Clothing of the American Mind ~ 1284 Sunset Blvd. Echo Park, CA ~ (213) 481-2004

I don’t know about other women, but there comes a day when, hearing another girlfriend moan about commitment-phobes, and finding yourself once again justifying my…I mean, their behavior, you realize it’s time to ditch your tomboy days, become a real woman, and commit to someone, or at least something, greater than yourself.

“Why not take refuge in Buddhist precepts?” was my first thought. I had been living by them for years now anyway, being broke and far off-the-mainstream path. I didn’t have to agree with everything, my critical mind would have to endure, I could still think for myself. I joined a silent retreat to meditate upon this most serious decision. I promised, in writing, to observe the facility’s three rules: no lying, no killing of insects, and no engaging in sexual activity. I moved into an adorable cabin, absolutely thrilled by this chance to show my undying commitment. Maybe I was a little too excited. I quickly fell from my Buddhist Nirvana, deep in the woods on day three, when a beautiful male deer lunched near my humble shack, sunbeams striking me, warming me, through the trees like Cyclops’ laser, dissolving what little clothing I could stand to wear in the first place. Something about the deer’s big, brown eyes, and the way this proud buck stood so perfectly erect, rekindled vivid memories of my latest fling.

Accepting what a bad little Buddhist I’d make, I decided, instead, to take refuge in the Democratic Party back in Los Angeles. I called the neighborhood branch of my soon-to-be unit and told the lady who answered that I wanted to join them. What would I have to do to be invited into this esteemed house?

“We pay $5,” the lady blurted. (awkward silence) “There must be some mistake. You don’t understand. I want to earn this. This is a big step I’m taking in my life. I want to prove myself worthy. Tell me I will be grilled for hours by the Central Committee, tell me I have to hike up Mount Kennedy, tell me I have to go to Democrat School for two years… “We pay 5 bucks.” As usual, when I don’t get my way, the repressed bigot in me took over. “Is this legal?” What she meant was they were paying volunteers $5 to register people to vote on street corners. “What about me? How do I become a Democrat?” “You gotta register to vote.” “I’m not a citizen.” “Then you can’t be a Democrat.” You can’t say I didn’t try.

When meeting Carly Miller at the store CLOTHING OF THE AMERICAN MIND, filled with haberdashery virulently opposed to the war, my conflicted thoughts on U.S. troop extraction, and just about every other topic, felt instantly like half-hearted cop-outs under the gaze shining intensely from this 21st-century crusader. My ‘Joan of Echo P-Arc’ wore a “STOP WARS” T-shirt and denims, her pure heart emblazoned by fiery dedication to the progressive cause, and a stone-solid conviction that we need to bring U.S. troops home that I can only dream of having. I sat down with Carly last month while she was getting ready to go to Washington DC for the January 28 anti-war march for a chat.

(Carly & Taamy)

LA Taco: I met you after the screening of THE GROUND TRUTH and the Q&A you organized here. You told me you wanted to do more than just putting a bumper sticker on your car to support the troops. The first thought that came to my mind was: “or wearing a T-shirt.” Is there a difference?

Carly Miller: With a T-shirt, you can’t go through a whole day without someone making a comment. So you can physically start a dialog, whereas a bumper sticker is something you stick on your car, and people see and it gets the message out there, but it’s not really doing anything. For me, it’s trying to get the troops home. This week, we’re going to D.C. for anti-war demonstrations, and we are meeting with our Congressmen on Monday to talk to them about these things. To me that’s really getting active.

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Conan Busted in High Speed Desert Chase
Randy Conan was arrested in near Victorville on three separate warrants totaling $150,000 for drug charges out of Los Angeles. The interesting part of the story is that the chase originally started when a cop pulled over another vehicle whose driver claimed to be following a third car that he said contained a thief. It turned out that employees of the first man saw Conan checking door handles to vehicles parked behind the business, and thought he was trying to steal them, or items within the vehicles. The police concluded later that this was not actually a crime, but because of Conan’s warrants, arrested him anyway. It being the desert, there’s no video– but here’s the best car chase video of the week, hands down.

First New School in East LA in 85 Years
Yes, that’s a real headline. Ground was broken Wednesday on the first new high school to be built in East Los Angeles in 85 years — a project aimed at relieving overcrowding at nearby Roosevelt High School. With the creative name of East Los Angeles High School No. 1, the school will have an emphasis on science programs and will be home to about 1,000 students beginning in fall 2009. The $71 million high school will be located at First Street and Mission Road, about two miles east of downtown.

Wrongfully Convicted Venice Man Free After 20 Years
In one of those stories that makes you want to go outside and burn everything down, yet another inmate is released, after 20 years, for a crime he did not commit. The full story is at blogging.la

LA Buses to get TV
In our continuing coverage of the Bus Beat (props to the original bus blogger of course), we’re pleased to report that Transit TV is now bringing television to MTA buses all over Los Angeles. There will be two Spanish and one English station broadcasting inside the buses, which should help ease some of those long commutes. Either that or subject you to random ads, but either way it doesn’t sound bad to us. What does the Bus Riders Union think? We don’t know because they’ve stopped returning our emails.

Student Shot, Goes to School
A Frontier High School student was shot in Pico Rivera this morning, then boarded a school bus to the Whittier campus, where he was taken to a hospital, authorities said today.

Frontage Rd. W. ~ South Gate

Branded, Old Chola, and some other Faves…

TACO-consigliere Sticky Rick puts on the town’s most comprehensively dope parties, accompanied by cutting-edge art shows, supreme DJs, rocking bands, cold beer, scrumptious tacos, and a creative, friendly vibe for artists and fans alike to interact, build bonds, and bounce ideas around. Rick is not just the world’s best sticker-maker, having made vinyls for Obey, Giant Robot, IFC Channel, X-Large, Robbie Conal, Chaz Bojorquez, and Logan Hicks.

He also posesses a pure passion for the movement, and seemed particularly energized by the creativity and great artistry buzzing around him last Saturday at Hung at the Ghetto Mansion 2, which also hi-lit designs, products, and debuts from Praise the Lowered and Black Van’s mad-genius Damon Robinson and Old Chola’s Paolo.

The Praise the Lowered, Old Chola, and Black Van clothing lines have struck out to sweep the Southland. If actual everyday humans are catching on at a normal pace, the literal streets of Los Angeles are already decked out, from street-signs sporting Jesus’ visage over a bumpin’ lo-lo, to the temp tattoos of Ms. Cholita peering from the nape of some Downtown hotty’s neck.

While not shooting the shit outside over tacos and DJ Bummer’s beats, beside an explosive Joey ‘Street Phantom’ Krebs figure leaning on the corrugated wall, artists and attendees took in the gallery show upstairs.

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Los Angeles ~ CA 

SLUG/FATOE/WATER ~ Echo Park

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Once again back is the incredible, taco animal, indestructible B– bad Taco Enemy #1, Bandini. This month’s top ten is a special edition, featuring the finest rolling meat/tortilla purveyors in the land. Of course even our man can’t be everywhere, so as usual please let us know your favorite trucks in the comments.

1. El Matador (lexington and western)
2. Tacos El Korita (east olympic and herbert ave)
3. Tacos La Fonda (vineland and vanowen)
4. El Pique (york and ave 54)
5. La Golondrina (Huntington Dr East of Eastern Ave, Front of Food For Less Market)
6. El Chato (olympic and la brea)
7. Tacos Jeesy’s (Cesar E Chavez blvd and S Carmelita Ave)
8. The Surfer Taco (6th st and colombia ave)
9. Tacos El Paisa (huntington dr and Poplar blvd, Alhambra)
10. La Estrella (york and ave 54)

In honor of the upcoming Reno 911 movie, we present this “Free Tacos” clip that’s near and dear to our hearts.