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Boyle Heights at 11 a.m.
Boyle Heights rests just before the 6th Street Bridge that leads into downtown. The crown jewel of Boyle Heights is Mariachi Plaza.
02/28/2024 – LOS ANGELES, Calif: “Papel picado” adorns the lamp posts in Mariachi Plaza. The decorative paper is a staple of Mexican culture and is often used during celebrations. Photo credit: Luis Castilla
This plaza is frequented by elderly people enjoying the views and their meals. On most days, mariachi groups are out and about looking for gigs.
Olvera Street at 12 p.m.
02/28/2024 – LOS ANGELES, Calif: Luchador masks hang outside a stand on Olvera Street. Olvera Street is home to many shops that sell various authentic Mexican goods. Photo credit: Luis Castilla
Known as the birthplace of Los Angeles, Olvera Street is a historic area that houses the city’s first church, theater and firehouse.
Olvera Street hosts dozens of small shops that sell authentic Mexican goods including traditional Mexican clothes, toys and food.
In recent years, many of the street’s shops have closed, leaving many stands empty and devoid of the color they once added to the historic site.
DTLA at 1 p.m.
02/28/2024 – LOS ANGELES, Calif.: This artwork can be seen above the exterior of The Smell music venue in downtown Los Angeles. The Smell opened in 1998 and has served as a launching pad for local artists ever since. Photo credit: Luis Castilla
Skyscrapers line the skies above downtown L.A., but down below, a bustling metropolis beckons with surprises at every turn. With a little bit of everything, DTLA has no shortage of options for fun.
Little Tokyo has long been a beacon of Japanese culture with history dating back to the 1880s and is home to the largest Japanese-American population in the country.
Its famous Wishing Tree was ordered to be stripped of its wishes earlier this year.
East L.A. at 2 p.m.
02/28/2024 – LOS ANGELES, Calif: Palm trees, ubiquitous in Los Angeles, tower over Ruben Salazar Park in East Los Angeles. The park is named in honor of Ruben Salazar, an L.A. Times journalist who died while covering the National Chicano Moratorium in 1970. Photo credit: Luis Castilla
Far from the towering skyscrapers of downtown and away from all the action lies East L.A., known throughout the community for its unsafe streets and history of gang violence. While this was the case long ago, today, East L.A. is a neighborhood with friendly people from humble upbringings rich in local history and a culture that has permeated beyond its rough exterior.
Often overlooked, East L.A. has been the site of many historical events within the Mexican-American community such as the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943, the East L.A. Walkouts of 1968 and the National Chicano Moratorium of 1970.
Los Angeles is a city of opposites. It is in a constant struggle to find a balance between gentrification and preservation.
