Third day exploring DTLA
Spring Arcade Building
There is nothing better than just leaving your house in the morning with no other agenda than to explore and go with the flow. Downtown LA is full of art galleries, street art, historic buildings, amazing little cafes, restaurants and hole in the wall desert places. With new hip spots opening every other day it’s hard to keep up but let me spill the beans about some of my favorite hidden gems.
Seventh Street DTLA
DTLA sunday Farmers market
Every Sunday morning my husband and I walk to the farmers market on 5th Street Between Spring and Broadway, and after picking up fresh fruits and etc. we explore around. One Sunday morning late in March we found ourselves in front of the spring arcade building, stunned by the architecture we walked in to see more.
Spring Arcade Building
Spring arcade building was built in 1924, as a grand cathedral to commerce and leisure, modeled after the 19th century shopping arcades of Paris and London. Dominant features of the three-story base of the building are the beautiful terra cotta archway lunette, decorated with ornate Beaux Arts/Spanish Renaissance motifs, and the cavernous midblock arcade connecting Spring Street with Broadway.
No one really cared to explore this beautiful forgotten place until a truly courage’s French woman, Ruth Hudin, moved to LA from the western French region of Brittany, which according to Hudin, is where crepes originated from. She spent over a decade making crepes in Brittany before moving to the U.S. And now she has introduced Crepes Sans Frontieres to the Spring Arcade building and the DTLA community.
After purchasing a small section of the building, she transformed this miniature spot in such perfection that it will take you right to France while your taste buds experience something truly magical. Crepes Sans Frontieres serves up some of the most authentic French pastries, crepes and coffee drinks you can find in downtown.
Crepes Sans Frontieres
Crepes Sans Frontieres
Soon after this little gem became popular through word of mouth and people became aware of the Spring Arcade Building, other cool spots started popping up one after the other.
ULI a gelateria offering fresh daily made sorbet and gelato, fine drip coffee and espresso drinks, along with an array of fresh pastries became the it spot. The minimalistic décor is welcoming yet leaves it to the incredible and inventive flavors to blow you away.
Uli Gelateria
The newest addition to the building is Guisados, one of the best taco-makers in the city. Since its opening week this place has been packed with Mexican food lovers. People line up as early as 8am for the breakfast tacos, which is filled with chorizo, potatoes and scrambled eggs. One of the reasons this location instantly became popular among the DTLA community in addition to its menu and convenient location is due to the fact that it embraces works from local artists by dedicating one of its walls to hang the artworks.
Guisados
Guisados
I love to try new things so please let me know if you have any suggestions/ any other favorite places I should check out?