Home Revisited
By George Miranda
14 Nov 2008
What city do you live in? What neighborhood?
The rougher side of Baldwin Park, CA--Walnut Creek Mobile Lodge
It's not pretty, but it can feel like home sometimes.
Mostly overrun with wannabe gangsters, dealers and people with no sense of direction. If I ever came home during the day I would see the usual group meandering on their bikes or walking to the corner store. Mostly though, the people are easy to get along with.
There's a row of mobile home parks on our street that I am very familiar with. As kids, a few of us went to nearly all the residents of every mobile home and tried to make money by washing cars, doing some gardening, or running errands for people. It wasn't that long ago, but I don't think it's as safe to let kids run around there anymore. Or maybe I'm just getting a little old.
What are some adjectives that describe your neighborhood?
Drag, gray, drab, broke, potential.
How long have you lived there, and what brought you there?
Been living here a little over 11 months now, but we have some more history than that. We live in the place my grandma used to live, so it's kinda like coming home.
My mom moved in just a month before I came to join her during my last semester at school. I thought it'd be a good way for the both of us to save some money and pay off debt.
It's just my little sister and mom who lived there, so I also didn't want them to be alone. It's not the best place I'd like for us to live, but we look out for each other.
What is your favorite thing about this place? Your least favorite?
My favorite thing about this place is that it's conveniently located near the Vineland Drive-in (which is actually in neighboring La Puente).
My least favorite thing would be how far away it is from the beach (about 30 miles).
Do you feel that you belong there?
I feel like I belong closer to the beach or to a place with more going on.
There's not much to do where I am now, but that might just help push me to make more photos and music.
On the other hand, most of my family has been raised in the surrounding area so it still feels like home. I wasn't raised here completely, but I visited a lot so there's plenty of memories that I've revisited by being here.
What is the most common misconception about where you live?
Most people have never even heard of Baldwin Park, but those who have think it's crime central. There's the rough parts to this place, but it's not like a shooting spree around here.
What is a special fact about your city that you have to live there to know?
The original In-N-Out is here, and so is the In-N-Out University.
What aspect of your city do you secretly love?
I secretly love how quiet it can be sometimes (emphasis on sometimes). I also love it because my family was raised in this area, so it always brings back memories when I drive down a certain back road or go by the old restaurant we'd go to with Grandma.
Anything else you'd like to add?
It's not that bad afterall. I've walked around those old streets I can remember as a kid, and I try to capture the things that stood out to me then. I think there is beauty in this place, and that's why I continue to point my camera towards it.
