Daily Breeze Guided ChinaTown Tour

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

Last month, I took advantage of a day off to tour Los Angeles' version of Chinatown as described in the Dalily Breeze (Published 11/24/07)

The 24 block stretch described was bordered by Spring, Hill and Ord Street in Downtown Los Angeles. There is a Metro Link Station in the center of the area described. Highlights of my walk included:

- Shopping:

Wing Hop Fung (722 North Broadway)
A one-stop shop for Chinese wares - everything from herbal medicine to tea to dishware to toys.

Dynasty Center (800 Block of North Broadway)
A flea market style outlet with more than 125 stalls. I found some Chinese music C.D's to use in my 3rd grade classroom for $2.00 each. The vendors were helpful in pointing out which discs to purchase for children.

Great Wall Books and Arts (970 North Broadway)
Extremely helpful in suggesting books and tools for the classroom

- Eating:

Phoenix Bakery (969 North Broadway)
This 69 year old bakery is owned and operated by the same family - wonderful traditional Chinese desserts.

- Cultural:

Ten Ho Temple (750 Yale Street)

The most ornately decorated temple in Chinatown; Built in 2005 for the Taoist and Buddhist faiths.

This was a great afternoon to lose yourself and experience a little bit of what it would be like to wander through China enjoying the sites, sounds and differences in culture. I picked up several inexpensive souveniers to share with my classroom and use for the New Year.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much! I will definitely try out this tour! It sounds like such a fun experience to have everything planned out like that, to have a little bit of everything and to go to places I wouldn't have thought about going to! Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

Coming from New Jersey and never having the historical background of California that indigineous 4th graders get, I was surprised to read about how today's Chinatown came to be.

According to a tourist website's historical facts about it, people had settled there after The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882—the first major restriction on immigration to the U.S.—was the culminating national response to thirty plus years of anti-Chinese sentiment which began during the gold rush. National and international attention was focused on Los Angeles for the first time when, on October 24, 1871 a mob estimated at 500 went on a burning and lynching spree on Calle de Los Negros. 19 Chinese were killed in the Chinese Massacre of Los Angeles. Partially as a result of a law that forbade Chinese from testifying against whites no one was held responsible for the deaths.

Construction of Union Station—officially Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal—which opened in May 1939, finally forced the Chinese community to complete its move out of the center of downtown L.A.

This forced people to conglomerate in what is now new Chinatown.

I'm planning on going there this weekend after I've now read about all there is to see. What have I been missing???

"In addition to Central Plaza L.A.'s New Chinatown now boasts a number of newer developments including Bamboo Plaza, BC Plaza, Chinatown Plaza, Dragon Plaza, Dynasty Center (a huge indoor swap meet), Far East Plaza (with the highly rated Ocean Seafood restaurant which you may remember from Lethal Weapon 4 which was shot there and in Central Plaza), Jade Pavilion, Mandarin Plaza, Saigon Plaza and West Plaza."

[Anonymous]

The Los Angeles Times published several places to explore Chinese Culture along a five block stretch of Valley Boulevard. The street, from Garfield to New Avenues, is the heart of a commercial district checking out. The following places were suggestions to visit:

"Mei Long Village" 301 North Valley / No. 112. (626) 284-4769
A Shanghainese restaurant known for its pork and crab filled xio long.

"Pa Pa Walk" 227 West Valley / No. 148-B. (626) 281-3889
Sample Taiwanese street food where there always seems to be a line for the shui jiao (boiled dumplings) plus "three cups" chicken, stinky tofu and mango shaved ice.

"Phoenix Food Boutique" 31 East Valley / (626) 299-1918
Dedicated to serving up treats such as black sesame paste. (It looks like tar and tastes sweet)

"Ranch 99 Supermarket" 140 West Valley / (626) 307-8899
Fresh fish, long noodles (symbolizing long life) and a variety of rice cakes.

"Pacific Square Strip Mall" Valley Boulevard and Garfield
Don't be afraid to bargain here - and check out trendy boutiques such as "Zeemo," "Brand Shop Paris" and "Maria's Fashions."

"San Gabriel Focus Square" (140 West Valley)
Refered to as the "great mall of China ..." "Chong Hing Jewelers sells watches, lighters and necklaces. "Vision" has flashy sunglasses. Browse the movie selection at "Media King."

"Tibetan Herbal Foot Soak" 227 West Valley / No. 218A (626) 968-9888
Sit in a recliner, plunge your feet into a bucket of hot, herb-infused water, and receive a pedi-pummeling that hurts - oh so good! Sip tea and watch a film on the big-screen T.V. - all for $20.00.

The street also has no shortage of boba tea houses, including Lollicup, Tapioca Express, 85 Degrees and the ....
"Tea Station" 158 West Valley (626) 288-3785
The most packed - maybe due to its selection of board games and a library of Mandarin manga that makes it easy to linger. Worth it just for the "huan ying, guang lin" - welcome- as you walk through the door.

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