Hey, What's (K)ookin: The Militant's Epic Metro K Line Food Guide!

Interactive Map! Click here for larger version.

K, so you've ridden Metro's brand spanking new light rail line. And you've just learned about 19 points of interest along the route from some Militant guy on teh Interwebz. Now what?

Fortunately, the Metro K Line runs down a corridor full of wonderful eating options. From hot dogs to desserts to soul food to ice cream, and even a nice microbrew, there's lots of culinary discoveries to be found along the K.

All of the eateries listed are independently-owned/run eateries. No chains, unless it's of local origin or significance. All listings are within a half-mile (6-block) walk of a Metro K Line station (And although it wasn't a requirement for this list, all but two of these businesses just happen to be Black-owned).

The listings for the Leimert Park and Downtown Inglewood station areas just barely scratch the surface; those two areas (especially the latter) could warrant their own location-specific food guides of their own. And surely the K Line will bring in new eateries within the foreseeable future. This guide is by no means comprehensive - it's just a starting guide to the bevy of restaurants accessible along the Metro K Line.

Expo/Crenshaw Station:

This place is nuts!

NE Conway Peanuts
3818 Crenshaw Blvd, Crenshaw District
Open Mon-Sat, 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.; Closed Sun

There isn't too much in the way of street food along this stretch of Crenshaw, but this converted U-Haul truck parked near the Crenshaw Square shopping center sign sells hot roasted peanuts by the bag. Though unsalted, they're freshly roasted that day and taste like nothing else. Where else in Los Angeles can you find hot, roasted peanuts on the street? Steven Conway, the vendor who has been operating this business for nearly 20 years is here 6 afternoons a week (closed Sunday) and also sells pre-packaged peanut brittle, almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts and pistachios.

Earle's On Crenshaw - the place to be on a Saturday!

Earle's On Crenshaw
3864 Crenshaw Boulevard, Crenshaw District
Open Tue-Sat, 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Closed Sun

Brothers Cary and Duane Earle have been in the hot dog business since 1984, operating a street cart that became a brick-and-mortar presence on Crenshaw since 1992. Excellent hot dogs (standard, turkey and vegan options), chili dogs (standard and vegan) and chili fries.

Turkey Dog with onions, mustard and sauerkraut (L) and Vegan Chili Fries (R).

Extra props to the establishment who literally sacrificed themselves for the K Line (their previous location was demolished to build the Expo/Crenshaw K Line station up the street), so show them some love! Duane is a frequent presence who even serves and works the cash register. In the '90s he was also known as Don Jagwarr, the ragamuffin MC who guested on Ice Cube's 1992 track "Wicked." Don't come Sundays, since they're closed, but do come on Saturday afternoons - it's a literal party atmosphere with DJs and lowriders outside on the parking lot!


Martin Luther King Jr. Station:

Sweet cuppin' cakes! Southern Girl Desserts' Sweet Potato (L) and Red Velvet (R) cupcakes.

Southern Girl Desserts
3650 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Suite 100 (in Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 1st Floor, near Sears)
Open Tue-Sun 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.; Closed Mon

Though the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza has a requisite shopping mall food court, it's best to skip it altogether and head towards the south side of the mall on the ground floor where you can find Southern Girl Desserts. Run by Florida natives Catarah Coleman and Shoneji Robison (who call themselves "The Dessert Divas"), they won Food Network's Cupcake Wars competition with their signature Chicken & Waffle Cupcake and used their experience in cupcake warfare to open Southern Girl Desserts. Other cupcake flavors of note are Hennessy & Coke, Pecan Pie and Peach Cobbler. They also have standard (and still really excellent) standard cupcake varieties like Red Velvet, Sweet Potato, Double Chocolate and Vanilla. Speaking of Sweet Potato Pie, they also serve up some of that as well as Pecan Pies in mini sizes, and for full-size pies, you have to order in advance. They also make excellent cakes and cookies.

Post & Beam
3767 Santa Rosalia Dr, Crenshaw District
Open Wed-Sat, 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.; Sun, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

This acclaimed Californian-meets-Soul-Food-fusion spot located behind Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza is all the rage for Sunday brunch and evening Happy Hours.

Leimert Park Station:

All Chill Ice Cream
3415 W 43rd Place, Leimert Park
Open Sat-Sun 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.; Closed Mon-Fri

Located just steps from the K Line Leimert Park station entrance (turn left) is All Chill, which bills themselves as a "Hip-Hop Ice Cream Shop." No, you won't find gimmicky-named flavors like "The Notorious F.I.G." or anything like that, but they do serve unique "craft"-style flavors (the Whiskey Praline is a MUST here) in a store setting that doubles as a hip-hop memorabilia museum, replete with concert posters, photographs and artwork adorning the walls. In business since 2020, they're open weekends only, so you might not see them during the K Line's opening day, but if you're here for the African Marketplace on Sundays (which has a collection of notable food stalls in itself), definitely check them out.

Ackee Bamboo
4305 Degnan Blvd. Suite 100, Leimert Park
Open Tue-Thu, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Fri-Sat, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Sun 11:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Closed Mon

Open since 2004, this has been The Militant's go-to for Jamaican food in Leimert Park. The Jerk Chicken (and other variations) are excellent here, as with their Jamaican Patties appetizers. But their vegetarian dishes are worth trying as well, especially their Jackfruit and namesake Ackee (Jamaica's national fruit) selections.


Hyde Park Station:

The Jordan's power trio right here: Chiller Diller (L), Chili Cheese Fries (C), Chili Cheese Dog (R).

Jordan's Hot Dogs
5960 Crenshaw Blvd, Hyde Park
Open Mon-Sat, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Closed Sun

As you can see, hot dogs are a thing not just along Crenshaw but in this part of town. Just a couple miles southeast of here stood the legendary Art's Famous Chili Dogs on Florence and Normandie from 1939 until two years ago. Jordan's (which closed their doors during Art's closing day in March 2020 out of respect) carries the chili dog torch in this sector of South Los Angeles. With a far more robust menu than the specialty-based Earle's up the street, Jordan's also serves burgers, patty melts, BLTs and pastrami sandwiches. When in doubt, get the classic Harriet's Special, a chili dog and chili cheese fries combo. And if you're not already chili-cheese'd out, the Chilli Cheese Fritos are a must as well. And do try their Chiller Diller, a combination slush/ice cream shake fusion in various fruit flavors.

Woody's Bar-B-Q
3446 Slauson Ave, Hyde Park
Open Fri-Sun, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Mon-Thu, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

It's pretty hard to beat this Southern-style pit BBQ institution that's more than worth the wait in line for. Serving up barbecue ribs, chicken, beef and links, along with the mandatory sides since 1975, every Angeleno needs to go to Woody's at least once in their life. If you're not here to pick up a massive platter for your party or gathering, then a sandwich or lunch special will still suffice, at least more than enough. 

Fairview Heights Station:

Your Bakery
6525 West Blvd, Inglewood
Open Mon-Sat, 9:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Closed Sun

Just five blocks up West Blvd from the Fairview Heights station is this no-frills neighborhood bakery that specializes in Bean, Cheese and various fruit (Pineapple, Blueberry, Lemon, Apple and Cherry) Pies. They also sell cakes, cookies and Monkey Bread.

Downtown Inglewood Station:

Red's Flavor Table
254 N. Market Street, Unit A, Inglewood
Open Wed-Sun, 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Closed Mon-Tue

For you early risers, this Louisiana/Southern breakfast establishment run by Creole chef Marilyn "Red" Wallace has got what you want and more just across Florence from the Downtown Inglewood station. There's no dine-in service; the food is take-out (you can call in your order or order online for pick-up), but there are outdoor tables for eating. Their Jambalaya Omelet is considerably-sized and can probably suffice as the only meal you'll have that day.

The Sammiche Shoppe
222 Regent St, Inglewood
Open Mon-Fri, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Closed Sat-Sun

Just two blocks south of the Metro K Line station, Downtown Inglewood has their very own sandwich deli and it's pretty awesome. Home of their signature  Lucy Mae Air Fried Chicken Sammiche, their soups, salads and smoothies are also well-regarded.

Note: Downtown Inglewood has a large number of restaurants within walking distance south of the K Line station, including Inglewood branches of Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen and Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen (the main Dulan's on Crenshaw is currently closed for rebuilding/remodeling), as well as a number of African and Carribbean restaurants worth checking out.
 
Westchester/Veterans Station:

Randy's Donuts
805 W. Manchester Blvd, Inglewood
Open 24 Hours

Needs no introduction.

Mr. Fries Man
1120 W. Florence Ave, Suite C, Inglewood
Open Mon-Thu, 10 a.m. - 1 a.m.; Fri-Sat, 10 a.m.-2 a.m.; Sun, 10 a.m. - 1 a.m.

Although it's rapidly grown to a national franchised chain of 34 locations, this eatery, which specializes in loaded french fry (and The Militant means loaded) dishes had its humble beginnings just 6 years ago in Gardena. Owned by spouses-entrepreneurs Craig and Dorothy Batiste, Mr. Fries Man began in 2016 as a food truck whose loaded fries gained viral popularity via the Instagram platform. With around eight locations in Southern California, this is only one of two that are Metro-accessible (the other is their USC location on Figueroa, just south of the Metro E Line Expo Park/USC station).

Three Weavers Brewing Company
1031 W. Manchester Blvd, A-B, Inglewood
Open Mon-Thu, 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.; Fri-Sun, 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.

So you've arrived at the end of the K Line. Now what? You can't visit the airport (yet), you can't tranfer to another Metro line (yet). So what's to do out here? Well, you cross Florence Avenue at Hindry, walk one block west to Isis Avenue and have some brews at this local craft brewery with over a dozen beers on tap and enjoy them in the outdoor dog-friendly beer garden. There's no food served here but food trucks are parked outside regularly.

Whatup! Did you enjoy this food guide? Are you excited to try out some of the eateries listed here? Kindly show The Militant some support via his PayPal donation page! A Militant's gotta eat, ya know (and your support will guarantee there will be more of these food guides to come)!

The Militant's Epic Metro K Line Tour!

It's been an entire decade since a totally new Metro Rail line opened (The Metro Expo Line in April 2012). Since then, the game (and name) has changed - Metro is transitioning away from color names in favor of letters of the alphabet. This is the first Metro Rail line to open under the new letter-name format. So what was once known as the Crenshaw/LAX Light Rail Project and would have been known in some alternate universe as the Metro Pink Line is now the Metro K Line. K?

The new line opens on Friday, October 7, 2022 - just in time for the epic Taste of Soul food and music festival on Crenshaw next Saturday (Metro is a major sponsor). It's been a looooooong (rail) road to get to this point (the much-delayed line broke ground in 2014), and the line isn't even completed yet - only six miles will be usable starting Friday, with the line ending at the Westchester/Veterans station. The construction of the game-changing LAX Automated People Mover which crosses the K Line is the main reason for the hold-up of the last 25% of the route. So you'll have to wait until 2024 to get The Whole Shebang.

Interactive Map! Click here for larger version.

Fortunately, there's still lots of places to go, see and do on this 6.5-mile stretch of light rail, which will come in all flavors (subway, at-grade and aerial). And true to Militant fashion, The Militant Angeleno has composed another special Epic guide, this time featuring 19 points of interest along and near the Metro K Line route. Y'all get ready, K?

Expo/Crenshaw Station:



1. West Angeles Church
1999/1943
3600 Crenshaw Blvd, Crenshaw District

One of the largest and most influential African American faith communities in Los Angeles, West Angeles Church of God in Christ was founded in 1943 by Clarence E. Church, originally located in the West Adams neighborhood. Charles E. Blake, the current pastor, succeeded Church in 1969 and grew its congregation to over 24,000. West Angeles Church moved to 3045 Crenshaw Blvd in 1981, taking over a former furniture store. In 1994 the church created the nonprofit West Angeles Community Development Corporation as a community service outreach ministry, dedicated to serving at-risk youth, developing housing in the area and tending to the needs of the community's low-income and homeless residents. The current large church building, known as "the Cathedral" was built in 1999. Stevie Wonder is known to sing and play with their renowned gospel choir during Sunday services. During the week, the church also lends their parking structure to Metro for use to rail commuters.

2. Metro E Line/Santa Monica Air Line
2012
Exposition and Crenshaw boulevards, Los Angeles

The last new line to open, the Metro E Line (a.k.a. The Metro Light Rail Line Formerly Known As the Expo Line), opened to similar fanfare a decade ago (and The Militant thusly made a similar Epic Guide to that line). As you may or may not know, the line was a Pacific Electric line in its past life (1909-1953) as one of four Red Car lines between Downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Though of the four, it was the least-used (and had limited service due to it doubling as a freight line to serve various industries en route), it was the fastest one from Downtown to the ocean. A little bit of the Metro E Line's Pacific Electric history is reflected in the station art - look at the old Santa Monica Air Line map artwork on the floor of the station platforms.



3. Obama Boulevard
2019
Obama Boulevard between Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and Gramercy Pl

Originally named Rodeo Road in 1911, presumably to honor the history of cattle ranchers of the area, most specifically those of nearby Rancho La Brea. After living in the confusing shadow of the more opulent Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills since the 1920s, the street was officially re-named and re-dedicated "President Barack Obama Boulevard" in a public ceremony and festival on May 4, 2019, in honor of the 44th (and first African American) president of the United States, who made one of his first presidential campaign appearances at Rancho Cienega Park on February 20, 2007. The street is nestled south of Washington, Adams and Jefferson boulevards, and intersects with Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. It joins 16 other thoroughfares nationwide named after Obama.



4. Ken Clark Pontiac/Majestic Pontiac Sign
1952
3740 Crenshaw Blvd, Crenshaw District

Although Crenshaw supported a streetcar line south of Vernon, the thoroughfare north of it had always been auto-centric in nature and design. From the late 1930s to 2000, The 'Shaw was once home to an auto row, boasting car dealerships such as Crenshaw Ford, Harry Mann Chevrolet (once the largest Corvette dealer in the US), O'Connor Lincoln-Mercury and Peterson Oldsmobile. The last of the lot, so to speak, was Majestic Pontiac, at Crenshaw and Coliseum. Originally Ken Clark Pontiac from 1952 to 1960, the business was sold and became Majestic Pontiac. The dealership's telltale neon sign with the Pontiac Indian logo was an icon on the boulevard, much like how Felix Chevrolet's cartoon cat smiles over Figueroa today. The dealership closed for good in 2000 and the lot was converted into a shopping center soon afterward. But the original 1952 sign still remains, Pontiac Indian head intact, this time adapted to bear the signage of Big 5 Sporting Goods and Goodwill Industries.



5. Black Dahlia Body Site
1947
3825 S. Norton Ave, Crenshaw District

On the morning of January 15, 1947, the mutilated body of 22 year-old waitress Elizabeth Short, a.k.a. "The Black Dahlia" - the victim of arguably the most famous unsolved murder case in Los Angeles history - was discovered on this site (at the time an empty lot; the house was not built until 1956) by a local woman walking with her young daughter. Short, a transplant from Boston who was reportedly an aspiring actress, was missing the week prior to the discovery of her body, and the case garnered national headlines due to the gory details of her murder. The LAPD's investigation yielded over 150 suspects but no arrests. The cultural intrigue surrounding Short's death became a huge influence on the 1940s 'Los Angeles Noir' phenomenon.

Martin Luther King Jr. Station:

6. Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza
1947
3650 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Crenshaw District

Originally known as the Broadway-Crenshaw Center, it opened on November 21, 1947 as one of the first auto-centric regional shopping centers in the US. The Streamline Moderne shopping center, designed by Albert B. Gardner, was home to a 5-story Broadway department store, a Vons supermarket and a Woolworth's discount store. In 1949, a Silverwoods clothing store opened, and the landmark bridge over MLK (then known as Santa Barbara Avenue) was built to connect with the existing 1947 May Company building on the north side of the street. Today's version of the shopping center came about during a late 1980s remodel.



7. Sanchez Adobe
1791
3725 Don Felipe Drive, Baldwin Hills

In the streets behind the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza stands what may or may be the oldest building in Los Angeles. The crown was long believed to belong to the 203 year-old 1818 Avila Adobe on Olvera Street, but further historical research in 2012 revealed that this structure, originally part of Rancho La Cienega o Paso de la Tijera, dates back some 50 years prior to when it was deeded to Don Vicente Sanchez in 1843, making it around 230 years old.  The building was later owned by Baldwin Hills' namesake Elias Jackson "Lucky" Baldwin, who brought freed slaves to work in his homestead after the Civil War. The historic structure - 30 feet wide and two stories tall - has been integrated into a large single-story building built in 1927. It is currently home to Agape Church of Los Angeles.

Leimert Park Station:



8. African Marketplace & Drum Circle (Sundays)
c. 2010
Degnan Blvd between 43rd Street and 43rd Place, Leimert Park

What can The Militant say about Leimert Park? The heart and soul of Los Angeles' African American community can warrant an Epic Guide of its own. From iconic institutions like the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center to the jazz-centric World Stage to Eso Won Books, to the eponymous city park that has been the site of countless celebrations, rallies, demonstrations and memorials over the years,  where the annual Kingdom Day Parade on Martin Luther King Jr. Day ends up. It's what the late filmmaker and Los Angeles native John Singleton once described as "The Greenwich Village of  L.A.'s Black Community." The true flavor of Leimert Park happens every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. when Degnan Boulevard is transformed to an outdoor street market which had its origins in the annual Labor Day weekend African Art & Music Festival which lasted from the early 1990s to 2009, and then soon evolved into the weekly bazaar which features African and African American clothing and craft vendors and Southern, African and Jamaican food stalls. And there's a drum circle too.



9. Site of 1932 Olympic Village
1932
Mt. Vernon and Olympiad drives, View Park

The site of the first Olympic Village in the modern Olympic era was located right here in the Baldwin Hills. Some 1,836 male athletes representing 56 nations resided in this oval-shaped temporary community during the Games of the Xth Olympiad, living in 550 (24x10') O.G. Tiny Houses designed by H.O. Davis (the women stayed at the old Chapman Park Hotel in Mid-Wilshire). The $500,000 village also featured dining halls, a movie theater, a radio station, post office, medical and dental facilities and an administration office. After the games, the portable O.G. Tiny Houses were quickly sold for $140 each (that's $3,047 in 2022 dollars - not bad at all!) or $217 with furnishings (that's still $4,648 today - still a bargain) - a hot item during the Great Depression. One of the O.G. Tiny Houses can still be seen on Olvera Steeet.

10. Angeles Vista Boulevard
Angeles Vista Blvd, View Park

If there's ever a street in Los Angeles that truly lives up to its name, it's this one. From the Leimert Park Station, head up Olympiad Drive, follow the road fork left onto Angeles Vista Blvd, and walk up to the desired height. Then turn around 180 degrees and you'll see a sweet view of the Downtown Los Angeles skyline.

11. Destination Crenshaw
2023
Crenshaw Boulevard corridor between Leimert Park and Hyde Park

A unique 1.3-mile outdoor art gallery featuring permanent and temporary works, integrated with pocket parks, street furniture and landscaping makes up Destination Crenshaw. Designed by Zena Howard, the project, slated to open in 2023, will highlight the art, stories, creative energy and rich African American and African cultural heritage of the Crenshaw Corridor. The focal point of this linear art project is the triangular Sankofa Park, sandwiched between Vernon Avenue and the northern tunnel portal of the Metro K Line, where many of the structures of Destination Crenshaw are already visible.  



12. L.A. Railway 5 Line Right Of Way
1902-1955
Crenshaw Blvd between 48th and 67th streets

Like its older sibling the Metro E Line, the Metro K Line also has historic rail transit heritage through most of its route. From 1902 to 1955, the Los Angeles Railway (later Los Angeles Transit Lines) operated the 5 Line between Eagle Rock and Hawthorne (via Downton Los Angeles), the longest in its system. It is one of the main reasons for Crenshaw Boulevard's large width, which help allowed it to accommodate a modern light rail line today. Today's K Line runs along the same alignment as the 5 Line from Leimert Blvd's termination at Crenshaw Blvd down to Market Street in Inglewood, where it veered south down La Brea Avenue and Hawthorne Boulevard. Pictured is a 5 Line car in 1954 at Crenshaw and 54th Street.

Hyde Park Station:

13. Nipsey Hussle Square
2019
Crenshaw Blvd & Slauson Avenue, Hyde Park

No single person is more representative of this Hyde Park neighborhood than the late rapper Ermias "Nipsey Hussle" Asghedom. A native of the area, he joined the local Crips-affiliated gang in his teens, but experienced a cultural awakening after his father took him on a trip to his native east African country of Eritrea. He left the gangsta life to become a rapper in the mid-2000s and the rest is history. He opened his own clothing store, The Marathon, on 3420 Slauson and had designs to not only own more businesses and property in the neighborhood, but to empower local youth to work and eventually become local entrepreneurs themselves. But that history ended on March 31, 2019 when Hussle was shot and killed at age 33 in his store's parking lot by an acquaintance with a personal beef. The store and the adjoining mini-mall remain closed but fans and friends have turned the sidewalk along Slauson into a mini-street bazaar selling Nipsey Hussle-based clothing and merchandise. The rapper has also been immortalized in several murals within a one-mile radius of the intersection, notably Auto Tech Collision Center (3475 Slauson - Pictured), Fatburger (5817 Crenshaw), U.S. Bank (5760 Crenshaw), a residential wall (5951 Brynhurst Avenue) and a large basketball court-sized mural on the parking lot of Crete Academy/St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church (Crenshaw & 60th Street). The Marathon Continues...

Fairview Heights Station:



14. Aguaje de Centinela (Centinela Springs)
1837
600 Park Ave, Inglewood (Next to Willie Agee Playhouse at Edward Vincent Jr. Park)

A natural artesian spring known to have been flowing since the Ice Age on this very site was the namesake of the Mexican-era rancho (Rancho Aguaje de la Centinela) that existed before Canadian-born land developer Daniel Freeman named it after his hometown in Ontario. The springs hydrated wooly mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, the indigenous Tongva people, Mexican ranchers and American farmers and settlers. The stone monument to the spring, erected in 1939 stands today, adjacent to a monument signifying the springs' status as a California Registered Historical Landmark (#363). A working fountain with water basins was once incorporated as part of the monument but it was shut off in the 1970s. The spring still functions, albeit underground.



15. Inglewood Park Cemetery
1905
720 E. Florence Ave, Inglewood

This 200-acre memorial park was once the largest cemetery in California. And when the Los Angeles Railway's 5 Line ran just outside its gates, they even had their own funeral car for those who wished to take that one last trolley ride into eternity (the mission-style structure near the northwest corner of the cemetery was once an L.A. Railway power substation). Notable rest-idents here include Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, music legends Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald, boxing legend Sugar Ray Robinson, architect Paul R. Williams, actors Cesar Romero and William "Buckwheat" Thomas, actress Betty Grable and O.J. Simpson trial lawyers Johnnie Cochran and Robert Kardashian. The Militant featured Inglewood Park Cemetery on This Here Blog in November, 2011.

Downtown Inglewood Station:



16. Market Street Shopping District
1908
Market Street between Florence and La Brea avenues, Inglewood

Inglewood's "main street" since its incorporation in 1908, Market Street (which carried the L.A. Railway's 5 Line tracks south after diverging from its Florence Avenue right-of-way) saw its heyday between the 1920s and 1940s. After suffering a decline period between the 1960s and 1990s, it's since been beautified and rejuvenated with various specialty stores, restaurants, cafes and art galleries. Though the "G-Word" is a concern due to the arrival of the Metro K Line, nearby SoFi Stadium and the future Intuit Dome, the number of existing and successful community-owned and Black-owned businesses in the Downtown Inglewood area might just keep the worst fears at bay. If you want to see a small-town Main Street vibe near the Metro, then Market Street is the place.



17. The 405 Freeway
1961
405 Freeway at Manchester Avenue

You know The 405. Nothing to see here, except to take the opportunity to look out the window and marvel at all those cars stuck in traffic, while you're not in it.

Westchester/Veterans Station:



18. Westchester Playhouse
1960
8301 Hindry Avenue, Westchester

This former warehouse building was transformed into a 112-seat live theater venue thanks to the renowned theater company The Kentwood Players (billed as "L.A.'s Most Professional Amateur Theater Group"). Where else can one see community theater at an affordable price (tickets are in the $20 range), accessible by the Metro?



19. Randy's Donuts
1952
805 W Manchester Blvd, Inglewood

It's as iconically Los Angeles as an Original Tommy's chiliburger, a Philippe French Dip, a Langer's Pastrami Sandwich and an El Tepeyac burrito. It's a big-ass concrete-and-steel donut by the freeway, what more can you ask? What started out in 1952 as a local branch of the Big Do-Nut chain (known for big-ass donuts on their roofs) designed by Henry J. Goodwin, it became known as Randy's (the son of the shop's first owner, Robert Eskow) in 1976, and the rest is history. Today, the 24-hour donut icon has grown to a dozen locations in Southern California, plus one in Las Vegas, and locations in South Korea, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.

...that's it for now. As far as this train goes.

There are two stations still under construction - LAX/Metro Transit Center (opening 2024) which will interface with the long-awaited LAX Automatic People Mover, and the Aviation/Century station (opening 2023). The Militant will update this post when the line is fully completed. Until then, get your Kicks on the K Line!

RELATED: Wanna know where to eat along the new Metro K Line? The Militant has a few recommendations.

Whatup! Did you enjoy this post? Did you learn something new from it? Kindly show The Militant some support via his PayPal donation page! A Militant's gotta eat, ya know (those MRE Rations don't exactly get glowing Yelp reviews...)!

Extra special thanks for your support:

Margaret Wehbi
Daniel Pouliot

Every Day I'm Shuttlin'

Endeavour waits for some Randy's Donuts along Manchester Ave on October 12.

Just a week after Los Angeles' streets were reserved for our 9-mile CicLAvia, we had our own 12-mile ShuttLAvia running through the streets of Los Angeles and Inglewood as the space shuttle Endeavour did some cruising from LAX to the California ScienCenter.

The Militant, of course, was there, and wouldn't miss it for the world, nor did hundreds of thousands of Angelenos who wanted to catch a glimpse of space history roll before their very eyes on the very same streets they walk, bike, ride a bus or drive on.

Los Angeles was already lucky to be one of the four locations to receive a space shuttle: The Discovery was flown to the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum's Steven V. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA (Suburban Washington D.C.) where it was simply rolled next door from the airport (Bo-ring...). The Atlantis was taken to...well, it wasn't really taken anywhere at all since it just stayed put at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL. Only the Enterprise was actually transported along the Hudson River via barge to the Intrepid Air and Sea Museum in New York. But sucks to be them, since the Enterprise never flew in space, only as a test glider over the Mojave Desert.

Wonder what the fine for not stopping is.

Yes, Los Angeles was the only place where a freakin' space shuttle that actually went to space was transported along the city streets. We got to see something special, because we're a special kinda place. After all, the space shuttle is a So Cal native -- conceived in Downey and born in Palmdale. People raised their families here from the '70s to the early '90s with space shuttle-related paychecks. This machine was our homegrown pride and joy, and the Militant is proud to know that we got to keep the last one of these that ever got built. So next time you hear someone diss on Los Angeles, ask them how their city's space shuttle is doing. Cos suckaz ain't got none!

And though some people ridiculed the choice of the areas and streets the shuttle paraded through, there were zero arrests during the three-day journey. ZERO. Everyone dug it, and it made some of these neighborhoods considered "the ghetto" by many to earn a certain amount of prestige. Did the $1.7-billion spaceship roll through Brentwood? Newport Beach? Bel-Air? Beverly Hills? Nope. Knowing the NIMBY-types that live in those neighborhoods, they would probably blow up the shuttle before it got anywhere near their pristine fiefdoms...just speakin' the truth here!

The shuttle will go on display on October 30, so all you have to do is ride the (M) Expo Line to the Expo Park/USC or Expo/Vermont station. If you decide to go all astronaut cosplay for Halloween, y'all know where the party's at. In 2017, they'll build a new permanent exhibit for the shuttle, and have it reunite with its booster rocket and external tank friends in a simulated launch position...which The Militant isn't exactly cool with, since the active shuttle only landed and never launched round these here parts (though it almost did...). Plus it's one more thing to worry about during an earthquake, A shuttle in landing position would have been apropo and ideal for the Los Angeles exhibit, but dude, we got a space shuttle now!

Just this year alone, we got a big-ass rock, a battleship and now a space shuttle. What next for our great City?

MORE PICS (Because you haven't had enough of 'em)!

All this waiting for a stupid Toyota truck? (October 12)

The crowd at Crenshaw & Martin Luther King (October 13)

Endeavour in front of the Krispy Kreme on King & Crenshaw. Wassup with the shuttle and donuts? (October 13)

No Cruising on Crenshaw. (October 13)

Car-free streets for everyone at ShuttLAvia! (October 13

Dia de los Muertos 2011: The Militant Visits The Dead at Inglewood Park Cemetery

Today is Dia de los Muertos, or Day of The Dead. No, not the Grateful Dead, but it is a day where people show their gratefulness for their deceased loved ones. And though it's a holiday practiced by the Mexican community, here in multicultural Los Angeles, it's starting to grow into more than just a Mexican thang.

Last year, The Militant paid homage to some great Angelenos by visiting their gravesites at Culver city's Holy Cross Cemetery. Earlier this week, The Militant paid a visit to Inglewood Park Cemetery, just a few miles south.

At a sprawling 340 acres nestled between Centinela Park in the north and The (formerly Fabulous) Forum to the south, Inglewood Park Cemetery was founded back in 1905 by a group of businessmen who saw the need for memorial park space in the the Centinela Valley area (The City of Inglewood wasn't incorporated until three years later). The first people laid to rest there were the original settlers of that area and other places in the South Bay. There was once a Los Angeles Railway Yellow Car line along Florence Avenue (now part of the proposed Metro Crenshaw/LAX Light Rail Line) which ran special funeral cars to the cemetery.

Inglewood Park also boasts having the most interments of any cemetery in Southern California, so it's quite a significant and historic resting place for many in the Southland.

A number of Los Angeles mayors have their final resting place here, beginning with John Bryson, who held a short mayoral term in 1888-1889. The controversial Frank L. Shaw, who was elected in 1933 and was the first American city mayor ever recalled from office five years later (due to police misconduct and corrupt mishandling of city funds), is buried here, as is his popular reformist successor, Fletcher Bowron, mayor from 1938 to 1953.

But the most recent, and most famous Los Angeles mayor, interred here is Tom Bradley, mayor from 1973 to 1993, the City's first African American mayor and the civic leader who gave us a skyline, a subway, an Olympics and the internationally diverse metropolis we know today.

Other elected officials resting here are U.S. Congressman Julian Dixon, whose efforts to federally-fund our Metro Rail system got his name immortalized at the 7th Street/Metro Center station. Also, County Supervisor and local political patriarch Kenneth Hahn (whose name is also immortalized in a Metro Station, for creating the Blue Line) is buried here.

Another famous African American who shaped Los Angeles and is buried at Inglewood Park is architect Paul Revere Williams, who designed The LAX Theme Building, The MLK General Hospital in Willowbrook, Hollywood's Hotel Knickerbocker and several stars' homes during his noteworthy career.

Several figures in the music world are buried here at Inglewood Park, most notably Ray Charles, who is buried in the large Mausoleum of the Golden West (under his full name, Ray Charles Robinson). Unlike Mayor Bradley, who rests just a few feet from the entrance of his mausoleum, the legendary blues and soul singer (and former Baldwin Hills resident) is interred deep within several halls from the entrance. Yes, the Militant walked through dimly-lit mausoleum corridors -- alone -- just to bring you a picture of his resting place (note the music treble clef in his name plate and the coins resting at the base).

Songstress Ella Fitzgerald is another music legend laid to rest here, but The Militant was unable to locate her tomb. 

There's another person from the entertainment world buried here, but you'd never know by looking at his name.

The name "William B. Thomas" may or may not be familiar to you, but his most famous character would make it all clear. For he was "Buckwheat," the character that Thomas, a native Angeleno, played for several years as a child actor in Hal Roach's Our Gang (a.k.a. The Little Rascals) film shorts from the 1930s-1940s. The most well-known of the black characters on that show, the racial integration - and equal treatment - of the cast back then was groundbreaking. Roach was inspired to create Our Gang after seeing an integrated group of kids play together in the Echo Park area. Only in Los Angeles! Although, Thomas' WWII credentials on his epitaph are inaccurate: Though he did serve in the U.S. Army, he was only 14 when World War II ended. He did serve during the Korean War era though.

Lastly, The Militant brings you two famous Angeleno attorneys who are eternally tied together in many ways at Inglewood Park:

Lawyer Johnnie Cochran, most famous for being the lead attorney in the O.J. Simpson murder trial, and has represented everyone from former Black Panther Elmer "Geronimo" Pratt to 1992 Riots beating victim Reginald Denny, rests in the Manchester Garden Mausoleum in the southern side of the cemetery. And on the eastern side of the park forever rests his "Dream Team" defense partner...

Robert Kardashian, a native Angeleno attorney, businessman and patriarch of...well...you know.

Speaking of which, unlike the tombs of the former mayor, the famous architect, the legendary musician and his Simpson trial partner...there are no flowers on his grave. Gee, with all those rich and famous kids of his, you'd think they'd even bother to remember their dad? You know, the guy who provided them with  their wealthy lifestyle and the family name they wear like a brand? America tries to keep up with The Kardashians, but The Kardashians apparently don't bother to keep up with remembering their own father.

But this mysterious, anonymous Angeleno blogger did, as with the other legendary Angelenos who are laid to rest here at Inglewood Park Cemetery. So take a moment today to honor, in whatever way you wish, the Angelenos, whether rich or poor, famous or personally known, who have contributed in any way to your life in this city and love for this city and are no longer with us. Have a great Dia de los Muertos, y'allz.

The Militant's Mess Hall: Born On A Bayou (Grille)

The Militant discovered he hadn't blogged all March so he figured he'd give you a two-fer today.

As you may or may not know, the Militant spent his Wednesday in Inglewood, trying to find meaning in some street named Arbor Vitae, because the Militant is such a street geek like that. Of course, he got a little hungry and making his way back to the Central area of Los Angeles where his compound lies, he decided to forgo the freeway and take the surface streets (as usual).

As he drove north on La Brea, he noticed something, the abundance of unique, non-chain restaurants along the corridor. There's the expected soul food joints (and certainly some of those might be definitely all that) but there were a few Caribbean eateries, and an esoteric joint called The Crab Pit, which hawks not the expected seafood, but its Killer Turkey Taco.

So here we go, all you foodies [Turns on megaphone] [Feedback squeals] Oh sorry about that.

ATTENTION FOODIES: THE LA BREA CORRIDOR IN INGLEWOOD IS AN UNDISCOVERED FOODIE WONDERLAND! GO FOR IT!

The Militant decided to descend on one such place on La Brea to feast on. It's one of those places he's heard of before that he's never had the opportunity to check out.

The place is called Bayou Grille, on the corner of La Brea and 64th Place, boasting, "Authentic New Orleans Taste."

If you've been reading the Militant Angeleno recently, last month, in covering New Orleans locales in Los Angeles (Putting the 'MA' in Mardi Gras, Feb. 26), the Militant mentioned a couple places where some good New Orleans-style food can be found. But at the time he hadn't been here, so he left Bayou Grille out of his post. According to the woman at the counter, the place has been around for 11 years.

One of the Militant's fondest (sober) memories during his visit to New Orleans during an unspecified year in the last decade was having an oyster po-boy sandwich in a restaurant called Mother's in the downtown area. The bread was on point - slightly crusty on the outside, soft on the inside, the fried oysters were perfectly breaded and likewise internally soft. It was like...wow.

The Militant searched high and low for something equivalent here in his hometown, but couldn't find it. The oysters were good but the bread wasn't right. Or vice-versa. Or he had the po-boy at the Gumbo Pot in Farmer's Market. The Militant was afraid that he would have to echo the classic utterance of transplants: "You just can't find decent _____ food out here."

Thankfully, he tried the Louisiana Oyster Po'Boy at the Bayou Grille ($7.29, 6").

Like, whoa. WHOA!

They got it. It was like the Militant was on Poydras St. again.

He washed it down with some Southern-style sweet tea (pre-sweetened iced tea, that is), which was only $1.50 (and free refills...lagniappe indeed!)

That was awesome. But what's even more awesome is their rather complete Louisiana creole menu: jambalaya, etoufee, file gumbo and boiled crawfish (Saturday and Sunday only). The prices are fairly reasonable compared to other New Orleans-style eateries in town. The Militant is definitely returning here!

The Militant was only one of seven customers inside, but this was a weekday afternoon. Apparently it gets rather crowded here during the weekends (must be that crawfish...). It's order-at-the-counter and sit-down style. It didn't take the Militant long to get his food and the lady behind the counter was cool and graciously thanked the Militant for the props he gave the place as he asked for a "Thank You" frequent customer card (your meal on your 10th visit is free!).

Okay, the Militant can spot a few of you out there (yes, you...and you...no, not you...you're cool...and you) with serious xenophobic reservations about Inglewood, with preconceived images of ghettoes and gangstas and stuff like this. The Militant's basic urban philosophy of people's perception being greater than reality hindering their knowledge of their City notwithstanding, the Militant has snapped this photo of the neighborhood just around the corner from Bayou Grille:
[sarcasm]As you can see it's a hideously ugly, blight-filled ghetto with run-down housing project buildings, crack-addicted homeless dudes sleeping in the streets, prostitutes hanging out in the corner, zero green space and several gangbangers pointing their AK-47s directly at the Militant [/sarcasm]. Puh-lease.

So yes, to say it again, the La Brea Ave. corridor in Inglewood (from Slauson in the north to Century in the south) is the undiscovered foodie frontier (are you listening, WeEatz.com blog?). And if they won't tackle it, the Militant will!

Bayou Grille
1400 N. La Brea (at 64th Pl.)
Inglewood
310. 673.0824

Open Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 12 noon to 6 p.m.

Free street parking or take (M) local bus 212 (Sorry, the nearby Crenshaw/LAX Light Rail Line is gonna take a while...).

Item: Louisiana oyster po-boy ($7.29); Sweet tea ($1.50)

Chasing Arbor Vitae

The Militant had to drop off one of his unspecified siblings at LAX on Wednesday afternoon, and although the Militant was bike-less, he nevertheless couldn't pass up an opportunity to go on a Militant adventure.

The Militant firmly believes that the streets of Los Angeles and its environs tell stories, whether you read up on the history or not. All you got to do is pay attention.

So on Wednesday, he decided to follow a particular street that's stuck in his mind for years: Arbor Vitae St., which runs 2.4 miles from Airport Blvd in Los Angeles to Prairie Ave. in Inglewood, where the Hollywood Park racetrack property separates the street from a non-contiguous half-mile stretch to the east of it, where it turns into 92nd St. east of Van Ness Ave.

When the Militant was a kid, watching TV during the middle of the day, with a certain trade technical school advertising its services, and listing one of its locations at some "Arbor Vitae" place. Even as a kid, Lil'Mil was curious about an mysteriously-named street in Los Angeles that wasn't named after a local historical figure, a saint, a part of town or a number. Much less one named in Latin.

But you don't have to be the Pope to know that "Arbor Vitae" means "Tree of Life" (which sounds like something those Na'vi Avatar people would wanna hang out in).

The street runs in a straight line and cuts through industrial, commercial and residential areas, (in that order) from west to east. Unfortunately not much historical background onj the street could be found via online Militant research. There is such a species of tree as an "Arborvitae" which is a member of the cypress family. The Militant thought he had one of these trees on the grounds of his compound, but it was only an Italian cypress, which are pretty ubiquitous here in So Cal. On the other hand, most arborvitaes are found in colder climates such as Canada.

But alas, pay attention to the surroundings. Eventually the Militant stumbled on various Inglewood cross-streets with arbolesque nomenclature: Ash, Oak Cedar, Eucalyptus, Fir (and they weren't even in alphabetical order, like most cities are apt to do). And looking at a map, he also found other streets parallel to Arbor Vitae with such names: Magnolia, Elm, Lime, Olive.

So there you go, mystery solved. Arbor Vitae fits in with the theme. Inglewood isn't just the (once-upon-a-time) City of Champions, or The City Without A Mayor, but a City Of Streets Named After Trees.

Putting the 'MA' In Mardi Gras

Today is Fat Tuesday - Mardi Gras, and no doubt the home of the World Champion New Orleans Saints have an even bigger fete this year.

Tonight, the Militant will be going to a private Mardi Gras party at the house of an operative of Louisiana heritage!

No doubt, the focus is on New Orleans today. But being the Militant Angeleno (as opposed to the Militant New Orleanian), he's gonna take you from "L.A." to "La." - and back.

The Militant has been to New Orleans before (the photo above was taken by the Militant during his visit there), during an unspecified year in the last decade. As usual when he travels, he likes to immerse himself in the destination city's culture, and also learn about its people, urban life, infrastructure and layout - and usually compares and contrasts between the destination city and his own.

Believe it or not, though the tiny Crescent City is vastly different than the ginormous City of Angels, there are a few things shared in common between them (yes, aside from Reggie Bush).

Both cities were founded by a river, have a "Mid-City" district, are important coastal port cities and are multicultural cities that have spawned fusion cuisines. Both cities have a huge Catholic influence. Interstate 10 runs through both The Big Easy and The Big Orange. And singer/songwriter Randy Newman has written songs about both cities - he grew up in both of them.

But here's something interesting the Militant discovered: Both Los Angeles and New Orleans have streets named "Rampart" and "Carondelet" that are not only parallel to each other but just a couple blocks apart, with both Ramparts located to the northwest of the Carondelets. Both pairs of streets in both cities run in a diagonal direction, from the southwest o the northeast. In New Orleans, the streets are located in the Downtown area, in Los Angeles, they are located in the Historic Filipinotown and Westlake districts.

Perhaps it was intentional -- in what is now Historic Filipinotown, just behind the former Rampart Police Station (which was on Benton Way and not Rampart Blvd), lies Hyans St, which was the first block in Los Angeles where African Americans were able to own their own property.
Being that most African Americans who settled in Los Angeles in the late 1800s-early 1900s came from places like Louisiana and Texas (and prior to World War II, they settled in places like Mid City and Jefferson Park), they probably not only brought the names of places familiar to them, but familiar architecture as well.

Along Hyans St, Benton Way and Council St in the aforementioned block, a few "shotgun" houses (pictured left) can be seen, and are hardly found anywhere else in Los Angeles. These narrow houses, designed without a shared interior hallway, are a familiar sight in the South, particularly in Louisiana. Their name derives from the fact that one can fire (in a straight line) a shotgun from the backyard to the front yard, provided all the doors of the house are open.

But enough of the history lesson for now, it's time to party! laist.com recently listed places where one can get their Mardi Gras on this week.

But the Militant is also familiar with some other places that will garon-tee you a lil bit of dat N'awlins flava:

Harold & Belle's - this Jefferson Park restaurant serves up some of the finest Creole cuisine in Los Angeles for over 40 years. The Militant celebrated his birthday with some of his closest operatives a few years ago and everyone was both happy and extremely full. The menu is a bit on the pricey side, but it's more than worth it considering the portions they give you. The Militant ordered the fried catfish, and well, had enough fried catfish to last him until lunch the next day. The desserts are divine as well, do try their bread pudding. 2920 West Jefferson Blvd, (323) 735-9023

La Louisianne - another fine-dining Creole restaurant, located just over the Baldwin Hills near Inglewood. The gumbo is spectacular. Drop by at night and check out the live jazz, blues and soul music entertainmenr. 5812 Overhill Dr (at Slauson), (323) 293-5073.

New Orelans Fish Market - Not a restaurant, but if you're into doing your own cooking, check out this store in Jefferson Park for your ingredients and seafood needs. One of the Militant's operatives, who's a damn good cook, goes here for his crawfish supply all the time. 2212 West Vernon Avenue (at Arlington), (323) 296-3817

And while you're at it, you can groove to the sound of the Los Angeles-based, New Orleans style brass band Critical Brass!

Laissez les bon temps rouler! Where y'at?!