Months ago, my brother and I were walking down Olympic blvd., and as we saw our restaurant from afar, we realized something…He and I have never seen our restaurant as just a simple eating-place, but as a place from where we can share our Oaxacan culture as a whole with all of Los Angeles.  We see it as our Guelaguetza to LA.  The meaning of our name, reciprocity, defines who we are.  And with the help of our Oaxacan brother and sister of Colectivo LaPiztola we hope to achieve just that with an exciting upcoming project of ours.  Our family has commissioned Oaxaca-based street Artists Rosario Martinez and Roberto Vega of Colectivo LaPiztola to create a mural across our building down Olympic blvd.  The project will begin on March 6th through March 13th and already has gained the support of many personal friends from the art community. I would like to invite all of those reading this, to please visit our restaurant during the time of this installation, meet these wonderful artists, and allow us to share a little bit of our Oaxaca with you.    -Bricia More on Colectivo LaPiztola Born out of the 2006 social movement in Oaxaca, LaPiztola art collective has since risen in popularity and have quickly become one the most coveted artists in the Oaxacan street art scene.  Their name, a play of words combining the Spanish words “lapiz” for pencil and “pistola” for pistol, demonstrates their guerilla approach to spreading their work.  They have mastered the techniques of blending brightly colored screen patterns with masterful monochromatic stencils.  La Piztola has exhibited in Million Fishes in San Francisco, Concreto 2 in Mexico City, and a one of a kind show at University of Michigan.  The Guelaguetza mural across Olympic Blvd will be their first Los Angeles appearance.    

Months ago, my brother and I were walking down Olympic blvd., and as we saw our restaurant from afar, we realized something…He and I have never seen our restaurant as just a simple eating-place, but as a place from where we can share our Oaxacan culture as a whole with all of Los Angeles.  We see it as our Guelaguetza to LA.  The meaning of our name, reciprocity, defines who we are.  And with the help of our Oaxacan brother and sister of Colectivo LaPiztola we hope to achieve just that with an exciting upcoming project of ours. 

Our family has commissioned Oaxaca-based street Artists Rosario Martinez and Roberto Vega of Colectivo LaPiztola to create a mural across our building down Olympic blvd.  The project will begin on March 6th through March 13th and already has gained the support of many personal friends from the art community.

I would like to invite all of those reading this, to please visit our restaurant during the time of this installation, meet these wonderful artists, and allow us to share a little bit of our Oaxaca with you.   

-Bricia

More on Colectivo LaPiztola

Born out of the 2006 social movement in Oaxaca, LaPiztola art collective has since risen in popularity and have quickly become one the most coveted artists in the Oaxacan street art scene.  Their name, a play of words combining the Spanish words “lapiz” for pencil and “pistola” for pistol, demonstrates their guerilla approach to spreading their work.  They have mastered the techniques of blending brightly colored screen patterns with masterful monochromatic stencils.  La Piztola has exhibited in Million Fishes in San Francisco, Concreto 2 in Mexico City, and a one of a kind show at University of Michigan.  The Guelaguetza mural across Olympic Blvd will be their first Los Angeles appearance.  

 

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After having one my favorite meals of the year at Origen, My brother and I sat with Chef Rodolfo Castellanos and asked him what Oaxaca meant to him. This is what he had to say…

I strongly urge anyone visiting Oaxaca not to miss a meal here.

Origen

Hidalgo Nº 820
CENTRO HISTÓRICO, OAXACA, MÉXICO
TEL. 01 (951) 501 1764
origenoaxaca.com

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Pasatono Orquesta: - Ethnomusicologists and Performers

Pasatono Orquesta: Sounds of L.A at The Guetty

On October 6th and 7th, The Getty Center will host the West Coast debut of Pasatono Orquesta, a Oaxaca-based band influenced by Mixtec culture sounds, under the direction of Rubén Lenguas.  This band’s distinct sound comes from their extensive research into Oaxaca’s Mixtec culture and hand-crafted indigenous instruments in which they perform.  

This in an event that I encourage everyone to attend.  Pasatono’s music makes for the perfect soundtrack to one of my favorite views of LA’s Skyline.  I cannot wait to hear them live! 

Date: Saturday and Sunday, October 6 and 7, 2012
Time: Saturday, 7:00 p.m.; Sunday, 3:30 p.m.
Location: Harold M. Williams Auditorium
Admission: Free; reservations required. Call (310) 440-7300 or use the “Get Tickets” button below. Limit of four seats per reservation. 

 

If you are not able to make the show,  Pasatono will be performing live at Guelaguetza on Saturday, Oct. 6th starting at 10pm

3014 W. Olympic Blvd.  Los Angeles, CA 90006 

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Que lejos estoy del suelo donde he nacido!
inmensa nostalgia invade mi pensamiento;
y al ver me tan solo y triste qual hoja al viento,
quisiera llorar, quisiera morir de sentimiento.

Oh tierra del sol!, suspiro por verte
ahora que lejos yo vivo sin luz, sin amor;
y al verme tan solo y triste cual hoja al viento,
quisiera llorar, quisiera morir de sentimiento. 

Cancion Mixteca

Oh Oaxaca, how I miss thee! 


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