Sixth Street bustling

When I finally finished preparing for tomorrow at school I decided to talk a walk west on 6th St.  I have been connected with the Wilshire District my whole life.  My parents both grew up in this neighborhood in the 1920s and 30s, and my grandparents lived here throughout my childhood in the 50s.  We visited them often, and I have many fond memories of family gatherings in their old houses (one gone and one still standing).  My mother even brought us in from Van Nuys to see doctors and dentists in the area.  I remember going to Ollie Hammond's Steak House at Wilshire and Hobart with my grandfather Ralph Williams, who was active in real estate in mid-city LA.  My mother worked at Bullocks Wilshire during the war.  My parents were married and I was christened in Wilshire Methodist Church.  (That didn't really stick though since I've been an atheist most of my adult life.)

As an adult I have lived in Hollywood and Echo Park and passed through the Wilshire corridor regularly especially when I worked at Crenshaw HS.  Then on the school board I represented this area.  I fought hard for the Ambassador property (Victory!) and developed close relations with the Korean community.  Now I teach in the heart of Wilshire, of Korea town.  So I have a lot of affection for the Wilshire District, and I enjoy rediscovering the neighborhood.

Let me tell you that 6th Street is jumping!  I was dazzled by the array of small businesses along this street.  There are places to eat and socialize--coffee houses, Korean barbecues, sushi bars, Karaoke clubs, seafood grills, bakeries, and many more.  There are all kinds of other shops--hair salons, spas, jewelers, dress shops.  The venerable and elegant Chapman Market (1928 by Morgan, Walls & Clements) was an instant landmark and signaled the westward march of the city.  Today it is filled with chic boutiques and cafes.

There is also a fabulous three level mall called City Center on the block behind the towering Equitable Building (1969 by Welton Beckett).  This lavish collection of shops and markets is a bold post-modern deconstructed architectural statement that reminds me of Seoul. 

And there were plenty of customers for all these places--almost all of them Korean.  This was truly a little slice of Seoul (a vast metropolis that would tower above most of Los Angeles, by the way).  I assume many of these folks live in the lovely old residential neighborhoods in the mid-city, while others work in the area and socialize before heading out to the Valley or Fullerton.  Others may make the drive just to enjoy authentic Korean food and socializing.  I remember that Seoul was an intensely social place and that Koreans there and here love to go out to restaurants and cafes.  That was evident along 6th Street. 

I was a lovely walk, and I recommend it to all of you whether or not you have a history in this part of town.  It's even worth a drive into the city.  Annyonghi kaysayo.