Documenting my pocket of Los Angeles
For my birthday, I asked my dad’s sisters for a “Bernal Tour of Los Angeles” so that we could visit their old neighborhoods where they lived with my grandparents & great-grandparents (and, of course, my dad). Considering how much I run around Los Angeles, I like knowing when I'm crossing the well-worn paths of previous... Continue Reading →
For the last month or so, I’ve been knee deep in Red Car history. For those unfamiliar, Red Cars were the trolleys that clicked-and-clacked along Southern California's Pacific Electric system, once the largest public transit system in the country. Last fall, host of KCET’s Lost LA Nathan Masters invited me and a few of our... Continue Reading →
In mid-July, I was visiting my aunt and uncle in Minnesota when my uncle passed away unexpectedly. A trip that should have been a joyous post-vaccine reunion turned tragic the day after I arrived. He was 90 and lived a long full life but his passing was still a heartbreaking moment for our family. My... Continue Reading →
My parents were married a few years after the Supreme Court legalized interracial marriages (Loving v. Virginia)…though fortunately it was made legal in California in 1948 (Perez v. Sharp). Mom was always open with me about the racism she encountered for marrying my Mexican American dad. I only wish my dad could’ve shared his experience... Continue Reading →
Over Thanksgiving, I started the lengthy process of extracting all the food stories documented in letters between my grandmother (Margaret) and her sister (Jan) in order to explore how their work in the kitchen related to food history of the time. I still can’t believe that, 20 years ago, I transcribed 83 of their letters... Continue Reading →
A #FBF in honor of today’s National Take a Hike Day. As mom was downsizing, she would photograph and write an essay about items that were hard (usually for me) to let go. So, mom photographed her now-vintage boots along with her Sunset Magazine articles and photos about hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains. Mom’s... Continue Reading →
Spent Father's Day weekend cleaning clutter stacked in the library. This may not seem a monumental task worth mentioning but I've been struggling to find a place to write in the house (away from distractions). After a year in mom's house, I can now research, write and produce in the space that gives me the most inspiration (and... Continue Reading →
Victoria Bernal 