Tony Varela's Dodger Stadium Blog

A Stadium Blog Plug: "Los Angeles Stories" by Ry Cooder

 

 

Has any one heard of Ry Cooder? 

 

He is the guy who exposed the fabulous Cuban music of the Buena Vista Social Club some 10 or

more years back.  He also produced the multi-performer music album, “Chavez Ravine” which is

about the culture and time period of a Los Angeles Community that existed before the Dodger

 Stadium was built on top of it.  He said, "Chavez Ravine (today) is filled up with dirt."

 He also composed soundtracks for more than twenty films.

 

Well, Mr. Cooder has a new endeavor in prose with the book “Los Angeles Stories.” 

 I was able to catch his book signing and discussion at the Vroman’s Books in

Pasadena.  I bought and read the book amazingly.  I only read comics btw. 

 

Here is a glimps:

"What's that you say?

Nothing happens in Los Angeles?

Ask your downtown friends and neighbors , working folks

you pass on the street - the cross dressing piano player,

the Filopino labor agitator, the Mexican bolero singer, or the

steel string guitar-playing, dental technican- buy them a cup

of coffee and they'll tell you their stories.  Sit down, take a 

load off, try some pork fried rice.

 

Dig it and pick up on it, it happened like this." 

 

 

 

I highly recommend it.

 

Check it out.

Cooder discusses his new book with Los Angeles Times columnist Lynell George 

 

 

Aside from his book, Cooder also spoke about writer Dominic Stanzbury, artist Vincent Valdez,

musician Lalo Guererro, the inspiration of his book a 1931 City Directory, Don Normak's photo

historical book "Chavez Ravine A Los Angeles Story, his love for "golden era" Mexican films,

and his own Lowrider.

 

 

 Also check out Chávez Ravine: A Los Angeles Story circa 1949, by photographer Don Normark

 

Great stuff.

The Bikers are Back! 2nd annual Supercross @ Dodger Stadium

Happy New Year!!!!

 

 

Los Angeles, California welcomes the 2^nd Annual Monster Energy Drink Super Cross @ the

 Chavez Ravine- Dodger Stadium 2012.  

 

It’s a somber three o’clock afternoon.  The steady drizzle ended a few hours earlier. The city got a

good wash over the night and now the ocean is going to have a bad taste in its mouth.  Poor Santa

Monica.  I’m overlooking Downtown Los Angeles view from Stadium parking lot.  It’s quiet, no

sirens, the sound from the 110 freeway is soft.  The city is in chill mode.  No one moves.  I bet even

the birds in this part of town are too cold to get their flight on.   

 

This is the calm before the NOISE! . .

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

At check-in I have the thought to ask one of the Classic Dodger Vendors who have been working at

the Stadium since day 1 this exact question:

 

“Which Billionaire do you prefer to buy the Dodgers?”

 

Maybe that’s a bad way to put it. 

 

How about a comment, instead, like: “I hope a person who loves LA buys the Dodgers.”

 

Nuff said about this fiasco . . . enough damage has been done.

 

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

The grass is dead . . . . I’ll say it again, the grass is dead! On the baseball field once again. 

Thousands of tons of dirt have been shaped into a zigzagging, vertically challenging, maze of jumps

and quick turns that is going to kick some serious ass during tonight’s event- the track is ready to

go. 

 

No baseball, just Bikes. 

 

So Weird, but not as weird as when the Christian Harvest event comes to hold their worship

here at Dodger Stadium, last September.  Non-baseball events like these are very similar when it

comes to the participants who attend.  Bike enthusiast and the religious folk share a similar trait, devotion. 

 

 

Hold up!  I’m not knocking on the evangelical following because I call them “weird.” They love the

Dodgers, I’m sure, and they take up every seat in the Stadium.

Every seat!

 

They are powerful group, BUT, to the amazement of my Dodger co-worker Damian and me, we

are astonished that not one beer is sold during these Christian events. Now that’s just weird, to me. 

This is story I didn’t touch on last season, but I will another time, because this chilly evening, a

group of young professional dirt biker riders, straight out of hell, are about to take over Dodger

Stadium tonight.

 

It’s going to be the Night of the Living Biker Fans.  The Supercross fans, straight out of Valencia,

out of San Bernardino, Orange County, San Diego County, Riverside, Los Angeles County, Ventura,

Azusa, Glendora, the people who my buddy J.C the Fry Guy calls the “METAL MULISHA” are in

the house. 

 

 

 

Before the races start, fans were allowed to walk the track.

 

 

 

 

An hour or so later, Bike Riders to their practice runs. 

 

 

While flipping some burgers with the regular Burger Crew, it was impossible to not want to see the

Bike Riders make their practice runs, so when the moment was right I made it a out of the Stand to

check out the revving engines that are so loud that the noise is literally bouncing of the quarter

dome that is Dodger Stadium.  Near isle 14 (Reserve Level of course) I find Dodger Vendor

Extraordinaire Ronald Nelson checking out the view for himself. 

 

Ron then asks me, “Why did Evil Knievel need a parachute?” as he marveled at the highflying

Bikers soar through the air where shallow center field should be.  I agree.

 

For second I scrutinized the passing patrons.  There is an older bearded fellow wearing a stonewash

jean jacket with a sewed on patch that actually reads “Metal Mulisha.”  Where is that gang from? 

Next, a lady passes us, who I believe is about the age of my mom, and she is wearing a black hat

with a design of flaming fire on the bill of the cap.  A kid crossing her path I notice has a nylon key

chain that is hanging from his pocket with the printed word “Derelli.”  Nope, these peeps ain’t no

Dodger fans.  Very, interesting.

 

Back in the Stand the Crew is in full effect.  The Ladies of the Stand are back, J.C. the Fry Guy too,

 Eric the scrub made a visit, and strangely Anna(banana) returned with really positive spirits.  I

think it’s because she is now a married woman.  Anyway, we need to find our rhythm again.  The

menu has changed so we need to focus.  The Dodger season is just few months away.  Monster

Truck at the Stadium is just around the corner.

We whistle while we work: Pickles, Lettuce, Onions, Tomato- Pickles, Lettuce, Onions, Tomato,

over and over again. 

 

Meanwhile, the Supercross organizers are having a good time.  While me and the crew are in full

effect making Double Western Bacon Cheeseburgers, I noticed that a kid is getting the chance to

operate his remote control car on the dirt race track at the urging of the Supercross race

announcer who is narrating every turn of the tiny car.  The crowd seems to be amused at the fun

the kid is having.  The way the announcer talks, he almost sounds like Jimmy Hart the eccentric

manager of the Hart Foundation from the 80’s World Wrestling Federation, wa-back-when that

medium of entertainment was real. ;  )   

 Jimmy Hart, not the actual Supercross Announcer who is actually an Awesome Stadium Host!

 http://www.allwrestlingsuperstars.com/wrestling/jimmy-hart/

 

Back in the Burger Stand where I rule with the mighty Spoon, the biker enthusiasts are a starting to

snatch up all our delightful Dodger Dogs, Burgers, and fries.  These hungry people are a sight to see

looking out of the windows of our fast food box.  Before the races begin we get slammed by the

rough and tough people who wear black attire, beanies, and ball caps with flat bills, flannels, and

goatees. (Five o’clock shadows are in full effect.)  Lots of families too, mothers and father, sons and

daughters. 

 

 

As they line up in our a la cart line, J.C. the Fry Guy says to me, “Wow, so many heavenly souls.” 

He jests because he is a thrill seeking biker himself.  J.C. often describes his street bike experience

on the freeways as “Flying.”  So, we try to keep up with the demand on the burger line but the

people are eating our burgers like skittles.

 

I spy a LA hat but it’s not Dodger Blue, but Dodger Black.

 

“There are so many cute white guys,” Jasmine the Assistant to the Assistant says but I think she

just wanted me to write that. 

 

Ha! One dude is rocking a black poncho!

 

One sweater reads: Mayhem Street Riders.  Another reads OBEY.  Anther reads FOX, with a cool

icon of a fox face.  One lady who looks like a college professor is wearing a pink colored “Beautiful

Disaster” mesh trucker hat.  How cute! 

 

The races are about to go down.

 

On the Dodger Jumbo Tron, one of the featured biker rides says: “This is my time!”

The lights in the Stadium go out and the next thing I know a huge flame blasts out of a machine

located on the middle of the track (or second base).  A light show of green lasers criss-cross above

the race track like in the cartoon battles between G.I. Joe and Cobra.  So AWESOME!

 

 

The competition begins at 7:00pm.

 

1^st, there is the Supercross Lite Heat #2, consisting of 20 riders, 6 laps, top 9 riders advance to the

main event.  All others go to the Supercross Lite last chance qualifier.  Next is the Supercross Lite

Heat #1 , consisting of 20 riders, 6 laps, top 9 riders advance to the main event. By the time these

heats are over, it’s 9:23 pm and there is the impending Last Chance Qualifier, that consists of 22

riders, 6 laps, and the top 2 riders advance to the main event. 

 

The crowds were awed, thrilled, aghast, hanging by their seats, as the bikers ripped through the

 track.  The smell of fumes smoked out the entire Stadium.  Totally Awesome experience for all.

In the end, the winner of the 2012 Supercross is Eli Tomac. 

The Supercross Main Event of 20 riders, 20 laps, I believe this event is won by a kid with the last

name of Grant, who seemed to have a comfortable lead ahead of the 2^nd place rider.

 

 

 

Btw, here is last years Supercross Blog, check out my culture clash with the Biker fans:

http://tonyvarela.typepad.com/blog/2011/02/index.html

 

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After the races . . .

 

Damian tells me, “All I did was wrap Dodger Dogs, take out the mats, sweep and mop the floor and I

was out of there.”  I kind of envy the guy.  At least he still makes D Dogs.   I mean, that is legit,

compared to making Burgers.  Phaa!  My friend has also been consistent with his chiding me about

my failure to post the last 8 blogs of the 2010 season.  What can I say but that the wheels fell off.  I

did write them so expect the completed posts this week or I have to hear more crap from my

buddy. 

 

On a final note, I really wish the Dodgers would give Clayton Kershaw the duckets (money) he asks.

 

Shall I say it?  Awww why not? 

GO DODGERS!!

 

84ever.