An Insider’s Secret Guide to Downtown Los Angeles©

Welcome to Los Angeles and Book Expo America. So, you’ve got people to meet and stories to hunt, maybe now all you need are some office supplies, something to eat, a toothbrush, and few trinkets to take back to friends/family. Where do you go? You can always pay the high prices at the convention center or the hotel store or you can go to where the locals eat and shop. A frequent visitor to Los Angeles Convention Center, I’ve found a bunch of great places (only insiders know about) that follow. But before you go anywhere you should understand the landscape.

Visitors may be confused by the area surrounding the convention center and hotels, like Los Angeles, it is a tapestry of many cultures, lifestyles and incomes. The first thing you will notice is that the downtown area by the hotels, becomes a ghost town at night after the white collar folk load into their SUVs and freeway out to greener homesteads. This area I’ll be referring to as the “Downtown Hotel” area.

Close to the convention center however, there are neighborhoods where people actually live and work. They have essential eateries and stores within walking distance or a quick Metro bus ride away from the Convention Center. Before you venture into these “hoods’ be aware that they are not considered prime real estate and use caution. I wouldn’t walk at night by myself but would feel confident with a group or driving there in my car. In general, after you go under a freeway overpass, increase your caution. The neighborhoods that’ll have what you need are: Washington/Figueroa Trade Tech, Pico/Union, and Washington/Maple – South Garment District.

Washington Figueroa (W)

The Staples Center is north of the Convention Center, however south of South Hall under the freeway overpass on Figueroa is a Staples Office Superstore, with all the staples, paper clips, paper, photocopying and mailing envelopes you could ever want. You can even order your supplies online and then pick them up. A little further south at Washington is a mini-mart at the Chevron station stocked with fresh coffee, sandwiches, microwave burritos and soft drinks. Around the corner on Washington Blvd. and Grand Ave. is a Burger King and at Olive is Mac Donald’s near Los Angeles Trade Tech College.

Pico/Union (W)

Pico Boulevard runs through the north and south sections of the Convention Center, if you go under the freeway overpass west you will find the Pico/Union neighborhood, home of latest immigrant migrations. If you need a market go to Jons. For great burritos (you can’t go wrong with the green chili and potato), fresh juice and breakfast specials there’s Lucy’s Drive-Thru (open 24 hours) across the street is La Pizza Loca where you can get a Mexican pizza with beans, cheese, chorizo, and bacon (Jalapenos are optional). When I called La Pizza Loca they said the delivered to the hotel area, however I wasn’t sure that she understood what I was saying,

For great deals, while you are in L.A. you have to visit a 99 Cent Only Store- made famous by Jay Leno’s jokes and segments, you’ll find everything and anything ---fake Barbie Dolls, light bulbs, protein bars, hardware, stationery, baby wipes … shampoo, all for 99 cents. The 99-cent phone card with unlimited calls anywhere in the U.S. for one day could come in handy. If you haven’t found cheap presents for your friends, this is the place to look.

Up from the thriving Pico/Union intersection on Blaine Street & 11^th Street by the Olympic Freeway exit from the Pasadena Freeway is Mr. Sippee located in a convenience store in an Arco Station. To quote my friend who still drives there even though she doesn’t work downtown any more, “Those potatoes are jamming!” There’s broasted chicken, and deliciously seasoned broasted potatoes that melt in your mouth. For $1.59 you can get a barbecue beef rib with potatoes that will never forget. They are open 24 hours and also have slices of pizza and rotisserie chicken. Because it’s close to the tents under the freeway where the homeless people live, you may have to step over a few winos, but the food is worth it.

Washington Blvd./ Maple St. – South Garment District

About 4 minutes away on the Blue Line Metro Train, at Washington Blvd. and Maple St., there is a real live mini-mall with parking. There’s a Rite Aid discount drug store and another 99 Cent Only Store. My favorite California eatery there is El Pollo Loco, a local chain of citrus-marinated flame broiled chicken served with sides of fresh vegetables, salads, and tortillas. Meals are under $5.00. The chain has grown exponentially around southern California, when you taste it, you’ll understand why. Please note: there’s a Los Angeles Convention Center Blue Line Metro Station at Pico and 1236 S. Flower St., for more information and trip planning go to: http://www.mta.net.

Downtown Hotel Area

If you don’t have the energy or inclination to leave the downtown area, many popular Angelino eateries and stores are nearby. Asian influence can be tasted at Yoshinoya Beef Bowl where Japanese style beef, chicken, salmon or shrimp are served over rice in a bowl, which you can jazz up with ginger, soy sauce or red pepper. For a snack try the teriyaki chicken wings. Former mayor Dick Riordan’s The Original Pantry on Figueroa serves hearty steaks, chops and burgers. At 7^th & Fig (Ernst & Young Plaza) indoor mall you’ll find a California Pizza Kitchen and Panda Express (fast Chinese food), as well as Robinson’s May department store and shops.

For fast food, coffee or toiletries on Figueroa, you’ll find two Starbucks, a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Mc Donald’s, Burger King and a Rite Aid on Seventh Street. If you are looking for fine dining, please read the reviews from the Downtown News.

You’ll love last minute research or e-mail checking during the day at the palatial Richard J. Riordan Central Library. If you need twenty-four hour computer access, photocopying, Kinko’s could be a godsend. You can even upload your documents before you leave and they will deliver them to your hotel (weekday delivery only.)

Worth a Trip

There are two landmark eateries that are part of the Los Angeles landscape that Angelinos always find time to visit which are less three miles away from the Convention that are worth a trip. They are Tommy’s Original World Famous and Philippe the Original in Chinatown. Tommy’s serves up gooey, juicy, chiliburgers, that can only be wiped off with huge paper towels. Open twenty-four hours a day, you’ll see everyone from night shift workers to film industry types, a true kaleidoscope of Los Angeles personalities.

Philippe has plenty of parking and serves wonderful roast beef, roast pork, leg of lamb, turkey or ham sandwiches with roasting juice dips. It was founded in 1908 by Philippe Mathieu, who claimed he invented the "French Dipped Sandwich." One day in 1918, while making a sandwich, Mathieu dropped a French roll into the roasting pan filled with juice. The customer said he would take the sandwich anyway and returned the next day with some friends asking for more dipped sandwiches.

The aforementioned places represent just a small part of the landscape of Los Angeles. You may now understand why Anais Nin said, “I am beginning to appreciate Los Angeles. True, Frank Lloyd Wright called it a lot of suburbs looking for a city (he also said: the United States tilts to the southwest and everything loose ended up in Southern California), and I still resent the long drives on the freeways. But I now feel this is the only large cosmopolitan city where I can be warm all year, close to the sea and still create my own paradise just five minutes from downtown.”

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Lynn Walford, has written hundreds of freelance newspaper and magazine articles. She can be reached at lw@freelancwriternow.com She has been coming to the Los Angeles Convention Center since 1992 and has a secret free parking space, that she will not reveal. She is the author of Make Money with Your PC and Stay Safe on the Internet.

Free copies of this article are available during Book Expo America 2003, Los Angeles at booth SP5616 Book Publicists of Southern California.

(W)= Walking Distance from Convention Center

Addresses and Phone Numbers and links to maps in same order as article:

Figueroa/Washington

Staples The Office Superstore (9:00 am – 6:00 pm M-F, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Sat, closed Sun.)
(213) 746-6330

1701 S Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90015 Map

Chevron Mini-Mart (24 Hr)
(213) 741-0875

525 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015 Map

Burger King (5:30 am – 11:00 pm)
(213) 749-0022

233 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015 Map

Mc Donald's (5:30 am – 10:00 pm)
(213) 746-0525

201 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015 Map

Pico/Union Area

Jons Marketplace (7:00 am –10:00 pm)
(213) 747-1745

1500 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015 Map

Lucy's Drive Thru (24 Hr)
(213) 384-0721

1568 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015 Map

La Pizza Loca (9:00am -9:00 pm)
(213) 749-9616

1563 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015 Map

99 Cent Only Store (9:00 am –9:00 pm)
(213) 386-7199
1516 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90015 Map

Mr Sippee (24 Hr)
(213) 748-2121
1045 Blaine St
Los Angeles, CA 90015 Map

Washington/Maple

Rite Aid Pharmacy (8:00 am – 9:00 pm)
(213) 747-9581

446 E Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015 Map

99 Cent Only Stores (9:00 am –9:00 pm)
(213) 741-9995

422 E Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015 Map

El Pollo Loco (9:30 am –11:00 pm)
(213) 748-7616

400 E Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015 Map

Downtown Hotel Area

Yoshinoya Beef Bowl Restaurant (6:00 am – 9:00 pm)
(213) 623-3095

426 W 7th St
Los Angeles, CA 90017 Map

Original Pantry Cafe (24 Hr)
(213) 972-9279

877 S Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90017 Map

California Pizza Kitchen (11:00 am – 9:30 pm M-Th 11:00 am – 9:00 pm F, 12:00 pm – 9:00pm Sat/Sun)
(213) 228-8500

735 S Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90017 Map

Downtown Panda Express (10:00 am – 7:00 pm)

(213) 624-1131

735 S Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90017 Map

Starbucks Coffee (5:00 am – 8:00 pm)
(213) 488-9902

725 S Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90017 Map

Starbucks Coffee Co (5:00 am – 6:00 pm)
(213) 622-5176

695 S Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90017 Map

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (5:30 am – 6:45 pm Closed Sun.)
(213) 622-9748

801 W 7th St
Los Angeles, CA 90017 Map

Burger King (6:00 am – 10:00 pm)
(213) 624-9373

800 W 7th St
Los Angeles, CA 90017 Map

Mc Donald's (6:00 am – 8:00 pm)
(213) 689-1678

811 W 7th St
Los Angeles, CA 90017 Map

Rite Aid Pharmacy (8:00 am – 8:00 pm)
(213) 896-0083

600 W 7th St
Los Angeles, CA 90017 Map

Richard Riordan Los Angeles Central Library
(10:00 am – 8:00 pm M-Th, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm F-Sat, 1:00 pm -5:00 pm Sun)

(213) 228-7000

630 W 5th St
Los Angeles, CA 90071 Map

Kinko's Copies (24 Hr)
(213) 892-1700

835 Wilshire Blvd # 100
Los Angeles, CA 90017 Map

Worth a Ride

Tommy's Original World Famous (24 Hr)
(213) 389-9060

2575 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90057 Map

Philippe, The Original Restaurant (6:00 am – 10:00 pm)
(213) 628-3781

1001 N Alameda St
Los Angeles, CA 90012 Map

This article first appeared in May 2003 @ www.feel-goodies.com

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