Coaching for Pizza: A Hectic, Eclectic Five Days Including Cinco de Mayo

Mon.-Fri., May 1-5, 2023

As it turns out, wackiness is becoming the theme of my near daily routine.

On the days that I drive down to Pasadena to visit my Mom, I have continued to stop at nearby Highland Park for lunch to try a different fine dining, hole in the wall restaurant.

I had two good visits with my Mom this week that included splitting our pair of one-on-one dominos tournaments. Today's visit was more concerning as she was in bed sleeping for my entire time with her after having a restless night I was told by the nurses.

Overall, she continues to battle valiantly.

Now, about the eclectic Highland Park area along York Boulevard . . .

Shades of Lyon, France!

Who isn't excited by an awesome Marionette Theater performance?

This mural is in keeping with

Highland Park's Mexican-American roots

An interesting spot for lunch

The Highland Cafe

5010 York Blvd., Highland Park

I love burritos. I love chilaquiles.

Unfortunately, these two are mutually exclusive as one can only order one or the other realistically without fear of death by explosion.

Until I wandered into this dining nirvana. I saw that their menu featured a Chilaquiles Burrito, problem solved.

It was both bountiful and delicious!

Wednesday night meant Jacob's

once-a-week Stingers football practice

Jacob seen here catching a pass from Coach Michael Contreras.

Practicing Three Point Stance Get-Offs

Jacob performing a Running Back

cutting drill

Turning on the jets!

Thursday on their way to school, it was

"May the Fourth Be With You" Day

Mary had Princess Leia style hair buns behind those clear plastic do-dads on her head.

Thursday morning was also the

Unified Sports Track Meet at Camarillo H.S.

Our son Micheal had his special needs athletes from Newbury Park H.S. primed to take on the clubs from the following high schools: Anacapa, Camarillo, Channel Islands, Hueneme, Oxnard, Rio Mesa, Thousand Oaks and Westlake.

4 x 100 Meter Relay

with a pristine NPHS handoff

Another Panther flying by me

Great Form

The lead off runner for the Panthers

was ready to ROCK!

He was a blur on the leadoff leg

of this 4 x 100 Meter team

What a BEAUTIFUL day for a track meet!

Where are the Panthers finding

all of these quality sprinters?

An innovator, this runner never

bends his arms at the elbows

Given his amazing time in this race, I think this tecnique may catch on world wide.

You saw it here first!

Coming down the straight away

with the baton in his pocket

Those sunglasses were way cool!

I had to leave the meet early in order to get down to Highland Park in time for a quick lunch before visiting my Mother.

I love empanadas too!

This food truck can be found Tuesdays-Sundays parked on the 5000 block of York Blvd. about fifty yards from the Highland Cafe.

The ham and cheese empanada was just as tasty as the spinach empanada that I ordered at this well kept food truck.

A billboard seen only in America

Less-lethal?

It was still early, so I had time to quickly visit one more spot on York Blvd.

The Los Angeles Police Museum

The museum is located at 6045 York Blvd. This building, dating from 1925, was originally the Highland Park Police Station.

It was the LAPD's 11th Division

back in the day

Classy 1940s-50s Motorcycle Patrolman

Now, THAT was a famous LAPD case

They meant cars . . .

. . . like this classic

I remember these LAPD

call boxes from long ago

Foreboding

That is a cut-out of famed Los Angeles

1940s-50s gangster Micky Cohen

A handcuff collection of interest

These were indeed some BAD people

These were famous people who

ran afoul of the law

And here I was not packing for once

One of the best TV shows from the 1950s

"Just the facts, Ma'am." - Sgt. Joe Friday

Badge 714 belonged to Sgt. Friday

1927 Authorized Duty Weapon

1945 Authorized Duty Weapon

Patty Hearst and the Symbionese

Liberation Army 1974 shootout

with the LAPD

Patty Hearst weapon in the middle

Patty Hearst survived the shootout

and the subsequent inferno that

burned out the SLA's hideout

Billy Clubs of all sizes

and weights

I would have thought that these keys

would have been more impressive

Good things to know before incarceration

Not a problem

Chico's Bail Bonds is a MUST

in these situations

Back home Thursday night, a stop

here for some DVDs was a good idea

Jugos Azteca

5213 York Blvd., Highland Park

The perfect spot for my Friday Cinco de Mayo lunch.

They are known for their tortas (Mexican sandwiches) and juice concoctions.

Classic interior at Jugos Azteca

My torta pick was easy, an al pastor torta por favor.

As for my juice drink, the hombre at the counter recommended their Super Green Health drink and pointed me to a sign proudly displaying the ingredients of their speciality. The first one was kale.

"NO GRACIAS! Make mine a pineapple, banana and orange smoothie."

It was as delicious as the torta and quite refreshing.

Funky York Blvd. phone

booth from the past

I stopped here to see if perhapsthey had any Spanish language

magazines for my Mother

No luck, but it was a good spot to visit on Cinco de Mayo.

Now that is an interesting sign

My car was parked in front of Galco's

so I entered a world of endless varieties

of vintage soda pop, candies and toys

I bought Jacob and Mary each a toy called a "Jacob's Ladder."

I remember the "Jacob's Ladder"

from my youth

Happy to report that they were both as mesmerized today as I was by the "Jacob's Ladder" as a child about 70 years ago.

Highland Park's hidden gem of stores and eating establishments/food trucks along York Boulevard has everything under the Sun as I'm finding out more and more on every visit.