Stories of Lotería

I know it's been a while, but..... Taking inspiration from my last post, La Sirena, let me ask you:  Who were your beauty or style  icons while growing up? Who did you look up to and think, "Damn. I'm never going to be that cool"?  Looking back on some of my faves, one thing remains true.  BIG HAIR = BIG APPEAL

Dedicated to those women I grew up watching, not on tv, but in real-life . When I was a little girl I thought my female teenage cousins were the shit ! We came from a large family with many aunts, uncles, and kids, but there was a recognizable divide between those considered children - around 12 and under - and those who most certainly were not ever to be mistaken or miscategorized as a child - 16 and up.  At family parties, these 4 or 5 young women would gather in a bedroom covered wall-to-wall with Prince or Pat Benatar posters, blasting extremely loud American Bandstand favorites, and plot the newest yet not terribly inventive way they were going to dupe their parents this weekend. Naturally, us younger kids weren't allowed in that bedroom for more than it takes to tell someone the food's ready , but in that instant you could pick up a strong collective whiff of freshly-popped Bubble Yum, plastic jelly-bean sandals, and Aqua Net...a lot of Aqua Net.  The hair...

It was the summer of 1974 when the young Palm was first brought to the house on Vancouver Avenue. The local gardener, Ignacio (who liked to be called Nacho) selected this particular palm for the new family who had recently purchased the home and who had requested that a tree be planted in the front yard. He agreed that it was a good idea to provide some shade and add a little something to the bare yard. "I bring it tomorrow." he told the baby-faced man of the house as they discussed his vision for his new yard. Nacho drove leisurely through the wide neighborhood streets he knew better than his own aging body these days. In the back of the old patchwork yellow pick-up, the Palm fanned its sprite leaves through the warm breeze passing overhead. The ladder, coiled waterhose, mower, and rake all held on tight, not participating in the Palm's excitement. They knew they were only along for the ride - just another gig for the seventh day in a row. They'd be spending anothe...

The sun had gone down by the time we reached San Diego County. On our right, we passed the twin water-power structures (a pair of boobs is what they're generally referred as) that unofficially mark the entrance to San Diego. We couldn't see the ocean but knowing it was out there in the night made this part of the trip ominous, like we were traveling along the edge of the world. At least it would have if any of us was actually paying attention. But we weren't. If we had run out of gas our incessant chatter could have fueled the car. Our high-pitched laughter was outdone only by the blaring music straining the twelve-year old speakers. Let's see, it would have been stuff like the Smiths, Depeche Mode, some Usher and Next, and a little bit of Tupac - it was 1998 after all and we were L.A. girls. Marina borrowed her mom's four-door Honda so we could take this road trip to El Valle de Guadalupe ( a town outside of Ensenada, Mexico) where her grandparents' ranch was ...

Lucy heard the deep, warm tones of the cello coming from the dining room and quickly turned off her small transistor radio. Not much could tear her away from the seductive rhythms of Mary Wells, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes or her favorite, Smoky. But when her older brother practiced the cello she was transported to distant places that looked nothing like the confined, chipped-painted walls of their home. She didn't know much about classical instruments or any music besides motown and her parents rancheras, but for some reason those low melodic notes made her think of places she saw only on television. She imagined great concert halls bigger than her school auditorium even, where fancy ladies in the audience sparkle with jewels and the musicians wear expensive-looking suits. Her brother, Sal, played on, oblivious to the world around him. She was careful not to let him see her. In the last few months he had grown more irritable, snapping insults at anyone who interrupted his concentrat...

Many stories about my grandparents impress me with their examples of strength and fortitude, but there is one in particular that literally clenches my heart and doesn't let go until I can find proper distraction. Every time I try to write it I feel I never do it justice so I'll share it here the only way I know how - the way it was told to me. In July of 1950 my grandmother, Elena, was traveling by train from Mexicali to Guadalajara. A very popular 48 hour trip in that time, as I understand it. While my grandfather stayed in Los Angeles to work, she planned to visit her family and had by her side her five children ranging in age from 10 years to 5 months. It was near impossible to keep 4 children behaved and entertained while looking after an infant, and the summer heat provoked irritability more than a sense of adventure. Well into the first night, Elena's youngest, Alfredo, developed a high fever. By the second night his fever had gone beyond 104 degrees. While struggling...

The dozen or so crescent-moon shaped cantaloupe skins waded lazily in the neighbor’s otherwise pristine backyard swimming pool. The ruthless midday sun penetrated the heavily chlorinated water, inciting a lively concert of glistening and sparkle that only water and gemstones can orchestrate. Despite the intrusion of cantaloupe skins, the swimming pool flaunted its allure like an oasis in the desert, or to children specifically, like a rainbow-sprinkled-frosting-covered-cream-filled-something on any day of the week. If it wasn’t for the shared feeling of accomplishment, the three young girls would have acknowledged their envy of those discarded, half-eaten fruit peelings. *********************** By 10am the temperature had nearly reached 90 degrees. Arlene, Lorrie, and Christina, three cousins almost in their pre-teens, fended for themselves upon waking that Monday morning. All of the adults were at work and the designated babysitter was Arlene’s teenage sister who scarcely removed her...