Aaron's Tacos-The Blue Light Diner

Aaron's Tacos-The Blue Light Diner

Chestnut and Thompson

I noticed this taco truck a few months back, and thought I'd give it a try. Though this is closer than the places on the Avenues, I'm not usually going down Thompson in the evening. It's actually in walking distance-a good quality for a place that really adds to my calorie count. I'm not sure what this food trailer calls itself. It says "Blue Light Diner" on the the baby blue menus and has blue lights all around, but the side of the truck reads "Aaron's Tacos." Since I do plan to go back, I'll ask the next time I'm there.

Driving up, there was a few ethnically, and socio economically (I've been taking a college extension class), diverse people eating. I found parking in the Tire Man parking lot where the trailer is located, and the smell emanating from the truck was enough to start my mouth watering. The trailer itself was a bit smaller than most, though it did seem exceptionally clean. Three guys were working inside, and all looked up and acknowledged me as I walked up to peak inside. Another was sweeping the lot and wiping down the outside counter.

At night, quesadillas always seem to be a good choice. Something about the hot cheese, I think. It's warming on a cool evening, and if there's some meat, all the better. Contrasted by a cool soda, it's comfort food, Mexican style.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Usually, I'd order a quesadilla with asada, but I wanted to mix it up a bit, and had saudero, which according to Wikipedia is brisket and the guys on the truck is meat from the ribs. It tasted like a better version of my wife's roast, and on the whole was pretty good-though I didn't notice on the menu that jalapeno's would be in the quesadilla, too. Between that and the green salsa, it was just a touch spicier than what I wanted. Good, though. My other knock is that for $6, it seemed smaller than other food truck quesadillas.

While I was standing at the counter outside, a young guy walked up and ordered a chicken taco and a bacon wrapped hot dog. I watched him eat the taco, which he seemed to like, and then his hot dog came up. It was $6 also, and was huge, a Nathan's sausage wrapped in a thick slice of bacon, bell peppers, grilled onions and jalapeno, and a full box of fries. The menu didn't give me any indication of the size, and I asked him to make sure it was just their menu bacon wrapped dog.

We then struck up a conversation, which the counter guy chimed in on when he wasn't working a customer. I asked how his hot dog was, and he said that it was good. He finished, and offered me his fries. 

Ordinarily, I wouldn't take food off a stranger's plate, but in the interest of this blog post, I went ahead and tried one. Then I had several more. Good fries, crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, lightly salted in what tasted like fresh oil.

And while I was watching, I saw what I wanted to order next time being prepared on the grill-Asada Fries. Asada Fries are french fries, cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream, jalapeno, salsa, and of course, asada. $6 as well, and a reason to go back.

They're open from 6 to Midnight, Tue-Thurs, and until 3 on Friday and Saturdays.


Sept. 28, 2013 Update

Stopped by again last night and this time just had a couple of tacos. I had lengua and asada-both were loaded with meat, grilled onions and cilantra, and both were very good.

And another thing-there's no tip jar.

October 5, 2013 Update

My son and I were hungry and tried the bacon wrapped hot dog. I watched as it was prepared, and my arteries immediately started to harden. They wrap bacon around the Nathan's hot dog, then deep fry it with the french fries for a short time. After the hot dogs are pulled out, they are split in half and grilled next to where the buns are being toasted in mayo. When the buns and dogs are pulled off the grill, the pico de gallo is also placed on the grill for a quick zap of heat, and then on to the dog it goes.

With the full tray of fries, it was a great deal for $6.

Ukulele Repair-the Kay

Great Logo!

I really do need to stop buying things. I'm not a particularly good luthier, but it is becoming an interesting hobby for me.

This Kay was purchased off the Goodwill website in the beginning of August, and arrived at my door for $41.50, including shipping. I wanted it for the off white plastic fretboard, and the "Kay" headstock design. I have Regals and Harmonys, so a Kay works for the completist in me.

There are no dates or distinguishing markings on the Kay. It may be from the 50's or 60's, it may be made in either Chicago or Japan. I think it appears to at least have a solid top, but I can't say for sure. Perhaps someone out there can tell from the pictures.

Old and New Tuning Machines

When it arrived, the Kay had no strings, and was missing a tuning peg. I ordered some colored pegs from China on eBay for $6, and got some red Aquila strings (also on eBay) because I thought they'd look sharp against the plastic fretboard.

There also appears to be some water damage between the soundhole and the end of the fretboard, as well as where the neck joint attaches to the body. 

Counter-Sink

The first thing that I needed to do was drill out the holes for the replacement tuning pegs. They were just a bit larger than the holes in the head of the uke, so using the largest bit that I had handy and my counter-sink, I slowly and carefully used my hand held Craftsman drill to make the holes. The new tuning pegs just barely fit.

Next, I noticed that the top was starting to separate. I broke out the Titebond and my clamps, and did my best to glue the top back on. It's not the greatest seal, but I think it's okay.

I cleaned the uke with Dunlop Guitar Polish, and strung up the red Aquila's, and took it out for a test strum. It seems to be one of my louder ukes, on par with even my Fluke, which is very cool. No one is going to mistake it for my dream ukelele, the $900 Koaloha Pineapple, but on the whole it isn't bad. Certainly worthy of the Sunday Ukelele jams. 

Final Product

With my broken Richter

I'm beginning to enjoy these old ukuleles. There's something satisfying about fixing them up and playing them again.

Please enjoy my soundbite, and make a comment!

Oct. 14, 2013 Update

I've been meaning to rerecord the video, and finally got around to it today. I have to remember to have a livelier expression when I'm recording myself playing an instrument. The things you have to think about when you make a video.

                                                                                                                                 
And now to mangle White Stripes. My apologies to Jack White.

I'm not sure why I'm sideways. Just go with it....

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Boys and Girls Club Thrift Store

In my punk rock days, I had several friends who would rummage through thrift stores to find old clothes. I never had the patience for that sort of thing, though I did have a girlfriend who would take me along to the "Vintage Clothiers" (Think Aardvark's Odd Ark) and I'd find stuff at those places.

The shirt that started it all

But when I moved to Ventura a few years back, I discovered a few thrift stores by the Mission that I would find used paperbacks and DVD's in, and got in the habit of checking them out. Then, in my search for good tacos, I had discovered the Gallery Car Wash, sadly now closed, which I'd go to when I needed to wash my car and didn't feel like doing it on the front lawn. It was while washing my car that I found the Boys and Girls Club Thrift Store. Going in after my car was clean,  noticed several Aloha shirts on the rack, and bought one that still had dry cleaning tags on it. Since then, I find I go into this particular thrift store on a somewhat regular basis.

I now WON the Rincon Classic!

A few weeks back I bought a drum for $40 after noticing that it was first prize for the pro division of the Quicksilver Rincon Classic, which from this point forward was won by me. But in the Rincon website, Ventura resident and Pro Surfer Dane Reynolds won, and there's a picture of him with the drum. I've actually always wanted a doumbek, and this medium size ceramic one, made by Full Circle Drums in Santa Barbara, is really nice. It even still has the tag on it, and on the inside is the inscription "Surf Happens, Professional Division, Full Circle Drums." I could never quite justify the price of one new, with all the other instruments I have laying around the house that I don't play well. $40 with a story, though,  that worked for me. I started banging on it as soon as I saw it on a shelf, and I got compliments on the drum (or maybe my playing) before I even got out of the door.

Aloha from Hawaii

Unfortunately the guitar was gone.

Other things I've picked up here include a sweet Roadshow Revival Bandana that they had a box full of (see my July 31, 2013 post), a Fender guitar case (but not the Fender guitar), some great sea shells, a cool crossword puzzle clock and other random odds and ends. 

They have lots of furniture in their parking lot and seem to turn over inventory pretty quickly. The employees are a quirky bunch that always seem to be in a good mood, and I've had some interesting, friendly chats when I'm checking out. For whatever it's worth, it doesn't smell the way some thrift store do, either.  

Actually, maybe I shouldn't post this-you might go in and pick up something that I want!