Family Field Trip: Olvera Street, Los Angeles

The original settlers of the Los Angeles area lived on and around Olvera Street. And it looks much the same as it did in the 1781 when it was formed by the original 44 settlers. Vendors selling homemade tortillas, leather sandals and lots and lots of Jesus and Mary’s to go around. The original adobe homes line the street, and most have been converted into restaurants and stores.  This one store (photo below) is a favorite of mine. It has one the of the best collections of Día de los Muertos items anywhere in LA. AND they are packed in with the precision of a skilled Tetris player. …..Along with tons more Jesus’s and Mary’s.

Awesome.

We were there the day before Easter, and lo and behold the Easter Bunny was there too. With his stuffed Donkey. Naturally.

  Since the street has the authentic smells of Mexico along with the familiar sounds of vendors and customers discussing prices in Spanish, it is not hard to imagine you are back in time to the days when nothing else existed outside of this little alley way besides a few ranches and lots of barren dry land. But don’t worry- you are brought back to reality faster than you can ask “Who would Jesus Deport?” with some of the odd items found for sale. Like a framed Godfather-Soprano-Last Supper mash-up art piece leaning up against countless more Mary’s or the Rugrats, Spiderman and Blues Clues piggy banks.

And handle at your own risk Amigo.

Check out our home boy Jesus and the original baby mama Mary there, along with the Mexican Bandito T-shirts.

Only on Olvera Street. Or maybe a swap meet. But still, this place has CHARACTER right? Honestly if you haven’t been…GO. It is historical and authentic and just plain FUN.

And it turns out Tucker is some kind of pro at these insanely loud clicky clacky ball things.

Lucky lucky me.