Comments on: Olvera Street the Alley of the City of the Angels

By: Long Beach the “other” Great City of Southern California | Travelin' Local

Long Beach the “other” Great City of Southern California | Travelin' Local — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:21:43 +0000

[...] When I return, I’ll report on the never ending amount of events, stories, sights, sounds, and history of the city because when Travelin’ Local in Southern California, that’s what we do. [...]

By: Posts about Economy as of June 16, 2009 | Tatuaj.org

Posts about Economy as of June 16, 2009 | Tatuaj.org — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:08:06 +0000

[...] about Economy as of June 16, 2009 Posted on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 in Post about Economy Olvera Street the Alley of the City of the Angels – travelinlocal.com 06/16/2009 Los Angeles City of the Angels Taking a quick appraisal of [...]

By: LisaNewton

LisaNewton — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:25:31 +0000

@Kim, Please let me know when you plan on visiting. I'd love to meet you in person, and maybe going on a photo walk together. Thank you so much, Kim.

By: LisaNewton

LisaNewton — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:24:30 +0000

@Diane C., I didn’t see any gardenia dealers when I was there. I might have missed them, but I hope they didn’t disappear over the years.

I love the smell of gardenias.

By: LisaNewton

LisaNewton — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:22:34 +0000

@Will Campbell, I couldn’t agree more. I didn’t see it as a “tourist trap” at all. I was fascinated by the old buildings and all the shops. Not to mention the food.

I did read about Christine Sterling, so thank you for mentioning her.

By: D. Travis North

D. Travis North — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:13:36 +0000

@LisaNewton, unfortunately not. We have plans that day, but if they change somehow, I'll try to get to one of the ones near me. D. Travis North’s last blog post..SP@Flickr: Sunset by Vmaddalena

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 01:11:03 +0000

I cannot wait to visit all these place you mention.. You make me feel as if I have just walked through the towns/areas you visit.. wonderful job Lisa. Kim’s last blog post..Weekly Winners - NYC Round Two

By: Diane C.

Diane C. — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:42:51 +0000

I have fond memories of visiting Olvera Street as a child in the 1960's. The music, colors and food were all so festive. Vendors sold gardenias as souvenirs and I still associate the smell of gardenias with Olvera Street. Diane C.’s last blog post..Cactus Monday - More Saguaro Fruit

By: Will Campbell

Will Campbell — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:30:49 +0000

Olvera Street is one of my favorite places in the city, but it's worth cutting through the romance and noting that like so many landmarks in Los Angeles it almost was lost by politicians who saw little use in protecting it. In the 1920s it had declined into little more than a decrepit alley. Its resurrection, completed in 1930 came thanks to the tireless efforts of Christine Sterling who sought not only to preserve its historic structures, but also to create Los Angeles first "City Walk." Some see it harshly as a fake tourist trap, but it's a true civic treasure. Will Campbell’s last blog post..A Non-Pit Pitstop

By: LisaNewton

LisaNewton — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:51:01 +0000

@D. Travis North, I'm humbled by your observations, Travis. It means a lot coming from a skilled photographer like yourself. I've learned a lot over the last few months, and I look forward to learning much more. BTW, are you participating in the Photo Walk? It looks like a lot of fun. I'm going to one a few hours from LA.

By: LisaNewton

LisaNewton — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:47:55 +0000

@David, Thanks, David. California history is an interesting mix of so many different cultures. I love doing the research.

By: LisaNewton

LisaNewton — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:47:15 +0000

@Lisa's Chaos, LOL.......Music was being played at a few of the shops, and I almost felt like dancing. Definitely a great place.

By: LisaNewton

LisaNewton — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:45:51 +0000

@Paisley (Paisley Thoughts), Oh, you should have smelled the food. I was meeting a friend for lunch so I didn't eat anything, but I'm looking forward to going back.

By: D. Travis North

D. Travis North — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:07:53 +0000

Great observations and back-history. To an outsider, this is starting to turn into a 'chicken and the egg' scenario: Which came first? Your photographer's eye or your strong interest in the cultural and historical landscape? That debate surely doesn't really matter, because the result is something that is interesting to everyone. But I can definitely see that your photography has enhanced your observation skills since the first post here. Case and point: Compare your second shot above to this one (from January) and compare your third shot above to Walking/Riding the Beach Trail (from December '08). Your angles are better, your exposure is better, your compositions are better. You may not know it, but your improvement in these areas are what allow you to notice details like that last shot of the steps. Not only that, but I wonder if you would've approached that shot (placing the camera so low) just a mere 6 months ago. See - photography improves everything. ;P D. Travis North’s last blog post..SP@Flickr: Sunset by Vmaddalena

By: David

David — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:00:10 +0000

Excellent story about Olvera Street and California and Mexico’s simple yet complicated history with one another.

Well researched and executed.

By: Lisa's Chaos

Lisa's Chaos — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:06:08 +0000

Now you've made me hungry! I bet they have great food! And I'm loving the atmosphere! I wanna ride the donkey! lol! Lisa's Chaos’s last blog post..North Hero, Vermont

By: Paisley (Paisley Thoughts)

Paisley (Paisley Thoughts) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:18:04 +0000

The area does look quaint. I would love to get my hands on those gorgeous tiles. I would also love to try authentic Mexican food because it looks so delicious. Paisley (Paisley Thoughts)’s last blog post..Brave Iranian Woman