Will travel for beer and art: A taste of Mexico at Olvera Street!

If you want a little taste of Mexican culture and can't make it to Mexico, then schedule a date with Olvera Street in Los Angeles.

This is a marvelous place that will trigger all five senses. The marketplace offers a plethora of handcrafted items, mariachi music, outdoor cafes, street vendors, and so much more.

Did you know that Olvera Street is actually the oldest section of downtown Los Angeles? I wasn't aware of this history until I started researching the area.

Upon arrival, the first thing that caught my eye was the tiled mural of Father Hidalgo. The beautiful mural is painted on ceramic tiles and portrays the significant people in Mexico's early Wars of Independence.

Moving on, I was immediately smitten with the beautiful red lanterns adorning the plaza area. It was so pretty that I had to pull myself away from snapping photos.

The weather decided to become a beast with steady rain and no umbrella in tow, so my plans of spending the entire afternoon there were spoiled. However, I was determined to wander around for a bit and eat some authentic Mexican food.

My expectations for vegetarian food were centered around beans and cheese. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a soyrizo burrito on the menu at Las Anitas. I quickly forgot about the rain and made my taste buds quite happy.

I missed the memo on this great deal, but at least you will know about it. There's a group that offers free 50-minute tours of Olvera Street Tuesday through Saturday at 10 am, 11am and 12pm. Requests must be made at least one week in advance and can be scheduled at this link http://lasangelitas.org/

I highly recommend taking the time to explore Olvera Street (I will be making a return visit). Union Station is right across the street if you wish to use public transportation, and there are a number of pay lots in the immediate vicinity if you choose to drive.

Adiós por ahora!

http://www.olvera-street.com/