You learn from what's killing you.

August 25, 2010

Harold and Belle's

So, once a month, (mostly) I get together to have lunch with a few guys I went to high school with. Today we went to Harold and Belles, Creole food since 1969. DAMN it was good!
What happened to me eating better i don't know...
But another cool thing happened... we are sitting there talking about who knows what and the word chopper and motorcycle gets said and the lady across from us asks us if we were talkin about choppers. we say yes and we end up hearing some pretty amazing stories about riding with one of the black clubs back in the 60s' and 70's in the LA area. About rollin up to Oakland with the East Bay Dragons... Neat shit. The best part of the whole conversation was watching Cathy (her name, her daughter's name was Kai, it was her birthday!) talk about all this stuff and the twinkle in her eye! It was inspiring!
I get so down on the whole chopper scene coz its not what i think it should be or whatever might bum me out and i just try to do my thing, but watching her talk about guys riding choppers, jammin on jockey shift bikes at high speed really made my day.
The real history of the whole outlaw biker scene from the 60's and 70's is disappearing.
It was an honor to sit and talk with you Cathy about choppers and that time rollin with em!
and Kai, happy birthday!!!
we also spent a while talkin about food with Kai, turns out she is a pretty famous chef, and i love food so thats a good thing!
d

8 comments:

jake said...

its funny to me for young guys to feel like they can have a dissenting opinion on a scene or a culture they are imitating. the "scene" now is magazines, and blogs and exposure - if you dont like it, be an outlaw and tell the cameras to fuck off. drive to every shop & drop your show flyer off. dont expose something you didnt invent and then complain, or comment on whats authentic or lame. id really like some old school outlaw to step up & tell a young dude who thinks his version or interpretation of the sparkle helmet, frisco tank deal is poser shit because he wasnt 22 years old in 1964. choppers not dead it just sucks now. thats fucking lame. the real old school outlaws appreciate custom shit - period. theyre cool. there is no scene when youre bombing down the highway with your shit; if you invite the magazine along, there you go - scene. it s fucking boring. if you want to resurrect a dying tradition, thats awesome; i only wish the old lady at the diner would have called you guys a bunch of wanna be's because you didnt ride with the east bay dragons in the 60's. that would give some perspective to the whole im real youre not BS on the internet & in the magazines these days.

Chopperdave said...

hmmm ok that was basicaly my point. I forget why we build the stuff we build, of course its all been done before. I couldnt agree more with the whole authentic or lamne deal. it doesnt matter. Its' coz of those old school outlaws that we are doing what we r doing, period.
I need to hear that shit from time to time coz i forget what matters some time.

Chopperdave said...

as i re read what i wrote...

interesting how you got that from what i wrote. I had a killer time talking to her and that was my point. Not that I get bummed out on shit sometimes...

geeze

Jahluv said...

Damn, I haven't eaten at H&B since my mom passed - that's been at least 12 years. We would go when softshell crabs were in season and go to town. The Buffalo Soldiers MC club house is just west of H&B at Crenshaw and Jefferson - there are a few old timers over there with some tales to tell as well. Good post sir...

Jahluv said...

Oh, and one other thing - I'd bet that Kai is related to New Orleans chef Leah "Dookie" Chase.

Chris/Blue Collar Moto said...

Cool story Dave. Made my day to hear that. Now I'm off to wrench on my van, motorcycles, and take some pix at the Bordello if I'm luckey. Nuf puter for one day.

Noot said...

It obviously doesn't matter when it happened - the 60s or today - as long as you share common ground. The old boys(and ladies) love to tell their stories - and we're more than happy to listen. What goes around comes back around (fat tires and all) just watch, if you live long enough. I just feel sorry for the guys who have never had to "kick it" or have good brakes!

Jahluv said...

Thought about this post today - Harold and Belle's had their re-opening yesterday. FYI... When you get a free moment from building the BF8 bike, yoou might want to ride through.