Hollywood Adjacent
A Kickstarter anthology, update, and a new recipe.
Made in L.A.: Hollywood Adjacent
Cody Sisco, a longtime friend and colleague, spearheads the Made in L.A. anthology series with the help of others like Allison Rose, Sara Chisolm, Gabi Lorino, Christina Hoag, and Jovon C. Johnson.
This anthology series explores stories that capture the multi-faceted landscape of my favorite city in the United States, Los Angeles.
This Friday, they are launching a Kickstarter campaign for volume six, titled Hollywood Adjacent.
Made in L.A.’s latest Instagram post delves into the inspiration behind this volume’s theme.
Geographically, Hollywood is not a city but a neighborhood. Conceptually, it is not a place but a mindset, a process, a capitalist logic, and a siren song. Ambitious creatives flock from far and wide to this urban basin, eager to one day see their name in the credits. Many are unprepared for the vastness of a city with the population of a small country.
In a place of cultural juxtaposition, Hollywood’s on-screen homogenization often fails to do justice to those who live here. But we are dazzled by the spectacle, too.
As adversity rattles the entertainment industry and challenges its hard-working community, Hollywood feels as though it’s undergoing seismic shifts. Broken business models, accelerating climate change, and a nation falling into chaos shape our transformation. Importantly, though, people here resemble the terrain: beautiful, unique, and resilient.
For every person who works in the movies, there are thousands who carve a different path. Together we complain about the traffic, the lack of rain, and the drive-thru line at In-N-Out—united as proud Angelenos. Should our city be threatened or harmed, we feel collective grief, for it is not “they” who are lost, but “we.”
This time around, the Made in L.A. team is paying honorariums to contributors, editors, and cover designers, too, something so important not only because I believe creatives should be paid, but because it’s a testament to Made in L.A.’s lasting legacy. They’ve built this anthology series through blood, sweat, and tears, and I am excited to see them continue to grow.
I want to invite you all to check out their Kickstarter campaign. You can find more information here.
The Easiest Burritos of Your Life
I’m currently taking an intermediate creative non-fiction workshop on my road to finishing a B.A. in English. The piece I’m working on has to do with authenticity when it comes to Mexican cuisine, specifically in Los Angeles, and how my own response to gastronomical innovation has changed over the years.
With that in mind, I want to share what I think qualifies as a good intersection between authenticity and innovation.
First, the beans…
If you’ve been around long enough, you may remember my refried black bean recipe (back when my newsletter was on Mailchimp).
These beans are even easier.
Soyrizo Frijoles Puercos
Start by frying a 9-oz tube of Soyrizo (Cacique is my favorite #notAnAd) in a saucepan.
Add approximately two cups of cooked beans (I used mayocoba beans cooked with a quarter white onion, three heads of garlic, and a split serrano pepper) and two tablespoons of pickled jalapeño juice.
Once heated through and mashed up to the consistency you like, add a half cup of shredded Oaxacan cheese. Chihuahua or queso quesadilla also work great. If you’re in a pinch, jack cheese has the same melty qualities we’re looking for.
Boom. Your ‘frijoles puercos’ are done.
Juárez-style Burritos
This is the easy part.
Heat a flour tortilla (Sonoran style if you can find them) on a comal or in a pan.
When it’s soft, but not cooked (won’t take very long).
Lay the tortilla on a plate and spoon in the aforementioned beans, and lay a generous line of sliced avocado on top (please salt your avocados after slicing).
Roll the tortilla over into a long, thin tube with both ends open, and place the burrito seam side down onto the comal.
Finish it over medium heat, pressing down to flatten the burrito some, to seal the fold, and to give the exterior a visually appealing toasting.
Serve with salsa, like so:
Updates
Speaking of ‘adjacent,’ that’s how my life feels right now.
I’m not a full-time author, but I’ve been lucky enough to experience glimpses of that life over the last several months. I am thankful to be in this position, and being adjacent to the life I’ve been working towards for years has been magical.
Everything is temporary, though—the good and the bad. The best thing I can do is enjoy these brief moments and look forward to a time when they aren’t the exception but the norm.
I have been keeping my head down, typing away, and I can’t wait to share everything I’ve been through lately.
But for now…
Be well, stay safe, love each other.
The burrito looks delicious! I'll have to try it out sometime.