the '50s (he transfered from UCLA because LACC had a better music program at the time!), his workday, composing over 60 bars of music in his Universal Studios office, working with just "pen and paper" over software, meeting a young Steven Spielberg for the first time and the importance of musical keys in his composition choices (apparently, he's fond of B major) and his start as a studio orchestra pianist.

Afte rthe Q&A, there was a concert of LACC student composers, bookended by Williams' compositions (from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Schindler's List, The Witches of Eastwick and Far and Away). Williams didn't perform or speak at the concert but he sat proudly in the center of the Camino Theatre.

As a fellow musician and (newbie) film composer, it was quite the educational experience to hear from one of the greatest contemporary American composers of all time.

Breakfast With Garcetti

2007-11-30T12:33:00.000-08:00

This morning I forced myself to get up earlier than usual to attend Council President Eric Garcetti's community leader breakfast at Sabor y Cultura coffeehouse on Hollywood Blvd.

About 16 or so local school principals and leaders of community groups got together over coffee, juice, bagels and danishes to talk about the current issues and get an update from the councilman himself. I also spotted some familiar faces to the EHNC, such as Pilar Quispe, who heads a parents youth drug prevention group in East Hollywood, Nongyao Varanond, who heads Thai Health and Information Services Inc there in Thai Town and Nyla Arslanian from both the Greater Griffith Park NC and Barnsdall Arts Council. Eric's deputy staff were also in attendance.

I brought up the fact that all of the candidates in our neighborhood council election last month
wanted the same thing: more park/recreation space, traffic calming, less blight (graffiti, bulky items, litter), youth opportunities and arts-related programs.

Regarding parks, he mentioned the plan to put a recreation center on Santa Monica Blvd where the City's Bureau of Street lighting keeps a maintenance yard. He said it costs $30 million to move the site to an industrial area just to free the space to a park. I recommended they do a land-swap deal with Caltrans to move the yard to freeway land (since it's not preferable to put a park by the freeway anyway). He said he'll try to work this out with our Assemblyman Kevin DeLeon and probably the cost might be lower. Everyone in the neighborhood wants this park to happen, and Traci Calhoun, the principal of Lexington Primary Center, who was there at the meeting, also voiced her support.

Also regarding parks, I found out from field deputy Helen Leung that CD13 and the City's General Services are going to be talking to the owner of a vacant lot in the community to purchase it for a park!

I also found out from field deputy Alejandra Marroquin that the big construction area on Santa Monica and Mariposa (next door to Immaculate Heart of Mary School) will be a large affordable housing complex developed by Hollywood Community Housing Corporation, which will feature a community center. Looks like a potential venue for EHNC meetings!

Mondo Video to Close; 24-Hour Cafe on the Way

2007-10-11T00:52:00.000-07:00

Mondo Video A-Go-Go will be a-gone-gone or around October 15. The funky, quirky video store on the sourth side of Melrose at Heliotrope, which was imported from Los Feliz a few years ago, let its lease expire and did not renew due to higher lease rates, according to a local businessowner.

Replacing its space will be a 24-hour Armenian-owned coffeehouse (Armenian coffee is quite powerful, if you've ever tried it!). According to the same businessowner, another businessowner on the corner scoffed at the idea of a 24-hour establishment, but due to the vibrancy and streetlife of the Heliotrope-Melrose corner (a.k.a. "Hel-Mel"), it might just be the perfect addition to the 'hood. Perhaps not so for the owners of nearby City College Cafe (not the ones who scoffed), whose 8 p.m. closing time might cause customers to bolt across the street instead.

As for Mondo, it's rumored to be closing down for good. If you're into stocking up on eclectic VHS titles, run down to Mondo, pronto for some killer deals.

Bike Racks Finally Come to Hel-Mel

2007-09-29T23:36:00.000-07:00

Ten new "Inverted-U" bicycle racks were installed by the City of Los Angeles' Department of Transportation on September 29 on Heliotrope Drive at Melrose (a.k.a. "Hel-Mel"). The corner already sees a heavy amount of bicycle parking usage, from the Bicycle Kitchen and Orange 20 Bikes to City College Cafe, Scoops Ice Cream and the Pure Luck Pub. Previously, bicyclists had to settle on locking them to parking meters, which is illegal, but not enforced. Local bicycle activist Stephen Box (who's been dubbed somewhat of a "Jedi Master" by a certain area blogger) was responsible for lobbying to have the racks installed, which he described as a "year and a half-long process."

No word on why 10 racks were installed at nearby Majestic Golf Land on Melrose Ave. when they are sorely underutilized by clients of the golf driving range.

Guatemalteca Opens!

2007-09-25T23:09:00.000-07:00

Guatemalteca Bakery and Restaurant, on 4770 Santa Monica Blvd, is now open. The eatery serves Guatemalan fast food and is the newest store in the local chain; another store has been operating not too far away, just a little over a mile south on Beverly Blvd. It also sports its own bakery that produces tons of pan francés (french-style rolls, which come with nearly every combo plate) as well as a huge selection of pan dulce and European-style pastries. The place is also a mini-market with shelves selling dry and canned good products, beverages, imported frozen fruits and vegetables and even a refrigerated case that sells milk, cheese and eggs for the convenience of people in the neighborhood.

The establishment, which opened on September 15, is spotless, has an inerior painted in pleasant colors and well-designed -- the parking lot is in the rear (no mini-mall format here!), there's even a bicycle rack, and the front of the building is landscaped, with room for possible sidewalk dining. The restaurant has unique hours: 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Yes, there's a desayunos menu for the early crowd - the real early crowd, catering to a working clientele that starts work before dawn.

I got to try a combo plate with chile relleno, beans and rice. It wasn't anything mind-blowing (this is fast-food, after all) but the sauce was real good. It also came with a pan francés roll, which probably would have tasted even better if it were warm. They also have an extensive antojitos menu (tamales, etc), as well as tortas. The prices are way affordable so, I'll be dropping by once in a while.

EHNC Candidate Information Session

2007-09-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

Independent Election Administrator Stephen Box fields questions from EHNC candidates.

Nearly twenty East Hollywood stakeholders who are considering running for one of the the 17 seats in the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council's inaugural election attended a candidate information session on Monday at the Hollywood Youth and Family Center.

The session, led by Independent Election Administrator Stephen M. Box, was designed to inform potential candidates on the basics of the EHNC's upcoming October 30 Governing Board election and also let them know what was expected of them if they were to be elected to the EHNC's Governing Board.

A number of of people from the nine-member Interim Board or were active in the EHNC's formation committee have announced their intention to run, but many new faces also expressed interest, notified by the bilingual election information leaflets distributed to the neighborhood on Labor Day weekend.

Of the 17 seats in the election, 11 of them represent specific geographical areas known as neighborhood districts. The other six represent at-large stakeholder categories: Renter, Property Owner, Business, Student, Community Services (faith-based and non-profit groups) and Youth. All voters will be able to choose one candidate for each other 17 seats.

If you are interested in running for the neighborhood council, contact IEA Stephen Box at 323.962.6540 or email him at stephen@thirdeyecreative.net. For more info on the EHNC's elections and to download candidate registration forms, visit their election website at www.easthollywood.net/vote.

Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture in San Pedro

2007-09-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

This weekend is the 15th annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) at Pt. Fermin Park down in San Pedro, an annual celebration of arts, entertainment, food and activities focused on Filipino American culture.

Though the event itself is not in East Hollywood, the organizer of the festival, FilAmARTS is based in E-Ho at the Hollywood Youth & Family Center on Vermont, and the festival itself was born from humble beginnings on the campus of LACC back in Spring of 1992 and 1993 before moving down to 'Pedro.

With a visible presence of markets, restaurants, church parishoners and medical center staff - not to mention a good number of residents, the Filipino community is one of the most culturally-visible ethnic communities in East Hollywood. I should know - I'm one of them. My first FPAC was in 1993 and as a Filipino American music artist, I've performed at the festival for seven straight years from 1999 to 2005.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and tomorrow and admission is $5. Consult the website for information on shuttle parking in the vicinity.

The Pure Luck Vegan Pub

2007-09-07T10:14:00.000-07:00

A number of local bloggers have been raving about The (New) Pure Luck vegan pub on Heliotrope & Melrose, on our hip new "Hel-Mel" corner. Run by former Bicycle Kitchen volunteer Ben Ling, he bought out the former establishment this past May, which went under the same name, and had a soft opening leading up to the Bicycle Film Festival's block party at Hel-Mel in early July. The place serves up vegan versions of select Mexican and Asian dishes using plantains and jackfruit as a meat substitute, and aren't subjected to the overinflated prices you'd find at other vegan joints - everything is pretty affordable here. Their rosemary french fries are also a popular item, especially with the amazing selection of mostly microbrewed beer (Craftsman IPA, Fat Tire Ale, among others) on tap for just $4 a pint!

I'm not vegan - not by a mile - but I do like to eat healthy most of the time, so this adds to the choices out there. Plus, it's a great place to hang. Even Tai Kim of SCOOPS likes to drop by and hang out for breaks or after he closes down (TPL closes at midnight).

The Pure Luck was formerly a Korean-Chinese restaurant (which served HUGE portions -- I ate there in 2005 with five other friends and only ordered three dishes -- one of us still had to go home with a ton of leftovers), which had changed owners various times but still retained the name. Even before that (Circa '90s) it was an establishment known as the Mambo Cafe.

The Pure Luck
707 N. Heliotrope Drive

DEFISAL- El Salvadoran Independence Day Parade

2007-09-02T02:10:00.000-07:00

The streets of East Hollywood will play host this morning to the annual DEFISAL (Desfile de Independencia Salvadoreña) - the El Salvador Independence Day parade. El Salvadorans will whip out their blue-and-white pride to celebrate the anniversary of their independence from Spain on September 15, 1851. The local El Salvadoran community celebrates it on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend with a parade down Santa Monica Blvd. past popular El Salvadoran restaurants and shops, ending with a festival at Los Angeles City College.

The El Salvadoran community, which also has a large presence in the Pico-Union district (where the organizers of DEFISAL are based) is one of the most culturally-prominent ethnic communities in East Hollywood and has had a growing presence in E-Ho since the era of the Salvadoran Civil War from 1980 to 1992.

Anna's Cuisine on Fountain

2007-08-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

Blogging.la recently spotlighted Anna's Fast Food Cuisine, an Armenian-Russian eatery on Fountain and Berendo. Anna's, which has been around for nearly 10 years, is situated literally next door to The Food Network-celebrated Square One Dining. The small hole-in-the-wall eatery has kebobs, salads, soups and sandwiches and the Blogging.la article gave it a wonderful review.

Anna's Fast Food Cuisine
4859 Fountain Ave.

EHNC Shows, Tells at Southern California Community Partners Meeting

2007-08-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

Representatives of the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council delivered a lunchtime presentation in front of nearly 100 attendees of the Southern California Community Partners quarterly meeting on Monday at the California Endowment's Center for Healthy Communities in Downtown Los Angeles.

The EHNC's Israel Stepanian, Alfredo Hernandez and myself talked about the neighborhood council's formation and unique outreach techniques on how to communicate with and involve a uniquely diverse community using resources like relationships with schools, institutions and the use of technology and multimedia, which was exemplified with the screening of the EHNC's "This is East Hollywood" video presentation.

The three EHNC representatives also joined a panel discussion with representatives from the Empowerment Congress Southeast Neighborhood Development Council, a neighborhood council in the South Los Angeles area.

The meeting's attendees comprised of elected officials, city workers and community leaders from Los Angeles, San Diego, Palmdale, Anaheim, Pasadena, Glendale and many municipalities around Southern California. The event was hosted by the City of Los Angeles' Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, which oversees the city's system of 89 neighborhood councils.

The EHNC's delegation also included Election Committee chair Christine Jerian and Independent Election Administrator Stephen Box.

Southern California Community Partners is an affiliate of the nationwide organization Neighborhoods USA, which is a network of agencies, community groups and municipalities from across America dedicated to improving and empowering their neighborhoods.

During our April 19 certification hearing, one of the members of the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, impressed with our outreach efforts, asked us, "Can you take your show on the road?" So I guess this was the first stop on our tour! It was exciting and an honor as well to have our NC - and diverse community - be recognized.

Linoleum City

2007-08-26T01:37:00.000-07:00

The plot of land on the north side of Santa Monica Blvd. between Berendo and Heliotrope is shaping up to be a 3-story Linoleum City store, which currently operates about a mile west on Santa Monica and Wilston Place, next door to the big Sears Roebuck store. Though L-City has been a Hollywood institution since 1948, the days of its original location are numbered as the block is making way for the proposed Paseo Plaza mixed-use development coming in '09, so it's moving east.

The new Linoleum City site was formerly Miller Studio Rental - a company that rented props and lighting equipment to Hollywood soundstages and production companies - and an adjoining wreck shop where recently-damaged autos lay in limbo. Prior to that, the property was once home to Pennsylvania Garden Supply Co, which moved a couple miles west to Santa Monica and Las Palmas Ave., where it operates behind the spacious Arena Nightclub.

As a Heliotrope Drive resident, though I don't really have much need for linoleum at the moment, the new development solved a major blight problem by itself -- the small Southwestern-style garden built by the Pennsylvania Garden folks on the parkway on the Heliotrope side. After Pennsylvania left, the "garden" was left unmaintained and was a seriously blighted patch where not only trash, but food waste and human feces were dumped. Now that L-City is setting up shop, the Southwestern garden was removed and will soon make way for a driveway leading to the rear parking lot.

Another added bonus was the maintenance of the seven crape myrtle trees planted there during an East Hollywood Community Association cleanup day in early 1998. I personally planted one of them! After Pennsylvania moved out, the new business owners neglected to maintain the trees, and the roots attracted trash and stray saplings grew from the tree well. Whoever's building the L-City store cut out the saplings and cleaned up the trash! Looks like L-City seems to be a good neighbor so far.

Guatemalteca Restaurant

2007-08-26T01:20:00.000-07:00

That "mystery building" on Santa Monica and Berendo is finally unveiled, even after curiously asking my contact at Councilman Eric Garcetti's CD13 office since the building sprang up last year. It's going to be a Guatemalan restaurant called Guatemalteca, which will also sport a bakery, adding to an already ethnically-diverse array of eateries in the neighborhood which include Armenian, Thai, El Salvadoran and Filipino (and countless other) cuisines.

Metro Rapid 704

2007-06-24T02:03:00.000-07:00

Metro is introducing Metro Rapid Line 704 today, which runs from Union Station to Santa Monica beach via Cesar Chavez Ave. and Sunset and Santa Monica boulevards. The new line supplants the old Line 304 limited service. For anyone heading from East Hollywood to the Westside, this is an excellent way to go, even better, a great way to get to the beach this summer.

Congress of Neighborhoods

2007-04-21T19:51:00.000-07:00

So this is what it's like to be certified...

Today, just 40 hours after being certified, the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council returned to DONE's bi-annual Congress of Neighborhoods event, this time at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. Elson Trinidad, Israel Stepanian and Lucy Varpetian represented the EHNC at the event.

The Congress of Neighborhoods is organized by DONE as an informational conference for and about neighborhood councils, which features training and topical discussion sessions as well as a chance to network with elected officials, city departments, community groups and other neighborhood councils.

Thas been attending the Congress since its first installment in Fall 2001 but decided to stop attending after the Spring 2004 event to concentrate on completing its certification -- little did we know it would take three more years to do just that!

We were greeted by friends and supporters such as our former DONE project coordinator Christine Jerian (now with SCAG), Central Hollywood NC's Debbie Wehbe, Hollywood United NC's Erik Sanjurjo, Rampart Village NC's Tara Brown, as well as BONC Commissioners Linda Lucks, Tsilah Burman and Michele Siqueiros (they all just love us now...).

But perhaps our coolest moment was when our councilman, Council President Eric Garcetti, gave us props in front of the 1,000 attendees (Play YouTube clip above).

This is East Hollywood

2007-04-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

"We decided to show a brief, 7-minute short film, highlighting the uniqueness and diversity of our community, which shows more depth than a PowerPoint or slideshow can allow. And besides, this is Hollywood, baby - you gotta be in pictures!"

Here it is - our "secret weapon" on Certification Night.

EHNC - Certified At Last!

2007-04-20T12:24:00.000-07:00

The East Hollywood Neighborhood Council became the 89th certified neighborhood council in the City of Los Angeles on Thursday, April 19 at a packed Faculty & Staff Center on the L.A. City College campus. The Board of Neighborhood Commissioners voted unanimously 4-0 to certify the EHNC, after a public hearing marked with enthusiasm, emotion and some Hollywood style -- the premiere of the short film, "This is East Hollywood," which made a very strong impression on the commissioners. About a dozen residents, businessowners and representatives of local elected officials, nonprofit groups, churches and neighboring neighborhood councils, spoke up in not only their enthusiastic support for the EHNC's certification, but shared their honest and unique experiences in or with the community. The certification vote, met with loud cheers and applause, was the culmination of five long years of hard work by the EHNC.

More than five years ago I embarked on a journey: to form the EHNC, which was originally supposed to be a separate-but-related entity to the East Hollywood Community Association, which I started in 1996. But I discovered that the people involved in the EHNC were more involved, diverse, proactive and energetic and knew we were onto something special here.

Why did it take so damn long? Many reason -- a high transient renter population, a large immigrant population, many of whom have a long-standing fear or mistrust of anything related to government and also long periods of having a shortage of core formation committee members to get the work done - especially getting those petition signatures. But even after overcoming all of that, and not having a set deadline, I decided to take my time and learn from other NC's mistakes (and successes as well), to immerse myself in the knowledge of the NC system though events like the Congress of Neighborhoods or the Citywide Alliance of Nieighborhood Councils. East Hollywood was a special community - arguably the most diverse in the City - and the people involved were a special group as well -- most of us are under age 40, or not that much beyond it, and a diverse bunch as well. So when our Certification Hearing came, I wanted to us do it right.

And I guess we did.