At long last, Highland/Glasell Park soccer-moms can get their ubiquitously bitter coffee without having to drive all the way to Eagle Rock. Yes, Starbuck’s, with its 15,000 stores in 44 countries has finally deemed us worthy of their coffee. Technically, I believe the address is in Glassell Park, but I wouldn’t have believed anyone who told me York Blvd. would have a Starbucks in the foreseeable future. Let’s hope the new Cafe de Leche isn’t run out of town by the 1,000 lb gorilla that is Starbucks.
Beyond a coffee shop that I don’t plan on ever visiting as I’d rather give my money to Miguel at Antigua or the guys at Casa Blue (which isstill open), Occidental Plaza is also sporting a Long’s Drugs that is already open, and an L&L Hawaiian Plate Lunch joint that actually has potential of receiving my business. Back in college, when I was a frequent visitor to our youngest state (for reasons I can’t disclose as I value my current relationship) Plate Lunch was a delicacy of the Hawaiian hoi polloi that I couldn’t find on the mainland. Now, these places proliferate, but it’s still nice to have one nearby. Personally, I’m looking forward to the Korean spare ribs, chicken katsu, and mac salad. Based on a recent drive-by, it looks like L&L and the Starbucks are opening imminently.
Occidental Plaza
4430 York Blvd.
All day A/C, a busy community pool, and the annual disappearance of those Lakers car pennants (at least until the next time the bandwagon starts filling up) all point towards summer kicking into full gear. One of June’s highlights for me is the annual Highland Park Auto Show. Just in case I might have forgotten it was Sunday, the roar of engines and squealing of car alarms woke me up early. Since my dog is getting a little fat, I decided to take her out for a walk and enjoy the sights on Fig between Avenues 51 & 57. Scalp tattoos, custom paint jobs that might be illegal in Utah, and vendors lined the street while hip-hop and Banda music mixed into a culturally appropriate milieu. Note: You may want to avoid looking at the second to last picture at work.
Enjoy the photos:
“Elbows up side to side”
What a color!
The rug really ties the car together…
‘Scarface’ Trim
Second best paint job of the day
El numero uno
(LAWeekly)
Not an import in sight
We recently heard back from Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina regarding her proposed taco truck legislation. Unsatisfied with the response, we here at YORK BLVD. have crafted an open letter below. Read it and let us know what you think. Better yet, write your own to Supervisor Molina.
Thank you for contacting my office to express your views regarding the
proposed changes to the Los Angeles County peddling ordinance. Please be
aware that this ordinance is effective only in the unincorporated areas
of Los Angeles County. The proposed changes to the ordinance allow peddlers to remain in one location in a commercial zone for one hour. The current ordinance permits 30 minutes in one location. For your information, vending from a sidewalk has never been permitted in Los Angeles County. Our ordinance will protect the health and welfare of our residents and respect the needs of our business community.
If you require additional assistance with a County-related matter, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (323) 881-4601.
Thank you.
Sincerely, GLORIA MOLINA
Supervisor, First District
Dear Supervisor Molina,
Thank you for responding to our concerns regarding your recent ordinance affecting taco trucks in Los Angeles County. As residents of Northeast Los Angeles, we wholeheartedly support a thriving business community that includes “brick and mortar” restaurants. While we understand there are many conflicting interests involved, we are concerned the measures passed by the board of supervisors do not best promote the health and welfare of our community. Forcing hard working men and women, who we object to being classified as “peddlers,” to move too frequently to earn a sustainable income is not an effective means of addressing the health needs of the community. If the aim of this ordinance is the health of the community, you might consider stepping up inspections and more diligent enforcement of existing health codes. If the aim is to improve the welfare of the community, find a compromise that allows more established businesses to reasonably coexist with nascent restaurateurs and other local business owners. Criminalizing these vendors, for what previously was essentially a parking violation, fails to acknowledge the reality that these vendors are an established institution of Los Angeles County and provide an affordable option for families unable to afford sit-down restaurants. Additionally, the culture and community created by taco trucks is enormously beneficial to a neighborhood’s welfare, as it brings people out on otherwise abandoned streets.
Furthermore, the fact that this ordinance only affects trucks in unincorporated Los Angeles County is of no comfort, as we fear this legislation will open the door for similar ordinances that affect us more directly in the future.
If you truly feel that the honest and hardworking families who work in these taco trucks are detrimental to the community under current regulations, we would urge you to find a compromise that better serves your constituents as well as your business interests. A healthy compromise, that allows restaurants to compete without eliminating taco trucks from the landscape, could include preventing the trucks from parking within a specific distance of an open restaurant. Please consider how this ordinance will affect all of your constituents before removing something so loved in our neighborhoods.
