Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Bombay Beach Arts and Culture Centre

The Bombay Beach Community Cafe is little piece of wonderful.  I love finding these funky cozy coffee shops that just sing love and welcome.  Bombay Beach itself has a very human look.  Bits of property that have definitely let themselves go.  Artsy and trashy graffiti and then next to  sordid wilderness ,a patch of profound rejuvenation.  I love that Banksy quality of juxtaposition of old and new. Rejuvenation. like crocuses poking up through the snow.  
This coffee shops is at the centre of that. Art and Culture. I love the Steam punk art installations that dot the beach. There’s’ a significant veterans presence here too. The American flag flies high.  There’s apparently a market and gas station somewhere.
 I passed the bar with all the new cars annd pick up trucks. Tourism seems to be returning.  The Salination of the Salton Sea and disastrous storms and flooding took this once vibrant community, ‘the in beach’ of the Beach Boy era and caused well coiffed inhabitants to move elsewhere. Others took the left overs and began to be creative. This cafe is evidence of that creativity and spirituality.  
I’m staying at the up town Fountain of Youth Spa and RV Park for over 55’s. It’s uptown to this downtown.  
I’m watching sparrows here outside among the tables looking for treats. The coffee latte was truly distinctive, Starbucks on steroids. Distinctive and different. Local. Served in a marvellous glazed personal pottery mug.  I had to share the delicious muffin with Madigan my cockapoo who is under the table is ready to  fend off sparrows.  I can see the mottled mountains in to the north. 
111 highway and the railway track connect mineral hot springs road and Bombay Beach.  I like it here.  A young man on a unicycle just rode by. He had a havana hat and white shirt. Styling.
I have to go but I’ll be back.











  

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