Chinese shopping districts can be found in every large city, and like other Chinatowns in other cities, Los Angeles' Chinatown is always a bustling, crowded shopping district. In Chinatown, you'll find traditional Chinese cuisine such as dim sum, as well as street vendors and tons of shops where you can find just about everything.
Spending an afternoon and evening in Chinatown is one of my favorite things to do with my girlfriends. Chinatown is a colorful, cultural, architectural, dining and shopping experience. I just love to be so close to home but yet feel that I'm in another world.
I usually start my day in the original Chinatown area called Central Plaza on Gingling Way. Central Plaza has a fantastic variety of stores, buildings and an elaborate rock garden – inspired wishing well. The plaza is a great place to take a break on a bench and for people watching.
My favorite Restaurant for lunch is "Hop Louie". The Hop Louie Restaurant Pagoda is the focal point of Central Plaza. Formerly the Golden Pagoda Restaurant, it was originally constructed in 1941. The five tier pagoda is gorgeous and it's the last major built in today's New Chinatown Central Plaza. The food is descent and inexpensive.
Another fun and popular Restaurant for lunch is the Empress Pavilion. You have to try the Dim Sum Lunch on which you can feast on everything from pork dumplings to sesame sponge cake. The Chinese call the little delicacies "dim sum", which translates into "touching your heart".
After lunch explore the Art galleries and Antique stores on Chungking road in the west plaza.
Outside central plaza on north Broadway is Chinatown's largest store, Wing Hop Fung, where the medicinal aroma of ginseng and other Chinese herbs wafts through the lower floor. Upstairs is a colorful bazaar of paper dragons, lanterns and all types of bargains.
Bargains – that's part of the fun, finding a treasure you like and chasing down the best price – or staying to bargain with the shopkeeper.
Down the street at the corner of Ord Street and North Broadway is a group of colorful stalls offering everything from peacock feathers to those nifty ‘70s beaded curtains, tiny faux jade Buddhas {one each for health, wealth, fertility and other good fortunes}, and giant vases with chinese floral designs to create an eastern ambience on your patio.
A great place to find gifts for all occasions, and the perfect Chinese outfit for your next Asian theme party.
Chinatown has several Bars to explore in the evening. Enjoy a well deserved cocktail after a long hard day of shopping
Fingerprints is like the record stores of old, the record stores I grew up with. I’m an ardent music fan, and music shopping is one of my favorite pass times. I just love discovering new artist’s and albums, and the joy of finding something you’ve been looking for (or exactly what you want). Fingerprints is just that kind of place. As if that wasn’t good enough, Fingerprints offers competitive prices for used CD’s. So if you’re like me and sell on a pretty regular basis (there is a constant flow throughout my collection of things coming and going) than you’re destined to enjoy this little shop at the end of second street.
Fingerprints is the only place of its kind in Long Beach, and that makes it all the more important. Sometimes I don’t have the time, or gas to drive all the way to Hollywood and go to Amoeba. So when I get that craving for new music (which does happen on a regular basis), I can get my kicks at Fingerprints. As a matter of fact, its unique Belmont Shores location (mere minutes from the water) is a refreshing change from the constant stop and flow of Sunset Blvd and Hollywood.
So now I’m sure you are thinking “why don’t you just go to Best Buy, or Borders like everyone else, they’re everywhere!” Well, the easy answer is that most Best Buy’s and Borders music selection leave much to be desired. The more obscure artists that I enjoy are extremely hard to come by at those establishments. That’s what makes Fingerprints so important to my community. I know I’m not the only one who feels that way, and people like me need our kicks.
Record stores are all together a dying breed. With the onslaught of the internet music revolution, the record store (especially the independently owned record store) is slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past. People just don’t care as much about CD’s as they used to. That’s just another reason way places like Fingerprints are important. They still raise the flag high, and us few faithful followers will always be there to back them up. So if you’re like me and believe in the power of the record store, than Fingerprints is the place for you. So drive down to Second Street and pop in, you’re guaranteed to find something, that’s the beauty!
Located on the corner of Sunset and Cahuenga in the heart of Hollywood is the music lovers Mecca known as Amoeba Records. I remember the first time I walked through the door…I knew this place would take time. This massive two story store is home to hundreds of thousands new and used CD’s, DVD’s, as well as, Vinyl records and tapes. The back of the room also features a stage that’s seen acts as diverse as Hot Hot Heat and Paul McCartney. Most importantly, Amoeba Records holds the flame up high - keeping music stores alive in the face of the internet revolution.
Once you walk through the front doors you’re faced with an immediate decision, to your front is the massive CD floor and to your right are the stairs leading to the DVD mezzanine. If you choose to walk forward you eyes will be flooded with every musical genre imaginable including a separate room for Jazz, blues, and classical. Make sure to check the equally impressive used section (with prices ranging from $1.99 to $11.99 for newer discs) to see if your favorite records have been turned in by other patrons! On the other side of that table, being someone who sells CD’s, Amoeba offers great prices for your used discs.
If you decided to make a right at the entrance you would be headed toward the stairs up the mezzanine. The DVD mezzanine offers exactly the same fair as the CD floor. Any genre, any language, any orientation, you can find it up there. I’ll tell you some of the best deals in town can be found in the bargains bin. Also, and true to form for the rest of the stores, laser disc’s and video tapes are in abundance and with great prices. In fact, I think it’s safe to say that vintage junkies will find Amoeba as good as home.
Don’t forget to check the schedule and see some of the hottest performances around on the Amoeba stage. I think if they let me bring a sleeping bag inside the store, I would be able to live there. And that just about sums it up!
When you think of Chinatown you may just think of one particular place. What you’ll find though is both Old Chinatown and New Chinatown, both with their different exotic sights, incredible smells of authentic Chinese food, and the many different shops and stores that hold treasures for everyone.
Walking the streets of Chinatown is by far the best way to get around. It is a simple trolley ride on the Gold line or you could take the Dash Minibus B from downtown Los Angeles. You can jump off right as you get to the base of Chinatown and you’re on your way.
With the many shops, restaurants, and décor of the architecture, the color and appearance makes it a popular tourist spot, as well as a place locals like to go to experience a culture that may be far from the norm in Los Angeles. You’ll know when you reach Chinatown by the landmark East Gate on N. Broadway. From there you can start your own self guided tour of Chinatown or you can take one of the many guided tours that lead you in to the most well sought after parts of Chinatown that few people know about.
You’ll most likely start with the Golden Pagoda which is about 50 feet high and one of the last newer buildings that was built in Chinatown. Although typically a tourist spot, it is a sight to behold. You can then make your way over to The Seven Star Cavern Wishing Well. With the magnificent architecture around this wishing well, it’ll be hard not to see the splendor of Chinatown in all of the old and new glory.
Meander your way through the alleys and you’ll find some of the most sought after Chinese herbs that have been used traditional Chinese medicine and teas for thousands of years. Fresh and ready to be bought, you’ll learn quite a bit about prolonging your life with the likes of ginseng root, pearl pills, and even gecko lizards.
For a little fun you should stop by the fortune cookie factory and see how they are really made. Sure, it’s a little self indulgent, but who doesn’t want to know how those tiny papers really get in those cookies? While you are being self indulgent, it may be time to eat by now. The Stockton Street food market is just the place to stop. Whether it’s Dim Sum you’re craving or a more exotic cuisine that you have yet to try, you’ll find it here. You may even pick up a few authentic foods to take home and try to make yourself.
For the art and history lover, Chung King Road is a must. They will do art openings in the evening that give you a chance to enjoy the beautiful and moving pieces of art. After you take in your fair share of culture you can hit the bars or more restaurants to talk late into the night with your friends. Chinatown is more than just a place to buy silk; it is a cornucopia of knowledge, food, culture, and fun.
Shopping at a Farmers’ Market allows you to purchase the freshest produce directly from the farmer. And since you’re dealing directly with the farmer, the produce is actually cheaper because the farmer is able to pass on the savings to you (as opposed to dealing with a distributor and/or store which cuts into their profits).
Here is a schedule of Farmers’ Market locations around Los Angeles County on any given day of the week:
MONDAY
Bellflower
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Oak St and Clark Ave
South Gate
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Tweedy Blvd & Pinehurst Ave
West Hollywood
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: Plummer Park
TUESDAY
Baldwin Park
When: 4pm to 9pm
Where: Ramona Blvd & Cesar E Chavez Dr
Culver City
When: 2pm to 7pm
Where: Culver Blvd & Main St
Highland Park
When: 3pm to 7pm
Where: Marmion Way & N Avenue 58
La Verne - University of La Verne
When: 5:30pm to 9pm (May through August)
Where: Bonita Avenue & D Street
Lynwood
When: 12pm to 5pm
Where: Martin Luther King Jr Blvd & Cesar E Chavez Ln
Manhattan Beach
When: 12pm to 4pm
Where: Morningside Dr & 13th St
Norwalk
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Pioneer Blvd & Alondra Blvd
Pasadena - Villa Park
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: E Villa St & N Garfield Ave
Torrance
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Charles Wilson Park
WEDNESDAY
Gardena
When: 7:30am to 12pm
Where: W 162nd St & La Salle Ave
Huntington Park
When: 9:30am to 1pm
Where: Florence Ave & Bissell St (At Salt Lake Park)
San Dimas
When: 4:30pm to 8:30pm (April through September)
Where: 245 E. Bonita Ave
Santa Monica - 3rd St Promenade
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: Arizona Ave & 3rd St Prom
Westchester
When: 8:30am to 1pm
Where: Truxton Ave & W 87th St
THURSDAY
Carson
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: E Carson St & Bonita St
Century City
When: 11:30am to 3pm
Where: Constellation Blvd & Ave of the Stars
El Segundo
When: 3pm to 7pm
Where: Pine Ave & Main St
Glendale
When: 9:30am to 1pm
Where: N Brand Blvd & E Wilson Ave
Los Angeles - Chinatown
When: 4pm to 8pm
Where: N Hill St & Alpine St
Los Angeles - Figueroa & 7th
When: 10am to 4pm
Where: S Figueroa St & W 7th St
Redondo Beach
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Harbor Dr - W Veterans Park
Signal Hill
When: 2pm to 7pm
Where: Walnut Ave & E 27th St
South Pasadena
When: 4pm to 8pm
Where: Mission St & Meridian Ave
Westwood
When: 1pm to 7pm
Where: Constitution Ave & Davis Ave
FRIDAY
Covina
When: 5pm to 9pm (April through December)
Where: N Citrus Ave & E San Bernardino Rd
Echo Park
When: 3pm to 7pm
Where: Logan St Parking Lot (South of Sunset Blvd)
Hermosa Beach
When: 12pm to 4pm
Where: N Valley Dr & 10th St
Los Angeles - Eagle Rock
When: 5pm to 8:30pm
Where: 2100 Merton Ave
Los Angeles - Figueroa & 7th
When: 10am to 4pm
Where: S Figueroa St & W 7th St
Los Angeles - Wilshire Center
When: 11:30am to 3pm
Where: Wilshire Blvd & S Mariposa Ave
Lawndale
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Hawthorne Blvd & W 147th St
Long Beach - Downtown
When: 10am to 4pm
Where: E Broadway & The Promenade N
Monrovia
When: 5pm to 9pm (March through December); 4pm to 8pm (September through May)
Where: E Olive Ave & S Myrtle Ave
San Pedro - Old Town
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: W 7th St & S Mesa St
Venice
When: 7am to 11am
Where: N Venice Blvd & Venice Way
Whittier
When: 8:30am to 1pm
Where: Greenleaf Ave & Bailey St
SATURDAY
Burbank
When: 8am to 12:30pm
Where: E Olive Ave & N Glenoaks Blvd
Calabasas Old Town
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Calabasas Rd & Mulholland Dr
Central Avenue
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: 43rd St & Central Ave
Cerritos
When: 8am to 12pm
Where: Park Plaza Drive & Towne Center Drive
Chatsworth
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Canoga Ave & Devonshire St
Diamond Bar
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: 1920 S. Brea Canyon Cutoff Rd
Gardena
When: 6:30am to 12pm
Where: Van Ness Ave & West El Segundo Blvd
Los Angeles - Harambee
When: 10am to 4pm
Where: Crenshaw Blvd & W Slauson Ave
Los Angeles - Figueroa & 7th
When: 10am to 4pm
Where: S Figueroa St & W 7th St
Los Angeles - Silverlake
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: W Sunset Blvd & Edgecliffe Dr
La Canada Flintridge
When: 8am to 12pm
Where: Foothill Blvd & Beulah Dr
La Verne - University of La Verne
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Bonita Avenue & D Street
Leimert Park Village
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: W 43rd St & Degnan Blvd
Little Tokyo
When: 10am to 3pm
Where: S San Pedro St & E 2nd St (Weller Court)
Pasadena - Victory Park
When: 8:30am to 1pm
Where: N Sierra Madre Blvd & Paloma St
Pamona
When: 7:30am to 11:30am
Where: N Garey Ave & E Pearl St
Santa Monica - Pico
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Pico Blvd & Cloverfield Blvd
Santa Monica - 3rd St Promenade
When: 8:30am to 1pm
Where: Arizona Ave & 3rd St Prom
Torrance
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Charles Wilson Park
SUNDAY
Alhambra
When: 8:30am to 1pm
Where: S Monterey St & E Bay State St
Atwater Village
When: 10am to 2pm
Where: 3250 Glendale Blvd
Beverly Hills
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Civic Center Dr
Brentwood
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Gretna Green Way & San Vicente Blvd
Encino
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Victory Blvd & White Oak Ave
Hollywood
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Ivar Ave & Selma Ave
Larchmont Village
When: 10am to 2pm
Where: Larchmont Blvd
Long Beach - Marina
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: E 2nd St & E Pacific Coast Hwy
Mar Vista
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: Venice Blvd & Grandview Ave
Melrose Place
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: N Croft Ave & Melrose Pl
Pacific Palisades
When: 8am to 1:30pm
Where: W Sunset Blvd & Swarthmore Ave
Palos Verdes
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Peninsula Shopping Center
Santa Monica - Ocean Park
When: 9:30am to 1pm
Where: Ocean Park Blvd & Main St
Studio City
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Ventura Blvd & Ventura Pl
West Los Angeles
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: 1645 Corinth Ave
With summer right around the corner, nothing beats spending a day at the beach. Although Los Angeles is home to a plethora of wonderful beaches, I have always been particularly fond of Venice.
This strip of beach is about 1.5 miles in length (north to south) and it’s bordered by Navy St and Washington Blvd. Besides the typical beach activities like playing frisbee, flying kites, swimming, and laying out on the sand...there are plenty of other things to see and do at Venice Beach.
The Boardwalk
Lined with souvenir shops, artists, musicians, and street performers – the Boardwalk at Venice Beach is a great spot for an afternoon stroll. If you’re looking for a little more activity, rent a pair of rollerblades or a bike for about $20 and then head off in any direction. The Boardwalk is part of the South Bay Bicycle Trail which spans 22 miles from Will Rogers State Beach to Torrance County...so make sure you have enough energy for the trip back
Bars & Cafes
There are plenty of cafes along the boardwalk where you can sit down and enjoy the view; it’s also great for people watching. For something quick and affordable, grab a slice of pizza and then find a bench facing the ocean. On a hot day, why not grab a cold beer (or cola) at a neighborhood bar to cool down.
Souvenirs & Art
If you’re looking for some cheap souvenirs or pieces of art for the house, you’ve come to the right place. Venice Beach is home to tons of vendors who will sell you everything from fake designer sunglasses to hand carved trinkets.
Tarot Card Readings
Another thing you’ll find abundant at Venice Beach are the Palm and Tarot Card Readers…about 2-3 per block. Some have their own shops while others are nestled along the boardwalk between the street performers and the animal rights activists.
Parking
Parking in Venice is no picnic and you’ll be really lucky to find an available space along the street. Make sure you read the signs carefully because you don’t want to get a ticket, or worse, have your car towed away. If you don’t find parking along the street, there’s a lot on Rose Ave and Speedway that charges $4. Interestingly enough, there is another parking lot a few blocks south that charges $14.
