Before the term ‘emo’ hit us from directions as well-thumbed as Spin and Blender, and way prior to the invasion of Fisher Price punk rock bands that now have even Disney Channel backups bands sporting mohawks, Samiam was creating life’s soundtrack for the elite LA Taco reader now reaching into their early to mid 30’s. If there existed a Venn Diagram with circles representing malaise, anger, heartache, and big heaping doses of nostalgia, at the intersection you would find Samiam. No one captures that time when you are young and can throw all your shit in the back of a car and just leave, times when another dumb relationship sends you spiraling out of control, times when you just fucking LOVE your friends– like Samiam.

Perhaps it was due to their lack of a US tour for over six years, but the band sounded refreshed and fully engaged for the crowd of mostly men. The band members have been playing in other bands in the meantime including Knapsack and Solea (with members of Texas is the Reason.)

They started out with “Sunshine” from Astray before gracing us with a few tracks from their recently released Whatever’s Got You Down. Even as good as these tracks sounded live, like any Samiam song they only really get their hooks into you after being played on repeat with close friends, everyone shaking their heads and exchanging mutual “Damns!” via ESP. Also including songs from Soar, the band’s great rendition of “Bad Day” from Clumsy got the crowed pretty fired up. They speeded up the normally slow “Mud Hill” from Astray, which held guitarist Sergie Loobkoff especially enthused with the music, playing with such intensity that the crowd felt dialed into the past, finally at the Samiam we remember, just how how things used to be…

Samiam recorded the latest album in LA and the show last week was their last US date for a tour heading to the UK and then throughout the rest of Europe.

LINKS: http://www.myspace.com/samiam

www.gosamgo.com

Solea link: http://www.myspace.com/solea

1818 E. 1st St. (Boyle Ave.) ~ Boyle Heights (TACO MAP)

It’s time to take a trip to Boyle Heights. Next time you’re in need of a healthy taco, take that ass to Homegirl Café. Just a tortilla’s throw from downtown, straight across the Los Angeles River Bridge (helping us overcome this massive deluge), Homegirl’s hidden gem sits across the street from lively Mariachi Plaza. The strolling songmen and colorful storefront signs which sell cualquier you desire, put you in the center of a Sandra Cisneros novel.

The café operates under the umbrella of Homeboy Industries and the waitresses are true homegirls, on the mend after stints in prison or juvenile centers. What a crew of sweet faces, with script-tatted knuckles and permanent teardrops flowing from the eyes. Their T-shirts reveal the company’s name and philosophy, Jobs not Jails. Eating here serves this great cause, but the food is the real reason people…

…venture from as far as Little Armenia regularly to fill themselves up.

One such patron considers Homegirl Café the best and healthiest place to eat in East L.A. (There is not much to eat in East L.A. that is vegetarian unless you count bean and cheese burritos.) But Homegirl is not a vegetarian restaurant, per se. It has many chicken and seafood dishes named after women who sure do cook a lot. Enchiladas de me Ama, Chabela’s Fish Soup, Rosa’s Chicken Mole (a favorite of some of the homeboys), and Consuelo’s Sandwich (jalapeno pesto sandwich with chicken), all figure brightly down Taco’s hallway. As always, free chips and salsa come for your cheap friends who can;t spend a few dollars on lunch.

But what you really want to hear about are the tacos. There is one taco item on the menu, Tacos Sudados. These are soft tacos served on banana leaves with beans and rice, atruly unique presentation. Although this is East L.A., these tacos are not very traditional and have chicken tinga, roasted poblano peppers, and potatoes, in addition to standard ingredients. If you are looking for traditional messy, greasy tacos, don’t come here. But if you are looking for flavorful, healthy tacos, washed down with fresh mint/spinach lemonade, then this is your spot.

Which brings us to Homegirl’s fresh and natural juices. Besides said mint/spinach lemonade (Angela’s Green Potion) and the mix of rasberry and mango, with a splash of lime that many patrons cite as their favorite (Sarah’s Drink), you can also create your own special mix of tonic herbs and spices.

Added bonus: While you are eating, random street merchants walk in with arms of rosaries or wooden hangers for sale. Much better than the AAA batteries and pencils we’re offered in New York. It’s like having the 99c Store come to you! And…well, that’s just the way it is, pinche buey.

LINKS:

http://www.homeboy-industries.org/cafe.php
http://www.the-tidings.com/2005/0527/homegirl.htm
http://www.elaguide.org/Peoples/peoples1f.htm

Muevelo! Muevelo! Ven Pa’ ca!

Upon walking into the 29^th Lotus Festival in Echo Park, you can see old Asian women with umbrellas from JON’s, even though it is a sunny 90 degrees outside. Then there are young women, new residents to the area, snapping up Japanese umbrellas from the hundreds of booths selling Asian and Latino products. When in Rome….

The two-day festival which takes place at Echo Park Lake is meant to celebrate the different cultures that represent the 90026. This year’s theme was the Phillipines. And in fact, California is home to over 1.5 million Filipino immigrants, 600,000 of which can be found in Los Angeles. With booths selling products from the popular telenovela Rebelde next to booths selling Buddhas reclining in sandalwood, even a booth to help with “el curso de income tax,” performances by Filipino hip-hop groups with Aikido demonstrations, it is clear that this neighborhood has successfully and seamlessly integrated Asian and Latin cultures within an American paradigm.

In fact, the only source of contention among residents seems to stem from the wave of gentrification that has come over the area since around 2000. According to one Phillipino-American resident (OSCAR BAUTISTA) the influx of artists and yuppies into the area has created a housing market that has forced many long-term residents to move out. Additionally, he thinks that unlike past new residents, these artists and yuppies are not making an effort to blend into the existing community. But, he acknowledged, “they’ll leave; this neighborhood was made for color.”

Although July is when the lotus blooms and Echo Park Lake houses the largest lotus bed in the United States, many were remarking about the dearth of actual lotuses. And many were simultaneously remarking about how much hotter it was this year compared to past festivals. But no one mentioned global warming.