this cafe

I keep coming to this cafe, at the corner of Beauregard and South Alamo. It's a little bit precious, but there is the one seat by the front window and under the ceiling fan -- that's my seat. Except she -- the sweet young thing -- is occupying it, so tonight I have the second best seat. Speaking of sweet young things, Holly left the newspaper today, going someplace else -- pretty darn near the most beautiful woman in Texas, nice too, fun. I'm glad she left -- she was frustrated and bored.

Last night I talked with Joe Lopez, the artist who operates La Gallista gallery. Joe calls himself "el puro gallo" -- number one rooster, cock of the walk. Maybe he was a tough guy long back. not now. I took his photo for the newspaper, and photos of his paintings -- and photos of a painting by Celestine Hinojosa, who I spoke to on the phone. I loved talking to her -- she is very beautiful. Her painting was called "nicho de la cruz azul." This is an Hispanic gallery. Maybe I can meet Celestina, such a nice name. Joe is my friend now. He has told me a lot of things about his life, his family, and where he grew up. His gallery is ten blocks from here, on South Flores Street -- in a different neighborbood.

This neighborhood -- a little too precious, fey, yuppie, hip -- but not expensive, nothing in San Antonio is expensive, and it was easy to park, and the soft evening breeze and light music, sweet gardens, slow walkers, fragrance.

Joe's neighborhood is five block past the edge of gentrification, in the vast all- Mexican south side of San Antonio. Vato Loco!