Sombrerilandia

Luca, Goodwill Ambassador.

2011-09-26T11:54:00.000-07:00

Luca and The Tijuana Brass.

2011-09-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

He's fascinated with Mexican Public Telephones.

Birthday Fun.

2011-07-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

July 3rd.

2011-07-27T16:22:00.000-07:00

That's the life!

2011-07-26T16:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my favorite Boy!!!!

2011-06-30T09:32:00.000-07:00

7 years ago, it was Wednesday.

We love you.

Rock Seashore Show @ Bonita.

2011-06-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

Lucas' Last activity at His school, He's attending a different one next year and, contrary to what We had thought, He's actually very excited about it.

It was unavoidable!

2011-06-06T08:27:00.001-07:00

And yes, I AM!

Eaton Canyon.

2011-05-16T08:47:00.001-07:00

On the field.

2011-05-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

Lucas' first "official"* assignment covering this past weekend's LeaLA Book Fair at the L.A. Convention Center.
Go Luca!!

*He'd already covered Sebastian's and Christian's Birthday Celebrations.

My Luca.

2011-04-14T09:40:00.001-07:00

He keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Saturday Swimmer.

2011-04-12T11:24:00.000-07:00

SFO March 11

2011-03-10T09:22:00.000-08:00

Rain will not prevent Him from participating in extra curricular activities.

Sunday Morning with Generation 1 p2.

2011-02-09T10:36:00.001-08:00

On some of these, He gives me the play by play as He transforms them.

I need to find a Shadow Commander Nemesis Prime.

Sunday Morning with Generation 1.

2011-02-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

So Luca watched that Transformers movie and got into it, started buying toys and such.
As someone who grew up in the eighties, watching the original series, let's say I was not thrilled with the new toys they're scary and they're made out of plastic which makes them look cheap but, He wanted them all.
I put up with it for a while until Christmas came around.
Needles to say, I am ecstatic that He's playing with toys I used to play with.
This is what Christmas brought..

Different Year, Same Spot, Not As Cold.

2011-01-30T16:23:00.000-08:00

Optimus Prime*.

2011-01-17T13:38:00.000-08:00

*G1

Sometimes it gets cold.

2011-01-17T12:17:00.000-08:00

The perpetual Pollywog.

2011-01-17T12:02:00.000-08:00

Livermore.

2011-01-17T11:57:00.000-08:00

Rayas.

2011-01-17T11:50:00.001-08:00

Bobby Farrell got to, today.

2010-12-30T10:06:00.000-08:00

Memorable Quotes of 2010.

2010-12-30T07:30:00.000-08:00

Don't Talk To Me Criminal!
To His Aunt Liza when She told Him and His Cousins They needed to stop playing.
Are You calling Me A Coward?, Only Mommy Calls Me A coward!
I don't remember exactly what I was saying to Him that brought this one up, but I'm pretty sure I was telling Him He had to eat dinner if He wanted to watch The Transformers Generation 1 at 9.
Si quieres aprender, tienes que prestar atencion!
(If You want to learn, you need to pay attention!)
To His Aunt Katy in His really bad Spanish(Not my Fault!).
Don't talk to me like that Daddy!(Pointing His finger at me)
After I told Him, Santa was not going to bring Him Night watch Optimus Prime unless He did His homework and was a good boy.
This looks like a good place to kick it!
To Aunt Brenda after she said; Hey Lucas, let's watch TV in the Room.
Yo Soy El Sheriff.
To Grandpa the day He(Lucas) decided to wear His Cowboy Boots and Hat after getting out of bed(late for Him)wearing His Woody(Toy Story)Pajamas.
I already miss that little dude.
About His Cousin Manuel(As of late, His preferred Wii Playing partner)
There are lots more, I will add as I remember them.
Added 1/3/2011
Nobody can defeat me with my strong muscles.
Relax Buddy, I got your back.

Happy New Year to Us.

Could it be true?

2010-12-17T15:55:00.000-08:00

The possibility of this being more than a rumor has me very excited!

Salt Flats.

2010-11-15T14:54:00.000-08:00

Somewhere near San Felipe, MX.

Luca, International Man of Leisure.

2010-11-15T14:31:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning.

2010-11-15T11:20:00.000-08:00

FMLY Ride Oct2010

2010-11-10T15:00:00.001-08:00

Riding at night in L.A. is freaking awesome!

Get on your bikes and ride!

Choppercabras 2010

2010-11-10T13:48:00.000-08:00

Some pictures from the tenth annual choppercabras event at Atomic Cycles in the Valley, Our first and hopefully not our last.
Had it not been for my father's tire malfunction, we would have finished the ride.
Other than the actual riding, the only thing Luca got really excited about was the Demo Derby, He couldn't stop laughing!
My Boy likes the action.
Picture time!

Los Angeles Tour De Fat.

2010-11-10T13:09:00.000-08:00

These are our rides bitches!

"Ice Cream!"

2010-11-10T11:25:00.000-08:00

Aunt Jemima.

2010-11-10T11:17:00.000-08:00

Butter Light!

Yellow.

2010-11-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

We miss you.

2010-11-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry we never showed how much we loved you.

CicLAvia 10-10-10

2010-10-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

I'm extra happy we got to go to this, Luca and Melito had a great time pedaling on the tandem and asking me to go faster.
I also enjoyed teasing my dad about Him not being able to make it up the smallest hills hahah.
Special high fives go to you for not dismounting once when the hills came for you, I'm very proud!

We shall!*

2010-10-06T11:39:00.001-07:00

*At the Car wash.

Breakfast in Ye Olde Hood.

2010-09-03T10:41:00.000-07:00

The LBC.

Part 2.

2010-09-03T09:45:00.000-07:00

San Felipe Beach Bum.

2010-09-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

Yoda.

2010-08-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

So far it does actually.

2010-08-26T10:03:00.000-07:00

Birthday Boy.

2010-08-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

Did not post these when I should have, here they are.

We love you.

Davy crockett

2010-08-24T11:58:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning.

2010-07-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

Lately,

2010-07-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

I make him wear His hat.

El diez.

2010-07-01T09:44:00.001-07:00

I've learned more about Star Wars from Luca, than from about 30 years of watching the movies.

joyeux anniversaire mon garçon !

2010-06-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

Today, this boy turns 6

He just lost his first tooth yesterday, He makes me happy...

..And I love him.

Yes, they are related.

2010-05-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

Vaquero!!

2010-05-17T11:04:00.000-07:00

At Tricia's Birthday.

At home, at ease.

Battery Spencer, SFO.

2010-05-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

Easter with the cousins 2010.

2010-05-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

No introduction required.
Manuel.
Andrew.
Sebastian.

Playing old games.

2010-05-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

Luca keeps going back and forth between His newest toys and the ones He's had pretty much since He was a baby.
This is one of those old and almost forgotten ones which has been granted a longer stay in His room

Good relations with the Wookiees, I have.

2010-05-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago Luca started getting into Star Wars His mother is beside herself with joy(If you know Her, do I even need to mention this? hahaha)so you will be seeing a lot of it around here for a while.
Here's a couple of stills from one of our Jedi battles.
He always wants to be the good Jedi.
Very handy with the light saber He is.

Sunrise in San Francisco.

2010-05-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

Shot from the top of Lombard Street, America's crookedest street.

Not so happy neighborhood walk.

2010-05-12T08:46:00.000-07:00

Some time ago, I decided to take a stroll around the block to conduct an "undercover investigation" and asked Luca to come along.
The gentleman is very particular about how He does things and did not want to do it the way I wanted to.
I kinda forced Him to do it and as You will see on the pictures(I always make sure to have evidence so I can embarrass Him in the future ha ha)His face demonstrates how upset He was about this arrangement.

Classic Rock Video Friday.

2010-03-05T07:56:00.000-08:00

Should be back in shape soon.

Merry Christmas everyone!

2009-12-25T11:09:00.000-08:00

This town makes me happy.

2009-12-13T07:41:00.000-08:00

I haven't followed skateboarding in a long time and don't know wheter Paul Rodriguez Jr. is good, bad or just Paul Rodriguez Jr.
Also, I have hated Nike as a brand for a long time now(They're turning kids into slaves just to make cheaper sneakers.
But hat's the real cost?
'Cause the sneakers don't seem that much cheaper.
Why are we still paying so much for sneakers
When you got them made by little slave kids
What are your overheads?
Flight of the Conchords hahahahaha)
But this is a freaking awesome video!
It's so L.A.

Can't believe I never posted this picture!

2009-12-12T08:16:00.001-08:00

We look so freaking cool hahahah.

This town is completely insane!!!

2009-12-08T09:58:00.000-08:00

Now, somebody had the greatest idea(in their head) of offering the "L.A. Gang Tour".
Note here
I wonder if this "tour" includes drinking some malt liquor outside a mini market or liquor store for more "authenticity".
Ah L.A. you're so crazy!

I belong to the church of CCR.

2009-12-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

Last night, Luca and I had one of those great Daddy/Son moments thanks to Creedence and; this song...

Even white boys got to shout!

2009-11-20T09:38:00.000-08:00

This is just another one of those little tricks our system has to make sure there's always a never ending supply of working class citizens.
Higher education for a little while became something even first generation immigrants(I'm referring to people born in "third world countries here") were able to aspire to, and that folks, is a no-no.
It's not racism, it's classism.
Picture and article @ Loteria Chicana

El ateneo Bookstore, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2009-11-16T10:21:00.000-08:00

This used to be a movie theatre, what you see in the background and used to be where the screen was, is now a Coffee shop.

The Zapata tales.

2009-11-13T14:14:00.000-08:00

I got these lines from his blog, it gives you the synopsis of how He ended up in some small town in Mexico .

Down Mejico Way
After 55 years of toil and trouble, a tall American boy flew south solo with the clothes on his back and two suitcases, knowing no one and speaking no Spanish . . .

. . . to the world of lovely women, impossible men, tortillas, burros, illogic and lies. Now he´s dancing the rest of his days away . . . .

. . . and speaking Spanish every day with the beautiful Mexican girl he married.

And so goes destiny.

Shame on you L.A's finest!

2009-11-13T08:33:00.000-08:00

Who's going to protect us from evildoers now?
I always knew all those reports about Police chief Bratton doing such a great job were a bunch of lies.
This my friends, is the only thing LAPD is good at.
I can only hope they don't locate el Chapulin Colorado because if they do, We won't have to wait for 2012 to see the end and, I still want to go back to Bs As.
I hope spidey is able to swing His way out of this one.
NBC's story here.

Classic Rock Fridays.

2009-11-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

Liza Jane - David Bowie

Buenos Aires.

2009-11-12T12:54:00.000-08:00

Shot from Plaza De Mayo.

Berlin 1961.

2009-11-10T10:48:00.000-08:00

Shot by Peter Leibing this picture shows East German soldier Hans Conrad Schumman escaping into West Germany by jumping over what was to become "The Berlin Wall".

Colonia, Uruguay.

2009-11-09T19:11:00.000-08:00

Luca, international wedding guest.

2009-11-08T18:54:00.000-08:00

The only thing that caught his fancy was the little fountain in the church's courtyard.

September fog.

2009-11-07T16:57:00.000-08:00

Somewhere in the O.C.
At Gonzalez Manor.

Disneyland.

2009-11-07T16:27:00.000-08:00

According to Luca not the happiest place on earth.

Soap Box Car Races.

2009-11-07T16:17:00.000-08:00

D Town, L.A. Sept. '09.

Halloween '09

2009-11-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

Don't know if He got any candy because I was kinda out of it but no one has ever played The Batman better than Lucas.

We would like to thank lamama first and foremost for the outstanding "craftswomanship"(otherwise women get all up in arms because they feel discriminated upon) on the 50% of the costume she didn't purchase.
Good Job!!!!

Classic Rock Fridays.

2009-11-06T06:13:00.000-08:00

Simply sublime.

Rising - Lhasa De Sela

This is bullshit!!!!!*

2009-11-05T12:38:00.000-08:00

*Bold text at the bottom is mine.

Paying homage to the integrity of the working class, Ospop today added a new set of travel bags to their collection of durable goods, aptly called the Migration Series. Referencing the ubiquitous plaid She Pi Dai bags commonly carried by Chinese people in transit, the water-resistant Migration series includes three styles all lined with that same industrial material and marked with the Ospop crest—the Gong symbol, meaning labor.

The collection comprises three essential types found most useful when traveling—a messenger bag, a one-handle day bag and a toiletry bag. Smartly designed, "ear flaps" on the messenger bag (pictured below) keep rain or dirt from making its way inside, while the one-handle incorporates a clever opening system and secure pockets.

The launch of the Migration bags coincides with an updated version of Ospop's classic shoe, worn by the working population in China. The Steppe collection fills out the initial Skywolf series, adding a 100% wool padded lining to its structure and a more rugged bottom suitable for taking off road. Available in a variety of colors (including camouflage), each pair comes with two sets of shoestrings and arrives in brown paper bag packaging—a nod to how they sell in China.

The bags range from $22-80, the shoes cost $93, and all sell online from the Ospop website. See more images after the jump.

Read more about Ospop in Cool Hunting's 2007 profile on the benevolent brand.

So now you can make poor peoples' lives(Not only the Chinese,this type of bag is everywhere I've ever been to) easier by letting them know you feel them and identify with their hardships.
This level of consciousness and camaraderie is achieved when you spend up to $80 American Dollars(The good ones) on a "migration bag" available on a variety of colors(because you want it but, don't want the same color your buddy Jeff has).
I wonder if the company is really Chinese.

Jalisco,Mx '09.

2009-11-05T10:55:00.000-08:00

Some of the few moments when Luca was happy during the whole trip.
I guess He really missed His white house.

At work always..

2009-11-03T20:23:00.000-08:00

...Even when on vacation.

San Francisco Plaza, GDL.

Lucas..

2009-11-01T19:14:00.000-08:00

At the park in some hidden small town in Mexico.

Frequent flyer.

2009-11-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

On his way to GDL, MX.

Classic Rock fridays.

2009-10-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

Para empezar bien el finde..

Sin Aliento - Danza Invisile

Straight out of Chile.*

2009-10-20T03:09:00.001-07:00

Landed in Santiago about an hour ago, still have about 3 before boarding the one to Buenos As.

Santiago looked pretty coming down.

I will explore for when we all come again,

See you soon.

*You know what I'm thinking of as I write this, haha.

Classic Rock Fridays.

2009-10-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

06 dont let me be misunderstood.mp3 - NINA SIMONE

They must be in uniform*.

2009-10-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

Otherwise they can't concentrate.
*The cousins, future of this family.

We're not dead.

2009-10-12T15:27:00.001-07:00

Luca will be back shortly.

It's about time this boy takes care of his personal matters.

2009-09-24T14:53:00.000-07:00

I need to get Lucas more involved with His private affairs, apparently He does not provide His insurance carrier complete information(Probably on purpose) and does not answer calls from it's representatives. After a few unsuccessful attempts at speaking to him they figured out e-mail was the way to get Him so, they sent this message...

Lucas Gonzalez
CARSON, CA
Dear Lucas,
We are contacting you via email on behalf of Blue Shield of California to obtain some additional information.
We have been unsuccessful in our attempts to contact you by telephone. Please contact us toll free at (xxx) 747-xxxx at your earliest convenience and reference your chart number # xxx8xxx. Our missing information department hours of operation are Monday-Friday 8 am to 9 pm CST and Saturday 9 am to 1 pm CST.
Thank you for your cooperation and quick response.
Sincerely,
RSA Medical on behalf of Blue Shield of California

I don't think He's called them yet and if He has, it wasn't yesterday.
He was too busy trying not to get scared at Disneyland.®™

Classic Rock Fridays.

2009-08-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

Somebodys Crying - Chris Isaak

Gira Ranchera.

2009-08-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

Feb. 22, 1932 - Aug. 25, 2009.
So long Teddy, You were the best.

He's just like a small version of his papå.

2009-08-24T09:40:00.000-07:00

(Don't know what happened to it but I have a picture where I'm doing this exact same thing, I have witnesses.)

Oxnard????

2009-08-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

At tleast the fish tacos were good.

Classic Rock Fridays.

2009-08-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

Bonnie And Clyde - Serge Gainsbourg

Concentration is key.

2009-08-19T07:11:00.001-07:00

Sunday morning.

2009-08-19T07:07:00.000-07:00

So you want to go to McDonald's eh Luca?

2009-08-17T12:14:00.000-07:00

Blog feeds.

2009-08-14T12:22:00.000-07:00

Leer blogs esta acabando con mi productividad laboral(Tampoco es que tenga tantas ganas).
Lo cierto es que me divierto mas que enano de pelicula mexicana en los 50's.
Aca, para su deleite, una muestra.
Carteles vistos por un señor que se llama Walter y que usa anteojos pero que justo en ese momento no los tenía puestos, sino en la guantera.
ESTACIONAMIENTO PARA CALIENTES

TERNERITA ESPACIAL

PRIORIDAD DECAPITADOS

FECHA
Un día como hoy pero hace 69 años, Juan Carlos Vitullo llegó a Estocolmo con cuatro pesos, y se enteró que la moneda era otra. No hizo fortuna y se hizo linyera* para siempre.

REFLEXION
EL Fiakir es un tipo que practica la fiaca** extrema. Un número uno de la fiaca. No hay con que moverlo ni estimularlo, le chupa todo mucho un huevo.

Cosas que se ven en la tele.
Tenis entre dos androides. Hace más de dos horas que juegan y no sudan.
Propaganda de programa sobre ricos del mundo. Hay champagne, masajes profesionales, paredes con vidrio y señoritas en bikini. Todas doctoradas en filología.
Película con niño prodigio que toca el clarinete. Tiene rasgos de enano.
-Lluvia de interferencia sin señal.
-Lluvia de interferencia sin señal.
-Lluvia de interferencia sin señal.
-Lluvia de interferencia sin señal.
-Lluvia de interferencia sin señal
Una propaganda que dice: Manda VERGA al 2020 y enterate de lo que es bueno.

Tomado de aca.

*Indigente, Homeless, etc.
**Pereza, Hueva, Etc.

Please do yourself a favor..

2009-08-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

Go and read this.
http://tazadechocolate.blogspot.com/2009/08/shrimp-by-any-another-other-name.html
Don't drink anything as you read.l

Classic Rock Fridays.

2009-08-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

Although I had heard music by this band previously, I had never heard this one before.
I came upon it via an "Adult activities video"*.

Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep - Middle of the Road
*Commonly known as Porn.

It's just not real!!

2009-08-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

I honestly think this freaks me out.

The Reader.

2009-08-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

Coffee Time!

2009-08-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

Notice how He's having a lollipop with His Cafe.

I did cut His hair by the way.