El Jalapeño Rojo Taqueria – #Tacos

El Jalapeño Rojo

El Jalapeño Rojo taqueria at 400 W San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95110

You know when a taco just hits the spot? Yeah, that’s what these tacos do. This place has a small outdoor seating area and a drive through that never stops as cars seems to always be here. And the tacos are delicious.

Earlier on in the making of this blog, my oldest child and I were out on scooters looking at murals when we stopped here. The oldest said this was their new favorite taqueria. We’ve gone back a few times and I have always enjoyed my food.

El Jalapeño Rojo

The flavor is excellent. The juiciness of the ingredients and toastiness of the tortilla are perfect so that the tacos are not falling apart or doughy. The salsa on the tacos is full of flavor. There was nothing not to love about these.

El Jalapeño Rojo
Carnitas tacos

On this day, four of us including two children and two adults sampled veggie tacos, asada and cheese tacos, and carnitas tacos. The comments recorded included:

– Loaded, lots of lettuce, big chunks of tomato, rice beans & cheese. Good salsa.
– Pretty good
– These tacos hit the spot! So good and exactly what I wanted right now. The tacos were well seasoned, perfectly balanced in meat and toppings, just so good. The green and the red salsa sauce are both delicious. Good flavor. Outdoor seating is nicely shaded with flowers around. A constant stream of cars come by through the drive through. I look forward to coming back. Yum!
-I liked my horchata

El Jalapeño Rojo
Veggie tacos
El Jalapeño Rojo
These asada and cheese only tacos are “off menu” as the children find these two ingredients to make their favorite tacos.

Net result? A delicious set of tacos, again!

Combined taco score for El Jalapeño Rojo = 🌮🌮🌮🌮
(Taco scale info link)

Leyendas de San José Mural

Leyendas de San José Mural

Leyendas de San José is a mural by the Timeless Art Collective formed by artists Steven Martinez, Eduardo Herrera, and Ariana Hansen. You will find it at Santa Cara and 19th Street in San Jose.

At first, my favorite part about this mural was the color and the artistry of it. Now however, after hours of internet searches, I am enjoying most the new things I am learning as I try to learn who these seven people are. Who are these people of San Jose, Leyendas – Legends, who made a difference by contributing to the culture of our society?

Leyendas de San José Mural

Below are a few words to give context to each individual chosen for this mural. These are oversimplifications and do not do the lives of these individuals justice. It is easier to find info online for some of these San Jose contributors than others. What I did find was fascinating and inspiring and I have enjoyed the trails and research and thoughts inspired that have resulted for me because of these searches. This art appreciation has turned into a history lesson and cultural appreciation experience for me.

Jesus Valenzuela – San Jose radio voice of KSJO
Ricardo Santa Fe – Singer, musician, composer
Daniel Valdez – Actor, musician, composer, activist
Art Rodriguez – Author
Jose Martinez – Lowrider culture legend
Luis Valdez – Writer, actor, director, teacher, activist – this guy’s life should be a book and movie for sure
Sonny Madrid – One of the founders of Lowrider Magazine, started by San Jose State University students

Leyendas de San José Mural

As a child seeing Lowrider Magazine for sale in stores I never knew that it was started here in San Jose. I had no idea that I was living in a Lowrider culture-generator that was represented in a national magazine, rather than the other way around.

Leyendas de San José Mural

I’m still learning more about these Leyendas de San José, enjoying the web searches. I look forward to seeing a mural for women Leyendas of San José and learning about their lives.

Leyendas de San José Mural
Leyendas de San José Mural
Leyendas de San José Mural
Leyendas de San José Mural

Coastal Baths Mural

Coastal Baths Mural

This mural is by Jacquelin de Leon (https://www.jacquelindeleon.com/). It is under Park Ave. on the Guadalupe River Trail and is really comforting to me.

Coastal Baths Mural
Coastal Baths Mural
Coastal Baths Mural
Coastal Baths Mural
Coastal Baths Mural

Maybe this is why I am including so many photos and can not settle on fewer; I appreciate this comfort right now.

Coastal Baths Mural

The artist said that this is inspired from being a kid in the bath with all of her sea animal toys and imagining herself in the sea with them all around her and then recently going to the ocean and wanting to sit in there with all of the sea animals (https://www.instagram.com/p/CdeHF4IPWbu/). That makes me smile.

Humble Beginnings Mural

Humble Beginnings Mural

This is the Humble Beginnings Mural, created by six artists of the Humble Beginning Art Collective who each did a section that blended together on the Guadalupe River Trail.

Humble Beginnings Mural
By Orly Locquaio
Humble Beginnings Mural
By Alan Pham
Humble Beginnings Mural
By Jeff Quintano
Humble Beginnings Mural
Humble Beginnings Mural
By Ricardo Gonzalez (leftmost piece in this photo)
Humble Beginnings Mural
By Melissa Manuel (leftmost piece in this photo)
Humble Beginnings Mural
By Jordan Gabriel
Humble Beginnings Mural

When the Mountain Fell in Love with the Sea Mural

When the Mountain Fell in Love with the Sea
When the Mountain Fell in Love with the Sea

It is finished and it is beautiful! This mural is downtown between 1st and 2nd street, just north of Julian on the railroad tracks. Lacey Bryant did a wonderful thing with this. You can read some more at: https://www.metrosiliconvalley.com/lacey-bryant-presents-her-new-9450-square-foot-mural/

When the Mountain Fell in Love with the Sea

I hope you will enjoy some of this detail and creativity.

When the Mountain Fell in Love with the Sea
When the Mountain Fell in Love with the Sea
When the Mountain Fell in Love with the Sea
When the Mountain Fell in Love with the Sea
When the Mountain Fell in Love with the Sea
When the Mountain Fell in Love with the Sea

The wall is actually flat. I stitched these photos together to give an idea of the flow of the mural that is said to be 9,450 square feet.

Here are a few pics I took of the flower section from earlier.

Railroad Tracks Mural
Railroad Tracks Mural