Paintings at Crispy Fried Chicken and Don Chamango + the historic Silverado Ballroom

Sometime last month, I was in the area...

I had to stop because...

Philippine Expressions Bookshop + First Thursday Art Walk, downtown San Pedro

Next door to Pinta Dos..

was Philippine Expressions bookshop...

Originally based as a mailorder bookshop in Rancho Palos Verdes...

"Disruptions" exhibit at Pinta Dos Gallery, downtown San Pedro

First Thursday for San Pedro's Art Walk was in full swing...

we were here to check out an exhibit at an art gallery in the Arcade, a historic building in downtown San Pedro...

The artist was supposed to be there that evening...

Blue Bottle @ The Bradbury

After Cream Pan, we made our way to DTLA...

with, thankfully, minimum traffic.  We were able to get a spot at an outdoor lot (same as the one we did before) and walk the blocks over to this storied building...

The Bradbury (of "Blade Runner" fame) which now houses LA's newest location of Blue Bottle...

The former Rizal Social Club, Little Manila

While on our way to the Little Manila Historic Site, we passed by this building, home of Iloilo Circle. I wasn't previously aware of its existence and snapped the shot only because I suspected it was a Filipino organization.

(Iloilo is a city on the island of Panay (Visayas region of the Philippines)

Iloilo Circle turned out to one of the last three remaining structures along with Daguhoy Lodge and the Dimasalang House all of which were Filipino fraternal societies founded by pioneer bachelor Philippine immigrants who ventured to the U.S. and toiled the agricultural fields in the 1920's and 30's.

The Little Manila Historic Site recognizes the last remaining few buildings in what was once a thriving Filipino community in Stockton, California....

Scenes from Hillcrest and Pacific Beach with Astroboi + the new White Elephante thrift store & Better Buzz Coffee Roasters Pacific Beach West

After our breakfast at the newly re-opened Olympic Cafe...

Astroboi (the King of side streets) took the long way over to our next stop...

Return to DTLA

Although we've never been to this shopping outlet, The Citadel, it never fails to amaze me how oddly anachronistic in looks and placement this is...

It looks like something out of ancient Assyria instead of being right next to the 5 freeway in LA.

Traffic was pretty light that whole morning (thank you holiday weekend) but as we approached downtown, the traffic got a little more congested...

Arroyo Grande Bridge

Finally, we were here...

A small coastal town in San Luis Obispo County...Did you know this is the hometown of pretty boy Zac Efron?  Well, now you do! Onward...

Silver Gate Three Star Lodge + garage sale in North Park & the soon-to-be-closed Thrift Trader in Hillcrest

We parked across this cool looking building before heading to The Mission for breakfast...

I made a mental note to find out more before we heading to our coffee destination.