Christmas Tamales, Festivals & Politricks

 The Glendale Glitters Light Display had been moved from the Main Park, which is under construction, a Block North to the area around the City Hall.  It was really enchanting, but so crowded and no parking, that I just drove by it all and didn't get out of the Truck.  Princess T and her Boyfriend did the same and were there around the same time as I was, she called me coz they hadn't seen me, we both were leaving at around the same time tho'.  They hadn't gone to the Santa House yet, but I had and told them it was still Open and some Navajo Neighbors near his House were Selling freshly made Indian Fry Bread for only $3, and Navajo Tacos for only $6, which is an excellent price.  That's about half what they usually cost, so I got one of the Fry Bread and it was delicious.

The Santa House Owner buys new props every Season and this Year he'd bought some enormous ones.  One new Character in the Front Yard Display, of the Abominable Snowman from the Classic 1957 Film, was taller than his House!!!  He must rent an enormous Storage Facility to house and store it all off Season.  I also stopped by "Cerreta's Candy", which has a Shop next to where they actually make all their Custom Candy there at the Factory.  I got The Man and myself a selection of some of the new flavors and favorites.  I can only eat the Non-Chocolates, but they have so much selection and you can go around and fill up your own Bag with one of each and have it all weighed up at the Registers.  I was the only Customer there so got some great Pixs of the Shop without Customers in frame.

 

So, it was just me and their Three Employees there.  I had thought it would be busier, due to the Event nearby, I wasn't even sure they were still Open since no Cars in their Parking Lot.  I think I must have gotten there right before Closing perhaps?   Yep, they Close at 6 p.m. according to Google and I got there just under the Wire then.  *Whew*  We're both Diabetics, and rarely partake in Candy or Desserts, so ration ourselves to Two of the little Candies per Day, just a taste of Sweetness.  I don't even have a Sweet Tooth, but, The Man does and every Christmas enjoys his little Bag of Cerreta's Candy as part of his Pressy from me.  He's like a big Kid when it comes to his Treats.  It's a Family owned Biz for over 50 Years, and along with Chocolates they make all kinds of Taffy, Brittle, Caramels, Nut Mixes, Popcorns, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, and many Specialty Items.  They give School Children Tours to see how Candy is made in the Factory. 

After picking up our Candies I headed to The Santa House, got my Fry Bread, and did the Tour which winds thru the Home and the Back Yard.  I just took Pixs with my Cellphone this Year as it was crowded and I wanted to not get Strangers in frame.  I was fortune to be between a group of Young Boys in front of me and a Couple with a Small Child behind me, who lingered enuf to give me ample time to snap my Pixs while between them in the Queue snaking thru the Tour.  This Year the Owner had one less Bedroom Decorated and was using it, so he'd reclaimed a little more of his Home for this Holiday Season.  It was the Bedroom he usually set up with an Extraterrestrial Theme and in Cooler Colors of White, Silver and Blue.

This Will Ferrell Elf Movie Figure was New and Lifesize in the Master Bedroom.  I noticed he'd Invested in some larger Decorations since last Year.  And switched up how he Decorated some Themed Trees too.  All his Trees usually have a Theme to them and he must have over 60 Christmas Trees.  I know how long it can take to Decorate even One, Two or Three in our Home, which is the most we've ever done.  So, I cannot even imagine how long it takes to Decorate 50-60 of them!?  And his are mostly full sized Trees and elaborately Decorated like you'd see in a High End Department Store, like a "Dillard's" or "Macy's" Tree Display.  I remember always looking forward to seeing the Christmas Trees at "Dillard's" and now they don't do nearly as many as they used to.  "Cracker Barrel" too had only done a couple of Christmas Trees this Year in their Country Store. 

This Bedroom's M&M and Rainbow Tree Room is always a big hit with the Kids, before they even get to it they're talking about the Rainbow Tree Room.  He has an actual Rainbow Tree and then Trees of every bold Color you can think of that they make a Christmas Tree in.   I didn't get a Panoramic of all the Color Trees in there since it's a smaller Bedroom at a Hallway's End and I try to get done and out of the way before the folks behind me start stacking up in the narrow Hallway.  *LOL*  In Vintage Homes those Hallways can only accommodate the width of One Person at a time in any direction.  *Smiles*  I won't go too heavy on Santa House Pixs for this Post and will sprinkle them among other Posts.  I have lotsa Visual Blog Fodder to Share 'til Christmas.  *Smiles*

I'm still processing the Closure that is imminent of another Favorite Store by the first of the Year.  I suspect many more will be folding since the Tariff Created Nightmare Economically won't really be felt until early 2026 and beyond.   The Feds lowering Interest Rates by a Quarter Point isn't gonna provide much relief to boost the Labor Market by bringing borrowing costs down.   Balancing Employment Goals with Inflation is tricky.   If supply or demand is even slightly out of balance it's not good.  And if you increase spending, you increase inflation.  Since increases in demand for services and goods often leads to higher prices and inflation rising, especially when supply can't keep up and keep pace with demand.   So many other factors created by this Administration are causing Inflation and the threat of Economic collapse right now, one more wouldn't be good.   And yet, he did more Politricks and now is collapsing the Hospitality/Tourism Industry with new Tourist Regulations that are insane.  It will end Foreign Tourism as we've known and profited from it.

I've cut way back in spending, even for Essentials and I'm sure you have too.  I won't contribute to what's going Sideways Economically.   And I realize that's why Sales are flat for Non-Essentials, a lot of folks are spending less and in financial crisis right now, so couldn't spend more even if they wanted to.   We will buy some Tamales today at the Tamale Festival, which we're attending when it opens at Noon.  The Son's Girlfriend is supposed to be bringing us some too from her Family who make them... and Mando from his Aunt, who makes them too.  We Freeze a lot of them and eat them well beyond the Holidays.  I am hoping to get some Yucatan Tamales at the Festival if anyone has made some from that Region?   I usually trawl the whole Festival doing Recon first, some Vendors give Samples of Tastings, which is Helpful to make your Choice of a Favorite you particularly like. 

It's supposed to be 81 Degrees out there Today, so perfect Weather for the Festival.   I got my Paycheck from the Antique Mall deposited, which gave me Money to buy the Tamales and all the Stocking Stuffers for the Family.  We're including Mando, he doesn't have Family he spends Holidays with and nobody should be alone at Christmas IMO.  He does so much for us here so he spends more time here than where he actually lives anymore.  He's not feeling Well Today so will be Opting Out of attending the Tamale Festival.  We were gonna take both Vehicles in case The Man also starts not feeling good, now we'll just have to wing it with him in my Truck only.  The Son and The Daughter are both coming along so can help me with him.  Princess T is spending time with Rusty, it's her usual Day Off and she comes Home on Monday Morning, he drops her off on his way in to his Work.

I think Mando overdid it with the Irrigation Yesterday and I told him he was and to take it easy, but you know how Prideful Men can be, so he didn't.  And Today of coarse it caught up with him, so he needs to just rest and recoup some.  I put some Santa Hats on the Ram/Goat Mounts and filled everyone's Stockings.  I bought some Festive Christmas Tins with Cute Graphics to put everyone Money in as a Cash Box.  I'll get it in smaller Bills than usual to fill up each Box and look like more than it is.  Optical Illusions help when it's a lean financial Christmas.  *Bwahahaha*  The Santa Hat fits better on the Goat than the Ram.  It meant going up Two Rungs of the Ladder of Death, which gives me Vertigo even tho' I'm probably only 6 inches off the Ground.  *LOL*

Anyway I just perched the Hat on one of the Ram's big Horns, it'll do.  *LOL*  I was gonna put a Wreath around his Neck but his Horns are too enormous to fit any Wreath over and I'd have to Custom Make him some kind of Necklace or even hang a Bauble off his Horns, so, I'm just not that Crafty feeling to bother.  *Smiles*   Nobody gets to Keep their Stockings, they're all my Vintage Kilim or Vintage European Grain Sack Materials, so, they'll get Bowls to dump their Stocking Contents in this Year.   I'd Sold Off a lot of our Vintage Stockings and sometimes I wish I hadn't, but I got a lot for them, most were Hand Cross-Stitched and I don't even recall which ones I kept, if any?  They're packed away in the Christmas Closet and I didn't have it in me this Year to drag all the Tubs out to look thru and find them.

We left for the Tamale Festival in time to get there just after Opening, it was so busy some Vendors had already Sold Out of some flavors of their Tamales less than an Hour after Opening!!!   We dropped The Man and The Daughter off near the Festival and The Son with me went to find Parking.  It's the one thing I HATE about the Inner City Downtown in Phoenix, no Parking and it's expensive if and when you CAN even find it.  They were wanting $20-$30 for Event Parking in the Parking Garages and Big Parking Lots, so we were looking for one of the 4 Hour Parking Meters instead, which would be $6.   We had to go 7 Blocks away to find one, so, it's good that it was a gorgeous Day and both The Son and I are avid Walkers and enjoy a brisk Walk.

We did the 7 Blocks in about 20 Minutes, mostly coz of waiting at Crosswalks to safely cross busy City Streets.  The Son probably could have walked 7 Blocks even faster but let me keep the pace coz I'm Old and slower now.  *LOL*   They didn't have the number of Tamale Vendors of the past Tamale Festivals so the lines were super long at the half Dozen or so they had Selling Tamales, plus, other Hispanic fare Food Trucks selling other Latino Cuisine.  And they had no Tamales from Yucatan, but, they did have some Plantain Wrapped Tamales from El Salvador that were similar and flavored with Loroco Flower and Chipilin Leaves.  {Chipilin tastes a bit like Spinach/Green Beans and is a South American Plant and Loroco Flower is Nutty & Earthy}.  I prefer Banana or Plantain wrapped Tamales coz they're moister and more custardy.

We also bought 3 types of their Pupusas and ate them there.  I bought some of the Plantain Wrapped Tamales to bring Home too.  We didn't stay long coz it was crowded and a lot of Sensory Overload for The Man, he did good tho' and relied on his Walker the VA had given him to use.  I also bought some Kettle Corn.  The costs were up on Tamales this Year, which, I fully expected, so, couldn't buy as many as I have in the past.  My Tamale Budget was limited this Year, but I found out the chosen Vendor, whose food we LOVED, is only a few Blocks down the Road from where we live!!!  They have a Food Truck and a Restaurant, so, I can always go to the Restaurant to buy more when I have the budget to.

What we decided to eat there were the Pupusa and Tamale Sampler Platters offered, Three of each and you chose the Six Flavors of your Two Platters.  We cut the Pupusas like a small Pizza so we could try the Asada Beef, Pork, and Loroco {Herb} with Cheese.   And our Trio of Tamales were the Mexican Red Beef {wrapped in Corn Husks}, the Salvadorean Chicken {wrapped in Plantain Leaves}, and Salvadorean Cheese with Chipilin {wrapped in Plantain Leaves}.   I got some of the Salvadorean Chicken to take Home since that was the popular Family Vote.  My personal Favs were the Chicken and the Chipilin Cheese, so I let the Family choose which of those Two I'd get some of to take Home.

This is one of the Chicken Salvadorean Tamales.  Mando had never had one, and he really liked them when I brought them Home and gave him one to try.   A lot of Mexican Americans have never tried most South American Country Cuisines, which are quite diverse and different than the various Regions of Cuisines in Mexico, and Mexican American Cuisines including Tex-Mex.   I like some Mexican American Cuisines, but I've traveled extensively and Globally so I've tried many Cuisines and am always Game to try a new one.  Also try it at several locations since all Cooks/Chefs are not created equal.   The Son had only ever tried Salvadorean Cuisine once and didn't like it at the Restaurant some of his Friends took him to.  But when he tried this Food Trucks Salvadorean Sampling of Six different things on their Menu, he Loved them all. 

The Older Lady on the Left hand makes all of the Pupusas and she's so fast at it that she literally makes Hundreds a Day!!!   The Daughter spoke to her in Spanish and that's how we found out about their Restaurant location near our Home, just a few City Blocks East of where we live, on the same Road actually!!!   We bought so much their Son brought it over to our Table when it was ready, so we didn't have to wait around in the Crowd waiting for theirs.  We felt a bit like VIP's.  *winks*  And a Vendor beside them gave us a free Canvas Tote Bag to carry it all in.   There were a lot of Vendor Booths Selling all kinds of Products too, Live Entertainment, and Radio Campesina was there broadcasting from the Festival.  It was very well attended and well Policed by Phoenix PD and Phoenix Fire Dept..  Luckily fucking ICE stayed away and I do wonder if that's why less Hispanic Vendors participated, for Fear of a Raid?  They're just rounding up and abducting/kidnapping anyone Brown or speaking Spanish, even American Citizens, and we have Hispanic Family and Bilingual Family Members, so Princess T and her Boyfriend didn't wanna come or risk it. 

The Son is relying on looking more Indigenous than Latino, tho' he's both.  But, most ICE can't tell the difference and make broad assumptions of what Ethnicity you are based on their naivete and ignorance.  The Daughter looks around now before speaking Spanish, to make sure no Goons are present.  She wouldn't mind being deported back to Mexico, even tho' she's not Hispanic and is an American.  But, she wouldn't wanna end up in Africa or Valenzuela's Death Camps. *Eye Roll*  In both of my Corporate Lives and Career Fields I worked in the Heart of Downtown Phoenix near where the Festival was held for almost 30 Years, so it's very familiar to me and Nostalgic to be down there.  It's Gentrified and changed since the early 1970's and the Old Valley National Bank Skyscraper Building I began my Banking Career in is now Vacant and has been for Years.  I don't know what they're gonna do with it, it's an Older Building from the 1970's, but surrounded by Historic Skyscrapers from the 1920-1930's Era.  So, perhaps they will Preserve it, they have with the really Old ones around it, which are Architecturally and Historically significant.  The gorgeous Orpheum Theater {Circa 1920's} is nearby and the Historic St. Mary's Basilica {Circa 1881} we were on the Grounds of for the Festival.

I'm so Happy that some Historic Phoenix has been Preserved and not razed.  Gentrification is something I have a Love-Hate Relationship with becoz often greedy Developers and Investors don't Care about the Community or the History of where they can just make Money and then leave and move on to molest more of the landscape and exploit it, like Locusts across the Lands they alter and hungrily feed off of.  It's up to Communities and their Elected Officials of their Cities to protect and responsibly develop what they most Care about around them.  I don't mind Progress if it's done well and Honors the Community, Serving them appropriately and Mindfully.   Downtown feels Safer than it did back in the day and most of the Development I am pleased with.  There's more Professionals now Living Downtown in the new Residential High Rises, which are both Apartments and Real Estate you can Buy.  

The Man really hasn't felt Well lately, so it was a Big Deal for him to be able to manage a Big Day Out, but he did really Well with it and seemed to enjoy it.   But, he is deteriorating before our Eyes and I do feel quite Helpless to mitigate any of it.  You never know now how he's actually feeling or receiving anything, or what he's cognizant of and to what degree now?  Having dealt with my Mom succumbing to Dementia I know what to expect as it progresses, since, both my Brother and I provided a lot of her Care until we couldn't.   And, The Man has a myriad of very serious Physical Medical complexities as well as the TBI and onset of Dementia.  Managing all of that is complicated and sometimes quite overwhelming and Emotional.   I find myself slipping sometimes too, Aging happens, nothing you can do about it and cognitive declines associated with it are a Given as you progress in the Aging Process.

The Kiddos do sometimes get a bit worried about my Driving in the City, you have to be On Point in a Metropolis and Downtown they've made a lot of confusing changes in the way of One Way Streets, Wide Bike Lanes, and Construction Site Detours that aren't always well marked or easy to figure out on The Fly.  I ended up in a Bike Lane coz it was as wide as my Truck on a One Way Street that now only had One Lane and they'd made the other Lane a Bike Lane.  I hadn't been down there since they'd done that and it used to be Two Lanes going One Direction.  We Laughed about it, but, that's the kind of thing I have to be more On Point about with many changes being made during Gentrification.  They have Light Rail now too and they've put that down some Traffic Lanes still used for Traffic, I think that's scary as fuck!!!  The Light Rail and Traffic shouldn't be 'Sharing' a Lane IMO! 

 

Now, the next Event will be "Sweet Salvage" on the 18th-21st with the Theme called "The Giving Season".   I think that will be the last one before Christmas.   I don't know if they will be having markdowns or not, there's nothing I need and very few things I want anymore, but I do enjoy going to these Events and being Inspired, if nothing else.  Since I'm also in the Industry I pay attention to what seems to be working and being well received by the Public and those actively Shopping and spending their hard earned Money.  Nobody needs to spend Money with you, so, you have to give them a reason to.  And, there is competition, so you've got to stand out.

This lighter color Salvadorean Tamale is the Chipilin and Cheese, my favorite.  But, we only got the One since everyone isn't a Chipilin Fan coz it's a newer Flavor Profile to them, along with the Loroco Flower.  They know Mom will gravitate to the more Exotic Flavors.  *Winks*  I just don't tell The Man what he's eating, that Works for him coz if he doesn't know what it is, he's hesitant to even put it into his Mouth.  Aren't some of those things Poisonous he asked?  Well, they could be if not cooked right... but... don't worry about it.  *Bwahahahahahaha*

Along with me taking Pixs Today, The Daughter did too with her new Phone that Mando qualified for.  He doesn't use a Phone very much but she does and so she uses it most, it has a very good Camera.  I Loved the Pixs she took of herself and her Dad while they waited for The Son and I to park the Truck and walk back to the Festival Location.  The Young Prince made me those Earrings she's wearing and borrowed from me, they're made from Vintage Liquor Silver Labels you hang around Decanters that I had and he thought would make splendid Drop Earrings.  I have so many Jewelry Making Supplies and Ideas, but haven't taken the Time to get back to Artistic Pursuits.  But, The Young Prince lives and breathes Art.  So, I've given him access to the Tools and Supplies to Create with and see what he comes up with coz he's Madly Creative.

It was nice to have a good Family Day Out Together and have everything go so Well.   We don't take this whole Show on the Road very often coz, well, it's a risk.  *LMAO*  That's quite an understatement when you consider the dynamics of what it entails and who it entails combined on an Outing.  *Winks*  It almost Reads like a corny Joke, what happens when a Schizophrenic, a Disabled Geriatric Veteran, and a Bipolar Autistic are taken to a Festival for a Fun Family Day Out by the Guardedly Optimistic Crazy Matriarch of their Family...  there can be so many variables to the Punch Line of that Joke, can't there?   So much can go Wrong or Sideways.  Thankfully, it didn't.  *Bwahaha*

Above is the Mexican Red Beef Tamale, it was good, but I had gone specifically to get Exotic kinds of Tamales not easily Sourced just anywhere, and wrapped in Plantain/Banana Leaves.  But the Salvadorean Vendor talked me into trying one of her Non-Salvadorean Tamales when I got the Sampler Trio and I did, coz the Kids knew they'd like that one, being it was more familiar to them.  Red Beef wrapped in Corn Husks, got it, we KNOW what the Hell that is and what it will taste like Mom. *Winks and LOL*

I had dropped by the Antique Mall in the Morning to pick up my Check and tidy our Showroom.  I'd Sold a lot of those Small Bagged Toys I'd marked down, so that had been a good strategy that Princess T and I decided to do for inexpensive Stocking Stuffers for Parents.  One Customer had bought 18 Bags of them!!!   That encourages us when that happens, I know that can 'make' Christmas for a Family on a Budget this Holiday Season, so they can make the Magic for their Children.  The little Collectible Toys might not seem much, but to a Child they can be everything and something really Special.  Making it affordable is important becoz when I check out Toy Aisles at Big Box Stores, most of those Toys are no longer affordable.  For Families struggling to provide even the essentials, it can be difficult to provide non-essentials at all.

The Politricks of America are destroying it, and so I Pray for America.  Donnie Two Dolls and his Cabal of Vulgarians are naive in assuming they can Grift all they want coz there will always be an America and enuf contributing Americans to sustain it to Grift off of, but they are Wrong.  It's all very Fragile, this Democracy and function of our Nation, and to wreck it too much can mean the end of America.  If they destroy, dismantle and wreck things enuf of our Government, to where it is rendered no longer functional or freedom loving, civil or humane... we're in Trouble, ALL of us.

*******

Merry Christmas from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian