Behind the Orange Curtains

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[quote author="bkshopr" date=1240982042]IHO,



Did I rob you on PCH in Harbor City, near the Chinese Restaurants in Lomita, by the Rolling Hills Shopping Center near AMC, The Ralphs by Anza/ South Torrance, the Cambodian district in LB by Kim Tar, or the nice area by Redondo/ Hollywood Riveria?</blockquote>
The crappy part of Harbor City. Close to the 110, in front of the condos, across from the auto dealer and the park... I was on the way back from Kaiser Permanente. You and your crew were most likely from the projects just down the way... my dad even got his baseball bat and drove me around that area for about half an hour looking for you guys.



You were wearing a pretty convincing Samoan disguise.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1240966418]todays Chinese gangs todays are spread out into various regions such as . . . Irvine. </blockquote>


This is the first I've heard of Chinese gang presence in Irvine. For the record, I have the utmost respect for all tongs, triads, and gangs, and business has been very bad this year.
 
[quote author="irvine_home_owner" date=1240984204][quote author="bkshopr" date=1240982042]IHO,



Did I rob you on PCH in Harbor City, near the Chinese Restaurants in Lomita, by the Rolling Hills Shopping Center near AMC, The Ralphs by Anza/ South Torrance, the Cambodian district in LB by Kim Tar, or the nice area by Redondo/ Hollywood Riveria?</blockquote>
The crappy part of Harbor City. Close to the 110, in front of the condos, across from the auto dealer and the park... I was on the way back from Kaiser Permanente. You and your crew were most likely from the projects just down the way... my dad even got his baseball bat and drove me around that area for about half an hour looking for you guys.



You were wearing a pretty convincing Samoan disguise.</blockquote>


The project with flat roofs was was demolished and John Laing replaced it with homes. The Beef Bowl was also wiped out. My crew was from the surrounding Narbonne High School and the money we robbed you we spent it on the nudie bar on PCH just a block away.



I also released my pet alligator into the nearby lake. The intersection was Vermont and PCH as I recalled west of the 110 Freeway. The year was around 1985. The condo had wood siding and shingle roof. The dealership sold only used cars with colorful flags and next door to dealer was a tire store.



My Samoan buddies lived in Carson and constantly fought with the Hispanic and Black gangs.
 
[quote author="High Gravity" date=1240984999][quote author="bkshopr" date=1240966418]todays Chinese gangs todays are spread out into various regions such as . . . Irvine. </blockquote>


This is the first I've heard of Chinese gang presence in Irvine. For the record, I have the utmost respect for all tongs, triads, and gangs, and business has been very bad this year.</blockquote>


The gangs do not have a presence in Irvine but they do invoice the restaurants with protection services rendered. Do you remembered the fire at China Garden and Sam Woo in Irvine some years ago?



Have you seen Pheonix restaurant disppeared?
 
[quote author="Serious Weapon" date=1240984706]There's a reason why Bookie always wears black. I think I remember seeing you on Mott St. Do you remember Monbo and The Golden Dragon?</blockquote>


Of course I was on Mott street collecting association dues between Chinatown and Little Italy.
 
I knew it! I knew you looked so familiar! I was pretty much raised at the arcade at the end of Mott St., the arcade that had the chicken that played tic-tac-toe.
 
[quote author="Serious Weapon" date=1240986324]I knew it! I knew you looked so familiar! I was pretty much raised at the arcade at the end of Mott St., the arcade that had the chicken that played tic-tac-toe.</blockquote>


It is cheap to get validation there by CoCo Canal. Did you live above the stores in the tenements?
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1240985732]I also released my pet alligator into the nearby lake.</blockquote>
Hehe... funny... I just visited him when I went to the LA Zoo a month or so ago. They had the whole story about how no one could catch it for the longest time. It probably ate my pet rabbit. I'm surprised you didn't mention UCHB... University of California, Harbor City.



I think the people who grew up in the more "cultured" areas of LA appreciate the sterility of cities like Irvine.



And for the record, Palos Verdes (the Turtle Rock of the South Bay), 'Dondo Beach and Manhattan Beach hardly count as living in LA. Graph can rant all he wants about missing out on culture yet the places he would pick to live have the least ethnic diversity of the South Bay area... which is why I suggested the areas I did. Take a trip through Compton or even Dominguez Hills and tell me how much I'm missing by staying behind the Orange Curtain.



Oh... and to answer McDonna's question about culture in OC... that's what the IntarWebs is for... hehe.



P.S. Why do the people who love "culture" and "fine arts" so much have to question the lifestyle of people who appreciate other aspects of life? There are tons of things that I like to do that probably many of you bohemians loathe... yet I'm not berating anyone for not taking Logic Design Courses in Computer Science. I'm calling "culturalism"... someone get me a Proposition for the next CA ballot.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1240987015][quote author="Serious Weapon" date=1240986324]I knew it! I knew you looked so familiar! I was pretty much raised at the arcade at the end of Mott St., the arcade that had the chicken that played tic-tac-toe.</blockquote>


It is cheap to get validation there by CoCo Canal. Did you live above the stores in the tenements?</blockquote>


No, I lived in the arcade and the two restaurants that I mentioned earlier. My mom had a bit of a gambling habit back in the day, it was more of her way to make a living.



When I was a child, while my mother was gambling, I would basically wander aimlessly around Chinatown and Little Italy.

If my mom did well at the tables, she'd treat me to some sweet ass toys at Wah-Kue toy store.



An 8 year old kid wandering the streets of downtown Chinatown at 3am is an experience that I wouldn't trade for the world.

I saw a lot of cool sh*t growing up there but also witnessed a lot of f*cked up sh*t as well.



I definitely plan on sharing some stories when they're old enough, but I already see the toughness in my girls, I just hope OC and the world outside of OC are ready for them.



But I think it's so cool that you're an OG.
 
wow, I missed logging in for a day or so and we find out that BK was a gangstar.... hey BK, did you ever hang out in Montery Park back in the 80's, I thought that was where all the OG Asian gangs hang, in those pool halls?
 
Stay tune as plot thickens. Sorry I escaped my gang turf already by the 80's. During the early 80's I was already analyzing the vector dynamic properties of a moving bullet in the air and the conservation of momentum plus resultant vectors of force on billiard balls.
 
[quote author="irvine_home_owner" date=1240987130]



And for the record, Palos Verdes (the Turtle Rock of the South Bay), 'Dondo Beach and Manhattan Beach hardly count as living in LA. Graph can rant all he wants about missing out on culture yet the places he would pick to live have the least ethnic diversity of the South Bay area... which is why I suggested the areas I did. Take a trip through Compton or even Dominguez Hills and tell me how much I'm missing by staying behind the Orange Curtain.



Oh... and to answer McDonna's question about culture in OC... that's what the IntarWebs is for... hehe.



P.S. Why do the people who love "culture" and "fine arts" so much have to question the lifestyle of people who appreciate other aspects of life? There are tons of things that I like to do that probably many of you bohemians loathe... yet I'm not berating anyone for not taking Logic Design Courses in Computer Science. I'm calling "culturalism"... someone get me a Proposition for the next CA ballot.</blockquote>


I see a point getting muddled here.



My point (and I think Graph's, too) was not to use the "yuckiness" of Compton as an excuse to not go to a museum, for example. I went to Little Toyko (and we tried to go to MOCA but it was closed. Doh!) despite the homeless people. And Curry House was fantastic. So was Noe inside the Omni Hotel (down the street from the Disney Concert Hall). I can recommend both.



I certainly wasn't suggesting anyone purposely take their children into the middle of real danger. However, one shouldn't avoid the good out of unreasonable fear of the bad.



And dude, don't get me started with your comp sci stuff. The most culture you can claim is the Think Geek catalog. (Yes, I own several of their t-shirts.) You aren't fooling me. I found out today I have to get some IT uber-security cert of some sort (new client requirement). And no, it will not be "culture". Education, yes. Culture, no.
 
[quote author="irvine_home_owner date=124098713<blockquote>



Oh... and to answer McDonna's question about culture in OC... that's what the IntarWebs is for... hehe.



P.S. Why do the people who love "culture" and "fine arts" so much have to question the lifestyle of people who appreciate other aspects of life? There are tons of things that I like to do that probably many of you bohemians loathe....</blockquote>


That's what I was trying to ask. What are the activities you participate in Orange County? A sub-culture can really be anything. Culture is also not limited to an ethnicity or the Arts. For example, there are a group of IHBloggers here that are into race car driving. I would considered this group a sub-culture of Orange County. BTW, when are one your guys going to host a race car driving day for the IHB adventure club?
 
My wife wanted to add...



She interned as a school counselor at CDM a few years ago, and was so suprised that really smart kids were applying only to beach colleges such as UCSB or UC Davis or San Diego; they didn't want to be too far away from the beach. She couldn't understand it, it made sense as she was there longer and saw that most wore flip-flops 365 days of the year, surfs in the morning before school and are pretty much set for life...
 
On second thought, nevermind. Everyone needs to fess up right now. We all know we are all glued to the IHB 24/7 an never get out anywhere! LOL
 
[quote author="roundcorners" date=1240993687]My wife wanted to add...



She interned as a school counselor at CDM a few years ago, and was so suprised that really smart kids were applying only to beach colleges such as UCSB or UC Davis or San Diego; they didn't want to be too far away from the beach. She couldn't understand it, it made sense as she was there longer and saw that most wore flip-flops 365 days of the year, surfs in the morning before school and are pretty much set for life...</blockquote>


CDM is a school for wealthy trust fund kids. Partying colleges attract this crowd. Few are interested in MIT, Caltech or Claremont Colleges. Did you say Davis not Santa Cruz?
 
[quote author="caycifish" date=1240993415]I see a point getting muddled here.



My point (and I think Graph's, too) was not to use the "yuckiness" of Compton as an excuse to not go to a museum, for example. I went to Little Toyko (and we tried to go to MOCA but it was closed. Doh!) despite the homeless people. And Curry House was fantastic. So was Noe inside the Omni Hotel (down the street from the Disney Concert Hall). I can recommend both.



I certainly wasn't suggesting anyone purposely take their children into the middle of real danger. However, one shouldn't avoid the good out of unreasonable fear of the bad.

</blockquote>
See that's the thing... it's really hard for singles/couples to understand the difficulties that parents have when having to take into account their children. Graph can joke about totlots all he wants but one day... I'm gonna see him pushing Graphito on a swing and I'm gonna' "punch him in the head" for not dragging his kid to Little Tokyo instead.



Back before kids, that stuff was easy... I never even thought about safety, distance or traffic. But now... it's usually better to stay closer to home because you never know when crankiness will set in, when they want to only eat at their favorite pizza place or whatever. Graph can rant all he wants about sheltering and depriving my kids of "culture"... but as you can attest to... there is always time for that.



It's all perspective. Sure, you guys think you're safe and that may be true. But coming from someone who's experienced violence in a seemingly safe situation, I will always be cautious and try to reduce exposing my family to it. Other than bk... you can see that those of us who grew up in the LA 'hood... don't prefer to go back there. Don't diss us for it... you haven't lived where we have.

<blockquote>

And dude, don't get me started with your comp sci stuff. The most culture you can claim is the Think Geek catalog. (Yes, I own several of their t-shirts.) You aren't fooling me. I found out today I have to get some IT uber-security cert of some sort (new client requirement). And no, it will not be "culture". Education, yes. Culture, no.</blockquote>
Like I was alluding too... "culture" is relative. I bet a bunch of comp nerds sitting around playing World of Warcraft get just as much "cultural" satisfaction as others get out of a museum visit. And for some... education IS culture (heck... most Asians in Irvine think that way). In the last 25 years... what do you think has made the biggest impact on society? Hint: It's not hanging at some art exhibit.



And yeah... OC beaches are pretty good. As much as I liked bodysurfing at 'Dondo and Manhattan Beach... Newport waves were way more fun (and cleaner). There were just more surfboarders here than LA and they have no respect for bodysurfing purists like myself (no fins, no bodyboards... just me and the waves).
 
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