Welcome to
Collectors Corner!
Ed Sandoval Gallery's Newsletter
102-B Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, Taos, NM 87571
edsandovalart@gmail.com
(575) 770-6360
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Mid 1960’s: Shipping Lines & Go Go Girls |
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Me (left) and George Peel (right) Ready to Head to L.A. in a 1954 Ford Fairlane (in Background) |
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I’ve told you about how, in 1964 after my high school graduation, me and a buddy left New Mexico to head west to the bright lights of Los Angeles (READ HERE). We were eighteen, enthusiastic, craved excitement and thought living in a big city with all of its nightlife would be just FABULOUS. The reality, however, was four broke guys living in a tiny apartment and working a series of HORRIBLE jobs.
My employment included selling magazines door to door, working the night shift at a quilting factory in East L.A. and delivering room service to hotel guests. Money got so tight that I returned a can of tuna (that I had eaten) to the grocery store – I told them it was spoiled to get a 30-cent refund so I could afford to buy a bus ticket to work.
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I ended that story by saying, Then I started working for a shipping company, helping in the office. When they found out I spoke Spanish AND English fluently, they promoted me to a Booking Agent, but that’s a story for another time. Now is the time to tell you that tale!
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After a year or so (1965), I began working at Moore-McCormack Lines operating out of the San Pedro Harbor (part of the Port of Los Angeles). It's ironic that a teenager from New Mexico, a land-locked state with minimal water, ended up working at one of if not THE busiest cargo terminals in the U.S. But I wasn't complaining. For the first time ever, I actually got paid decent wages!
In 1964-65, Moore-McCormack had seven Constellation-class freight liners in service, running cargo primarily to South America and Africa. The route covered ports on the Pacific Coast of the U.S. and Canada before going down to the Panama Canal. I’m fairly sure that some of the ports of call included Panama, Columbia, Venezuela, Barbados, Trinidad, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
Our office was at Wilshire and Grand on the 7th floor of a bank building right in the middle of downtown L.A. I even remember the names of my bosses: Mr. Abbott and Mr. Kline. My job was to help produce the manifesto (cargo ledger) for each ship before each “run,” and go with a senior freight forwarder to personally deliver each manifesto to the captain of the ship.
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One of the Seven Freight Liners: The Mormacsun (Source)
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These manifestos were HUGE – about 36 inches wide, 24 inches tall and an inch thick. We drove to the port, which took over an hour, and always arrived in the early evening. The captains were so gracious – they would invite us to have dinner on the ship in their private quarters. It must have been protocol to ask the guys delivering the manifestos to dinner because they ALL did it. We knew we would get a feast and looked forward to going! |
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While we ate and drank, we’d hear the sounds of the hoists bringing up cargo and the longshoremen loading it onto the ship. The captain would tell us stories while he looked over the manifesto. It contained every item that was loaded on his ship and the exact port to which they would be delivered. When dinner ended, he’d often give us a bottle of Canadian Club whiskey or some other spirit, shake our hands and say goodnight.
It was a GREAT job for a kid right out of high school. The best part was I finally had money to check out the L.A. nightlife I'd heard so much about. So enough about big freight liners – let’s get to the Go Go Girls! Ha ha!.
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One place we loved was the Cinnamon Cinder in Long Beach. All the kids went there because it was built specifically for young adults under 21. I saw great musicians like the Righteous Brothers and Tina Turner! And the club was so small that you would be right in front of them as they played – literally just feet away.
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Photo Showing the Closeness of Dancers and Band: Sandi & the Accents at the Cinnamon Cinder (Source)
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But the place that REALLY made an impression on me was Whisky A Go Go. Picture it in your minds – it’s the mid 1960’s, the era of bell bottom pants and Go Go girls dancing in elevated cages (it was like being in the middle of an Austin Powers movie set…). Cover bands played mostly protest music about the Vietnam War, but I distinctly remember listening to the great Johnny Rivers and The Grass Roots playing “Eve of Destruction.”
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Whisky A Go Go - Notice the Johnny Rivers Sign (Source)
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"Go Go Girls at Whisky A Go Go (Source) |
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I just can't tell you how exciting it was to go there! But all that excitement could lead to some pretty stupid decisions... I remember CLEARLY one night - my roommate David Adamson had just gotten out of the Navy and went with me to the club. David had bought the very first Mustang that came out (spectacular car) but drank too much and couldn't drive. "Okay," I said, and got behind the wheel.
We left and were cruising the Sunset Strip when a GTO pulled up next to us at a red light. The GTO's driver revved the engine a few times. Dave looked over at me, grinned and said, “When the light changes floor it.” The light changed and I peeled out. I'm not sure how far we got, but after a short time we saw police lights and heard the sirens. We were pulled over – the cops went after the GTO too, but I don’t know if they nabbed him. They issued me a ticket for "Speed Exhibition" that carried a fine of $500! That was a LOT and I mean a LOT of money back then. Oh well, live and learn. :-)
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"YEAH BABY!" Do I resemble Austin Powers??? Ha ha!
I can't believe a goofy kid like me was at one of the coolest clubs in America during the heyday of the 1960's, but I was right in the middle of the fun! Man...that means I'm OLD! That's okay. I just reverse the lyrics to George Straight's song ("Much Too Young") and say, "I'm much too old to feel this damn young. :-).
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Favorite Places: Mora Valley |
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"Mora" (24" x 30" painted in 2002) |
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Since we can't travel much, I'm doing a series about some of my favorite places. This month: Mora Valley!
Mora Valley is my favorite place to paint. If you take Hwy. 518 past the Sipapu Ski Resort and keep going, you’ll come around a bend and see a beautiful valley beneath the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near the Santa Fe and Carson National Forests and the Pecos Wilderness. Drive on down.
There are a lot of old mills and casitas that are being reclaimed by the natural landscape. I just LOVE the crumbling adobe walls and tin roofs darkened to a deep wine color. Ghosts of the past.
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You can check out the St. Vrain Mill. Built in 1864, it provided flour and milled-grain to nearby Fort Union and operated as a mill until 1922. The community is coming together to restore this historic gem (For more info, CLICK HERE).
The La Cueva Flour Mill is nearby too. Built in the 1850's, it is a wonderful example of adobe brick on a rock foundation. The wheel is really cool to see! It ground flour too, and I think it generated electricity at one point too (For more info, CLICK HERE).
There are other mills, farms, churches and forts in Mora, as well as yummy diners, so you could spend a whole day photographing the rustic beauty. Mora Visitors CLICK HERE.
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La Cueva Flour Mill in Mora |
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"La Cueva Flour Mill" (48x48 Available) |
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From time to time, I drive around the Couse pasture where I keep my horses and pick up trash. This is always an adventure... sadly, there are people who use the pasture as a shortcut while drinking and throw their trash to the side. There are also many who hide away in there to drink. I find piles and piles of beer cans and alcohol bottles. I have to pick them not only to keep the place beautiful but because the horses could seriously cut themselves.
On this occasion, I ran into no less than five rather interesting people hanging out in there. One was sitting behind some tall chamisa. I asked him what he was doing, and he said, "Hiding from my girlfriend." After walking to a heap of trash and picking it up, I returned to find my wrench (that I just used) missing. He stole it. Next I ran into four folks with pillows and booze. I chased them off, but I was careful to say we were the "first wave" of trash collectors so they wouldn't think there were just two of us - you never know.....
I opened my gallery on Quesnel in 1993 and kept horses there ever since. That's a lot of years, and the pasture has been a sunny gem of natural beauty in the heart of Taos. People love walking down Quesnel, saying hi to the horses and viewing fall colors. However, I've encountered a few disturbing things in 25+ years. One time, I had to remove someone living in my horse trailer, and, in the dead of winter, I've called police multiple times for people who passed out...or worse... In any event, the pasture is cleaned up and ready for people to walk by and enjoy it.
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Trash after only Two Hours of Cleanup |
Patron & Toronado Love Their Pasture |
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Featured Paintings
To inquire or request a high-resolution photo, contact 575-770-6360 or edsandovalart@gmail.com. For all available paintings, click HERE
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"Sunlight on the Chile Field" (24" x 30") |
"Taos Orange Sky" (30" x 48") |
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"Walking Lupita" (24" x 24") |
"Pueblo Deer Hunter" (24" x 24") |
"Arroyo Seco Capilla" (18" x 24") |
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ArtsThrive at the Albuquerque Museum
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In this bizarre Covid world in which we live, where most events are cancelled, I'm excited to participate in the 30th annual ArtsThrive: Art Exhibition & Benefit at the Albuquerque Museum (and online).
There are two parts to the show. Invited large artwork will be auctioned during a compressed timeframe. The miniature artwork can be previewed online now. People can bid online from Oct. 24 through Nov. 8, and the exhibition will be on view to the public from Oct. 25 through Dec. 6. Even if you're not in the market for art, it's fun to look at the catalogue and see all the wonderful entries!
Information about the event HERE.
The online catalogue for all the miniature artwork can be VIEWED HERE.
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"To the Pueblo" (In Live Auction) |
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"Moon over Santuario" (14x18)
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Would you like to be a featured collector?
If so, please send your personal story and photo(s) to edsandovalart@gmail.com.
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Contact
Ed Sandoval Gallery
102-B Paseo Del Pueblo, Taos, NM 87571
www.edsandovalgallery.com | (575) 770-6360 | edsandovalart@gmail.com
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