When Bert, TC and I visited a few weeks ago, we paid Maxwell's House of Books a short visit...
It was just a quick peek and also a short chat with the proprietor whom I was pleased to know is the grandson of Mr. Wahrenbrock, the namesake of the venerable but now defunct Wahrenbrock's Book House in downtown San Diego.
As soon as I walked in and saw this sign at the end of the aisle, I felt a wave of nostalgia come over me. In college, I used to wander the aisles of Wahrenbrock's downtown back when it was still sketchy going downtown. The area wasn't yet gentrified and there were several other old time bookstores in the general vicinity, none of which are in existence now. I asked the gentleman at the counter about the sign and that is when he introduced himself as the grandson. He bought the sign from the late Chuck Valverde, former owner of Wahrenbrock's before the store closed up shop in 2010.
It was really cool for me to see the sign in this bookstore. It's a piece of San Diego history and fittingly, located in a bookstore. One of the clerks in Wahrenbrocks (who probably liked me), gave me a tour of the third floor's normally closed off antiquarian section. It was amazing seeing all of the rare hand bound and hand illustrated volumes. This was in the early 90's and at the time, I was really obsessed with Clive Barker. I was able to find my prized hardcover first editions of Barker's earlier novels from Wahrenbrocks as well as the now defunct William Burgetts Bookseller bookstore.
While Bert, TC and I didn't spend too much time that first visit, this time, the Educator GF's and I enjoyed persuing the various sections. A woman overhead TORC's conversation with me about having the chance to go o a history conference in Tennessee; she stepped in and even gave TORC some recommendations on where to visit and what to see and do while in Tennessee as she had lived there for a few years.
I love bookstores like this. There is so much personality all over the shelves. It is not your typical soul-less Barnes and Noble or Crown Books, I tell you.
We liked this t-shirt that was for sale...
And lastly, some presidential candidate humor. I'm sure this has sparked some lively conversations while at the counter.
We were all able to find something for ourselves as well as for others. KD bought a few board books to give as Christmas gifts while both TORC and D were able to find some new reading material as well.
The two books that I bought were about black musicians in rock plus a seminal book about the Filipino American experience by Carlos Bulosan. I already have multiple copies of this book but bought a used but pretty much brand new copy "just in case". Bulosan's post WWII book, a semi autobiographical novel, along with Fred Cordova's, "Filipinos - Forgotten Americans: A Pictorial Essay 1763 to the present" was one of the two books that changed my life and shaped my ethnic identity in the late 80's when I was in college. The novel "America is in the Heart", is also required reading for students taking Asian American studies and/or Filipino American studies at select universities (UCLA, UCB to name a few).
I gave the book to KD who had never read it before nor had heard of him. I guess I cannot assume that all Filipino Americans are aware of Carlos Bulosan and his contributions not only to American literature but also through his social activism in labor movement on the west coast and trade unions in Seattle. I promptly gave it to her right then and there because I felt so strongly that she should have it, and read it and learn from it as I had done two decades prior.
To give you an idea of how prevalent Carlos Bulosan is in Filipino American history and literature, here are some artistic depictions from snapshots taken during our travels.
Carlos Bulosan is featured in the mural, "Ang Lipi ni Lapu Lapu" located in San Francico's SoMa District (man in brown suit in lower left portion). Click my link below the photo to learn more.
(photo from my post, "Ang Lipi ni Lapu Lapu mural", February 2011)
I've featured this mural before in previous posts. We even had our Christmas photo shoot taken here last year. Below, Eliseo Art Silva's mural, "Gintong Kasaysayan Gintong Pamana" (A Glorious History, a Golden Legacy" in Los Angeles' Historic Filipinotown district. Bert, Superman and I had the pleasure of meeting Eliseo in 1996 back when the mural was located in a community garden; it is now Unidad Park and open to the public.
(photo from my post, "Hi-Fi mural, Gintong Kasaysayan Gintong Pamana" April 2010)
Here is a video from five years ago featuring Eliseo explaining the significance of his mural (Carlos Bulosan and his book is featured at the :41 mark):
Hidden Hi Fi: Gintong Kasaysayan, Gintong Pamana Mural ("Filipino Americans: A Glorious History, A Golden Legacy" Mural) from Freewaves on Vimeo.
The video was made before the mural was "restored" and prior to the newer additions to the mural covering the last half with more recent figures) and also when the park was named Beverly Union (it is now Unidad Park). A more recent post of mine details the changes, "Unidad Park - Return to the Filipino American history mural", Nov. 2015
Carlos Bulosan, depicted in this painting, "Secrets of History" (1999), also by Eliseo Art Silva, in the lobby of the Eastern Hotel in Seattle's International District. The hotel has the permanent Carlos Bulosan Memorial Exhibit (my post detailing the exhibit linked at the bottom of this photo). Can you see how Eliseo embedded other images within Carlos Bulosan's face?
(photo from my "Old pix" post, Sept. 2008, but the photos were from our Summer 2005 trip to Seattle, WA)
During our Seattle/Vancouver trip in 2005, when we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary, and when TC was but a wee four year old about to turn five, we saw Bruce Lee's grave (post is linked above); we didn't have the opportunity to visit Carlos Bulosan's grave in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Queen Anne Hill but you can bet that we will for a future visit to Seattle.
So that's my story about Carlos Bulosan and the book, "America is in the Heart". It should be required reading for all Americans not just Filipinos.
Anyhow, while on our way back to the car, my GF's and I stopped by the La Mesa Antique Mall on Palm Ave. TC and I were here last month as well and had an interesting time looking at all of the different collections. If you've never been in here before, it's total sensory overload. If you like antiques or collectables, this place is bound to have something you would like or at least find noteworthy.
I love the ice font!
Here are just a few snapshots of the many items during my previous two visits:
Christmas figurines:
Hmmm, un-PC figures anyone?
Star Wars!!!
The Pez that I bought - Charlie Brown, the smaller Pumpkin head, the PEZ pineapple Sourz dispenser (2003) and the larger pumpkin head Pez.
2nd visit photos (groovy dress on Dionne Warwick there!):
Creepy doll...
Teacups/tea sets:
The purple crystal ring holder was $15!
Fall/Halloween decor:
OMG, my mom still has these at home!
Nice coffee table book there...
Various Kewpie dolls...
Pez!
Thanksgiving decor table. I liked that amber crystal butter dish. Fancy.
What I bought this time...another pumpkin head Pez and Happy Henry, only $1 each. These will go in my office along with the vampire bat Pez (a double). The Berenstain Bears book is one that we used to have for TC but we gave them away. I bought it just for old time's sake. Each of their books has a moral to the story; we used to love reading books to TC when she was a child.
Articles about Wahrenbrock's:
"Pop King visited local store" NBCSanDiego, July 17, 2009 (when Michael Jackson visited the store!)
"Next weekend is last word for Wahrenrock's" SD Union Tribune, Feb 7, 2010
More info about Carlos Bulosan and his works:
bulosan.org
Amazon
More info about artist Eliseo Art Silva:
eliseoar5.wixsite.com
Maxwell's House of Books
8285 La Mesa Blvd.
La Mesa, CA 91941
(619) 462-3387
www.maxwellshouseofbooks.com + reviews from that four lettered site
La Mesa Antique Mall
4710 Palm Ave
La Mesa, CA 91941
(619) 462-2211
fb page + reviews from foursquare and yelp
It was time to head out for dessert over in the Convoy area...
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