Good morning from Chinatown NYC, where there are no avocados in my 42-square foot (including counters and all appliances, listen, it’s like walking a gang plank) kitchen, just a COVID test in-progress and some excellent coffee from Panther Coffee, based out of Miami. The owners, Joel and Leticia Pollock, are friends from the iteration of my life after Los Angeles, we met them in Portland, from whence they decamped for Miami, to open a coffee roasting business.
“Nency, Nency, can you write something for us?” This is Leticia - and here I am badly botching her Brazilian accent - asking back in 2009 that I write to the local licensing bureau explaining what coffee roasting was, the idea being totally foreign and apparently causing officials to think someone was trying to burn down the city. I did; Panther opened in 2010 and now has something like four million locations in Miami (okay, six). You should go.
We are going back further today! To 1990, when my daughter was less than a year old and I saw two young women my age pushing baby strollers past my house on the street that led up to the Hollywood Reservoir. Stay to the end for a sweet addendum.
Two corrections: Charlie’s first band was the Plugz. (The Cruzados were second.) And toward the end I accidentally say “mash the garlic” when of course I mean, mash the avocado. Also: COVID, negative.
Episode notes:
Charlie Quintana, whose first and only job besides as a drummer was delivering flowers for one day in his native El Paso. He was sixteen when the band he formed and The Plugz (video) became successful. Charlie went on to become part of the Cruzados, The Havalinas and other bands, and toured and/or recorded with Bon Dylan, Social Distortion, John Doe, Cracker, Joan Osborne and, if I am not mistaken, the Gin Blossoms. I remember (though I am finding no confirmation of) this because sometimes when Charlie played in Los Angeles he would nab me some tickets, and when the Wallflowers played at the Greek Theater, lead singer Jakob Dylan announced (I am not kidding here), “This goes out to Nancy,” before launching into, “One Headlight.” (I had told Charlie I loved the song.) Maybe I’m wrong! But that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Well lookie here, I found some audio of “Meet the Neighbors.” (Or you can read it.)
“Charlie Quintana, drummer for the Plugz and Social Distortion, dies at 56,” by Randy Lewis (Los Angeles Times)
“Taking My Ex Back In (for His Own Good),” by Nancy Rommelmann (New York Times Modern Love)
Guacamole, adapted from Charlie Quintana
5 ripe avocados
Salt
One-half yellow onion, chopped small
2 - 3 jalapenos, chopped small, leave some seeds
Handful of cilantro, chopped
Juice of 2 - 3 limes
Mash the avocado and salt. Add onion, jalapeno, cilantro and stir. Squeeze on lime juice. Adjust to taste.
Charlie playing with Bob Dylan on David Letterman 1984
Pie Talk #5: Guacamole