Grant Street

1315 Grant Street

Santa Monica,  CA 90405

The end of an era, the beginning of a new life.

The house on Grant Street was built in 1947.  It has been home to several of my family members, has been our family home on the west side of Los Angeles, a refuge, a retreat, a shelter for many of our friends.  It continues to be home to our California desert tortoise, Alice and several fruit trees.

Front Yard

Agaves and Succulents

Throughout my 30+ years living there, the Grant St. house has provided us with warmth, love, protection and comfort. It has seen new births, deaths, starts of new relationships, has been a place for nurturing creativity and has been a place where relationships with family and friends have been strengthened and forged

The home has been sold...and will hopefully be as warm, comforting and protective to its new owners.

We wish them well on this new journey.  

I wanted to share a few of the wonderful moments of our time at Grant St.  Enjoy!

Fco. y Brad

Birthday Anniversary

 Fco., Sandra and George

 Rebecca and Son

The Crooning Quartet 

Theresa, Rebecca, Kathy and Zan

Celebration Montage

Front Stoop Uncles

(taken by Kevin Mowers)

Siblings

Fco., Ceci, Sandra and George

 Music Makers

Zan, Blase and Linda

Familia

Eavonka and Sandra

 

Chillin'

Danny and Sandra

 Vicki and I taking pictures of each other

 Da Guys

Brad, Keith and Fco.

 Getting to know each other

 Blase, Theresa y Linda

 Xmas Morning

Passion Flower

 Alice Having Breakfast

Waiting 4 The Food 

 Lovely Leslie in L.A.

 Danny and His Parents

Living Room 

 Dad Trying Something New

(Grant St. Alley)

 Garden Close Up

 Sandra Amongst The Atenuata

Cristina and Papi

 Luz Alicia

 Dad Relaxing

Remnant Tablecloths and Custom Flower Vases (by Brad)

Cousins Michael and Vicki

Sistas!

Alice and Ceci

 Dad Making A Point

Abuelo and Vicki

Newlyweds

April and Joe

 Tempting

October Gathering

Sandra

Dan and His Dad

 Listening

Joe, Cristina Ceci and Sandra

 Siblings

Joe and Cristina

It Must Have Been Funny 

Happy

These are just a few of the moments spent at Grant St.  The home also played host to our parent's 50th wedding anniversary and numerous other milestones along the way.

The collective energy of the house and its visitors is palpable.

Thank you to all those who participated.

Fco.

Tizapan

Our days are typically full of color and tradition...case in point, our impromptu visit to our local tianguis in Ajijic, (on Wednesdays) where we spotted a Huichol merchant, working and selling his beautiful, symbolic work.  I'm always mesmerized by their clothing, the images, colors and significance.  If this is their way of honoring the sacred in their culture, we should all be so beautiful.

  

Huichol Vendor

Pitayas

Pitayas or Pitahayas (sometimes know as Dragon Fruit) abound presently in our little part of the world. The fruit comes from a cactus plant (Familia: Cactaceae).  Their colors are vibrant, varied, luscious as is their taste.  Beneficial as a digestive, sometimes used as a calming food, it can also help with insomnia and nervous conditions.

After our tianguis visit, we were to visit the other side of Lake Chapala, traveling through the major town of Jocotepec to the smaller towns of San Pedro Tesistan, San Cristobal Zapotitlan, San Luis Soyatlan, Tuxcueca and Tizapan.

Magical Entrance to Ameyalko Tamoachan Tlalolcan

Our friends, who live on the south side of Lake Chapala, invited us for a visit and general orientation to their side of the lake.  The south side of the lake is more tranquil, with large expanses of land and vistas. We found a calming energy, more traditional indigenous towns and an amazing agroecological cooperative on the river dividing the states of Jalisco and Michoacan, Mexico.

The river is flanked by conifers and is constantly flowing...

Ameyalko Tamoachan Tlalolcan

Cooperative Agroecologica

Ejido La Brenia

Municipio Marcos Castellano, Michoacan

Espacio En Transicion

Vista of the "shire" as our friends call the cooperative

Our host Jose, is a permaculturalist, herbal healer and amazing spirit

Temescal In Progress

Along with other founding members, volunteer workers and friends of the cooperative Jose has "terra formed" the land into a welcoming, sustainable, organic oasis.

Jose, Brad, Wil y Draya

Friends - Brad, pups, Pinta, Draya y Will

Natural Spring

During our stroll we stopped at the spring that is the "eye of the water" and drank heartily.  I've very rarely had the opportunity to taste water at its source....it was delicious!

Ojo De Agua

Drum Oven

Jose has so many projects in the works at the cooperative...that I found his calm manner perplexing...how can such a tranquil soul accomplish so much?  One of his projects is to create a drum oven.  The oven will be installed and surrounded by brick helping to insulate and streamline cooking.

The first residence at the cooperative is a wonderful home, made of local materials in sustainable manner. Its owners are transitioning to live full time at the cooperative.

First Residence

The land is lush with fruit trees, vegetable growth and ritual areas

Tools Of The Trade

I asked Jose what he needed to help continue his work....and not surprisingly, his answer was "A balance of resources...people power, materials and funds to purchase/obtain what we need.  Without this balance you can have many resources in one area and none in others and not see progress.  The key is balance."

South Side, High Rise, Bee Condo Units

Our chariot for the day....full cab...full bed...4 x 4 diesel power

South Side Vista

South Side Home