I usually get annoyed when one topic takes over news and culture podcasts for the week (e.g., Girls, Sharon van Etten’s latest album, Baratunde Thurston’s book tour). This week I didn’t get annoyed by the excellent coverage of the 20th anniversary of the LA Riots (or Uprising, depending on how you saw the situation) on LA’s traditional and social media. Instead, I haven’t been able to get enough.

I was 11 years old during the Riots and living out in the suburbs 20 miles away from any of the action. I definitely was aware of what was going on. I knew the name Rodney King and had seen the video. Everyone had, but I didn’t know the excessive force used against him by the four LAPD officers was not an isolated incident. I didn’t know about Latasha Harlins and Soon Ja Du. I’d never heard of the Watts Riots of 1965. Nor did I know anything about police* brutality, institutionalized racism in the justice system, redlining, de-industrialization, and a recession that hit the poor and working class communities of LA hard. (*In my mind, the police were there to serve and protect, and warn us about doing drugs with the DARE and SANE programs.)

Like millions of others, I watched the coverage of late April and early May 1992 on the news. I was scared and saddened. I didn’t understand why people were burning buildings in their own community. I don’t remember being worried that the burning and looting would reach East LA where my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins lived. I highly doubted that anything would happen in Hacienda Heights; though something did happen a town over.

I remember talking about the looting with some kids who lived down the street. I don’t remember the boy’s name, but he either bragged about looting or just said he wanted to be out there. I also remember watching Edward James Olmos doing a cleanup (I was a fan at the time). I think my cousin who lived in East LA went out to help.

Since I was a kid, I’ve read more about the Riots and talked to people who were closer to the action and/or remember it differently. I’ve also learned a lot more about the conditions that set the stage for such an uprising in LA. I’m not a clueless 11 year old anymore, naturally. I’ve had not-so-great experiences with police and been at marches/rallies that got sketchy. Luckily, I never took a rubber bullet to the eye or got pepper sprayed. I no longer live in the suburbs, but in an LA neighborhood that might have seen some burning and looting 20 years ago. It’s changed a lot in the 12 years I’ve been here. We even have a light rail line (Expo!).

A lot has changed in LA in 20 years. At the same time, we haven’t come that far, but it feels good to know that there are many in LA who are still working to effect change.

Ed at [view] from a loft has a great roundup of 20th anniversary coverage. More from LA Observed and KCRW and KPCC.

Do you think my buddy Magic will hook up me up with some tickets now that he’s part owner of the Dodgers? I don’t have any plans yet for Opening Day.

(I think this is the 3rd time I’ve posted this photo.)

February 10, 1916: Edward “Ed” R. Roybal was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico

While Roybal was born in New Mexico, he’s closely linked with mid-century Los Angeles history. His family moved to Boyle Heights in the early 1920s, he graduated from Roosevelt High School (like my mom), attended UCLA (go Bruins!) before going on to a long career in public health, community organizing and politics.

In 1949, Roybal was elected to the LA city council. There were some road bumps.

In 1993, Roybal told The Times that at his first City Council meeting [in 1949], he was introduced as “our new Mexican councilman who also speaks Mexican.”

“My mission was immediately obvious,” he said later. “I’m not Mexican. I am a Mexican American. And I don’t speak a word of Mexican. I speak Spanish.”

It became his role, he said, to educate his fellow public officials about Latinos and to pay special attention to what he felt were the long-neglected needs of his largely Latino constituencies. [Source: LA Times obituary, 2005]

In 1962, Roybal moved on from local politics to the national DC and became the first Latino from California to serve in Congress since 1879 (source). He was later appointed to the Appropriations Committee and became an “influential advocate for federal funding for health, education, community health programs and bilingual education.” [Source]

Some highlights from his long career provided by the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging:

• Author of the 1968 legislation that established the National Bilingual Education Act to assist schools in meeting the educational needs of children who come from non-English-speaking homes.
• Played an important role in the passage of legislation outlawing age discrimination and fought for benefits and opportunities for those with disabilities.
• Responsible for funding America’s first AIDS research and treatment programs
• Championed the first federal funding for Alzheimer’s Disease and was instrumental in renewing legislation to provide medical service to people with the disease
• Led the campaign to restore funding for programs for the elderly, including a senior citizens’ public housing program and a community-based alternative to nursing homes
• Successfully maintained the Meals on Wheels program and protected veterans’ preferences in hiring in 1982
• Consumer rights defender
• Co-founder of the House Select Committee on Aging, serving as chairman from 1983-1993
• One of the first legislators to introduce legislation to establish a national health plan for the United States
• Founder of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which he served as both president and treasurer
• Founder of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO)

I noted Congressman Roybal’s passing in 2005 and wrote: “It’s amazing to think that many of the issues he worked on as a Councilman in the 1950s and then as a Congressman, such as police brutality and immigration, are still problematic. For anyone from LA who has studied the history of Chicana/o politicians, there is no way to avoid the impact of Ed Roybal on the growing political power of Latinos.”

Photo of Edward Roybal being sworn in to the LA City Council in 1949 from the Los Angeles Times photographic archive, UCLA Library. Copyright Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.

Earlier today, I was on the elliptical listening to the Madeleine Brand show via podcast (one of my daily musts) and heard more details about a story I had briefly learned about earlier in the day.

Gabino Zavala an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles had recently resigned:

For more than a decade, Zavala had harbored a dark secret. He is the father, church officials said, of two children, and had resigned his post. [LA Times story].

I knew the name. Zavala was the same priest who confirmed me in 1996 at St John Vianney. Now Zavala is gone. So is the church where I was confirmed.

And my faith? Still there, albeit shaken [hard] and stirred.

Earlier this month, LA Weekly posted another best burgers in LA list. Sean nudged me about it. We decided to make a dent in the list this week since we both are on vacation.

Thus, began Burger Week. After the second day, we made a spreadsheet in Google Docs and included any spot on LAist’s 2010 best burger list, 2011 list or LA Weekly’s 2011 list. Yeah, the spreadsheet is nerdy, but it made picking the next spot easier. We based our choices on type (“gourmet” vs “basic”) and location. Most of the high end burger spots are located on the Westside so we didn’t ever travel more than 6 miles.

MONDAY

Father’s Office Burger @ Father’s Office
Los Angeles (near Culver City)

FO is a familiar spot. It’s less than a mile away, but I don’t go very often as I’m not much of a drinker and it’s pricey for a burger. Still, after a few visits over the last few years, it’s easy to see why the FO burger is consistently listed as one of the best burgers in LA.

In short, it’s delicious. We both had the Father’s Office burger: Kobe beef, Gruyere, caramelized onions, applewood bacon compote, maytag blue cheese and arugula on a roll. I love the combination of Gruyere, arugula and caramelized onions. We passed on the shoestring fries (they’re good) and split a basket of sweet potato fries with garlic aioli on the side for dipping. The burger is great, but the sweet potato fries with garlic aioli are my favorite menu item. Since FO is a gastropub known for a wide beer selection, we paired our burgers with Unibroue Fin du Monde.

Heads up:
It’s not cheap, but you get what you pay for. The burger can easily feed two people with smaller appetites. FO does not do substitutions and does not have ketchup in house. This has never bugged me. The LA location gets very crowded at peak hours and you might have to stand around waiting for a table or spot at the bar to open up before ordering food. Be patient.

TUESDAY

SoCal Burger and Triple Pork Burger @ Umami Burger
Los Angeles (La Brea location)

Umami was the first new spot we tried. I’ve passed it several times while heading up to Hollywood, but never stopped by. We were immediately seated and got quick service. After checking out the menu for a few minutes and trying to decide, Sean ordered the Triple Pork Burger (ground pork, chorizo and applewood smoked bacon with manchego cheese and pimento aioli). I ordered the SoCal Burger (butter lettuce, slow-roasted tomato, house spread, house-made american cheese, carmelized onions). My burger was medium rare and very juicy. I didn’t expect it to be so messy. The bun was delicious and tasted slightly sweet. I didn’t care for the slow-roasted tomato. Sean’s review: the burger was delicious, not too juicy, the chorizo really stood out and added a spicy kick. We ordered sweet potato fries on the side. They were okay, but were a little soggy.

We both agreed that we’d return and would like to try some of their other burgers.

Heads up:
Burgers cost $10-14. I’ve heard from some that the burgers are small. I think the size is fine. Parking is by valet (at least after 5), but we easily found street parking nearby.

WEDNESDAY

The Naked Truth and the Big Scene @ Hamburger Habit
West LA

After two $10+ gourmet burgers, we opted for something more affordable. I’d seen Hamburger Habit many times on the bus to school, but had never visited. Burger Week was the perfect opportunity. Upon entering Hamburger Habit you feel like you’ve gone back to a 1950s Coca Cola commercial. There’s lots of red, retro tables and counters. The cashier handed us a printed menu and we made our choices: The Naked Truth with added bacon for Sean, the Big Scene for me and chili cheese fries to split. We followed the menu recommendations and added grilled onions to our cheeseburgers.

I enjoyed my burger and found it worth the price ($20 for 2 burgers, chili cheese fries and two drinks). The fries were too salty and the chili was okay. I wouldn’t order them again. Hamburger Habit is okay, but I don’t see what sets it apart from other similar burger joints.

Heads up:
The strip mall parking lot is tiny. Free wi-fi.

THURSDAY

The Comme Ça Burger @ Comme Ça
West Hollywood

Spoiler alert: The Comme Ça Burger was the first I unable to finish; I left about a third of it. And I had it for lunch after skipping breakfast. That would make it brunch.

We arrived shortly after they opened for the lunch hour. We had our pick of tables as there were only a few other patrons. I have no clue how crowded it gets for dinner. The waitress brought us a delicious breadstick and butter. We each ordered our burgers and she advised us that the medium rare was still quite bloody, so we changed asked for them a little more well done.

The Comme Ça burger features a thick Angus beef patty on a brioche bun. I’ve read other reviews that say it must be 8 ounces. The patty is topped with gooey Vermont cheddar, onions, and iceberg lettuce in dressing. The creamy lettuce and dressing combo reminded me of cole slaw. Even in a brasserie, the burgers are served with a side of fries, er pomme frites.

Of the gourmet burgers we tried this week, Comme Ça was my least favorite. It’s definitely worth trying, but I don’t like being a messy eater when I’m out in a restaurant. I liked lettuce and dressing topping, but it was too much and too creamy. As for the beef, I should’ve gone more well done as it was rarer than I’d like. The best thing about Comme Ça was the pomme frites. They’re the best fries I’ve had in LA.

Heads up:
It’ll set you back $18, comparable to FO considering the fries are included. We didn’t order beer, but it’s definitely the kind of burger that would go well with a beer. How ever you usually order your burgers (e.g., medium rare), go a little bit more well done. Valet parking or metered parking on Melrose. We found free parking a couple blocks away. I’m cheap. Free wi-fi.

FRIDAY

Cheeseburger @ Capitol Burgers
Mid City (Pico & Crenshaw)

We visited Capitol Burger for lunch. Capitol Burger is one of the basic burger spots on best of lists. I wouldn’t disagree. Capitol Burger is your classic no-frills burger stand with a couple of guys flipping burgers in a tiny shack. It’s good and cheap. We spent $10 for two cheeseburgers ($2.80 each), drinks and chili cheese fries. Um, that’s less that we spent on a single burger at the gourmet spots.

We both ordered cheeseburgers. Sean got his a little more plain. Mine was topped with tomato, lettuce, mustard, onions and pickles. I appreciated the pickles. Our food came in a box. Much different than chic white plates at Comme Ça.

While the burger didn’t stand out in comparison to other burger stands I’ve eaten at (similar size, toppings), the chili cheese did make an impression. Capitol Burgers tops thin fries with a hearty helping of chili and cheddar cheese.

Heads up:
Lunchtime service was slower than I expected. We waited ~20 minutes for our order. There are only three tables available. If you’re sheltered and avoid the “bad” parts of town, you might be uncomfortable going to a burger stand with bars on the windows. Personally, I didn’t feel unsafe.

SATURDAY

Cheeseburger and bacon cheeseburger @ Hole in the Wall Burger Joint
West LA

Our final spot was another basic burger in West LA. The website says Santa Monica, but it’s only on Santa Monica Boulevard. We entered and each filled out order forms with options for proteins, buns, cheese, basic and premium toppings. Although Hole in the Wall offers chicken and turkey burgers, we stuck with beef for consistency. Sean’s burger featured chipotle mayo, applewood smoked bacon, pepperjack cheese, red onions, and red leaf lettuce on a brioche bun. I got the same thing sans bacon and with tomato on an old fashioned plain bun. We shared house made fries and sweet potato fries.

When my burger arrived I thought it would be one I wouldn’t be able to finish. I was wrong; my stomach has probably expanded a little this week and I ate it all minus a bite or two of the bun. I found the beef overly salted, but liked the chipotle mayo. Even though Sean had bacon on his burger, he didn’t find it too salty. I didn’t pay attention to the bottom of the order form where they noted that burgers are cooked medium unless specified. I was okay with that, but next time I’d go medium well.

The sweet potato fries were almost as good as the fries at Father’s Office. Both types of fries were well portioned, salted and perfectly crunchy. We dipped our fries in Hole in the Wall’s homemade ranch and ketchup (check out the ingredients). The ketchup isn’t red and looks like a thin orange marmalade. It’s good, but if you’re a fan of Heinz you’ll miss the sweetness and thickness.

Heads up:
We spent $14-16 for our burgers ($8.95 without toppings like bacon and avocado), fries and drinks. Bring cash, they don’t accept credit cards. I didn’t notice a parking lot, but that wasn’t a problem. We easily found street parking on Bentley. That might be tougher in the evening as it’s a residential area.

SUNDAY

And on the seventh day, they rested…

Coming next week: master cleanse week!

Not really.

Burger Week was fun, but as you might expect I won’t be making it a regular thing. I’d like my pants to zip without needing to lie down. Plus, I need more variety in my diet. It’s probably not good for me if my only vegetables are fried potatoes. And there’s the whole cost associated with eating out daily. Even the cheap spots quickly add up.

If you’d like to check out any of LA’s best burgers according to LA Weekly and LAist, check out the spreadsheet.

A couple of days ago, I was going through my reader and found a post on KCET’s SoCal Focus blog about holiday celebrations of yore in Southern California. It’s a pretty neat compilation of photographs and postcards from various digital image archives.

Posadas on Olvera Street, 1949

There was one thing that bothered me. It didn’t look diverse. By that I mean, where were all the people of color? We’re in LA and Southern California too!

Pacoima junior high school students, 1963

I don’t think it’s cool to whitewash Southern California history, even if it’s unintentional. Still, it’s pretty easy to find some images that are more representative of the holiday season in LA.

Ella Fitzgerald sings to children in South Central, 1975

I did a simple search on UCLA’s photograph archive, Changing Times: Los Angeles in Photographs, 1920-1990 for old school Christmas photos. All photos here come from that archive.

Olympic themed float at the East LA Christmas parade, 1984

Festive Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park, 1988

Photo Credit:
Los Angeles Times photographic archive, UCLA Library. Copyright Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.

Used under attribution, non-commercial, share alike Creative Commons license

I’m cheating a little with this one. The 31 above is on the building I live in. It’s followed by two other numbers. I cut them out. Of course, I would live on the 3100 block of my street.

I’ve been living in the same apartment for nearly 11 years. I moved in two days after I turned 20 with 3 other women. Over the years, they all moved out and I got new roommates. Work, graduate school and the promise of rent control kept me here.

Only a few of my original neighbors remain. In recent years, families with small children have moved in (or had a child). Currently, there are about 8 kids living in the two adjoining buildings. They’re all under 10 years old. The youngest are toddlers, the oldest probably 7 or 8.

The kids have developed a friendship/sometimes rivalry. They play in the driveway right outside my window and drive me nuts with all the noise. They run up and down, ride their bikes and scooters, slam the doors of the laundry rooms, play on the stoop right outside my door, and scream as they play tag. I hear their arguments, whining, crying, occasional scolding from a supervising parent or older sibling. When I have to drive my car out or in, I’m extra cautious, always worrying one will dart out from the stairwell or laundry room. In the summer, their play time goes until after dark.

When I’m most annoyed, I’ve considered leaving a note on the corresponding apartments: THIS ISN’T A PLAYGROUND! Below it, I’d include a map to more appropriate play places such as the playground half a mile away or the high school track/football field around the block. I fantasize about hiding the toys they leave littered on the driveway or even running them over. Oops. I’m passive aggressive, but not that passive aggressive.

To be fair, the kids are usually polite when I interact with them. If I ask them to watch out for cars, they oblige. Only once or twice have they done something I’d consider truly egregious. One kid — ironically my favorite — sprayed me point blank with a water hose. His mom apologized to me and he was punished.

Lately, I’ve been listening to the kids play. It provides some entertainment. One of the younger kids just got a bike with training wheels and it’s interesting to see how the older boys treat him. They talk about movies and cartoons the way I used to with my friends and cousins. Another boy, always breaks in to tears by the end of play session. He often tells on the other kids. Sean calls him a snitch.

My favorite, a chubby four-year old and new bike owner, chatted me up through the window a couple of weeks ago as I made dinner. “We all need to do exercise,” he said. I agreed with him. What’s better exercise than running around and playing with your friends?

Mondays are always rest days for me. At least that’s how they’re set up on the schedule. If I skip a run or have to rearrange my week, I might have to run on Monday. Not today. I took advantage of my rest day and margarita Monday deals.

Sean and I had dinner at Kay n’ Dave’s in downtown Culver City. They have $3 house margaritas on Mondays. We sat outdoors along the sidewalk since the inside was a little noisy. All was cool until a pair of twenty-something women clad in yoga gear sat at the table beside us. One of the women had a small dog with her on a leash. I was a little annoyed and tweeted my distaste: There should be a no dogs section on restaurant patios. Just because we’re outdoors doesn’t mean I want to eat my dinner next to your dog.

Here’s the thing: I don’t dislike dogs. I really like my family’s dog, VR, but I’m not about to bring him to a restaurant. That’s just… rude.

I’ve never been at a restaurant where someone brings their dog near the tables, so I don’t know what’s the normal protocol. I also didn’t know that Kay n’ Dave’s was dog friendly. The waitress fawned over the dog while the women snapped photos on their iPhones. Later, another waiter brought him a bowl of water. The women ignored the dog’s whines of hunger when their food arrived and gossiped about never giving up a dog for a man (surprise, surprise!). Otherwise, the dog was well-behaved and bothered us less than the womens’ “likes” every third word.

Is bringing a dog to a casual restaurant with outdoor seating normal… for the Westside? Should we have said we were uncomfortable and that one of us is allergic to dogs?

I live a short walk from downtown Culver City. I like this. There’s some good restaurants, a large Trader Joe’s, a weekly farmer’s market, a few movie theaters, a couple of theaters, SportEve (my GU supplier and host of a Tuesday evening running group), an affordable place to get massages (Massage Garage) and a few bars. Soon Metro will open up the Venice/Robertson station for the Expo line and I’ll be able to get to downtown LA by rail. Pretty neat.

When I first moved to Palms in 2000, I hardly ever ventured to Culver City. There wasn’t much to do. But with development and gentrification, it’s attracted my dollars and interest in more recent years. I’m in downtown Culver City about once a week. As my friend Will once said, “gentrification worked for me!” (He’s from Chicago’s Logan Square.)

Anyway, I noticed a new restaurant opened up recently when Sean and I had gone out to see Super 8 (we both liked it). I giggled at the sign the same way I did when I saw “loco moco” listed on a Hawaiian restaurant menu. After friends explained to me that the dish did not include any boogers, I ordered it for the novelty. This may have been how I came to be known as Crazy Booger senior year in college.

I’m not interested in visiting MoKo, which I found out is short for Modern Korean. I get what they’re doing, but I’m still not drawn in. I’ll stick to S&W Country Diner for those weekend mornings when I want an indulgent breakfast.

Every summer I check out the schedule for my favorite concert series and pick out the shows I’d like to attend. Invariably, I don’t make it to half those shows. I get lazy, and don’t feel like packing snacks, chairs or blankets, driving across town, finding free parking, etc. When I don’t let work or other obligations get in the way, I get out and enjoy some free entertainment and a cheap date.

If you need to save your pennies, but don’t want to stay home, you’re in luck, I’ve compiled a list of [mostly] free concert series at local parks and museums. It’s not exhaustive, so feel free to add others in the comments. Check back in a few weeks, some these schedules are not online yet!

Enjoy!

En La Noche Summer Series
Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach
The En La Noche series features local DJs. It’s free for museum or KCRW members. If not, it’s $10 admission.

Grand Performances
California Plaza, Downtown LA
The GP series features music, dance, film and shows in the evening as well as noon on Fridays.

Hammer Presents
Westwood
The Hammer features the Also I Like to Rock and Jazzpop concert series along with speakers and films. Parking at the museum is $3 after 6 pm.

Latin Sounds by LACMA
Hancock Park
I’ve never checked this out because the series is on Saturday and I’m usually busy those days. Maybe this year I’ll get out to Hancock Park.

Levitt Pavilion, MacArthur Park
The Levitt Pavilion series at MacArthur Park and in Pasadena feature concerts Thursday through Sunday. Each night is a different theme (e.g., family/kids night, roots, Latin). There’s really something for everyone.

Levitt Pavilion, Pasadena
I’ve never been out to Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena. It’s far enough (with traffic) that going on a weeknight can be more trouble than it’s worth. However, I don’t want to miss Girl In A Coma on Thursday (June 30th) and Ximena Sariñana with Carla Morrison (July 21st).

Pershing Square Downtown Stage
Downtown LA
[Edit] The schedule was just posted today. 10,000 Maniacs will headline on July 30th. You can also catch some other throwback bands (Flock of Seagulls!).

Saturdays off the 405
The Getty Museum
Getting to the Getty may be a hassle this summer with construction on the 405. However, entrance at the museum is free as are the shows. You just have to pay for parking. It’s still a cheap date.

Summer Sunset Concerts
UCLA Fowler Museum
For the folks on the Westside!

Sunset Concerts
Skirball Center
The Sunset Concert series features music from around the world. I’ve never been to the Skirball Center despite it’s proximity. The Skirball is right off the 405, so make sure to check construction updates on the I-405 twitter page.

Twilight Dance Series
Santa Monica Pier
The Twilight series schedule isn’t online yet, but they usually have a variety of music each Thursday night. Even if you’re not too interested in the music, an evening on the beach with friends, food and drink (hidden, of course) is still a good time.