East LA: There's No Place Like Home

          All over Los Angeles County there are small areas that are filled with culture from places from all over the world. Places such as Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Little India, and Olvera Street were created because of the large populations of immigrants living around them. They are not only to celebrate the different cultures in Los Angeles, but also so that the people living here can have a little bit of home nearby.

            For this entry, I decided to explore the place that I call home: East L.A. East Los Angeles is an unincorporated area in Los Angeles County, and a number of its residents have been fighting for cityhood for the last couple of years. East Los Angeles can be reached primarily reached from the Metro Gold line and a number of other bus lines such as the 720, 260, 18, and 762. It is home to a large number of Latinos, primarily Hispanics.

            The fact that a large population of East L.A. residents is Hispanic does not mean that Mexican culture is the only one evident. There are many restaurants that serve and specialize in cuisine from various places in Latin America. Whittier Boulevard is one of the most iconic streets in East Los Angeles and home to a number of restaurants and stores. A large number of stores specialize in special event wear and supplies. If you are getting married or having a quinceañera, all it takes is one trip down Whittier Boulevard to obtain all you need from a dress or tux to invitations or limousine.

            Apart from stores, there are various street vendors selling a variety of food. You never fail to find someone selling bacon wrapped hot dogs, fresh fruit and corn on the cob with cheese and chili. If you are walking down Whittier Boulevard in the morning, which most people do in order to commute by bus to work or school, you will never fail to find someone selling warm tamales and champurrado.

            East Los Angeles is a place full of tradition and culture. From the annual Mexican Independence Day and Christmas Parades to the East Los Angeles Classic, a rivalry football game between East L.A.’s high schools, there are always events to bring the community together. The East Los Angeles Classic brings together over 20,000 people, from students, alumni, staff, and members of the community all of which either sit on the Garfield or Roosevelt side. The game has been held, for most of its existence, at East Los Angeles College.

            Garfield High School, my alma mater, is also recognized from the film "Stand and Deliver". A film about math teacher Jaime Escalante who taught and guided a class of students, who were prone to dropping out of school, to pass the AP calculus exam. This film isn’t the only one to immortalize East Los Angeles and its community. In recent years movies such as "Under the Same Moon" and "A Better Life" have given moviegoers an insight into the life of the residents of East Los Angeles.

            Places like East Los Angeles, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Little India and Olvera Street are all great places to enjoy different cultures without having to spend thousands of dollars in airfare and hotel. Everyone can learn about the cultures that are being celebrated by exploring these places. However, it must be known that regardless of how cultural these places may seem, there is always an Americanized twist. 

A Taste of India Down Pioneer Boulevard

    When searching for a bit of Indian culture in Los Angeles County, Little India in Artesia is where to go. I have gone there a couple of times, but I had never really explored it. I usually go by car, but for this trip I decided to take public transportation.
Since I had never gone to Little India by bus before, I went on Google maps and searched for directions. It took a little over an hour and two buses to get to Pioneer Boulevard in Artesia from my home in East Los Angeles.  I took metro line 260 from home and then transferred to line 62, which left me right off Pioneer Boulevard.

Pioneer Boulevard does not make you feel like you are in India when you are walking down the street, but Indian culture is visible through the numerous businesses. You can find anything from traditional Indian clothing to Indian Ice Cream.

If you are in need of a beautiful sari, there are a couple of places you can visit where they have saris in an array of colors with gorgeous embroidery. Jewelry is a big part of Indian culture and there are also places down Pioneer Blvd where you can find jewelry pieces and a number of ornaments and statues that are part of the Hindu religion.

One of the stops that I usually make when I visit Little India is at one of the grocery stores, Farm Fresh, to pick up spices. Either my mother or aunt always have a list of spices and fruits that they want me to bring back, and this trip was no exception. Bombay Spices is also a great place to purchase spices. They not only sell spices but also various other items used in the Hindu religion. 

Aside from groceries, there are a few restaurants where you can find traditional Indian cuisine. There are various dishes like Tandoori chicken, different types of curry and the Indian crepe all found on Pioneer Boulevard. Indian desserts and sweets can also be found in Little India.

One of the places that I visited was the Saffron Spot. There you can find saffron silk ice cream in a variety of flavors and they also sell their ice cream packaged so that you can buy some and enjoy at home at anytime. One of my favorite things to get there is their cassata, which is somewhat like an ice cream cake that is traditionally served at Indian wedding receptions.

Although the cassata is delicious, and I would go to Little India just for that; the reason why I usually go is for eyebrow threading at the Beauty Palace. I know a couple of people that also go to Little India just for that reason. The Beauty Palace is also known for their henna tattoos. On this trip there was a bride getting henna tattoos for her Bollywood themed wedding. 
Whether you are in the mood for some good food or just in need of a good stroll, Pioneer Boulevard is a great option. 

Exploring Mexican Culture on Olvera Street

     As I walked through the stands and took in my surroundings at Olvera Street, I was transported back to 1998. My mother took me to Mexico to celebrate my eighth birthday, and one of my uncles took us to the annual Independence Day fair in Torreon, Coah. There was every type of Mexican delicacy you can imagine, and an array of traditional Mexican clothing and toys. Of course, being a celebration of Mexican Independence Day, the photo area was filled with Guerrilla outfits completed with horses and donkeys.

       All of that is found on Olvera Street, donkey and all. It isn’t as grand as the annual fair I attended, but it definitely does it justice. You can find all sorts of Mexican artifacts like leather bags, shoes, and belts. There are also a number of different Mexican toys and games for kids. Mini guitars, Loteria a card game similar to bingo and wooden spin tops known as trompos are sold at nearly every stand.

A number of specialty stores are located on an underground level. One of the most popular was a candle store that sold all types but specialized on candles with religious images on them. There are a lot of great things to purchase on Olvera Street, but the number one buy is food.

Everywhere you look there was something to eat on sale. There were an assortment of Mexican dulce de leche candies with nuts and coconut. Freshly made potato chips, churros, and a variety of aguas frescas were available all throughout the street. There are also a couple of restaurants where you can get an actual meal. Tacos and burritos are a must but you can also find other traditional Mexican dishes like mole and menudo.

   My favorite two things to do at Olvera Street are visiting the Avila Adobe house and the donkey. The Avila Adobe is the oldest home in Los Angeles and was built by Don Francisco Avila in 1818. The adobe house gives you an insight to the lifestyle in El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles in the 1800’s. The adobe house is completely furnished and the public has free access. My favorite part of the Adobe house is the fact that it reminds me very much of my grandparents home in Mexico.

My second favorite thing to do on Olvera Street is taking a picture with the donkey. You are provided with different items such as mariachi hats, guitars and full guerrilla accessories. The donkey attracts almost everyone, not just children. During this visit, my nephew was able to take part in the experience and continue a family tradition.

   There are a number of ways to get to Olvera Street. On this trip I took the Metro Gold Line and stopped at Union Station. Olvera Street is located on Alameda Street and all you have to do once you get to the front entrance of Union Station is cross the street. What I loved the most on this specific trips is that I witnessed the beauty of different cultures in Los Angeles by walking through the Festival of Lanterns, put on by the Chinese American Museum, on my way to Olvera Street.

Exploring Japanese Culture in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo

    Little Tokyo in Downtown Los Angeles is home to numerous museums and monuments that celebrate Japanese culture and L.A.’s Japanese American citizens. I arrived at Little Tokyo via the Metro Gold line, but unlike my previous experience in Chinatown, Little Tokyo does not exert Japanese culture from the moment you exit the train.

    Instead, Little Tokyo feels more like an extension of Downtown Los Angeles; but perhaps that is because it is located in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles and shares a station with the Arts District. To really have a Japanese cultural experience, I would suggest downloading the walking tour provided by the Little Tokyo Business Association.

       Most of the locations that depict Japanese culture are scattered around a number of streets, there is no main street where you can find everything from cuisine to artifacts. I have been to Little Tokyo a number of times before but I had missed out on a number of things because I only visited the small section I was aware of. This time I followed the tour and began at the Japanese American National Museum, which is located directly in front of the train station. The museum does charge admission but is free to the public on Thursday evenings.

    The tour also gave directions towards a monument; the Go For Broke Monument commemorates Japanese American World War II veterans. There is also a street named in honor of the first Japanese American astronaut, Ellison S. Onizuka. There are a lot of details around Little Tokyo that celebrate and commemorate Japanese American history. 

    For some shopping there are a couple of places you can visit. There is the Little Tokyo Square Shopping Center and the Japanese Village Plaza Mall. Those two were my favorite because they had more Japanese architecture and products. At the Japanese Village Plaza Mall you can find an array of Japanese artifacts and also entertainment.  If you are looking for Japanese food products, you can go to the Mitsuwa Market. I was able to find all of the ingredients to make some sushi and it did not take very much effort to find.

Although Little Tokyo does not exude with traditional Japanese architecture, it does recognize and honor Japanese Americans and their history.

           

           

A Little Bit of China in Downtown LA

With the heart of downtown Los Angeles in its background, Chinatown serves as a window into Chinese culture and cuisine. Chinatown was the first stop on my trip around the globe without having to leave Los Angeles County.

The Metro Gold Line, which extended to East Los Angeles in 2009, turned a 14 plus hour trip into a 20-minute train ride. Although the train ride didn’t take me all the way to China, it got as close as I was going to get on a $1.50 fare.

From the moment you step off the train, you are greeted by Chinese architecture in the horizon and even on the train platform itself. Once you go down to ground level, you can walk straight towards Broadway Blvd and into Chinatown.

All along Broadway Blvd are a number of small stores that give the street a bazaar feel. You can find great deals on a number of items, most of which are not associated with Chinese culture.

“Downtown LA is where you go to look for cheaper prices,” said James Marino, a Los Angeles native, “I like to come to Chinatown to get deals and really good food.” Marino, 27, said he rarely ever buys products that are part of Chinese culture but he enjoys the atmosphere that Chinatown offers.

As I walked down the street, I did not see many stores that specialized in Chinese cultural products, but they all sold at least one or two products that are related to Chinese culture. Some sold a small variety such as paper umbrellas, fans, Chinese knots, and tea sets. 

There, of course, were a couple of stores that specialized in Chinese products such as statues of Buddha and dragons, swords, Bonsai trees and a number of different type of garments. Along with those were specialty stores that sold products like Chinese herbs.

If you do not have much time or do not want to deal with the busy streets to buy what you need, the Far East Plaza is where you should go. It is not very crowded and it is clean. There is Chinese music playing in the background, courtesy of the CD store on the first floor, which helps the atmosphere. There you can find a variety of restaurants and a very big market where you can buy all type of food products.

If you do have the time however, you may want to go in search of the smaller restaurants where you can find all types of traditional Chinese dishes. April Li, 34, said she comes to Chinatown in search for the dishes she cannot make at home. “As much as I try to make my mothers dishes, they just do not taste the same, “ Li said, “Besides, Chinatown is probably the best place to buy duck; cooked or raw.

Without a doubt the restaurants and food stands were the fullest and you could find all types of delicatessens. They probably weren’t exactly what you could find at a market in Beijing but they are what you can find in Los Angeles. It will probably be a long time before I can afford a plane ticket to Beijing or Shanghai, so Chinatown will do for now.