Month: February 2025

A guide to Eagle Rock, Los Angeles: What to do, see, eat

A guide to Eagle Rock, Los Angeles: What to do, see, eat

Published by Sam Flores

Eagle Rock, buttressed by Glendale to the west and Pasadena to the east, is named after the massive 50-foot-tall boulder that greets those entering from the 134 Freeway. When the sun is positioned just so, both the rock, formerly known as La Piedra Gorda, and its shadow are said to resemble the iconic bird. For locals, it’s a sight that tells them they’re home. With its “small town within a big city” feel, Eagle Rock has been viewed as much more low-key than its Northeast Los Angeles cousins Silver Lake, Los Feliz and Echo Park. “It’s the place where hipsters go to die or raise kids — which some people consider the same thing,” filmmaker-actor Jay Duplass told The Times when describing the quaint and hilly neighborhood, the setting of his 2015 HBO dramedy series “Togetherness.” Get to know Los Angeles through the places that bring it to life. From restaurants to shops to outdoor spaces, here’s what to discover now. Home to liberal arts school Occidental College (which counts former President Obama as a …

Look here to find Latino community in L.A.

Look here to find Latino community in L.A.

Published by Sam Flores

Filled with families, friend groups and adventurous eaters, Blvd Mrkt, Montebello’s trendy shipping container food hall nudges patrons to try new foods in an inviting space. It features six different vendors, from Cafe Santo’s Oaxacan-inspired coffee menu to Vchos’ modern twist on pupusas and White Rice’s traditional Filipino dishes. People from all over the San Gabriel Valley fill the picnic tables — either stopping by for their weekly brunch or to watch a Dodger game with fellow fans. Although dining is the market’s focus, organizers at the space plan a variety of free monthly community-driven events like car shows, paint and sip nights, themed flea markets and weekly live Latin music at the market’s bar, Alchemy Craft. Keep an eye on Blvd Mrkt’s Instagram to see what events are coming up. Source link

11 places in Los Angeles connecting Angelenos to their Latinidad

11 places in Los Angeles connecting Angelenos to their Latinidad

Published by Sam Flores

“Let’s go, lesbians!” That’s the rallying cry of DJ Leslie Ortiz — DJ Les — the founder of Toxica Fridays, a weekly Latin dance party for lesbians. “Toxica” is a play on the stereotype of lesbians having toxic relationships, but it’s all good vibes and everyone is welcome at Mi Corazón restaurant in Silver Lake. “It’s definitely open to anyone” who wants to have a good time, says Jeremy Swan, who owns Mi Corazón with his wife, Vanessa Swan. Every Friday, the party at Mi Corazón restaurant begins with dinner at 8 p.m. At 9, Ortiz and her crew begin their Latin music set and at 10, tables are pushed out of the way and the dancing gets going. Ortiz hosts Toxica events, lesbian brunches and private parties all over Southern California. To find out about her next event, check out her Instagram. Source link

L.A.’s best Latino bars, parties and clubs

L.A.’s best Latino bars, parties and clubs

Published by Sam Flores

For more than a century, the Paramount has brought live music to Boyle Heights. As one of the last standing ballroom venues, the space showcases performers across all genres, from punk and indie bands to cumbia and bachata groups. Although not exclusive to Latino musicians, many of their shows do feature different iterations of Latin music — like themed tamborazo nights and salsa lessons. Over the years, iconic entertainers like Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Stevie Wonder and Sonny and Cher have all performed in the 400-person space. After a major remodel in 2010, the venue now lives atop of artisan pizza restaurant Brooklyn Ave. Pizza Co. Taking up the entire second floor, the Paramount’s stage stands about waist-high, with an indoor bar to one side and a small, covered patio to the other. Complete with flashing lights and booming acoustics, the small venue is more than just a place to catch live music but rather a place to embrace L.A.’s rich history. Source link

L.A.’s best Latino-owned plant stores

L.A.’s best Latino-owned plant stores

Published by Sam Flores

Specializing in beginner-friendly indoor plants, Prop House Plants carries a wide inventory of pothos, monsteras, hoyas and owner Brittany Montero’s personal favorite — philodendron. Prop House Plants sends each buyer home with a plant card that details the amount of watering, light and humidity required. After bonding with her brother, Jose, over plants during the pandemic, Montero founded the shop in October 2022. Brittany, with Cuban and Ecuadorean roots, credits both of her grandmothers for her green thumb. She says they maintained beautiful flourishing gardens when she was a kid. Growing up in the low-income neighborhoods of Hawthorne and Lawndale, she remembers how her Cuban grandmother’s house stood out for its vibrant greenery. Source link

10 best coffee shops in L.A. owned by Latinos

10 best coffee shops in L.A. owned by Latinos

Published by Sam Flores

Co-owner Mike de la Rocha likes to describe Tepito Coffee as “rooted in Mexico, poured in Pasadena.” The warm and welcoming coffee shop makes the stuffy streets of Old Town feel like Whittier Boulevard in East L.A. on a Sunday morning. Through the process of what they consider reverse gentrification, they’re on a crusade to build community through coffee for the Latino population in Pasadena and the neighbors willing to experience it. Tepito translates to “small temple” in the Nahuatl. For them to identify as Indigenous and Chicano and exist within Vroman’s, the historic independent bookstore in Pasadena, is a fantastic reality. Their name and carefully crafted drinks are evidence of holding themselves responsible by embracing the teachings of their ancestorsin their recipes. By meeting weekly with their coffee producer, Pecora 19º09’ from Veracruz, they’re serious about their “farm to cup” mission: “Our visions can only happen if they’re running at the pace of the land.” Order their Adelita Latte, brewed with their Warrior House Coffee, cinnamon, star anise, orange peel and piloncillo, paying homage …