… more than anything else… means Las Posadas to me down on Olvera Street. Sheryl and I usually try to get there for at least one of the twelve nights of the festivities. Madeleine obviously enjoys it too. It’s surprisingly untouristic because the Mexican and Mexican-American community shows up en masse, rather like a mini-version of Christmas in Oaxaca without the plane fare. (Well, I’d like to make it to that some time.)
This year we met up with our friends Grace and Marc (Armed Liberal) Danziger and Marc’s seven-year old son Isaac. We managed to snag a ringside table at one of the restaurants for a ‘low-carb’ dinner of margaritas, Mexican hot chocolate, enchiladas, guacamole, fajitas, flan, etc. (Did I say I’d never eat again?)… Of course the evening had already begun with the inevitable breaking of the pinata…
But then the actual procession started…
With the Madonna in her place of honor…
Followed by musicians…
And many colorfully clad folk, including novios, of course…
It’s still the next best thing to Oaxaca… but, alas, the eats were NG. There’s a lot better Mexican food even on Olvera Street at the ancient (for LA) La Luz del Dia, but you can’t see the procession from there.
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15 Comments
1. richard mcenroe:And on that note, since I’m heading straight to the airport from work today…
Merry Christmas
Cherrful Chanukkah
Kickin’ Kwanzaa
Sizzlin’ Solstice
insert nonassertive holiday-appropriate greeting here ©ACLU
Have a happy and safe one! Or at least have some interesting stories to tell!
Dec 24, 2004 - 8:00 am 2. richard mcenroe:And on that note, since I’m heading straight to the airport from work…
MERRY CHRISTMAS
CHEERFUL CHANUKKAH
KICKIN’ KWANZAA
SMOKIN’ SOLSTICE
[insert nonassertive seasonally-appropriate greeting here] (c) ACLU
Have a happy and safe one! Or at least bring back some embarrassing stories!
Dec 24, 2004 - 8:04 am 3. David Thomson:“Merry Christmas
Cherrful Chanukkah
Kickin’ Kwanzaa
Sizzlin’ Solstice”
Amen. God bless everybody.
Dec 24, 2004 - 8:18 am 4. Charlie (Colorado):This stuff is what pisses me off when I hear the anti-immigration people ranting.
Dec 24, 2004 - 8:29 am 5. Jimmie:Merry Christmas to you and yours, Mr. Simon!
Dec 24, 2004 - 9:14 am 6. PJ:Sounds fun, Roger. Haven’t been there in years but now I want to go again!
If you want to read a very wise and truly sweet Christmas message from one of our local professors (yes, a reasonable professor!) check this out:
http://ocregister.com/ocr/2004/12/24/sections/commentary/orange_grove/article_354286.php
Today is a day for Christmas CDs, wrapping presents, cooking and sending good wishes to the world, all in the name of the babe born so long ago in Israel. So to Roger and his Gang, to all our bloggie friends here and across the globe, all the blessings of the day to you, and a happy New Year!
Dec 24, 2004 - 9:24 am 7. Californio:Roger:
Great post. I think I’ll start considering you as a Southern Californian and not just another “westsider”. (high praise indeed)
Dec 24, 2004 - 9:57 am 8. BurbankErnie:Feliz Navidad!
Thanks for everything Roger, hope the New Year brings all you deserve for the work you do here.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
Dec 24, 2004 - 10:37 am 9. Denise Olson:Christmas greetings from Florida! You are one of my daily stops online. I have found blogs not only informative, but entertaining. Because blogs are “personality-based” information, I have the ability to see a news item from many different perspectives – something no other form of media can give. Obviously, I’m not the only one who feels that way either. Keep up the good work!
Dec 24, 2004 - 10:48 am 10. erp:What a beautiful girl in the last picture!
We spent a month driving all over Mexico. Met nothing but helpful courteous good looking people especially the happy smiling children.
It was wonderful fun and yes they are poor by our standards, but they are also proud and hardworking and their families are intact. When you see people walking in the streets, there’s a mother and father with their children.
Feliz Navidad a todos.
Dec 24, 2004 - 11:36 am 11. Athos:Roger,
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Athos.
Dec 24, 2004 - 11:44 am 12. Skookumchuk:An LA Christmas!
As the only gentile kid growing up between Highland and Fairfax, most of our friends were Jewish and I was naturally the shabbes goy par excellence. So in addition to Thanksgiving we got an early start with Rosh Hashana and all that.
And before Christmas, Dad would take us all in the Pontiac downtown to the Southern Pacific yards south of where you were last night, where they had boxcars full of trees, with ice on their wooden floors. Then it was off to be with my Mom’s side of the family and lots of great Central American food, including glasses of homemade horchata followed by misa de Medianoche at Christ the King or someplace like that. Then the whole Christmas Day thing with my Dad’s Anglo side of the family. Wonderful.
Merry Christmas, Roger!
Dec 24, 2004 - 1:41 pm 13. Peg C.:Roger,
Thanks for the memories! I well remember Christmas on Olvera Street (as well as school trips there every year). What wonderful photos, too!
Dec 24, 2004 - 2:04 pm 14. Terrye:Roger:
I hope you have recovered from your last culinary experience. Lay off the Mexican food, your stomach needs a break.
But the pictures are great.
I hope everybody has a happy and safe holiday.
I am snowed in. This whole white Christmas thing is over rated.
Dec 24, 2004 - 4:51 pm 15. Patrick Tyson:The last time I actually ate on Olvera Street was after the 1978 football game between Cal and USC.
We always eat at Philippe’s when we’re down there. I love the ambiance (everybody sitting around on stools talking about how good the sandwiches are, etc.) and then there is that 10-cent cup of coffee.
Dec 24, 2004 - 5:17 pm