LA isn’t easy to live in these days. Our city government simply doesn’t care, the mayor is MIA. The vagrants have taken over every corner, graffiti is everywhere, its the bad all days. I’m noticing that this past year is bringing the worst out of people everywhere, shootings all over the county, so I can blame our government reaction to the wuflu – but that just makes me hate the more.
After our hike we went looking for a taco stand. Not in Santa Clarita, if you want good Mexican food you do not stay out in the burbs. So we drove back to the valley and I Yelped, we found ourselves in an area I’m familiar with, but apparently not that familiar. along the main street its just bland store fronts, but go park in the back, and a whole incredible Paseo.
All the walls are painted, tables and chairs abound. People are out in force.
We are always trying to save old buildings, I love it when someone takes newer blander buildings and puts the effort to make them more interesting.
Like here, putting up a set of old shutters that probably don’t even cover a window.
There is a lot of tile mosaic here as well. Some compared this to Olvera Street in downtown LA, the difference is there are plenty of services here for the local residents. Its not just cutesy shops. I tried to find some info about when then was created, don’t know. But I love that Panorama City, a neighborhood most people (not Hispanic that is) avoid has created this wonderful hub.
This very much reminds me of Puerto Vallarta or even La Boca in Buenos Aires. I will be spreading the word, because people think they have to travel far for this kind of experience – you don’t.
A number of these directories are around the plaza. It was Sunday, so some thins were closed, yes, there appear to be Covid closures but there also were plenty of businesses open. We never made it to whatever place I found on Yelp. But there was no lack of food. We got Tacos at Taqueria Jerez, the lingua – yes that means tongue was nothing like the Jewish stuff I ate as a child – it was beyond amazing.
Sculptures, murals and a large play area. As we sat waiting for our food, another non Hispanic woman started talking to us (she was Korean). Asking us how we found this place. She was from the city, she used to bring her boys to practice at the ice-hockey rink next door. She had just been to Grace Community church, the one that defied our awful government that approved open strip clubs – but not churches. Anyway, we had one of those wonderful conversations that I used to have and hope to again. This is what is so lovely about LA, people are friendly, people talk to one another. of course no image of the food, we inhaled it so quickly.
Here is a realistic mural.
They have the angel wing wall as well as butterfly!
I LOVE how they used these glass circles to enhance the mural!
More tile.
Fun fountain.
Of course there is no Mexican plaza without a religious store with the Virgin of Guadalupe front and center!
Leah