From Baby Jesus to East Jesus - Part II

Sunday afternoon at The Range, Slab City

... Continued From Baby Jesus to East Jesus - Part I

Hopefully you haven’t been holding your breath for too long.  Please resume your regular breathing immediately.  You’re turning blue!  In the last post, we mingled with the ghosts of old Hollywood along the shore of the Salton Sea.  Now, let’s get to East Jesus before the sun goes down. 

From Baby Jesus to East Jesus - Part I

Photo Cred: Saul Escobar

In February, my friend Marcela hosted a Baby Jesus Tamales Party, a Mexican tradition that begins with the sharing of Rosca de Reyes, or Kings bread, twelve days after Christmas.  The person who finds a plastic baby Jesus in their slice of bread must host a tamales party on February 2, Dia de la Candelaria.

At the Baby Jesus Tamales Party, I met Saul, an artist from Mexico.  Using my high school Spanish and his iPhone translator app, we shared enough words to have a conversation.  One word stood out from the rest: adventure.

Saul had trouble understanding the meaning of this word, even in Spanish.   He admitted that he had not been on an adventure in a long time, but his friend Cain had invited him on a tour of Slab City, a squatter campground inhabited by artists, vagabonds and Canadian snowbirds.  I convinced him to go, and he agreed to take me with him.

Desert Fever: Road Trip to Salvation

Last Friday, my little sister and I headed down to Palm Springs for the weekend.  When I told her I'd be waking her up early Saturday morning to get "saved", her only question was "What should I wear?"

Ever since I made the New Year's Resolution to get into more trouble, my little sister has been my biggest supporter in kicking off my goody two-shoes.  She is my good bad influence.  Even if she's been out partying until 4 am, she will show up at my door by 8am, ready for whatever I have in store.