Homes and Neighborhoods, Los Angeles

Indeed, it is not the first choice area to see in Los Angeles but Echo Park is in the vicinity where locals and tourists alike travel -either for a Dodger game on Chavez Ravine, for fun at nearby Griffith Park and the L.A. Zoo, touring Hollywood or for cruising along Sunset Blvd.

Echo Park is most known for its most attractive neighborhood feature, the Echo Park Lake. This is the scene where violently beautiful water spring and collide filling the L.A sky. Families, friends and lovers enjoy the lake for a picnic and paddle boat rides. Huge crowds fill up the park area to see the largest bed of lotus flowers in the nation.

Echo Park, the neighborhood is largely Latino, mainly of Mexican decent. However, other ethnic groups and races are adding to the mix. I look forward to future visits here, especially for restaurants (like Masa in restaurant tips) and viewing spray paint art on building walls (as seen here). As a visitor, stick to coming here during the day but if coming at night for a restaurant or Dodgers game, just make sure to practice your street smarts. It is not the safest of neighborhoods, however, police presence is strong and for Dodger games, there has been added security procedures and safeguards. As a young woman, I have been here at night and have had no problems.

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Mid-Wilshire Los Angeles is a wonderful place to explore for ethnic diversity. Even though not so tourist attractive compared to Chinatown, Koreatown may be worth a visit, especially if you are into some seriously good authentic kimchi and karaoke.

It is not just a Korean affair in K-town. As a newly gentrified area full of developing condos and aprtment complexes, there is a growing racial variety of area residents, which number to about 120,000.

Exploring K-town is a bit of task geographically because of its widespread nature. One can start the Korean-American adventure off the Wilshire Purple Line Metro rail stops (http://www.mta.net) and lurk around. The off-Wilshire Blvd area is the largest settlement of Koreans outside of Korea. Try a random restaurant here or go for unique shopping, especially at the somewhat mainstream Koreatown Village Center.

it's the oldest home in California!

So many times I have visited Olvera St, everytime I had missed this quaint adobe- until i finally found my way through the entrance in May 2005.

Read on the webpage below for an amusing background on this site!

http://www.olvera-street.com/html/the_avila_adobe.html

pictured here: la cocina (kitchen)

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One of the newest and lesser known "Little" ethnic towns of Los Angeles is Little Lithuania. Within the enclave of Los Feliz is the ethnically designated area within a significant number of Lithuanian born and second generation Americans of Lithuanian decent. Los Angeles is a big sister city to the beautiful riverfront city of Kaunas. Unlike the bigs of Little towns, Little Lithuania does not have many obvious landmarks like neighboring Little Thai Town's colorful, ornate temples and storefronts. However, LL has a key center in St Casimir Church, the only church with a dedication service in the Lithuanian language. Come to LL in October for the premier Lithuania festival to see a "Lithuence" of ethnic costume display, dance, food and drink. The annual event, occuring since 2009 is held at the church. See past fair celebration byclicking the link.

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OK hipsters- here is your modern-day bohemian paradise- Los Feliz. Locally, it is pronounced "Los- FEE lez" but if you are a native Spanish speaker, you would be inclined to say, "Los fay-LEEZ". This hilly, Hollyweird- adjacent enclave meets the urbanite standard of eclectic ambiance with its many out-of-the-norm boutiques, cafes and dive bars. Many creative types of Hollywood are drawn to the affluent neighborhood. Notably, Madonna had a house here. Other notable Los Feliz residents include the blockbuster Twilight duo Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.

When in Los Feliz, look up and appreciate lovely views of Griffith Park, shop at ecletic, independent shops, eat at charming-chic eateries, and hang out at cool dive bars. The area is in a sweet (but traffic congested) spot, off the famous streets of boulevards Sunset and Hollywood.
Be forewarned! Pack your patience on the road.

If by pub trans., Los Feliz is reachable of the subway (Red Line Sunset/Vermont), several Metro buses, including the 180, and DASH Los Feliz.

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Studio City is home to many struggling actors and other wanna-bes, talented and otherwise, who want their break in the entertainment industry but also established upple middle+ class families looking for more tranquil, dare I say "normal" parts of Los Angeles. Next door to Universal Studios, S.C. is the gateway of traveling along famed Ventura Blvd. Come here to choose from a great variety of dining and shopping options.

Taking a "Hollywood Homes Tour" was one of the most popular things to do while in L.A.. We all did it, hoping for a glimpse of our favorite stars. Of course,for a few reasons, we rarely saw any recognizable personage. One of the main obstacles was, the high hedges and high walls, which kept out our prying eyes so residents might have a bit of privacy.

So many tour companies sprouted up that the Stars pretty much stopped buying homes in Hollywood, Beverly Hills or even Brentwood. When you take a Hollywood Homes Tours these days, you'll still see Star homes but most of the Stars are not ones you might know, might not still live in the home and many have already died.

Though the days have faded where you might be inclined to buy a "Map of the Star's Homes." However, if you are interested, you can still drive up into the hills of Hollywood, Beverley Hills and Brentwood to see life from the perspective of the rich and famous past.

Norwalk

Though not the most ideal place judging from appearances only, Norwalk is a consideration for a stay in the Los Angeles area.

4 reasons to consider staying in Norwalk:

She is ...
about equidistant to LA(downtown) and Disneyland area.
connected to multiple freeway and major highways (5, 105, 605 fwys, Imperial Hwy)

She has...
a Metrolink stop (shared with Santa Fe Springs) for easily connecting to downtown LA (30 min travel+-) and Anaheim/Orange (20 -25 min+-)

a Metro Green Line rail station, enabling passengers to go conveniently to LAX.
major hotels right off the freeway. (30 min to LAX by rail+-)

True, true, there are some parts of the city that are badly unkept. Don't expect to see pretty sidewalks and buildings (Try to head to nearby Whitter and Cerritos for this). She is regular blah town, U.S.A- well, unless one considers a few things: Norwalk is deemed essential to one Arnold Schwartzenegger. Here is home to the main LA Registrar of Voters office. So important is the registrar building along Imperial Hwy, that Arnold came here to rally for support to during his campaign to be governor of California a few years back.

There is not much excitement here but it's not a ghost town by any means. For things to do- there is the nice town center with fun at the movies (AMC 20 theater) and decent eateries for dining. These are located in the main and most attractive part of the town.

Norwalk has a particularly Latino feel and makeup, and is very convenient for Spanish speakers. However, there is some ethnic diversity.

Overall, marked Norwalk on your city list to stay for an LA/D-Land adventure!

Find your way to Carroll Avenue, Los Angeles, if you can. It is in the vicinity of downtown LA, Angelino Heights to be exact, and is a quaint little area where there is a concentration of Victorian Era houses, well worth the visit. Every house is different and quite individual.
Angelino Heights is believed to be Los Angeles' first suburb.
If you like to take a walking tour, you can book via this website:
http://www.laconservancy.org/tours/tours_main.shtml

Nuoc Mia Vien Tay
A family owned juice shop famous in Little Saigon for its refreshing sugar cane juice, recently renovated and now looks like a café. Their menu is limited to freshly squeezed sugar cane juice (small or large), and a small display of Vietnamese desserts. However, once you try the juice, you will be hooked and keep going back for more. Located in a strip mall in Little Saigon, you will also find a local French bakery, a dried goods shop (selling all types of interesting, yet mouth watering dried and preserved fruits and candies), and a Vietnamese grocery shop.