Elle Takes a Trip - Chinatown

From moving to New York City by way of Mississippi with $50 in her pocket to making a jump across the country and  settling in Los Angeles, we follow fearless Elle’s lead when she sets her mind on an adventure. This free-spirited healer, explorer, and stylist guided us through Downtown Los Angeles’ Forbidden City to sift through hand-picked and crafted goods and hunt for a natural winter cold cure.

Set in an area often overshadowed by its downtown neighbors, Chinatown has managed to maintain its rich history as the LA development boom grips surrounding communities. It communicates its authentic personality through traditional food, goods, and people who have lived and worked there in much the same way for generations. Having endured political strife, discrimination, and displacement since its beginnings over 100 years ago, Chinatown breathes the fulfillment and peace of a neighborhood that has finally been allowed to come into its unique own. Loud colors and vibrant patterns burst from the small shops, alley and sidewalk vendors, and indoor/outdoor markets – Chinatown raises its authentic, optimistic voice against the rough history from which it came.

Strolling through the bazaars of Chinatown, we get a sense of tradition that most neighborhoods in Los Angeles have failed to preserve.

Twenty+ cold-curing herbal remedies in hand, we head back to Franklin Village  with memories of red lanterns, homemade dumplings, and dreaming of where we’ll trip off to next.