BURRITO FACTORY

One of my favorite things to do when I'm not sleeping is eating. More specifically, eating burritos. Here's a link to a story I wrote for the District. It's about a place in San Pedro called Burrito Factory.

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/food-drink/the-sides/sides-7/

FUN WITH TODD CONGELLIERE

I guess I never really thought of it until about five minutes ago, but Todd Congelliere's been a pretty big influence on me. As a kid, I went to Seaside Elementary School in Torrance and would go to the adjacent Sea Aire Golf Course to watch him skate the ramp in his backyard. I got into punk in high school and discovered his band F.Y.P, who were the only (at that time) contemporary punk band I really liked. I mean, me and my friends fucking worshiped these dudes. We saw them all over and there'd be reports on Monday mornings of F.Y.P sightings around town. The best one was when my friend was working at a movie theater at the Del Amo Mall and said Todd brought a smoking hot girl with him. We thought that was pretty rad of him. Then he was dating a girl who, I swear, looked exactly like my 5-year-old brother. You'da thunk she gave birth to this kid, not my mom. I got to know Todd a little bit as we became more and more involved in the South Bay punk scene, if there was such a thing, and he was always cool to us, even though I'm not sure I would have been cool to our annoying fanboys asses. Unlike most people, I loved the later poppier F.Y.P just as much as the early thrash stuff. Which makes sense cuz his two latest bands, Toys that Kill and the Underground Railroad to Candyland, are in some ways a continuation of where F.Y.P was headed and I dig both too. My point? Not sure. I think what rubbed off on me was Todd's attitude and approach to what he did and still does. From a technical standpoint, no one would ever call F.Y.P a great live band, but their energy and spirit always took precedence over proficiency (PS Perhaps the biggest difference between F.Y.P and Toys that Kill/the Underground Railroad to Candyland is his two current bands play really well). Whatever band he's in, Todd looks like he's having a blast and that's way more important than anything else. He's issued more than 100 releases on Recess Records and has always indulged my nagging requests for interviews. In no way am I getting rich off this writing thing, but it's what I have to do. Maybe I got some of that from Todd. If a book is ever written about him, I can't imagine a better person than me to write it. I guess what I'm trying to say is I could go on for days, so I'll stop and get to what I hope is the first of many interviews (with other people, not just Todd) on this here blog. Enjoy!

Here's a list of stuff you should hear if you've never heard any of Todd's band. But I'm a bit biased. I think you could pick up anything of his and not be bummed about blowing money on more music.

Recommended Todd C. listening:
F.Y.P
Made in USA 7 inch
Dance My Dunce
My Man Grumpy
5 Year Plan

Toys that Kill
Citizen Abortion
Shanked

The Underground Railroad to Candyland
Bird Roughs

More stuff to know before reading this. Consider this my half-ass attempt at footnotes.
Jed is former F.Y.P bassist Jed Schipper. Not much else to say about that.
"Take it Like a Jed" is a reference to an F.Y.P song of the same name.
Jack Doyle plays bass in URTC.
Before he was a musician, Todd was a pro skater.
Boris (RIP) was Todd's cat.
Todd lives in San Pedro (Pedro to locals).
Post-Punks was the name of his basketball team that played at Lomita Park. I played on my brothers' team once and they played after us. Weird.
Todd played drums in the Fondled, a good band everyone should check out.

1. According to Wikipedia, anyone who meets a Recess band in a McDonald's bathroom gets into shows for free. True or not?
well i guess thats true. we rarely go into McDonald's and if we do we avoid the bathroom just so we dont hafta get in anyone free.

2. Where's Jed?
he is prolly outside my door on his cell phone.

3. How does one go about "taking it like a Jed?"
its more of a hereditary thing. i dont think you can aquire "taking it like a jed". I'm pretty sure you hafta be born Jed. Jack Doyle comes close though to earning the bronze though

4. How often do you skate? What are you riding right now?
I dont skate much. i want to but i have soooo many excuses its starting to irritate even me! i skate when i feel like it.

5. What's the plan for the solo songs on your myspace page?
No plan at all. Just messin around and making music. like usual i guess. my friend was talking about puttin out a 7" of it but its just talk at this point.

6. How has your life changed in Boris' absence? Any plans on getting a new cat?
I got a new cat actually! thanx for the advice, you were right. 2008 AB (After Boris) has been a trying time but i think he left so i could get "Meower" from the SP Animal Shelter. He farts alot though.

7. Judging by the pics on your myspace page, you -- like me -- were a fat kid. How does this affect you now? For me, I never believe people when they tell me I'm skinny. Deep question, I know.
) yea fat kids will never be skinny. its a sad truth of life. Attn Moms! you let your kids eat alotta twinkies you are turning their emotions into twinkies. Forget confidence! thats long gone. i'm glad though. dont wanna be a firmed handshake-go-getter.

8. If I offered you $100, would you play the Made in USA 7 inch at my birthday party?
Yes but you forgot a zero

9. What do you have against the above-ground railroad to candyland?
Oh well thats a trick question cos it doesnt go to Candyland! It goes to Monopoly...where all the skinny punks are.

10. Do you see Mike Watt in Pedro? If so, is he always wearing flannel?
Yes and Yes

11. You've been in some bands, but who cares about that. Tell the world about your basketball team, the Post-Punks.
Post-Punks didnt pass. Post-Punks didnt practice. Post-Punks didnt win. At least WE had a perfect season!

12. What's the story behind the FYP Toys that Kill Record and the FYP 5 Year Plan record?
One of em cost $15,000 to record the other cost $30 to record.

13. Is 13 really an unlucky number?

14. How awesome is Japan?
Japan is the Disneyland for adults. or at least me! Nice people awesome shit. You dont really need much else. I think that is their national anthem.

15. Does the Kanker Sores 7 inch go for more money now that Aaron's a goth celebrity?
I think thats a loaded question.

16. If I offered each member $100, would the Fondled play my birthday party?
Yes. if the others say no i will do drum solos for my $100.

KING OF LOMITA

Today was a beautiful Southern California day. So beautiful in fact I decided to drive to my parents' house in Lomita. The sky was a perfect baby blue and the trucks didn't take over the stretch of Anaheim from Long Beach to Harbor City. My dad is letting me borrow clothes for an upcoming European trip, so away I went. Anyway. I loved Lomita as a kid, so much so that when I started making friends with folks in San Pedro, they nicknamed me the King of Lomita. Probably because I never shut up about it and because no one ever admits they're from Lomita. Yes, Jim Thorpe died there, but that's all anyone knows. I always made a joke about that. Lomita, where great athletes go to die. I had a park two blocks away from where I lived and hung out there a lot. I had kids my age on the cul-de-sac and we'd play hide-and-go-seek, baseball and football in the street. People in Torrance always looked at me funny whenever I'd tell them I was from Lomita, but I didn't care. If I ever get a tattoo, it's gonna be the Lomita logo -- the one with the palm tree for the "T" and underscore -- on my wrist. There came a time during my post high school years when I wanted to get out and see something else. So Long Beach it was. It was weird going back after I first moved out, but it's even stranger now. Part of me never wants to leave. That's something I hadn't felt prior to two years ago. I used to walk those streets everyday, see the Taco Bell and 7-Eleven, waste hours at the park. Not anymore. I've never been one for nostalgia, but going back to Lomita is harder each time I do it. I feel like I betrayed my town. I left for the big city and can't relate. It sucks. The drive home is always the worst. I get down and wonder why I left. I tell myself to spend more time there, go out at night and crash on my parents' couch. But I don't. The most Lomita thing happened today that made me miss my time in the little city. I took a different route home. Instead of taking PCH, I opted for the Vincent Thomas Bridge from Pedro to Long Beach. I drove down Walnut and made a left onto whatever street Devil's Ditch is on. As I was making my left, I came upon a car making a stop. I looked over. He looked over. It was my cousin Travis. He smiled real big and waved and I pointed my finger and gave him a surprised "Hey!" We kept going our separate ways. Now that my fun revolves around the closest bar and not where all the music is, it's becoming less and less important for me to be near the action. This sentiment usually fades by the time I cross over from Wilmington to Long Beach. I don't know if it's possible to love two women simultaneously, but cities is something different. Once I see those downtown skyscrapers, I know I' m home. Because of the CSULB, Long Beach has lots of transplants; I'm one of them. But a few of my friends were born and raised here and I'm sure they think I'm annoying whenever I ask them some real trivial shit, but I can't help it. I don't know the land here like I know it in Lomita. Take a walk with me down Lomita Boulevard or Eshleman and I'll tell stories for days. I'll always be from Lomita. The hard thing is coming to terms with knowing that I'm from Lomita and live in Long Beach. "From" seems so sad, like it's over and done and can't be replicated. One of these days I think I'll write a book about my time there. That said, I sure do love Long Beach, my adopted hometown.

That's the last time I ever blog about Andrew Bynum. Sorry big fella, I can't help but feel somewhat responsible for your knee injury tonight. I mean, it never happened before I blogged about you. Let's hope it's not serious. It's a long season and I turn into a miserable shit when the Lakers don't play well. That's probably the most pathetic thing I've ever typed, but it's true. I am a simple man.

Does more labels mean more hits? Let's find out.

I put my dark green sweats on in the dark. Now I see they are on backwards. That explains a lot.

Without reading one of my prior posts, a friend named Wes called today to ask me about the scene at a local coffee shop named Portfolio. He said he's noticed a new trend and wanted to start a website called hipsterorbum.com. He wants to post pictures and let the rest of the world decide is the photo is of a hipster of a bum. Good idea if you ask me. I referred him here and explained how I just echoed his thoughts a few days ago. Fucking hipsters.

I'm selling my skateboard because it sits in a closet. I tried riding it once about a year ago. I went around the block and flapped my arms for dear life. Another sign age is making me a new person.