Holy Cross Cinco de Mayo Festival 2014

Rob Peffer shot these pix of folks enjoying the Holy Cross Cinco de Mayo festival on Sunday, May 4, 2014. It looks like it was a great turnout for the festival held each year at the Holy Cross Preparatory Academy on Todhunter Street on the north side of town. 

Mercado Loco comes to West Sacramento

We stopped in to see the new Mercado Loco on West Capitol Avenue yesterday.  The Mexican food store features a great meat market (carniceria), produce aisle and bakery (panaderia).

Arteaga's Bounty!

We always enjoy shopping for fresh produce at Arteaga's Market at 940 Sacramento Avenue. Artega's Market is family owned and operated, specializes in Hispanic Foods and has been serving the Sacramento Area for the past 8 years. How many of you remember shopping that location when it was a Raley's Market?

Dia De Reyes--Day of Kings at Trinity Presbyterian

In Traditional Mexican Culture, on the night of January 5, the figurines of the Three Wise Men, "Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar, are added to the nativity scene. Before going to bed the children place their old shoes under their bed or in the living room, where the Wise Men will leave them their presents.

Day of the Dead...La Calavera de la Catrina

I brought this beautiful Catrina doll back from Mexico last year. La Calavera de la Catrina is one of the most popular figures of the Day of the Dead celebrations. The Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos or All Souls' Day) is a holiday celebrated November 1st and 2nd in Mexico and by Latin Americans living in the United States and Canada. I brought this beautiful Catrina doll back from Mexico last year.

Cinco de Mayo in West Sacramento

95605 celebrates Cinco de Mayo- Photo by Christy


Interior photo by Lexi -Longwinded Haiku

Looking for some great Mexican Food to enjoy on Cinco de Mayo??--how about a stop at Shorty's La Amistad Cafe on Jefferson Boulevard on the way to Clarksburg. Shorty's was rebuilt a couple of years ago after the previous building burned down...we were so glad when the new cafe opened!

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Russ purchased this bracelet for me in Mexico when we visited Tulum, the pre-Columbian Maya walled city along the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea.

Trivia: On December 12, before the Christmas season "officially" begins on December 16, Mexicans join together for the festivities of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This is one of the most important dates in the Mexican calendar. Las Posadas, Spanish for "The Inns", is a nine-day celebration with origins in Mexico beginning December 16th and ending December 24th.

Rehearsing for Lissett's Quinceanera

Lissett Lara (top photo) is turning 15 in August, and she's busy preparing for her Quinceanera! Getting ready for the Quinceanera Celebration, Lissett and her attendants practice the waltz (middle photo). Perlita and Eric (bottom photo) practice the waltz for Lissett's Quinceanera!

Lissett and her attendants will be rehearsing twice a week through July and into August to be ready for the big event. ~ Photos by Christy

La Calavera de la Catrina

La Calavera de la Catrina is one of the most popular figures of the Day of the Dead celebrations. This beautiful Catrina doll made it back from Mexico in one piece..It was wrapped very carefully by the shop owner then packed into my luggage during our trip home. ~Barbara

Panaderia La Purisima Mexican Bakery

Jose and Guadalupe Ramirez are the owners/bakers of the Panaderia Mexican Bakery located at 2927 West Capitol Avenue. We stopped in to buy some of their delicious pastries and enjoyed getting the grand tour from Guadalupe above. All of their delicious assortment of pastries, cakes and breads are baked fresh on the premises-and the prices are great!
~ Barbara

La Estrellita Taqueria and Mexican Market

Located on Sacramento Avenue-this market has a great selection of Mexican American food stuff. I really like the colorful painted sign.~Barbara

La Favorita Taqueria

A great new restaurant has opened in West Sacramento and is located in the Shopping Center at the corner of West Capitol Avenue and Harbor Boulevard. La Favorita Taqueria has great food, atmosphere and a very friendly staff. I had the Friday Night Special Chile Relleno dinner and it was fabulous!
Post by Barbara

Sal's Tacos Mexican Restaurant

Sal's Tacos (named for owner Sal Galvan ) is located at 400 C Street in old Broderick, just across the street from the new Metro Place homes. Tom loves the giant carne asada burrito and I enjoy the eclectic salsa bar! Be sure and stop in to see the unique tile murals.

December 12- The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Catholics honor Virgin of Guadalupe on feast day: "The Lady of Guadalupe is a beloved religious icon believed by many in Latin America to be a manifestation of the Virgin Mary. The events commemorate the apparitions of the Virgin Mary in the year 1531 at Guadalupe near Mexico City after the European conquest of the Aztecs."

Neighbors Fair: Dancing Horses

This Latina rider in the traditional "Adelita " dress and charro sombrero performed with her dancing horse in the Neighbors Parade. They were part of the LULAC Group, the largest and oldest Hispanic Organization in the United States. Photo by Barbara Smith

A Family Tradition: The tradition of the Charros and Charreadas run in the family and go back many generations. It is likely that the Mexican charro tradition derived from Spanish horsemen who came from Salamanca, Spain.

Carniceria Panaderia y Taqueria

The Carniceria Lopez #3 located at 612 Jefferson Boulevard on a Sunday afternoon. The delicious BBQ fare lures people from all over the Sacramento area. Photo by Barbara Smith

"Ensaladas" a la cart

This Sacramento Avenue street vendor has an assortment of fresh fruit that can either be eaten as is, or chopped up in a cocktail in any combination you would like. Photo by Barbara Smith.