I Breathe Music!. Air is just there.

Ever since I remember my life,.Music has been an important ingredient for my daily routine,. Being Latino, I grew listening to a mixture of cultural musical expressions,. My father was a loyal fan of Creedence Clear Water Revival and Ray Conniff,. He also introduced me to an artistic expression that I had not heard before. Poetry, he used to play records of "El Indio Duarte" from Uruguay, with poems like "El Duelo Del Mayoral" and "Porque No Tomo Mas."

Camilo Sesto from Spain

My mother on the other hand had passion for Mariachi Music by Lucha Villa and Juan Gabriel,. But her very favorite was Camilo Sesto, a tall handsome singer from Spain, when she was in a bad mood my sister Rubi and I knew that playing his music would make her feel much better.
she also enjoyed fun rhythms like the Cumbias and Gaitas from Colombia and the humorous local Salvadorian groups.
Being the baby of the family I also got to enjoy the love for the Music my siblings were devoted to,. My older sister was an Abba fan,. she used to daydream of being the blond girl of the group.

My brother was into Kc and Sunshine Band as well as Mexican group Los Bukis, plus some Rock bands such as Kiss and Black Sabath. my other sister was a Disco fan and also a romantic,. With her I learn to love Disco artist such as Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor and The Village People, but also the slow songs from Bee-Gees and The Carpenters, our household was filled of vinyl 45's and Lp's .

Orquesta Internacional de Los Hermanos Flores, The favorites  in El Salvador.

As I got to be a teenager I developed my own taste for Music and descovered that I love the old School Music better, such as The Supremes, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and Engelbert Humperdinck,. But I also found myself singing along with tropical beats such as Orquesta Hermanos Flores, Las Chicas del Can or Rey Ruiz,. I also got love for Tango, Carlos Gardel, Amelita Baltar and others,. But El Salvador is rich on musical expressions and their trade mark is Cumbia Music and I loved Orquesta Casino, Grupo Bravo and Fredy Zelada.

But Music has so much more to offer and I also embraced Classic Music, discovered my passion for Johan Sebastian Bach and his concerts of violin and organ, some of the most beautiful music ever made, Classic Music lead me to Opera, where I fell in love with Maria Callas who transported me to an unknown dimension of musical ecstasy, her voice and temperamental interpretation.

Maria Callas at Lascalla in Milan, Italy

However living in a Latin country the influences are from other genres and I open my heart to Mambo, Corridos and Rancheras with great exponents such as Damazo Perez Prado, Los Tigres del Norte, Vicente Fernadez and Lola Beltran. But there were also young Spanish Rock singers and bands such as my very favorite Alejandra Guzman, Alaska y Dinarama and Los Enanitos Verdes.

Los Enanitos Verdes with hits such as "La Muralla Verde"

I live in America now and I am in Music heaven.! we have it all in America,. Soon after my arrival I found Texano Music with Selena, Hip Hop with my girl Queen Latifah, Country with Bryan White, Lonestar and the queen of country Ms.Loretta Lynn, Easy Listening with the one and only Elton John, and many other artist who I love,. Pink, Jon Von Jovi, Enrique Iglesias, Michael Jackson, Jakob Dylan and the Wallflowers.

The best exponent of Ranchero, Vicente Fernandez

Rocker and Mexican Icon Alejandra Guzman

The Bad Boy of the Circuit, Talented D J Jipsta

Forever The Queen of Texano Music, Selena

And most recently I discovered the Amazing JIPSTA with his 'Nasty Boy vs Nasty Girl' and 'Party of the Year' with an upcoming album "Bandoozle" with great songs such as "Internet Kill The Clubs" and "Too New York". Album that he created and produced as an independent music artist.
Music is one of the most beautiful and felt expressions that comforts the soul, life is much better because of music.
I don't understand people who don't enjoy music, life would be such a sad mute without Music,. The day I die I want the music to play long and loud as my life is celebrated.
This memory of my love affair with music has been For Your Eyes Only.

Columbia Heights,.an upscale neighborhood.

During the last decade the area previously know under many names, depending of who was talking about it,.. is now know as Columbia Heights and it has become not only a prosperous area, but also one of the most expensive in Washington DC, North West section, fancy residential buildings, boutique retail stores have taken the place of little dollar stores and small family own grocery stores. With much more fancy residents the area has bloomed into a very demanding area to live in, a busy commercial sector right in front of the Columbia Heights Metro Station with shops that before were found only outside the District such as Best Buy and Target.

Shopping Mall at Columbia Heights.

down in the sector of Logan Circle we find the most fancy home decor and furniture stores, but I'm still enjoy better my trips to the 'Ruff and Ready' (Just dress down, you'll get dusty!.) where I usually found great treasures for a great price to furnish my place and is fun looking thru the many items in the place, is like hunting for a treasure.

U St. Metro station- Green Line

Shopping and dinning in the area is easier when walking or riding Metro,.U St, Cardozo Station on the corner of 13th and U St, and Columbia Heights Metro Station on the corner of 14th and Irving St.
Three bigger and fancier supermarkets have replaced smaller and cheaper ones, such as the last Latin Store left in the area "Mercadito Ramos" now people has the option of the newly remodel Giant store or more gourmet ones like Yes Organic and Whole foods.

Two new buildings on the corner of 14th St and Florida Ave.

Sait-Ex offers great fun at night and the Best brunch on weekends.

One of the areas changing soon, corner of 14th St and Florida Ave.

The night life is unbelievable, the busiest restaurants and night clubs in the U Street area with well dressed patrons looking forward for a night of dinning and fun at Club Gin, The Eatonville, Bar Pilar and of course one of everyones favorite 'Bus Boys and Poets',.And if it's Sunday morning, brunch is Great at Saint-Ex and Bar Pilar.

Latin grocery store "Mercadito Ramos"

Bar at Busboys and Poets.

 entertainment is available for all tastes and budgets, from hamburger and Pizza places to fancy Italian restaurants,.it is wonderful to see the growth of our loved city,.come and enjoy the 14Th St. Strip from Columbia Heights to Thomas Circle,.the sight is For Your Eyes Only.