General Delivery

By kiki

The people living in the Simons Brickyard didn't have home mail services. They had to have their mail addressed to "General Delivery, Montebello, Ca." - I remember riding my bike from the late 1940s and up until the Brickyard closed in 1952 to the Montebello Post Office on 5th street (pictured) to pick up our mail (bills) - I shot this picture this morning when I was in Montebello for a haircut, and it was the first time I've seen this post office since 1952...The building has not changed much from those early days. The main entrance is on 5th street, shown is a sidestreet entrance,  - Ah memories! Just can't escape them!

Eggs and Chicharrón's

By kiki

I got up and did some laundry, and the hard work got me hungry, so I was thinking, 'The greasy spoon again? I don't think so,' but I don't cook, so what to do? I had to go to the market (Gonzalez) to get some cilantro and carrots for Smoky the Rabbit, and I was hoping that some idea for breakfast would hit my brain while shopping, and did I get a brainstorm? 

As I passed by the ready-to-eat food, I saw some chicharróns in red chili 'chicharróns, and red chili on top of some over-easy eggs' flashed in front of my eyes, but I didn't know how to cook!! Then one of my imaginary friends, Beto, whispered in my good ear, "You can fry some over-easy eggs, and we can have them with the chicharróns" Did Beto say, "We?" 

So I bought the chicharróns, went home, got Connie's new frying pan (I'm in trouble now), and put some cooking oil in it. After the oil got hot, I cracked two eggs in the oil. I turned them over after a minute or so without breaking the yolk. Damn! That's a new one for me!! So with fresh coffee, corn tortillas, and over-easy eggs with chicharróns in red chili, I had a breakfast that the greasy joint can't touch!!... Plus, I am proud of myself, but I won't tell Connie because she will tell me, "Now that you know how to cook, I won't need to cook for you," That won't work for me!

R.I.P : Abel Fernandez

By kiki

It's with great sadness that I announce the passing of a great human being, our friend, Abel Fernandez. Abel was a Los Angeles Light Heavyweight Golden Gloves Champion in the late 1940's and turned pro in 1950. During his short pro boxing career, Abel fought at the Hollywood Legion Stadium and the Olympic Auditorium numerous times. Whether he was on the card or not, Abel was a fixture at both arenas in that Golden Age of boxing...Abel was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013. The Los Angeles boxing community and the City of Angels mourn the loss of a great friend.

Abel would become a co-star on the TV-series "The Untouchables." And would go on to appear in countless movies and TV shows….Rest in Peace, Friend

                                   Abel vs. Freddie Beshore...1952