China Right Here in America!

As some of you know, I lived and worked in China some years ago. The life-long fascination with China and all things Chinese goes on to this day. Thus...

Through the good fortune of fate and the generosity of a prospering employer, I have returned to good ol' LA for some intense day business and an hour or two of fun for a couple nights on my visit. The days in my trip here as a medical technology writer are filled with meetings, protocol reviews, new med device technology, and establishing business alliances that will help me on my newest project.

But when the bells of night peal, it's time for me to hit the highway to one of the several Chinatowns that have sprung up in LA in these last few decades.

This is when the real fun begins.

ONE OF SEVERAL CHINATOWNS

At least three Chinatowns reside in Los Angeles in recent years. While it is arguable that there are more, the more obvious ones are located in:

1) Downtown Los Angeles - the "original" Chinatown established in LA in the late1800s.

2) The Valley Boulevard strip - One of the more modern Chinatowns located in the San Gabriel vicinity.

3) Rowland Heights - Another modern LA Chinatown, sometimes referred to in the localized Mandarin as Luo-Lan Gao.

On this trip to LA, I'm focusing on the Chinatown in Rowland Heights.

TO THE NORTH: "DIAMOND PLAZA"

Located on Fullerton Boulevard just south of the 60 Freeway is the northernmost part of LA's Rowland Heights Chinatown.

Popular among many of the Asian folks living in Los Angeles, here resides a strip of shops collectively known as Diamond Plaza. Busy during weeknights and packed to the gills during the weekends at any time of the day, Diamond Plaza is host to loads of fun - mostly of the shopping and eating variety.

Starting on the East side with the mini-strip called Plaza Walk, you can both shop and eat. Boutiques such as the Missha salon and Accessories KiraKira cater to the non-perishables side of shopping a la Asiatique. Feeling famished? Re-energize with some great chow at Canaan Restaurant迦南美食). Assuming you have a sweet tooth, you can smother it in a really fine sliver of chocolate cake at Vanille de Patisserie (my fave is their Swedish Chocolate cake). (

Despite being a fan of the mainland coastal city of Old Shanghai, I didn't get a chance to try the chow at Da Shanghai (大上海 - "Shanghai Grand"), which I hear has pretty darn good steamed dumplings. You can chill at the Red Ant Café (紅螞蟻), and then resume shopping at the Life Plaza (創世紀生活廣場) bookstore and gift shop.

TIP: If you're visiting LA from out of town, Life Plaza is the ideal place to get smaller gifts that will fit easily in your luggage. Aside from books and magazines, most of Life Plaza's gifts fall into the small kitchenware category, made mostly in Japan and sold sometimes at a bargain. I bought a big Japanese hot pot for USD $4.00.

DOWN SOUTH: HONG KONG PLAZA

While Diamond Plaza seems to cater more towards younger folks and families with young kids, Hong Kong Plaza (香港廣場) seems more for the adult crowd. From Diamond Plaza, drive just a few blocks south on Fullerton to Colima, turn left, and you'll be there.

Hong Plaza is little run-down - it's definitely seen better days - but it still holds status as a place with some variety not found at Diamond Plaza.

Got some business folks you want to schmooze with in a casual environment? Want to try some Chinese food found usually in more extravagant environs? Then try the Supreme Dragon Restaurant. With loads of seafood, beer and steamed dim-sum style chicken feet, you'll be a sure winner in the power dinner crowd!

BREAKFAST, ANYONE?

Want to see what Chinese folks have as a traditional breakfast? Then read here. My buddy Chris and I went to Yi Mei Deli (義美) for a scrumptious meal that you can read about in this linked article.

TRY VIETNAMESE FOOD - OR SHOP FOR FCUK!

Deeper inside Hong Kong Plaza is a hive of glassed-in shops, some of which are sadly left empty due to the recently depressed economy.

These die-hard shops feature peddlers whose wares range anywhere from Asian beauty products, to CDs and DVDs, Japanese gifts (of the Hello Kitty kind), and clothing fashions such as FCUK (French Connection UK), a brand rarely seen outside metro-America - I suppose due to its suggestively controversial namesake.

GO HOME WIRED

With bags in hand (or with hands over your mouth after laughing at the FCUK signs), you can stop off for some traditional Vietnamese soup called pho(pronounced fuh-uh, kind of like "uh-uh") or some really strong Café Sue Da, a powerfully bitter-sweet coffee beverage harking back to the French Colonial occupation of Vietnam - when Vietnam was called French Indo-China.

I gotta tell ya: that Café Sue Da will knock you off your horse! No kidding!

A CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

So, feeling tired and useless? Wanna see what it's like in China or Taiwan (kinda sorta - but not really). Then drive on down to Rowland Heights Chinatown for a glimpse of Los Angeles that many folks anywhere have never seen!

Have fun!

- John

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