SBCC Vaquero Voices

Episode 34 - Maria Villagomez

Episode Summary

Akil and Hong welcome Maria to the show to discuss the new VP positions of Academic and Student Affairs, and then segue into what brought Maria to SBCC from the Napa/Fairfield area. In the process, the trio discuss Jelly Belly, quesabirria, pastrami sandwiches, dutch crunch bread, Don Quixote, Joe Strummer, and the new UMOJA mural painted by the Bay Area Mural Project.

Episode Notes

Mentioned in this episode:

SBCC Vice-President of Academic Affairs - https://www.sbcc.edu/vice-president-academic-affairs/

SBCC Vice-President of Student Affairs - https://www.sbcc.edu/studentservices/vice-president-student-affairs.php

The Nap Ministry - https://thenapministry.wordpress.com/

Jelly Belly Factory - https://www.jellybelly.com/california-factory

Anheuser-Busch Factory in Fairfield - https://www.anheuser-busch.com/about/breweries-and-tours/fairfield-ca/

Castello di Amorosa - https://castellodiamorosa.com/

Tamales de Mole Poblano in Banana Leaves - https://www.kitchenwrangler.com/recipes/main-dishes/tamales-mole-poblano-banana-leaves/

Quesabirria - https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021859-quesabirria-tacos

Los Agaves Napa - https://losagavesnapa.com/

Meet the Latino Winemakers of Napa Valley - https://remezcla.com/lists/food/napa-valley-latino-winemakers/

Maldonado Vineyards - https://maldonadovineyards.com/

Robledo Family Winery - https://www.robledofamilywinery.com/

Norton’s Pastrami - https://nortonsdeli.com/

The Hat - https://thehat.com/

Brent’s Deli - https://www.brentsdeli.com/

Wexler’s Deli - https://wexlersdeli.com/

Langer’s Deli (75 years, not 100) - https://www.langersdeli.com/

Ike’s Santa Barbara - https://locations.ikessandwich.com/ca/santabarbara/007/

South Coast Deli - https://southcoastdeli.com/

Dutch Crunch Bread - https://www.kqed.org/news/11761468/dutch-crunch-a-bay-area-favorite-but-not-a-bay-area-original

Gorditas - https://www.isabeleats.com/gorditas-recipe/

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes - https://theconversation.com/guide-to-the-classics-don-quixote-the-worlds-first-modern-novel-and-one-of-the-best-94097

Spain - Germany UEFA 2008 Euro Final - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2008_Final

Santiago Bernabeu - https://www.realmadrid.com/en/santiago-bernabeu-stadium

Camp Nou - https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/club/facilities/camp-nou

Survivor - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivor_(American_TV_series)

The Amazing Race - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Race_(American_TV_series) 

Joe Strummer - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Strummer

The Clash - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clash

Futura - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futura_(graffiti_artist)

Joe Strummer 002 - https://www.joestrummer.com/news/new-joe-strummer-002-the-mescaleros-years-boxset-available-for-pre-order

Cumbia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumbia

Ozzy Osbourne - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozzy_Osbourne

Randy Rhoades - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Rhoads

SBCC Umoja Mural - https://www.kclu.org/local-news/2022-08-26/a-mural-celebrating-diversity-is-being-created-in-santa-barbara

Bay Area Mural Program - https://thebamp.org/

Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith - 

http://www.rachelwolfegoldsmith.com/

Episode Transcription

Captions provided by Zoom

 

1

00:00:02.050 --> 00:00:16.180

akilhill: Hello and welcome to another episode of SBCC Vaquero Voices, a podcast highlighting the unique voices that comprise our campus culture, and how we're all working together to serve our students and the community at large. As usual. I'm joined by my co-host Akil Hill

 

2

00:00:16.190 --> 00:00:21.090

akilhill: what's good y'all Today we are honored to welcome Maria via Gomez to the show. Welcome, Maria, and welcome Maria!

 

3

00:00:21.100 --> 00:00:24.689

akilhill: So much for having me. I'm happy to be here.

 

4

00:00:24.700 --> 00:00:43.309

Hong Lieu: Yeah, we're happy to have you. It's an honor, and you are our Vice President of Academic Affairs, which is a new position at the College, because we used to have a Vice President position that has been recently split into two. We have a Vice President of student affairs, and then we have Vice President of Academic Fair. So if we could kind of break down

 

5

00:00:43.320 --> 00:00:54.390

Hong Lieu: what your portion of that puzzle is, what academic affairs exactly entails, and you know, maybe, what it does entail. But if you just go into that for a second. Just let folks know, because it is a new position of the college, so they might not be aware.

 

6

00:00:55.060 --> 00:01:07.220

María L. Villagómez (she/her/ella): Yeah, thank you so much for having me once again. I'm happy to be here with you. I'm happy to be at Santa Barbara City College, and um particularly is as the

 

7

00:01:07.230 --> 00:01:37.160

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): a previous executive Vice President. Position split into a Vice President of Academic affairs role and Vice President of student affairs role. So, in a way. I'm fortunate that I get to be the first one to sort of hold that role and um discover it right along with the the various constituencies here in the various stakeholders to see what uh it evolves into. But um, generally speaking, academic affairs is the Institution

 

8

00:01:37.170 --> 00:01:53.699

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): office that oversees all of the academic programs and departments. We support curriculum initiatives. We support faculty, hiring and promotion of teaching instructional events,

 

9

00:01:53.710 --> 00:02:10.870

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): faculty, professional development, and all academic programs and departments as they relate to instructional matter in a nutshell. When academic affairs entails anything related to instruction.

 

10

00:02:10.940 --> 00:02:24.100

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Um, the catalog falls within academic affairs. The scheduled development process also falls within academic affairs, teaching assignments. You know all that great stuff.

 

11

00:02:24.790 --> 00:02:41.109

akilhill: It's kind of incredible that that was one position before, because what you just described yeah, is enough for two jobs in and of itself. You could split your position into two jobs, and it would still be plenty of work to go around, so the fact that it was all in one before. I mean you could see why

 

12

00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:49.100

Hong Lieu: why it was necessary to do that, but in terms of so, how? How you wrap your head around this. What I mean,

 

13

00:02:50.040 --> 00:02:52.290

Hong Lieu: How how does that happen?

 

14

00:02:52.300 --> 00:02:56.690

akilhill: You don't see the Cape? She has a cap on. Come on,

 

15

00:02:56.700 --> 00:03:00.459

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Yeah, I I I also Um!

 

16

00:03:01.350 --> 00:03:18.370

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): It's. It's ah interesting to think about how it might have worked in the past when this role in person sitting in this position oversaw both areas. Um, However, they you know it. It did.

 

17

00:03:18.380 --> 00:03:35.879

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): It did happen. They did manage to to to do that, and successfully, and so I think the opportunity with the split now comes for both the the fair side of the house and academic side of the house to kind of Look at what

 

18

00:03:36.010 --> 00:03:49.089

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): laser-focused initiatives right for student services. Vp. Arnold wants to focus on, and what laser focused initiatives, action plans, strategies, et cetera

 

19

00:03:49.100 --> 00:04:08.419

akilhill: the vp of aa wants to focus on without sort of having to ah split our time in just incredible ways and unmanageable ways. But at the same time, I think it's important to remind ourselves that ah! While each position is unique,

 

20

00:04:08.430 --> 00:04:17.909

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): there is a lot of overlap between the two areas. Student support services is as important

 

21

00:04:17.959 --> 00:04:19.630

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): as academic

 

22

00:04:19.640 --> 00:04:40.730

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): affairs, and and vice versa. And so, you know, there was a time when we could think of instruction as isolated. We think of student services as isolated now with so many initiatives that require constant collaboration and and um communication between the two areas, we really are

 

23

00:04:40.790 --> 00:04:50.069

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): one right, but we were able to. We are able to just focus on our on our respective areas as well. So it's the best of both worlds. I think

 

24

00:04:51.620 --> 00:04:59.500

Hong Lieu: that's a great way to put it in terms of your The interoperability is still there in terms of how the position used to be kind of integrated. But at the same time

 

25

00:04:59.820 --> 00:05:16.019

Hong Lieu: two folks that can really focus and and really kind of hone in on the things. And at the same time you also mentioned that you don't. You're not necessarily looking to read them at the wheel here and overhaul everything, because that might be a that would be a lot on top of a lot. But you can at least

 

26

00:05:16.030 --> 00:05:34.770

Hong Lieu: kind of wrestling what works, and then really kind of lock in on what needs to be done, and then and then once that's done. I'm sure you will go back, and you know, maybe See, see how things can be improved, and this and that so it's good to know that at least it should be not, I mean, not necessarily seamless, but it should be relatively seamless, you know, like it should feel

 

27

00:05:34.780 --> 00:05:44.890

akilhill: pretty pretty much a business as usual for students coming in, and for a lot of the most of the faculty, except for the all the behind the scenes, you know, inside baseball stuff that i'm not privy to. But yeah,

 

28

00:05:44.900 --> 00:06:04.760

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I agree. And I think the students, both the students and the faculty deserve someone who's going to be dedicated to instructional matters only at times, and someone who is going to be dedicated to student services and support uh area as well. We We all deserve that Uh: focus.

 

29

00:06:04.770 --> 00:06:06.050

akilhill: Absolutely.

 

30

00:06:06.780 --> 00:06:12.910

Hong Lieu: Yeah, because they are both service-oriented, but in terms of how that service is, provided it can very drastically. So

 

31

00:06:13.250 --> 00:06:13.990

So yeah.

 

32

00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:27.629

Hong Lieu: So we do look forward to ah, to how things go, and as as the as the semester unfolds, because it is due to begin. As of this recording, so a semester of falseness will be starting next week. So does anything change for you with the week starting, or you just kind of

 

33

00:06:27.640 --> 00:06:42.249

Hong Lieu: on like monitoring things to see how they go. I mean, because i'm sure you've relayed a lot of the groundwork. But I mean once the semester is in motion is do things kind of drastically change, or they just kind of seeing how the things that you've already done

 

34

00:06:42.360 --> 00:06:43.800

Hong Lieu: Kind of go.

 

35

00:06:44.330 --> 00:06:51.399

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): That's a great question. I mean, I this is week seven for me at Santa Barbara City College, and it is

 

36

00:06:51.410 --> 00:07:08.550

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): um my first rodeo, if you will. This is the first time that I hold this role of Vice President of academic affairs. In my previous role I was a senior dean of four major areas, but so

 

37

00:07:08.620 --> 00:07:23.539

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): it is one of the busiest times of the year, the week before the semester begins, where we are monitoring enrollments, making sure that we are meeting the needs of the students as far as course offerings go. Um,

 

38

00:07:23.550 --> 00:07:33.409

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): you know, trying to consolidate where there is room for to consolidate, but also trying to look at areas for growth and add sections where students are

 

39

00:07:33.420 --> 00:07:53.980

akilhill: ah! Are meeting us to do so. So it's it's, and for that reason it's a very busy week right before the semester begins in my experience the first week of classes is busiest, and then after that, once everyone's schedule is settled, and you know things are. Things are good good for the students and the faculty.

 

40

00:07:53.990 --> 00:08:08.920

akilhill: Things begin to slow down a little bit, and so I also don't want to jinx it, you know. I want to make sure that that actually happens is um. But but yeah, and you know it's all good. I think we can only do our best

 

41

00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:09.890

akilhill: here.

 

42

00:08:09.900 --> 00:08:18.719

akilhill: Yeah, I often say, you know I work in emissions, and so usually the dust settles after the second week. Right? You know. People kind of start to

 

43

00:08:18.770 --> 00:08:30.720

akilhill: reality starts to send in a little bit, you know. And so, after the second week, it's is a true snapshot of kind of like You start to get into a rhythm after the second week, usually

 

44

00:08:30.730 --> 00:08:38.989

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): right. And then once things start to slow down a little way, you're you're getting ready to prep for the next semester. Right?

 

45

00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:49.800

akilhill: Yeah. Work on the schedule for the next semester and work on the on the things that need to be in place in time for registration period. You know that kind of that kind of great stuff.

 

46

00:08:50.360 --> 00:09:05.079

Hong Lieu: So so once you get that cycle and it starts going, and we will um be how it goes, and i'm sure it'll go go well, and if not, we'll be ready to pivot. But segwaying. Speaking of your experience previous at your oversight, your previous college, et cetera.

 

47

00:09:05.090 --> 00:09:12.609

We were segue into our what brought you Spcc. Sections. So if you want to just go into your background, and what brought you to this position today.

 

48

00:09:12.780 --> 00:09:30.649

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Yeah, absolutely. You know. Um, I think what brought me to the role of a Vice President of academic affairs at Sbcc. Is uh, first and foremost, my firm belief in access to higher education for everyone.

 

49

00:09:31.210 --> 00:09:47.040

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Ah, I think now more than ever. Ah, access is critical for ah! All our students and potential students and for our communities. Ah, particularly, I think, for our most minoritized communities.

 

50

00:09:47.260 --> 00:10:05.800

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Previous to my role at Santa Barbara City College, I worked at Napa Valley College for twenty two years, and mostly as faculty, and then as an administrator over the past six years. So I firmly believe, in the California Community College Mission.

 

51

00:10:05.810 --> 00:10:20.809

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Ah! Which is to transform lives our students, the lives of our students and their families, and I am deeply committed to that work. Um! And so that's my why, you know, we talk about our why, and that is my why.

 

52

00:10:20.820 --> 00:10:37.379

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Ah, for serving in this role in this capacity I came up the classified ranks. I was a classified employee at Naba Valley unified school district before I joined Napa Valley College

 

53

00:10:37.390 --> 00:10:50.709

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): district, and then went to a faculty rang. Uh became a part-time faculty, and then a full-time faculty held a few faculty leadership roles on campus with

 

54

00:10:50.720 --> 00:11:05.189

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): as president of the faculty association and involved also on the Executive Board and the Faculty Senate. So you know It's not my first rodeo in that sense. But

 

55

00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:12.799

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): yeah, that's that's my background. That's where I come from. That's what I dedicated my entire

 

56

00:11:13.450 --> 00:11:15.639

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): a professional

 

57

00:11:15.670 --> 00:11:20.090

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): life to, and I wouldn't do it any differently

 

58

00:11:20.120 --> 00:11:22.370

akilhill: if I were to go back, you know.

 

59

00:11:23.210 --> 00:11:23.990

akilhill: Oh,

 

60

00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:28.590

akilhill: go ahead, Field. I was curious. How big is Napa College in comparison to Santa Barbara City College

 

61

00:11:28.600 --> 00:11:31.890

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): in comparison to Santa Barbara City College? It's smaller.

 

62

00:11:32.250 --> 00:11:33.860

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Um,

 

63

00:11:33.870 --> 00:11:41.499

akilhill: yeah, I I would say, maybe two-thirds of the the size of Santa Barbara City College.

 

64

00:11:42.140 --> 00:11:43.490

akilhill: You can that sense.

 

65

00:11:43.500 --> 00:11:58.110

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I I was curious about the transition from classified staff to faculty. Did you have to go to school while you were working at the college? And was that kind of If you could just like go into that for a little bit, because I know a lot of folks sometimes do

 

66

00:11:58.200 --> 00:12:13.329

Hong Lieu: that. That balance is is delicate, so you can just speak on that a little bit. What what it was like for you, and how you kind of got through it all, because there are probably times you're like. This is too much. I'm done. I don't want to do this anymore. What kept you pushing through to get through to get to what you needed to get to your goals.

 

67

00:12:13.340 --> 00:12:28.460

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): That's a great question, You know. I actually started working for Napa Valley Unified School district as an instructional assistant as an instructional aid in an elementary school, a bilingual classroom,

 

68

00:12:28.470 --> 00:12:35.199

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and I was eighteen years old at the time when I started working for the district, so I started very, very young.

 

69

00:12:35.210 --> 00:12:52.700

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Um! And once I started as teacher aid, Then I sort of moved into the office manager role um for an open elementary school, and from there became the community liaison for our bilingual families,

 

70

00:12:52.710 --> 00:13:05.060

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and also did some more instructional aid work, tutoring students, et cetera, middle school students, and it just involved. During that time I was finishing,

 

71

00:13:05.830 --> 00:13:24.910

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I guess, my undergrad work At that time I was commuting to Sacramento State from Napa. I had been there for a year. Ah, but for the most part I commuted to Ah, Sacramento State. It's actually a computer school. It was at the time, anyway. I don't know if it's changed,

 

72

00:13:24.920 --> 00:13:39.660

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): but ah, it wasn't easy. You know. I was a full-time student, and I worked probably twenty five to thirty hours a week since I was seventeen, eighteen years old, and then I've worked ever since, you know, in educational settings.

 

73

00:13:39.670 --> 00:13:51.560

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Um! Then when I finished my my Ba. I thought everyone my colleagues were going into the teaching credential program at Sack State at the time,

 

74

00:13:51.760 --> 00:14:01.890

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and I thought, you know, I don't know that I want to teach. What should I do? What should I do? I just should. I just continue taking classes that are fulfilling to me? You know It's fine.

 

75

00:14:01.900 --> 00:14:10.679

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Okay, sure. And then if i'm going to do that, it should be towards a degree towards something you know, towards some sort of pathway.

 

76

00:14:10.690 --> 00:14:15.949

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): And so what I did is I stayed at Zack State. I enrolled in a master's program,

 

77

00:14:16.100 --> 00:14:25.590

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and when I finished the masters, this position came up at Napa Valley College to teach. And so it was that same year,

 

78

00:14:25.660 --> 00:14:34.289

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): so had I gone a different route, you know. Had I pursued the teaching credential before the Master's degree, I wouldn't have

 

79

00:14:34.330 --> 00:14:41.190

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): been qualified, if you will, to have apply for the job that I stayed with for twenty two years.

 

80

00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:52.569

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): So I think it was just. It was my destiny, if you will, to to end up doing it that way. But

 

81

00:14:52.580 --> 00:15:11.239

akilhill: yeah, it was. It's always been work, work in school work in school. I know no different. It's just. This is what I know, and I would probably feel strange, not doing one or the other, and i'm a i'm a student of life. I continue to take classes here and there any opportunity I have

 

82

00:15:11.250 --> 00:15:13.140

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I continue to learn.

 

83

00:15:14.430 --> 00:15:29.309

Hong Lieu: I never really thought of it that way. But now, because I always. And this is the one job that I where I get emails at all hours of the night, day and night from people you know, like there's No, I'll get an email like midnight, or one in the morning or eight at nine. I'm like, Why are they still worth it? But now it makes sense, because

 

84

00:15:29.320 --> 00:15:44.220

Hong Lieu: a lot of folks probably worked and went to school. And so you're just used to like furthering yourself at all times. So why not dabbling some work at nine of the evening, because, you know, before you were studying then, or you know. So maybe there's some connection there, because yeah, it just seems that.

 

85

00:15:44.230 --> 00:15:52.089

Hong Lieu: But you probably feel like you have so much free time. But then, now you're working, and that you can supply that to the work, and then, whatever else you're doing as a student of life's less

 

86

00:15:52.100 --> 00:15:52.690

Hong Lieu: here.

 

87

00:15:52.700 --> 00:16:11.790

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Yeah. And I I also, though with caution, including me and I would caution us and caution myself to make sure that we that we balance work and life much better, because I I don't think it's a completely healthy thing to just to always do

 

88

00:16:11.800 --> 00:16:29.950

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): both things at the same time, you know, simultaneously. I I also am a firm believer of staying mentally, emotionally and psychologically, physically healthy, because I have strong family connections, and

 

89

00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:39.640

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I want to be there to take care of them when they need me. And I also know that I won't. Be able to do that if I don't first take care of myself. And so it's a constant sort of

 

90

00:16:41.510 --> 00:16:43.090

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): dilemma, if you will,

 

91

00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:59.249

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): you know, to make sure that we maintain that really important balance. And so one of the things, for example, that I no longer do that I was super guilty of doing, particularly when I was faculty was to email over the weekends,

 

92

00:16:59.770 --> 00:17:13.329

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and I I've stopped doing that. I only do that when it's absolutely urgent. But I you know I I do that to model it. But I also do that to take care of myself, right and my own family.

 

93

00:17:13.339 --> 00:17:28.339

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Ah, because I think we deserve that time off right. I think that we are much better in a much better attitude, with a much better attitude and position when we come in on Monday, and we we've taken the time to

 

94

00:17:28.569 --> 00:17:45.120

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): detach right and and and refresh, and so I think I deserve it. I think my team deserves it. I think our students are deserving of that as well. Um, because it comes across. I think when we don't do that,

 

95

00:17:46.210 --> 00:17:50.349

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): we get edgy. I think you know, when we're so tired.

 

96

00:17:50.390 --> 00:17:52.390

akilhill: Yeah,

 

97

00:17:52.440 --> 00:18:08.899

akilhill: I was gonna say, you know, I I think you're spot on with that. I You know i'm kind of thinking a little bit about. You know the past two years, and and being employed in high, higher Ed. And what Covid has done to us, and if there's not anything

 

98

00:18:09.300 --> 00:18:17.149

akilhill: worth taking is the fact that you really for me. One of my big takeaways is how much I was working,

 

99

00:18:17.910 --> 00:18:25.249

and you know Kobe put the brakes on a lot of things, and it made people really re-examine

 

100

00:18:25.260 --> 00:18:48.909

akilhill: what's important or trying to be trying to get it to be a little bit more balanced. And So I really appreciate you for saying that because I know people who are listening need to hear that that it's not always about the grind. And and and in fact, I think you're more productive when you're you're arrested, and you're much more dedicated. So I appreciate you you for saying that. And I completely feel that.

 

101

00:18:49.750 --> 00:19:08.679

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Yeah, I completely agree. Um. And I think it's important that we model that. You know those of us who are in positions where um folks report to, because you know, nobody. Nobody wants to not reply to your moms when they're emailing you. I mean, we all want to do that. But

 

102

00:19:08.690 --> 00:19:14.189

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): but We also need to not put people in that situation where they have to make that decision. You know.

 

103

00:19:14.200 --> 00:19:27.730

akilhill: You know. Hence why I do not have my work email on my phone. That was gonna be a question. I don't need how to connect it to your phone because I do. And I Yeah, maybe I should, because I know I know it's, too. It'll be too

 

104

00:19:27.740 --> 00:19:44.960

akilhill: tempting for me to log in, and and so i'm a certain obviously don't get me wrong. You know there are certain people on campus that need to have that linked, and I recognize that but for me i'm like Ah, because I know I know I would be engaged in that, you know so

 

105

00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:59.689

akilhill: absolutely, and and I think it was more difficult for me when I was faculty to detach myself from work than it was when I became an administrator. Interestingly enough. Yeah, I never know that, because

 

106

00:19:59.700 --> 00:20:03.490

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and you know, I was in that role, and I knew no difference,

 

107

00:20:03.500 --> 00:20:10.429

akilhill: you know no other way, and it wasn't until I became an administrator where I realized

 

108

00:20:10.490 --> 00:20:20.099

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): that there's this. I don't know even how to describe it that I would. I would drive away from work on Friday when I was faculty,

 

109

00:20:20.110 --> 00:20:27.320

akilhill: and I would say to myself, Now I can great Saturday morning. I can let him find on Sunday afternoon,

 

110

00:20:27.330 --> 00:20:43.550

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and you know, go meet with friends, or whatever you know, on Sunday morning, like I used Saturdays and Sundays as my sort of work week to sort of distribute it right. I mean. I had some some time off here and there during the week,

 

111

00:20:43.560 --> 00:20:52.170

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): but it was because I had distributed that across seven days, and you know students need what they need when they need it, and so they don't say to themselves.

 

112

00:20:52.180 --> 00:21:07.340

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Ah, nor should they All right all. And Saturday I shouldn't email my instructor. And so as an instructor, especially when you're a new instructor, you want to make sure you're responsive, right? So you're constantly checking that as an administrator, Are we like

 

113

00:21:07.350 --> 00:21:21.029

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): people? When I went from faculty to administration? I you know everybody was. I'm so big on faculty, Senate and Faculty Union, and just have been teaching full time for so many years that they were very curious.

 

114

00:21:21.040 --> 00:21:35.180

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I wonder how she's doing, you know. Let's give her a month of this. Give her two months. Let's give her three months, and then we'll ask So three months came, and they started asking, How's it going? How is Gavin and I and I said to them, I said, You know what I absolutely love it,

 

115

00:21:35.660 --> 00:21:38.159

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and they were, you know,

 

116

00:21:38.890 --> 00:21:49.040

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): pleasantly surprised. Some were shocked, and they said, Really, what? How different is it? Why do you love it? And so I said, because

 

117

00:21:49.470 --> 00:21:51.430

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I didn't realize

 

118

00:21:51.470 --> 00:21:54.340

akilhill: how stressful teaching was

 

119

00:21:54.600 --> 00:21:56.320

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): until I stop doing it.

 

120

00:21:56.330 --> 00:21:57.180

akilhill: Yep.

 

121

00:21:58.150 --> 00:22:07.250

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): And then I thought, What is it about it? I was trying to figure that out myself. What is it about Elizabeth? And what I could play? Or my theory is that

 

122

00:22:07.350 --> 00:22:13.740

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): when you are teaching you are in performer, presenter mode all the time

 

123

00:22:14.370 --> 00:22:21.889

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): that takes a lot of energy that so much more than I do realize until I stop doing that

 

124

00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:51.899

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): takes mental energy, takes emotional energy. It takes psychological energy, you know you have to be prepared for questions, random questions. You have to have all the answers. Your hair has to be perfect. You have fifty people looking at you, staring at you at once. Right? God forbid that you would walk across and fall, You know, on troop on the cables that are that are laying on the floor where you don't see a chair in your fall. I mean. How embarrassing would that be so? All of those things, I think subconsciously, I just.

 

125

00:22:51.910 --> 00:22:55.289

I didn't realize that we're there until I stopped doing it,

 

126

00:22:55.300 --> 00:22:56.390

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): You know something.

 

127

00:22:56.400 --> 00:22:57.459

akilhill: And yeah,

 

128

00:22:57.580 --> 00:23:27.560

Hong Lieu: and even more than a performer. You, you know performers can do their performance, and then you can. You can get critique afterward, and you and you can listen or not listen. But if a student has questions, you have to be what you have to address all the questions you have there, there's all the concerns, all the variables, all the devil's advocate playing that goes on in a lecture. I mean, you have to be ready for everything, and you have to respond to everything, so that that stress on top of stress, because a performer can can do their performance, and then just close themselves off the world if they want. But you have to be open at all times as well like you were saying you have

 

129

00:23:27.570 --> 00:23:32.089

Hong Lieu: like second off your weekends and everything. So I can definitely see you see that

 

130

00:23:32.100 --> 00:23:52.729

akilhill: right? And then you, you, you know. And then sort of like, Oh, okay, Did I? Did I really answer the question at the right way? You know you kicked yourself right, and you're like Oh, my gosh! I could have also presented this I could have. I could have said this other thing, you know. Was I defense it, or was it? Was it a legit question, I mean at least make it out to my mind. But you just have those questions

 

131

00:23:52.770 --> 00:24:11.350

akilhill: in the back of your mind, and then, you know you can't wait till the next time. Ah! That you meet with your students to sort of help redeem yourself. You know what I mean. Yeah. Well, also, too, I mean, I think what I hear from listening to you is, I hear that it's like it makes me think a little bit. It's about

 

132

00:24:11.360 --> 00:24:16.410

akilhill: It's about opposite right? So they say you know it's through opposites. Do you learn

 

133

00:24:16.530 --> 00:24:21.760

akilhill: thing right so, and you literally said it. You're like Look when I was in the

 

134

00:24:21.830 --> 00:24:24.350

akilhill: when I was teaching. That's all I knew.

 

135

00:24:24.360 --> 00:24:51.589

akilhill: But you didn't have anything to compare it to until you actually got out of teach you, and then you're like. Wait a minute. I was working a lot, you know. But I will say this, I I will say that to you. You know, for me, in my opinion, I think that's a sign of a good teacher. If you're always constantly thinking about. Did I answer that right question? It's the professor who knows everything or things that they know everything. Those are the ones that I personally try to share with. So if you're always constantly thinking about, did I really get that right? That to me shows like,

 

136

00:24:51.600 --> 00:25:03.390

akilhill: you know, the house? You must have been an amazing teacher, because nobody wants to teach you that things that they know everything I mean. At least I don't think that's been my experience in working with students. I I don't think that's for the most part There's either as well.

 

137

00:25:03.400 --> 00:25:06.809

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Yeah. And you know, and i'll thank you so much for that I

 

138

00:25:06.820 --> 00:25:15.150

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): i'll also throw in another variable there that as a young teacher of color,

 

139

00:25:16.340 --> 00:25:23.199

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I think that that I was holding myself, I think, to a completely.

 

140

00:25:23.700 --> 00:25:30.710

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I don't want to say completely different, but just a higher standard. Just. I just know that I just know that I did, and so

 

141

00:25:30.830 --> 00:25:42.440

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): perhaps that exacerbated the issues as well, you know. But, um! I did love teaching for the time that I did it. I missed the students when I stopped doing it, and

 

142

00:25:42.580 --> 00:26:00.959

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): but they they've also changed, and students are different than how they were twenty-two years ago. They're coming in with other needs that I wasn't prepared for at the time, because students were different at the time, you know. So Um: yeah, that's another extra thing there that that we that we add to

 

143

00:26:00.970 --> 00:26:11.219

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): to our stress levels, and you know, and people ask me today. You know how how do you like administration? And I say, absolutely love it. And the reason I love it is because every day is different.

 

144

00:26:11.590 --> 00:26:17.739

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): There has not been a single day as an administrator that has been the same. Every day I encounter the

 

145

00:26:17.750 --> 00:26:36.360

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I try to probably solve different things. Different matters, different issues. Um, Even if it's the same topic, it's a different level. Um! But every day is different, and I absolutely love looking forward to what the day will bring. You know. Um, an administration.

 

146

00:26:36.370 --> 00:26:37.230

akilhill: Yeah.

 

147

00:26:37.240 --> 00:27:06.000

akilhill: Spoken like a true student of life, right? Also, I just wanted to say this plug. I think it's the nap ministry make on your uh turn. That rest is resistant, a part of resistance, and so. Sometimes I think it's important that we take that moment to really recognize that by resting sometimes you are actually still doing the work. I think sometimes we all condition ourselves in our jobs. Um, no matter what we're doing, that the harder we work

 

148

00:27:06.010 --> 00:27:07.590

faster we get it done.

 

149

00:27:07.600 --> 00:27:26.629

akilhill: Um, you know the better. The more efficient that we are in our jobs. But sometimes we're not taking that moment to sit back and and really rest in and and charge our batteries up. So sometimes we needed to to to keep that in our back of our minds that rust sometimes is a form of resistance

 

150

00:27:26.750 --> 00:27:28.890

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): absolutely. I couldn't agree more.

 

151

00:27:28.900 --> 00:27:29.820

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Yep.

 

152

00:27:30.510 --> 00:27:36.490

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): So I did sneak a peek at your bio, because you know, from the from the candidate forums when you were selected.

 

153

00:27:36.500 --> 00:27:52.499

akilhill: I'm sorry I did, too. We both did, and I saw that you ah lived in Fairfield for a little while, so I have to ask what we say with Nick Yo the Jelly-bell. Yeah, is it? Is it worth a visit or not? I mean, do it? Is it? Only if you like jelly beads, or is it just worth going as an amazing like factor.

 

154

00:27:52.510 --> 00:27:59.790

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Or did you never do that? I? Yes, I think it is worth going just if you are intrigued by how things are produced.

 

155

00:27:59.800 --> 00:28:11.689

akilhill: Okay, that's what I wanted to hear. That's what I wanted to hear, but they do have amazing jelly Billy's, and that jelly belly factory specifically in that, you know they we also have the Button-iser factory that way in Fairfield

 

156

00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:13.989

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): right next to each other.

 

157

00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:19.420

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I only knew Jelly Bailey. I didn't know there was a

 

158

00:28:19.430 --> 00:28:24.190

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): you know, fabric as well, or what do you call it? A factory again?

 

159

00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:25.180

akilhill: Yeah.

 

160

00:28:25.290 --> 00:28:41.079

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): But um, the jelly belly factory in a Fairfield host this annual event for Halloween, which is amazing. So if you're ever there in October, you know that's the time to go, because you get the jelly belly. You get the the

 

161

00:28:41.340 --> 00:28:44.799

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): tour of the entire production of just a

 

162

00:28:45.940 --> 00:28:52.350

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and you get to experience their fabulous Halloween. You know

 

163

00:28:52.450 --> 00:28:53.940

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): the Hebrew.

 

164

00:28:54.040 --> 00:29:10.459

akilhill: So I've been. I've actually been so. Ah, because I've never been. When I was I was actually shocked. I thought that Fairfield was close to the bay, and then, when I was driving out. I'm like, Where is this place? But I will say the factory definitely is worth it.

 

165

00:29:10.470 --> 00:29:22.490

akilhill: And I One thing that I thought was pretty cool. Was they sail all the kind of I don't want to say the the jelly bellies that don't come out looking like, Oh, yeah, that's like the one thing I did here.

 

166

00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:30.689

akilhill: Yeah, get a big bag of the ones that kind of go go. Don't make it to the bag. Yeah, and they're all these crazy, cool saves.

 

167

00:29:30.700 --> 00:29:36.290

akilhill: Yes, yes, yes, so. But yeah, I I enjoyed it. The kids were young, and I took them so.

 

168

00:29:36.300 --> 00:29:40.719

akilhill: Yeah. But you know we also I also come from A. From the wine country.

 

169

00:29:40.850 --> 00:29:55.749

akilhill: Hmm. Oh, yeah. I was only ten miles away from Fairfield, and so um also pretty phenomenal place to visit. If you haven't been there already, i'm sure many, many of you listeners have.

 

170

00:29:56.030 --> 00:30:04.089

Hong Lieu: Yes, and that will, Segways, because I don't want to blow up any. I don't know if you're going to mention jelly beans, but we can say we're right into our food section. Good evening. So we can.

 

171

00:30:04.100 --> 00:30:07.059

akilhill: All right. Let's get off properly.

 

172

00:30:07.200 --> 00:30:19.789

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Yeah. I went to A. I went to a bank with a wedding banquet for my cousin out of Napa, and it was like this old winery castle, and it was just unbelievable how it was it the Castello Diamarosa one

 

173

00:30:19.800 --> 00:30:37.290

Hong Lieu: i'm pretty sure. I think I think so. It had. It had an underground little like like sill area, and it had like fines covering this like bar door, and that's where the reception was, and it was. Oh, it was just the the of detail in that area in terms of how like service. And then, you know, like they they know they know what they're doing up there.

 

174

00:30:37.300 --> 00:30:40.579

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): It it almost makes you want to remarry, you know.

 

175

00:30:40.590 --> 00:30:47.790

akilhill: I'm glad you had it. The almost

 

176

00:30:47.800 --> 00:30:48.390

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): the word

 

177

00:30:48.400 --> 00:31:02.189

akilhill: that was good. That was good for him. So yes, if you want to kick us off for you with any dish or restaurant food, anything you that either now recently or in your past that you want to bring up and talk about.

 

178

00:31:02.200 --> 00:31:03.870

akilhill: Yeah, Laura Napa,

 

179

00:31:03.880 --> 00:31:18.960

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I love. I love talking about food. You know I love food conversation because I I am that person with particular interest in food. You know. I also love home cooking, and I wish I had more time to cook

 

180

00:31:18.970 --> 00:31:25.609

akilhill: at home, but but I don't, but I do enjoy it when I know I love coming up with your recipes.

 

181

00:31:25.620 --> 00:31:44.240

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I love watching shows about cooking, as Master chef is one of my favorite shows, and you know traveling is is a critical part of of who I am, and how I wish to enjoy my life how I might enjoy my life.

 

182

00:31:44.250 --> 00:31:55.590

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): So I've learned a lot about food by visiting many countries. Some of my most favorite dishes, of course, include Mexican cuisine for obvious reasons. Right?

 

183

00:31:55.600 --> 00:32:07.899

akilhill: A good moly Tamal Tamali is one of my favorite dishes, the sweetest hour in the Olympic Nano, with

 

184

00:32:07.970 --> 00:32:21.990

akilhill: wrapped in uh in a banana leaf. It's probably my most favorite Tamalia I've ever had. I had that in Wuhaka like downtown there by the Plaza, by far one of my most favorite dishes.

 

185

00:32:22.000 --> 00:32:35.940

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I also love seafood, you know, in in all form, shapes and tastes everything. Um! And then, of course, Italian food. P. I go. Who can. I mean who doesn't like a You know who doesn't love Pasta?

 

186

00:32:35.950 --> 00:32:51.530

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Everybody loves pasta It's just amazing. Um. So yeah, some of the best dishes I've had have been while traveling, and you know, Ramen sushi, everything bowling tacos and love food

 

187

00:32:51.970 --> 00:32:53.450

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): too much.

 

188

00:32:53.990 --> 00:32:58.660

akilhill: So if you, if someone was visiting Napa

 

189

00:32:58.720 --> 00:33:01.400

akilhill: and you had one

 

190

00:33:01.530 --> 00:33:08.389

akilhill: one place they had to hit. What restaurant would that be? And what should they order at least one item for the me?

 

191

00:33:08.400 --> 00:33:27.789

akilhill: Well, that's a great question. You know some of the restaurants that I used to love are no longer there. You know a lot of businesses when point out, Because, Covid, i'm not a big fan of like fancy restaurants, you know. I'm more like a straight food lover.

 

192

00:33:27.800 --> 00:33:31.690

akilhill: But where are you speaking my language? I know you speaking my language breach,

 

193

00:33:31.700 --> 00:33:34.989

akilhill: I would say, talk is going up right now.

 

194

00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:37.100

akilhill: He's sorry right now, Maria.

 

195

00:33:37.110 --> 00:33:39.190

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Yeah, I know um.

 

196

00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:41.510

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I would say

 

197

00:33:41.920 --> 00:33:47.020

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): definitely, uh get. Do you know what Kissabelias are?

 

198

00:33:47.030 --> 00:34:05.750

akilhill: Oh, yeah,

 

199

00:34:05.760 --> 00:34:12.590

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): the one, I believe, that came up with it in that bar at least started selling it. I brought it to Napa.

 

200

00:34:12.600 --> 00:34:25.429

akilhill: Yeah, because I got this toppler truck. They they also have now a restaurant downtown apple. I I got this uh, and they have these amazing kiss of alias like Oh, my gosh! Like you could just eat! Does it come with a concept, man?

 

201

00:34:25.449 --> 00:34:27.939

akilhill: Yay, come on, Marie,

 

202

00:34:27.949 --> 00:34:29.390

akilhill: you're over.

 

203

00:34:29.400 --> 00:34:31.290

akilhill: I'm with the cons of May out Maria.

 

204

00:34:31.300 --> 00:34:32.890

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Well, the consumer is key

 

205

00:34:32.900 --> 00:34:39.689

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): right? I guess. I'm easy as you know that, and so absolutely, I would say my most favorite ones for sure,

 

206

00:34:39.699 --> 00:34:47.530

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and i'm not a dipper. I bite, and then I sit. I buy it, and I s if i'm not a dipper. So yeah, but Oh, really I never! I

 

207

00:34:47.630 --> 00:34:49.789

I've never tried it that way. Interesting.

 

208

00:34:49.800 --> 00:35:03.490

akilhill: It's just because i'm already a sloppy as it is so like when i'm dipping, i'm i'm even sloppier. So in order to control my own kind of spillage, I will buy and sit. But yeah, that's just me. It's just me. There's no one.

 

209

00:35:03.500 --> 00:35:06.390

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): How far do you take it, though? Do you need a straw or no?

 

210

00:35:06.400 --> 00:35:09.690

Hong Lieu: Oh, no, i'm just i'm going all the way, and i'll and i'll do the two fingers to

 

211

00:35:09.700 --> 00:35:25.909

akilhill: to scoop the onions, the dungeons launch or the bottom? I'll i'll. I'll figure I have to for the listeners. I bear witness to it. I've I've seen him sit even on He does it with Salsa.

 

212

00:35:26.540 --> 00:35:37.260

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): But you know I have to, as we're talking about food I have to mention, even though this Isn't food. But I have to mention the Latino wineries at Napa.

 

213

00:35:37.270 --> 00:36:04.609

akilhill: Okay, you know. Naba. Ah, the Hawaiian country Ah brings in so much money from visitors and tourists from around the world, and I am so proud to have this opportunity to give a huge shout out to all of those Mexican American families who went from working in the vineyards, managing the sellers to managing um.

 

214

00:36:04.620 --> 00:36:17.489

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): The The the employees group teams of employees in the vineyards and the seller in the production area to becoming why makers themselves and winery owners.

 

215

00:36:17.500 --> 00:36:27.390

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): And so we have now a handful of Mexican-american bit nurse in Both Sonoma and Naba Nappa County,

 

216

00:36:27.730 --> 00:36:46.499

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I think to deserve our support just because of how far they've come, you know, um to to reach their American dream. So two of them. Two of those wineries are relatives of mine and my family.

 

217

00:36:46.510 --> 00:36:58.509

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): So there's a little of self-interest here. Going out as well, so it's the Maldon models, and also the rope levels. The road metals are in Sonoma. Maldonados are in northern Napa,

 

218

00:36:58.520 --> 00:37:15.359

akilhill: and if you have an opportunity to go visit them and and say hello, and they will treat you so well. They are great hosts, and they will pair up wine their own wine when some of those, some of their most um traditional Mexican dishes.

 

219

00:37:15.390 --> 00:37:18.779

akilhill: Oh, wow, wow! That sounds awesome.

 

220

00:37:18.820 --> 00:37:24.220

akilhill: I would definitely get both of those in the show notes, so so so han will be sipping two times over. Huh!

 

221

00:37:24.450 --> 00:37:32.190

akilhill: I'm the conservation on the one. Oh, no, i'm a i'm a wine chugger, too. I just go into that man.

 

222

00:37:32.200 --> 00:37:37.069

akilhill: I don't. I don't do the swirl with the sniff.

 

223

00:37:37.080 --> 00:37:38.479

Hong Lieu: I can't. I can't

 

224

00:37:38.840 --> 00:37:40.889

akilhill: now, so thank you for that.

 

225

00:37:40.900 --> 00:37:45.189

akilhill: Thank you so much for it. So What do you got on? What do you got for the listeners?

 

226

00:37:45.200 --> 00:38:01.409

Hong Lieu: I'm going with a ah a throwback again. I talked about Chili Fry's last episode, and I was thinking about more of the the foods for my youth, and and pairing with the Chili fries. Normally, if it wasn't a hamburger, then it was a astronomy sandwich. So I wanted to talk to Pastromi for this this episode.

 

227

00:38:01.420 --> 00:38:11.220

akilhill: Okay, um In town. I know keel's mentioned dorms when Norden's probably is the the gold standard in town here, but for me growing up, it was a few places.

 

228

00:38:11.230 --> 00:38:29.069

akilhill: There was the hat in the you know. It's like a burg kind of chili fries pastromi. They do the astronomy dip, which is like, you know. They they dipped a whole sandwich in the in the azure, and then survey. I mean it's a real sloppy like down home, but that's That's why I grew up, but it wasn't until I got a little older that you know. I went to the the Jewish Delhi's in town,

 

229

00:38:29.080 --> 00:38:47.819

akilhill: so you know Brents Delhi and Northridge canters, and then my two favorites who would be Ah Langers and Wexlers. We, we we Wexlers, is a newer Deli than the Grand Central Market. They're probably the the new number one for folks. But for me you you can't be going to Langers. Langers is on seventh and Macarthur,

 

230

00:38:47.830 --> 00:39:07.519

akilhill: and they they are should be world-famous. I know they sit on the old belly, So there are people that crave it from all over. But Langers to me is is the gold standard. I've been to casses in New York. I've been to other Delhi's around the country, and to me Lang are still number one, not just because their sandwich is objectively excellent, but because the atmosphere is great, and for dessert. They're a slice of their chocolate cake

 

231

00:39:07.530 --> 00:39:10.390

akilhill: is the perfect way to to pair it. And

 

232

00:39:10.400 --> 00:39:24.830

Hong Lieu: yeah, So so I had a I had a path, you know it was like the hat Pissrami Dip and i'd go to like other brigade. It's like tops, and this and that, and then someone's fine like you need to eat real astronomy and go to like a Delhi, and i'm like, What are you talking about this? What What else can you do? How can it be better than this?

 

233

00:39:24.840 --> 00:39:45.640

akilhill: And I found out it could actually be better than that, you know, like like real ribrate, like like, yeah, baked dry bread, and like, you know, the troop astronomy, and when it's handcuffed and premix slice. Yeah, so i'll put links to place in the show. I'll be at Langers, I mean. Everyone talks about the number Nineteen and nineteen is a great sandwich, but you can just get platter from them and just build your own sandwich, or just just, you know it's all good, so that

 

234

00:39:45.650 --> 00:39:51.229

the Jewish daily scene in La is always always like alive and well, and you

 

235

00:39:51.310 --> 00:40:00.509

Hong Lieu: vital but Langer specifically has been doing it, for you know, over a hundred years, and they deserve one hundred more, because yeah, they're they're in Mahala fame for sure.

 

236

00:40:00.520 --> 00:40:14.970

akilhill: Well, in the next time in L I'm. Had to hit that up. I can meet at Lane. Yeah, now, they're doing indoor dining again, and they were just doing, take out for a long time for the pandemic, but sitting on one of those booths, grabbing a couple of sandwiches, and then that chocolate cake for dessert. It's like, Oh, yeah,

 

237

00:40:14.980 --> 00:40:34.379

akilhill: i'm a huge fan of wex files. But Wexlers is excellent, and I and I would say, if someone did a taste this day they might say Wexers is the best, but see nostalgic clouds my brain so much that, like I can't, I can't not just feel that. So that energy being in the boost before Wexers existed. It's like this is the best sandwich I've ever had.

 

238

00:40:34.390 --> 00:40:41.490

Hong Lieu: I guess, Maria, a question for you. Do you get a chance to go down to La and eat around L. A. At all? Or is it something that you're going to do more of now that you're a little closer.

 

239

00:40:41.500 --> 00:40:53.490

akilhill: Yeah, probably now, more than now that i'm a little closer, i'll probably do more L. A. But no, I haven't done much of L. A. Actually, unfortunately. But I would love to.

 

240

00:40:53.500 --> 00:41:03.630

akilhill: Yeah, there's a way to coordinate. We could do something like that with the show where we just

 

241

00:41:03.640 --> 00:41:32.360

akilhill: any employee that wants to go kind of plan it out. You know how like they. You know some people go to dodger games. We should do something. I've always wanted to rent. I always want to rent one those past your band, because I am not afraid to drive in. La a lot of are, and that's that's the hurdle for a lot of folks. If you're not used to big city like traffic driving, I mean, I couldn't drive a big old car in La, because even that is too far for me. But like one of those regular size vans like eight or nine people I've always wanted to do when I work in library, or what I always want to do, I've never been able to.

 

242

00:41:32.370 --> 00:41:35.289

akilhill: I have to make that happen, so I I have to do something.

 

243

00:41:35.300 --> 00:41:54.849

akilhill: Listeners stay tuned because you could do, I mean. But and also you have to find. Yeah, we have to screen people because you might. They might not be ready for the kind of like gastronomical like, if their stomachs might explode like i'm like i'm talking dim some, and then go get a astronomy sandwich, and then go get like some pastries, and then get another meal like like

 

244

00:41:54.860 --> 00:41:56.490

some people might not be ready for that life.

 

245

00:41:56.500 --> 00:41:58.109

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): That is true

 

246

00:41:58.390 --> 00:41:59.089

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and ready.

 

247

00:41:59.100 --> 00:42:04.990

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Yeah, yes. We ready for all those spices, and you know everything absolutely

 

248

00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:11.889

Hong Lieu: like Joey Chess and I like to have a gallon of water, a gallon of water periodically to make sure you can stretch. And you

 

249

00:42:11.900 --> 00:42:15.759

akilhill: you're two bikes dude. I could never. You just said that. That's so, Buddy.

 

250

00:42:15.810 --> 00:42:17.089

akilhill: All right. A queue what you got.

 

251

00:42:17.100 --> 00:42:20.519

akilhill: So I i'm gonna go local, which you know is,

 

252

00:42:20.530 --> 00:42:50.050

akilhill: I don't usually do that. I don't do that enough. I mean, I feel that i'm always giving place else elsewhere out of town. I'm at. Obviously I do thousand o to tour quite a bit, but i'm going to say local. Uh, and i'm going to go. I'm just stay with the thing with sandwiches, and i'm gonna go. Ikes Deli on. Oh, yeah, uh State and mission on the corner of State Mission Street. Um! The funny thing is it has It's been in Santa Barbara for a few years now, and I know everyone thinks about South Coast Delhi, and that's probably like

 

253

00:42:50.520 --> 00:43:01.030

akilhill: the gold standard around town. But um! I stopped by um, and I think it was like two weeks ago, and I was like, Wow, I've never been in the ice. I just went

 

254

00:43:01.660 --> 00:43:10.090

akilhill: first. Of all. The names of the sandwiches are absolutely amazing. Maria can respect that if you're a giants fan.

 

255

00:43:10.100 --> 00:43:18.489

akilhill: Whoa! You're you're both the days we got ria who's your team? I i'm a huge eagle in Philly's

 

256

00:43:27.300 --> 00:43:29.469

akilhill: go eagle

 

257

00:43:30.150 --> 00:43:32.379

Hong Lieu: so nice.

 

258

00:43:32.390 --> 00:44:02.150

akilhill: The names of the sandwiches are super cool because they're named after most Bay area athletes. So one of my favorite uh sandwiches is the stuff curry, which i'm not like a whole state wears fan, but um. The name of the sandwich is stuff kerry, but they are also names like um. The bum gardener. Um M. Cain. They have the marshawn lynch. So there's all these different uh sandwiches named after professional athletes. Um, and it right. The idea is super

 

259

00:44:02.160 --> 00:44:11.989

akilhill: super whimsical in that way. And so. But I ordered the stuff curry, and then I I think he was known for the Dutch crunch bread right on this.

 

260

00:44:12.000 --> 00:44:33.310

akilhill: Yeah, cause cause Isis is from the bay, and I don't know how the Bay area discovered this, but they, I think, are the ones that brought Dutch Dutch crunch bread to the masses, because i'd never had it anywhere before I had it. Ikes, and now I've seen it by multiple little places, so I don't know if I specifically the sandwich out that did it. But I know the bay area as an area. They're the ones that popularize it, because I've never seen it for it.

 

261

00:44:33.320 --> 00:44:38.080

akilhill: And now I don't go to a lot of sandwich places that don't have it because it's so good.

 

262

00:44:38.090 --> 00:45:03.620

akilhill: And what's cool about ice two. They offer gluten-free bread, right? And so I know people that are, you know, blue and intolerant. There, there's option. Search for them um. They also offer halal me. So there's a lot of different um options you got there. It's local. It's in town state, and mission right next to the seven eleven, so you can get your sandwich and your chips, and then, if you want to get your icy or your slurpy afterwards, it's

 

263

00:45:03.630 --> 00:45:13.520

akilhill: you can just walk over to it. So that's my pick for the show. And so hopefully, you guys can support local business and get out there and get a sandwich.

 

264

00:45:13.640 --> 00:45:19.009

akilhill: That's great. What would people do without great food? I mean, what would we do with our great food?

 

265

00:45:19.020 --> 00:45:35.159

akilhill: Yeah, I mean, yeah, just the bridges that great food is built just. Ah, I mean in terms of introducing someone to a culture. One of the first things you want to do is probably introduce some of the food foods, and then meet the people that make the food and and cook the food and and treat these. I mean, It's just

 

266

00:45:35.170 --> 00:45:36.100

Hong Lieu: Yeah.

 

267

00:45:36.110 --> 00:45:54.619

akilhill: Well, that's you know. I think I said this on the show when Michael was on it, but you know it's really. You know us, you know, living in this country. It's really unique, in a sense where we have access to so many different cultures and foods and and traditions. You know, i've, you know, traveled pretty extensively, and i'm thinking about when I was a turkey, and you know

 

268

00:45:54.660 --> 00:46:11.890

akilhill: all you get is pretty much Turkish food, and so you know um to be able to be in in a space or a country where you know you can have options, you know, is is really a a special thing, and it's something, you know, we we can't just take for granted.

 

269

00:46:11.900 --> 00:46:13.790

akilhill: Yeah, especially in California. I

 

270

00:46:13.800 --> 00:46:15.490

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): particularly in it.

 

271

00:46:15.500 --> 00:46:16.350

akilhill: Yes,

 

272

00:46:16.360 --> 00:46:24.090

akilhill: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean, every corner is like You've got something different, and it's good quality, too. Good. Oh, yeah,

 

273

00:46:24.100 --> 00:46:36.889

Hong Lieu: I mean, I've only been in Mexico City in terms of traveling to Mexico. But in terms of regional cuisines I've I've sampled so much from L. A. I mean, if I want that seafood you're talking about, I can give you scandals that on Diado I get, you know, like Agua Chiles, and you know

 

274

00:46:36.900 --> 00:46:45.439

akilhill: the Argos to it. Cameroon is a la diabla, and like from Sinai or from Kurdi Khan like they They tell you where they're from as well like they did

 

275

00:46:45.450 --> 00:47:11.690

akilhill: like cruise. Their bona fides like you want to be there to Chibo, and you got someone from here to you know that, you know, like so they it's just It's just like it's. Not just that it's there. It's so hyper-specialized. And but there's an audience for that where they didn't have to dumb down the palace. And say, Okay, i'm here. Now I have to make just Tacos and Burritos. They can still make the dishes that they made back home. And there's enough people that will eat it and pay for it that they can make a living. So it's just so beautiful. And it's just so. Yeah,

 

276

00:47:11.700 --> 00:47:12.990

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I agree.

 

277

00:47:13.000 --> 00:47:13.899

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Yeah, me,

 

278

00:47:14.340 --> 00:47:19.489

akilhill: i'm getting hungry. I know. So we better. We better Segue quick.

 

279

00:47:19.500 --> 00:47:21.289

akilhill: I'm like we we got to change it over y'all.

 

280

00:47:21.300 --> 00:47:27.789

akilhill: Yeah. And unless Marie wants to talk about mastership for hired learning, be it's higher learning piece of culture Tv movie music, anything,

 

281

00:47:27.800 --> 00:47:38.790

akilhill: you know. I think if I decide to in an early retirement, you know, I don't know, you know, i'm thinking, I see a taco trap of what it does in in my signature there, you know.

 

282

00:47:38.800 --> 00:47:42.790

akilhill: Oh, yeah, specializing just for that. That's all you know.

 

283

00:47:42.800 --> 00:47:50.089

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Oh, man, I don't know. What can I say? I love cooking. I love food, and I love what it does to and for us,

 

284

00:47:50.100 --> 00:47:52.890

akilhill: you know, and the Gordica is special.

 

285

00:47:52.900 --> 00:48:12.689

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): The thickness, the thickness of that Masa, like a Gordita, is like, not as thick as a sofa, but like, you know, and and a war bite in the taco or anything else. So yeah, that Gordita is special, too. So I I you. But yes, I learning any piece of culture, Maria, and whether now or in your past, that it's a you don't know if you've been the profound you want to share with the audience. If you want to kick us off. Let it rip.

 

286

00:48:15.820 --> 00:48:17.530

Hong Lieu: Yeah, if you got him

 

287

00:48:17.790 --> 00:48:23.620

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): film Tv book. Okay, I'm: So sorry. No, no. You're good. You're good,

 

288

00:48:28.300 --> 00:48:37.839

akilhill: hey? I'm: thinking about that nine past year Band doing the tourist,

 

289

00:48:39.050 --> 00:48:44.049

akilhill: you know, hot pink, or something like that, you know. What can I say? No, you know i'm.

 

290

00:48:44.060 --> 00:48:59.230

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Let's say Gosh! In terms. This is a very difficult question of you guys. I mean, arts are so special athletics, super super special for, and healthy for a society for our souls. It feeds our souls. I love it.

 

291

00:48:59.240 --> 00:49:06.989

akilhill: I have to say my favorite book is a classic. My favorite book is Cervantes is Don Quixote.

 

292

00:49:07.000 --> 00:49:09.890

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I just I love You know what I thought about this one,

 

293

00:49:09.900 --> 00:49:11.749

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I but I do not.

 

294

00:49:11.890 --> 00:49:13.169

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): The concept

 

295

00:49:13.400 --> 00:49:18.200

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): allowing ourselves to imagine the impossible

 

296

00:49:19.140 --> 00:49:27.889

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and and how that influences others, you know to do the same how contagious that can be.

 

297

00:49:27.970 --> 00:49:47.899

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Um! And the great things that can come from that. At the same time, you know, acknowledging that we live in reality, that there is a reality around us, right? And so Cervantes is. Ah! Don Quixote does a good job at this juxtaposition, right between idealism

 

298

00:49:47.910 --> 00:49:58.109

akilhill: and realism. And somewhere in between those two extremes is where I like to live, you know, somewhere in between.

 

299

00:49:58.240 --> 00:50:11.390

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): So yeah, that's that's definitely my favorite book. Um, you know. I try to pick it up. Not every here and there you read a page or two, and it just brings me.

 

300

00:50:12.260 --> 00:50:18.000

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): It brings smiles to to my face, you know a smile on my face, and a good feeling of

 

301

00:50:19.370 --> 00:50:28.590

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): letting go and allowing ourselves to to imagine the impossible. So why not? Why not dream? You know I'm a dreamer. What can I say?

 

302

00:50:28.600 --> 00:50:29.490

A:

 

303

00:50:29.500 --> 00:50:31.389

so? Yeah. Um as far as

 

304

00:50:31.960 --> 00:50:40.749

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): let's see what else uh my favorite sport, you know. I grew up watching Soccer not not playing it, not playing it. I didn't have

 

305

00:50:40.760 --> 00:50:55.439

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): that privilege, you know, to be able to play a sport. Um, but I watched it, and I love it. I get so excited. Every world cop, you know. Um is is exciting to me, particularly the the finals

 

306

00:50:55.450 --> 00:51:01.590

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): uh the final tournaments, or whatever competition, whatever we call that uh final games, I guess.

 

307

00:51:01.600 --> 00:51:11.889

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): And when I traveled I've tried to visit these famous stadiums as well. It's inspiring. It's inspiring to me.

 

308

00:51:11.900 --> 00:51:16.340

akilhill: So do you have a team, or do you just love the game? And what's the best stadium you've been to.

 

309

00:51:16.590 --> 00:51:18.780

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Yeah. Great question. So

 

310

00:51:18.790 --> 00:51:23.390

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): you know, I have a story. When I was faculty I would lead study abroad programs

 

311

00:51:23.400 --> 00:51:40.829

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and ah, to Spain mostly, but ah, also other countries, and it would be during the summer, you know, June and July. And so one year the ah Spain was part of the euro cup of the final hurricane and Spain against Germany.

 

312

00:51:40.990 --> 00:51:58.849

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): And we got to Spain that day in the morning when when the final was happening, And so in Spain. Everybody's super super, you know, huge soccer band. So the entire city just goes completely. Nuts?

 

313

00:51:58.860 --> 00:52:16.789

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Um! And they they have these huge screen Tvs outside in the causes, you know, out out in the community for everyone to come gather outside and watch the games together. And we got there when it was Germany and Spain and Spain one that night.

 

314

00:52:16.800 --> 00:52:18.290

akilhill: No man can just.

 

315

00:52:18.300 --> 00:52:21.099

akilhill: Ah, no, I cannot.

 

316

00:52:21.490 --> 00:52:25.420

akilhill: I cannot imagine it.

 

317

00:52:25.850 --> 00:52:35.729

akilhill: People celebrating I mean people parties until the next day, and the next day, when when Spain won that year in the euro come up, I forget what year that was.

 

318

00:52:35.740 --> 00:53:03.220

akilhill: But um, you know I love it. It brings people together, you know there's common denominator there all of a sudden, despite all of our differences, and I just love that aspect of humanity. Um! And so I Of course I've been to the bad Mabel. It's day. Ah, stadium there in Madrid, and I've been to the one um in in Barcelona as well. Um! And ah! Recently, actually, last year I was at the ah

 

319

00:53:03.230 --> 00:53:06.209

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): most famous stadium in Paris,

 

320

00:53:06.410 --> 00:53:14.619

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): so I you know I've been lucky that way. I'm: very privileged to have had an opportunity to do that. So yeah,

 

321

00:53:14.940 --> 00:53:23.520

akilhill: our Tv shows. Can I tell you what I'm: A huge kind of reality. Tv show Fan: Uh: I love survivor.

 

322

00:53:23.550 --> 00:53:26.790

akilhill: Okay, Okay, I love survivor,

 

323

00:53:26.800 --> 00:53:31.290

akilhill: the one that started it all the one that started in America at least. Yeah, yeah.

 

324

00:53:31.300 --> 00:53:50.459

akilhill: And I love the amazing race. Um and love observing. You know the human behavior when when our when our limits are tested, you know, when we are pushed limits. I I just find that fascinating, how we react,

 

325

00:53:50.470 --> 00:54:05.919

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): how we choose to react, how we instinctually react. Um, I just love that. I, you know, I think in in in a future world, in a future life I probably love to study psychology. I just um.

 

326

00:54:06.830 --> 00:54:10.290

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I find human behavior fascinating. What can I say? How?

 

327

00:54:10.300 --> 00:54:18.029

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): As far as movies, you know, I'm not a huge mystery or horror film type of

 

328

00:54:18.180 --> 00:54:23.899

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): person. I guess I love drama, and I love comedy

 

329

00:54:24.170 --> 00:54:26.850

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): uh as well. So, yeah,

 

330

00:54:28.300 --> 00:54:44.749

akilhill: great choices. I love these picks. I love these pick. Don Quixote is a great novel, not only because it has influenced almost every novel written after, you know you can see your life and Walter Midi all these fantastic stories, but because it was such a classic, and I like I mentioned before, but not often, but like

 

331

00:54:44.760 --> 00:55:03.959

Hong Lieu: growing up, I felt like I had to read the classics where I could read the the new stuff so, but reading the classic scaming appreciation for for classical language, how it was written at the time, you know the the old conventions and and and and learning how to read those that classic literature made me a better reader. It made me a better writer. It made me a better, you know, like in terms of comprehending things so,

 

332

00:55:03.970 --> 00:55:31.620

Hong Lieu: and i'm just doing the translation I I I can't read the original manuscript to appreciate what the original writing was but just the various translations, you know. I feel the same way about about about it, and walk off where the just reading that the classic literature, and how and how it's written. Just how the senses are formed. I mean, because if you read the storyline somewhere on Wikipedia, Okay, you know. Ah, you know fantastical ventures. Imagination falls asleep as the dreams wakes up, but in terms of what you actually get and read like the the the benefit of the the words. And then just

 

333

00:55:31.630 --> 00:55:46.490

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Oh, yeah, it's it's it deserves its place as a true classic it is. It is thick, and it it is difficult to get through. You know. You will need a long time to read parts one and two, but you will be rewarded immensely, and it is just Yeah, it is very enriching, and it yeah, rightfully.

 

334

00:55:46.500 --> 00:55:51.890

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): No, there were two between the two parts. There was a ten year difference in publication.

 

335

00:55:51.900 --> 00:55:53.089

Hong Lieu: Oh, I did not know that

 

336

00:55:53.100 --> 00:55:53.990

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): water

 

337

00:55:54.000 --> 00:56:00.490

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): an entire decade before the second part two was published,

 

338

00:56:00.500 --> 00:56:04.889

and we get him. I get impatient when I have to wait a week for a new episode of something. I can't just beat it all at once.

 

339

00:56:04.900 --> 00:56:21.450

akilhill: So yeah, wait waiting for two, waiting ten years for part two. If you have the Internet, like people talk about George R. Martin, or even write those books. Bro:

 

340

00:56:22.280 --> 00:56:24.289

I don't like Amos rooms. Right?

 

341

00:56:24.300 --> 00:56:37.890

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Everybody just wanted an episode after episode of a game of throat that we just and then they got, and then we got it, and the last season was like, Well, what should we what you should take in your time?

 

342

00:56:37.900 --> 00:56:49.530

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Yeah, we We look forward to house of the Dragon, you know. And then same thing. We only only one episode, and then that's it. It just feels like we're waiting too long.

 

343

00:56:49.640 --> 00:56:54.230

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): It says something about the patient our level of patience, you know. It has just

 

344

00:56:54.240 --> 00:56:54.890

akilhill: Yeah,

 

345

00:56:54.900 --> 00:56:56.890

akilhill: we done to ourselves right?

 

346

00:56:56.900 --> 00:57:14.139

akilhill: It's completely eroded in a lot of places, and a lot of you know, and a part of me thinks that's due to a lack of other hobbies like before, when we were waiting we could do other things, you know, like, okay, this Tv show is not there? Read a comic play video game. Go ride a bike, you know. Go take a hike. But

 

347

00:57:14.150 --> 00:57:30.589

Hong Lieu: folks now are I mean, not all folks, but some folks are just really kind of locked in a few things really specialized, and that's good and a lot of things in terms of deepening knowledge. But in terms of in terms of creating this kind of like zoomed in like, Yeah, hyper-focused kind of

 

348

00:57:30.600 --> 00:57:33.679

Hong Lieu: Yeah, Yeah, yeah, that's that's my theory. But i'm not sure.

 

349

00:57:33.900 --> 00:57:43.430

akilhill: Yeah, I mean also, too. I mean, we don't talk about the beauty in the patients either. Right? So you know, like i'm thinking ten years between novels, right? And So

 

350

00:57:43.700 --> 00:57:59.090

akilhill: that's the beauty in it, Right If we were to You want I mean look, I I just feel it's capitalism. You want it. The next episode, you know, next week, and that's like That's not how beautiful things are are created. You know what I mean, like beautiful things. Or

 

351

00:57:59.100 --> 00:58:11.959

akilhill: yeah, yeah, they take time, the the hurt, the sorrow, the pain, the reflection, all of that goes into it, You know it's like the my favorite part of ah like water for chocolate when she cries into the mobeet. Right? Yeah,

 

352

00:58:11.970 --> 00:58:15.930

akilhill: You know what I mean. Like It's that part that makes it right.

 

353

00:58:16.300 --> 00:58:23.789

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): The perspective gained throughout that ten years, you know. I probably really helped enrich that second part, for sure it's so true.

 

354

00:58:23.800 --> 00:58:43.349

akilhill: I mean, think about our own lives. Where? How are we like. Look! Ah, Marina alluded to it a little bit earlier when she's like. Now I understand the balance of not working so much. Well, what is that? That's wisdom. And how do you get wisdom through time, through time and different perspectives? Yeah, you're right. Yeah, right? So again, you know, that's how

 

355

00:58:43.360 --> 00:58:51.089

akilhill: that's you know, always wanting that when we want it it usually is not a great result, you know.

 

356

00:58:51.100 --> 00:58:51.970

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Right?

 

357

00:58:52.130 --> 00:58:54.890

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): But yeah, patience is It's a virtue, right?

 

358

00:58:54.900 --> 00:58:55.709

akilhill: Yep.

 

359

00:58:56.190 --> 00:59:06.890

akilhill: You forget about people. Forget about that all the time. I like to say i'm a patient person. But then certain things. Yeah, I guilty everyone else like when i'm way in line for a restaurant.

 

360

00:59:06.900 --> 00:59:12.590

akilhill: No, I saw you last night at the ice cream truck on your patient. I saw you,

 

361

00:59:12.600 --> 00:59:15.390

akilhill: you know.

 

362

00:59:15.400 --> 00:59:23.830

akilhill: Oh, sometimes i'm the guy like you. The dirty looks like you had that check on your table for quite a long time. That's far enough for you. It's time to go.

 

363

00:59:25.060 --> 00:59:27.590

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): That's true,

 

364

00:59:27.600 --> 00:59:39.889

Hong Lieu: especially like, Oh, yeah, Some plays everybody in like an hour and a half like in some dim, some weights like an hour and a half two hours where you're coming in hungry. Oh, man, by the time you go to that table, you you're heated, especially when you're with family like my parents are way, too. I'm like, Well, I'm getting sweaty. Yeah,

 

365

00:59:39.900 --> 00:59:42.429

akilhill: no, I think that's strategic, though. So you order more.

 

366

00:59:42.460 --> 00:59:43.189

Hong Lieu: Oh, yeah,

 

367

00:59:43.200 --> 00:59:52.390

akilhill: it's It's a forty five minute wait, and then it's an actually an hour. And so by the time you're like, i'm really hungry. And then you you can be strategic.

 

368

00:59:52.400 --> 00:59:54.759

Hong Lieu: Yeah, it's true, that's true.

 

369

00:59:54.770 --> 01:00:14.370

akilhill: So thank you, Ria: Thank you, Maria. So what do you got for for us? Home? I'll go um as of this recording. Ah, Yeah, it's A August twenty s i'll say, and so ah, i'd maybe think about my probably greatest knees at the hero of all time. Joe Strummer was born on August twenty first, and

 

370

01:00:14.380 --> 01:00:32.909

Hong Lieu: he is like my North Star in terms of music. When I was in high school growing up, I, you know, like Oh, just getting in a punk rock. I didn't know that much about it. I thought I I wanted to be with the cool punk Rock kid, so I mean. I I went to this, went down to Melrose to buy a a A. T-shirt, a man t-shirt and I picked up a class shirt, and so

 

371

01:00:32.920 --> 01:00:44.430

Hong Lieu: that got me getting into their music. And so I became a huge clash fan. And then I got another problem there, and eventually led to Jose from a solo career, et cetera, et cetera. But yeah, he is. He is the man to me, and I still remember

 

372

01:00:44.440 --> 01:01:06.219

Hong Lieu: the day he passed in two thousand and one. He, you know, he had an art condition in the past. I This was like the Internet, was there, but it wasn't like ubiquitous in our lives. So it was late to me, but everybody was calling me because everyone like knew how big a fan I was and how important he was to my life. What did you hear? I'm like, I'm like No. What happened? They told me. Oh, my God! It's like like when I ran on the Internet to take my dial up wherever to look it up and like,

 

373

01:01:06.230 --> 01:01:22.259

Hong Lieu: Yeah. So I mean, the the man has changed my life, and you know everyone talks about his his career with the clash and the clash are an all-time band. One of the you know, one of the best you know one critic famous. He said they were the only band that matters, and I don't agree with that, because they also taught me to diversify my musical interests.

 

374

01:01:22.270 --> 01:01:31.790

Hong Lieu: They're the ones that got me into Reggae. They are the ones that indirectly got me to hip Hop. My sister was also interning a lot of records, so she got me a lot of cool records to give me hip, hop, but in terms of bay in the early eightys,

 

375

01:01:31.800 --> 01:01:47.569

Hong Lieu: having artists like Grandmaster flash open for them, you know, and and and they were getting booed off the state and whatnot. But at least they were trying to show folks what it was. Yeah, you know, famous graffiti arts feature of five thousand on their last combat Rock, their most famous album. It has, like rupt the Cas launch a year ago.

 

376

01:01:47.580 --> 01:02:01.309

Hong Lieu: Now the track feature of five thousand, which is an early hip-hop track, and also an early acknowledgment of graffiti as a cultural movement, because he was a graph Artist. But yeah, his post-class career does not get enough shine. And there was just a box head released recently.

 

377

01:02:01.320 --> 01:02:16.509

Hong Lieu: Ah, just over Lloyd, two by one is a lot of his um. Other stuff I've on to his is is solar work with his. The last man he was in for he past called the Mescaleros. They did a three albums. I was able to see him twice while he played with the Mescaleros. So that was another thing that was nice. But um!

 

378

01:02:16.520 --> 01:02:27.259

Hong Lieu: The box said, is great um, Both volumes of the jokes term anthologies to a strummer volume. One and two is why one is all of it so lower for the Mescaleros and Volume two the Muscularos albums. We remastered and all that stuff

 

379

01:02:27.270 --> 01:02:50.300

Hong Lieu: it's, it's worth a run-through, if if you you know if you're interested at all, like even a little bit about rock history. And for and or Joe Strummer as as a man, he was a great man as a as a as a member of a great band. He was that guy, and as a solo artist he does not get enough love, but his solo material is excellent as well. So a belated, happy birthday to Joe Strummer and recipes forever. And yeah,

 

380

01:02:50.310 --> 01:02:52.230

Hong Lieu: I love the guy still to this day,

 

381

01:02:52.900 --> 01:02:53.810

akilhill: from the

 

382

01:02:53.820 --> 01:02:55.769

akilhill: thanks for dropping that on this hum

 

383

01:02:57.030 --> 01:03:13.119

akilhill: I was ready. Yeah, I was ready. He came. He came with his gloves on i'm like, Oh, that's That's I mean that's my north star for sure, like you know, I mean a lot of things I would have been into otherwise, and just put it on my radar like in like the like. Two thousand and one, two thousand and two

 

384

01:03:13.130 --> 01:03:42.050

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): or not he done in two thousand and one, but like ninety, nine, two thousand people were doing interviews with him like what he used to do now, and he was talking about Opia, you know, like Korea, as a musical style is known to a lot of people, but not known to a lot of people, you know. So it was some of that. The first time I've heard about it.

 

385

01:03:42.060 --> 01:03:43.390

Hong Lieu: Those are my boyfriend's tremor

 

386

01:03:43.400 --> 01:03:44.689

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): play instruments.

 

387

01:03:44.700 --> 01:04:01.169

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): I do not I I I I I have dj before and yeah, Dj: before, and I like you know sub-turn tables and stuff, but in terms of Yeah, I I I I I know enough. I'm on the guitar to play pump rocket, which is three chords, you know, in various order,

 

388

01:04:01.180 --> 01:04:10.530

Hong Lieu: and my son is taking piano because I do want him to learn how to reach the music. But yeah, no, me. I'm not so inclined. I'm more of a dancer than a musical artist, and i'm not even a great dancer.

 

389

01:04:10.620 --> 01:04:30.389

akilhill: Oh, maybe that can be a part of the trip after the Tacos and all that to La.

 

390

01:04:30.400 --> 01:04:47.390

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): We love music in our home. My husband plays the guitar has played it since he was thirteen. And so the music uh seventies. Eighties uh rock uh is is probably his, those two in those two areas, you know. So we listen to music

 

391

01:04:47.400 --> 01:04:55.569

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): all the time he plays the guitar all the time. So we are huge lovers of just live music and good music.

 

392

01:04:55.580 --> 01:05:21.269

akilhill: Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. And then, being close to La will be nice, because in terms of you get venues of all sizes where Santa Barbara we have Santa Barbara Bowl, which is medium, you know, medium large to large, and then we have basically So home. Now, which is the the smaller bit, you know A. You got a lot more small and medium sized option choose from. And then, as you know, you know, being from the Nap area, you go to the bay, you go to San Francisco, or even Sacramento. It's large to come through. So

 

393

01:05:21.280 --> 01:05:22.459

Hong Lieu: yes,

 

394

01:05:23.530 --> 01:05:32.569

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): all right. You sorry about that. But I have to tell you this story because I um actually met.

 

395

01:05:32.670 --> 01:05:34.290

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): It's really

 

396

01:05:34.650 --> 01:05:36.289

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): of the Ounce Board

 

397

01:05:36.300 --> 01:05:37.450

Hong Lieu: recently,

 

398

01:05:37.890 --> 01:05:39.789

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): about five years ago.

 

399

01:05:39.800 --> 01:05:50.690

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Wow, we're never going to believe this is a crazy, crazy story, Ok, ready for this. So I was in of all places. Havana, Cuba.

 

400

01:05:50.700 --> 01:05:53.189

Hong Lieu: Wow! That's all that's awesome.

 

401

01:05:53.200 --> 01:06:16.500

akilhill: Yeah, he's there with his son Jack and the whole filming production team. And they're ah filming a reality. Show where apparently him and Jack are traveling around the world, or whatever visiting these places and witnessing these events Right? Ah! That are called unique to each culture, right to each, to each country they've got to.

 

402

01:06:16.520 --> 01:06:33.090

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): So all of a sudden we're we're in Havana. The government there has to recreate the the shooting of the cannons from way back in the day, and so they do that It's a free event for all Cubans. And so a bunch of tourists go there,

 

403

01:06:33.100 --> 01:06:37.459

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and all of a sudden I hear I was there with a group of of uh colleagues,

 

404

01:06:37.550 --> 01:06:41.880

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and all of a sudden I hear someone say, Osborne is here,

 

405

01:06:42.220 --> 01:06:52.990

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and I thought no way. I mean, what are the odds right? And then I hear it again. And so I thought to myself, to my husband, is a huge black Sabbath fan.

 

406

01:06:53.000 --> 01:07:07.390

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): How are you? Osbourne is like his. I don't right, so i'm thinking if anything, I just at least have to go see if it is true. You know I have to get close, so I grab my camera and I I get close, sure enough.

 

407

01:07:07.400 --> 01:07:26.689

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): There's Aussie, you know, with his phone filming the shooting of the cannons, and Jack sitting right behind him, and i'm like feet away from them. And the funny thing is, and I thought, okay, I kind of call my husband to tell him what just happened, and of course, Cuba you know nobody has wi-fi.

 

408

01:07:26.700 --> 01:07:31.589

akilhill: I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I couldn't talk to him for days. I

 

409

01:07:31.600 --> 01:07:37.790

akilhill: oh, he wasn't there

 

410

01:07:37.800 --> 01:07:39.889

akilhill: that makes the story better, though

 

411

01:07:40.200 --> 01:07:41.690

akilhill: I I think it does

 

412

01:07:42.300 --> 01:07:45.690

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): when I say you are never going to believe what happens?

 

413

01:07:45.700 --> 01:07:49.189

akilhill: Exactly. It's just unbelievable. What are the odds? Right?

 

414

01:07:49.200 --> 01:07:50.209

akilhill: Yeah.

 

415

01:07:50.220 --> 01:08:11.320

akilhill: And those are the best stories, and to me, to me Ozzie is like those from her in some ways, because everyone thinks about it as Black Sabbath. But Ozzie Osborne's solo records are excellent, especially especially me with randy roads. But even afterwards I mean the rest of piece Randy roads. But the post Randy rose albums are also excellent. I mean his biggest solo hit my mom coming home with the postman and he roads release. And you know. So

 

416

01:08:11.330 --> 01:08:19.790

akilhill: so yeah, I think that there's definitely a definite, nice, nice tie in there, and we appreciate the species. That story.

 

417

01:08:19.800 --> 01:08:20.389

akilhill: Yeah,

 

418

01:08:20.399 --> 01:08:21.389

Hong Lieu: yeah,

 

419

01:08:21.399 --> 01:08:24.400

akilhill: alright. To you what you got. So watch

 

420

01:08:24.540 --> 01:08:31.630

akilhill: peace for culture is, i'm going to go local, and I'm going to go seriously local,

 

421

01:08:31.640 --> 01:08:45.389

akilhill: and i'm going to go to the mural that's being actually created on campus right now. So that's my pick. For the week it's been really an amazing process. Watching this actually unfold

 

422

01:08:45.399 --> 01:08:54.849

akilhill: um from a a vision right? Um walking through the embedded space, and turning around and looking at a a blank wall, and thinking that you know

 

423

01:08:55.060 --> 01:09:14.740

akilhill: I want to get a mural here. Ah! Into finding. Ah, the people that are actually producing their or installing the mirror. Um, I don't know there's you know there's six artists that are currently working on it. And by all means, I think that they're really humble in a lot of in a lot of regards, because

 

424

01:09:14.790 --> 01:09:19.679

akilhill: a few of the artists that some of them are up and coming, but a couple of them, Andre,

 

425

01:09:19.689 --> 01:09:47.340

akilhill: who's the Ceo of Bam? It's called it, stands for the Bay area mail program. Um. They are out of the bay. They've done amazing work. They've done like they work with the Golden State warriors. Um! They did a piece That's like literally. I think it's like six or seven stories. Um for the Golden State warriors. There's A. Qr. Code on that narrow. They're just really innovative in their approach. It's a nonprofit,

 

426

01:09:47.350 --> 01:09:55.650

akilhill: and so reaching out to them, and actually kind of birthing. What is actually going to be on the wall is has just been really

 

427

01:09:55.660 --> 01:10:24.810

akilhill: i'm blessing in a lot of ways. Another artist that's in the bam. Her name is Rachel Wolf, uh Goldsmith. She is a phenomena artist in her own. Right. She has a piece that's on Black Panther's headquarters, or the former Black Panther's headquarters in Oakland, California. Uh. Attribute to the black women who uh were in the Black Panther party during the sixtys that holds dear to my heart. My mother was a for Black Panther in Oakland in the Sixtys,

 

428

01:10:24.820 --> 01:10:28.420

So is this really been an amazing um

 

429

01:10:28.530 --> 01:10:46.849

akilhill: our journey, and I just want to take a moment and thank all the people that have assisted um, and making this happen on campus, from Dr. Mariel to to security, making sure everything is locked down. There's been a whole lot of people who have

 

430

01:10:46.860 --> 01:11:15.840

akilhill: made this happen. Uh v Peopleoma. Uh, you know Dr. Roxanne Byrne, there's so many people on the Fsa. Uh John uh from the back in the gallery. Uh, you know just a lot of people putting their time and effort into making this come into fruition. Um. So if you're on campus uh please take a moment and stop by and just be present. I have the good, fortunate today of just you know I've been checking in every day,

 

431

01:11:15.850 --> 01:11:30.229

akilhill: making sure that artists are are are treated and feeling welcome on campus. And there was a class from Kaplan that literally walked up, and they sat, and there was about maybe about ten students, fifteen students,

 

432

01:11:30.240 --> 01:11:45.760

akilhill: and they were discussing the mirror, and I mean they were still painting. They're still working on it currently. But um, you know the teacher was like. What do you see? What's your? You know what's your favorite part? And I thought I was pretty special. The publicist his name's linkedin's with Ah, Langston? He's with map. And

 

433

01:11:46.060 --> 01:11:57.529

akilhill: he asked the girl, he said, what's your favorite part? And she said, You know i'm from Brazil and my English isn't. Good, he said, We have Google translate speaking Portuguese, and it was so dope because

 

434

01:11:57.540 --> 01:12:27.240

akilhill: i'm sitting here looking at her stand by her favorite part of the mirror, and really just speak in Portuguese and express how she really feels about the piece. It was really humbly. Um! So that's my pick for the week. I really want to just thank the campus once again for um for um getting some life back on on our campus. It's been a rough to two years, plus, and I just just just feel grateful for for being a employed by Santa Barbara City College,

 

435

01:12:27.250 --> 01:12:45.890

akilhill: so that's my pick for the week. Um! Soon on the mail. There'll be a Qr. Code. We can scan it. There will be a time lapse of the mural um, thanks to Hong for putting the website together, so shout out to you as hung as well. So just a lot of great ah

 

436

01:12:45.900 --> 01:13:03.120

akilhill: collaboration. At least it's been great. Shah! Hooves has been great. It's just an all around. Ah, great experience! Last night we had over one hundred and thirty people between the times of five and eight, just sitting, being in community with each other. The kids were

 

437

01:13:03.130 --> 01:13:15.479

akilhill: playing ping ah, table tennis, and ah, people throwing Cornhalls soccer. It just was just a great and event last night, And so I just want to thank everyone for that. And yeah, that's my big,

 

438

01:13:16.760 --> 01:13:21.069

akilhill: great pick. Great take and an amazing pick. Yes,

 

439

01:13:21.080 --> 01:13:40.099

akilhill: good good work, good work on your part of keel, you you! You! You mentioned the process in passing, but you you as an integral part of that process, can. Only you know you're the one that knows what. But it's have to go from you walking by thinking maybe it should be there, or wherever it probably you. But thinking there should be a mural on that wall,

 

440

01:13:40.110 --> 01:13:55.809

Hong Lieu: and going through the process to make it happen, because how many times, and how many folks would think similar things, and and be here with the process like this is too much. This is to the bureaucracies out of control, whatever. But I mean shout out to you for making it happen, and shout out to you.

 

441

01:13:55.820 --> 01:14:01.849

Hong Lieu: Instance, You know Dr. Mario and Sbcc. As an institution for making sure the bureaucracy didn't get in the way the

 

442

01:14:01.860 --> 01:14:29.050

Hong Lieu: of making it all happen at what should happen, Because it's It's a beautiful project. I was at that event last night. It was just unbelievable. How how good it felt to be in community and feel like, feel like a true community, A A true kind of communal event was occurring, and you could feel all around you. You know everyone was friendly. Walk around and meet people you never knew, and they, you know, like, act like you know him your whole life, and it was just. It was all good. I mean, it was just that. That's the only way you could put it with. It was all good, and how it

 

443

01:14:29.060 --> 01:14:29.690

Hong Lieu: Yeah.

 

444

01:14:29.700 --> 01:14:31.320

akilhill: And

 

445

01:14:31.330 --> 01:14:42.049

akilhill: I mean, I don't know if the campus really realized. You know, i'm from Santa Barbara. And this piece is probably the first piece that actually

 

446

01:14:42.200 --> 01:15:07.169

akilhill: well, it is the first black mural in Santa Barbara so, and it's housed here at Santa Barbara City College. Um, and you can. It may even be the first black mural between Los Angeles and the Bay area. Um, So I mean Don't quote me on that. But i'm thinking the in between spaces there may not be anything that's really intentionally centering um like excellence um

 

447

01:15:07.180 --> 01:15:26.619

akilhill: on on walls. So um and I was laughing. The artists were saying, You guys got a lot of white walls around here. I was like, Yeah. So hopefully, this is leads to a bigger discussion, you know, shout out to Api. We need some representation hopefully. We can get something going as well, and you know, make this place um.

 

448

01:15:26.860 --> 01:15:46.320

akilhill: You know the place that we want to be in, you know. I mean, we've been through a lot like I said the last two and a half years. Hopefully we can turn the page, and we can start with just bringing everyone into the fold. And so um, yeah, we maybe have the first black mirror in Santa Barbara. It's that sinners black excellence. So it's It's it's a it's a big it's a big feat.

 

449

01:15:47.810 --> 01:15:49.970

akilhill: What I said. And uh

 

450

01:15:50.090 --> 01:15:52.389

Hong Lieu: you did it, man, You did great.

 

451

01:15:52.400 --> 01:16:05.400

akilhill: Yeah, we all we all did it. We all all did it for you, you know. You know you're part of all this, and we'll leave at that I know you're a humble man. You've been honestly into the modest life, but I appreciate that too much so, for when it comes to those Taco trucks. Man. I'll be like

 

452

01:16:05.410 --> 01:16:12.790

akilhill: I'm sorry about that in it like You're congratulations on the project. Congratulations.

 

453

01:16:12.800 --> 01:16:13.590

Yeah, thanks.

 

454

01:16:13.600 --> 01:16:24.519

akilhill: And and thank you. Keel, and thank you Maria um on the show. It was an honor to have you before we we say goodbye. Any final words, any ah final plugs you want to get in or anything like that.

 

455

01:16:24.880 --> 01:16:36.959

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): No, I just want to thank the Santa Barbara City College Community campus community for the warm welcome or kind words. And um

 

456

01:16:36.970 --> 01:16:45.130

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): for the teachable moments. Um, you know, thus far, and I continue to look forward to working with everyone,

 

457

01:16:45.140 --> 01:16:59.179

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): and I will maintain an open in outdoor and make myself available to everyone who wishes to step by just check in, say, hello, I'm offering virtual office hours uh twice a month

 

458

01:16:59.190 --> 01:17:06.690

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): for anyone who wishes to just hop in, bring coffee, bring tea, and just have a chat about anything.

 

459

01:17:06.900 --> 01:17:08.289

akilhill: So thank you so much.

 

460

01:17:08.300 --> 01:17:13.489

akilhill: Thank you. And so where can people find you. So where is your open door actually located on campus?

 

461

01:17:13.500 --> 01:17:19.229

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): So I am in the Administration Building

 

462

01:17:19.670 --> 01:17:35.820

akilhill: right next to uh Dr. Maria's uh office right next to the President's office. So um right in the same hallway as the information booth and the Admin building. So yeah, that's where i'm at. Okay, great.

 

463

01:17:36.050 --> 01:17:42.689

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): And you'll send emails out about the virtual office hours and all that. So I believe I have already. But there'll be reminders

 

464

01:17:42.700 --> 01:17:48.419

akilhill: excellent, great, and i'll get that in from the show. I know it's. I'll track it down and get that and showing us as well.

 

465

01:17:48.430 --> 01:18:02.489

Maria Villagomez (she/her/ella): Thank you so much. I can't believe that when you are. It's almost time to to back it up already. I was just just chatting with you guys about all kinds of important things to our to our line with us and to our souls. Right.

 

466

01:18:02.500 --> 01:18:12.889

akilhill: Yeah, Absolutely stupid student life as you could it. That's a great way to put it. And that's a a great way to close the show. So thank you again. Rio's an honor, and thank you as always. Thanks.

 

467

01:18:12.900 --> 01:18:16.230

akilhill: This was Vaquero Voices. Take care, everyone, peace. Bye, bye,