Most of Day 1 and Day 2 morning
After a nice long jet lag-induced nap, I headed out to MacArthur Park, which was recommended to me by a friend who lived for years in LA. Apparently, it just reopened after many years of closure due to renovations. My guidebook said to avoid the park after dark, but at 3 pm in the afternoon it seemed a great place to grab a bite and see some Saturday afternoon fun. On the edge of the park there were many vendors selling food and goods. I spotted mangoes and put in my order. In NYC, I get my mango with chili sauce and salt. Here there was also ground smoked pumpkin, a little grainy but it added a nice flavor. The vendor explained to me that in Central America they like the pumpkin but in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico they don't. There are many ways to eat mango. I loved her ease with the many preferences of different Latinos and Chicanos in the U.S. I chatted in Spanish with the woman who sold me the mango and she mentioned that her niece, about to enter the 5th grade, was working as her assistant this summer. The girl was very proud as she bagged fruit and went to other vendors for change. I asked her in Spanish if she was enjoying the summer. She switched to English and told me yes. She then told me that Language Arts was her favorite subject.
After walking around MacArthur Park, taking in some of the soccer games and the beautiful sunny day, I headed to East LA to check out an indoor market--El Mercado de los Angeles. Walking around the market, I saw families out on a Saturday afternoon buying food, clothing, books, jewelry and just enjoying each other's company. More than a market, this community gathering place also featured concerts, comedy shows, and restaurants. Between mole vendors featuring a dozen varieties including Oaxacan Negro y Rojo, I grabbed some lunch of a Chile rojo gordita, a fish taco, and some horchata. Yum!
As my son needed a nap, we decided to hop in the car and explore some of the other LA neighborhoods. First we drove through the relatively small downtown to Pico-Union, where most businesses had signs only in Spanish, similar to the East LA market. At 5 pm, I was surprised that a significant number of businesses were closed in Pico-Union and few people were out on the street. We then drove up to Hollywood where things changed fast. Suddenly BMWs, Porsches, and almost entirely slim white people replaced the Chicano and young white crowd of Pico-Union. We saw people lined up for an outdoor film and traffic heading into a performance at the Hollywood Bowl. Past Hollywood, West Hollywood had a strong LGBT presence with rainbow flags in front of many businesses. Continuing on the Santa Monica Boulevard, we entered Beverly Hills, which was truly ritzy with isolated communities off the main drag and huge houses. Going west all the way to the water, we reached Santa Monica, with its beautiful beach and famous pier. Though upscale, the parking only cost $1 for 2 hours, so they must not mind non-residents enjoying the sites. We cooled off my running into the water, which was not as cold as they say the Pacific can be. I marveled at the beauty as I looked out at an unfamiliar ocean and considered the enormity of the U.S.