Photo Op: Chinatown

By Ryan - Wednesday January 11th 2006

Chinatown. Neither China, nor a town. What is it about Chinatown? Everybody knows the ‘real’ Chinatown is the SG valley. This one was probably made by the same group of rich old ladies that gave us authentic Olvera Street. Nonetheless here we all sit convened again at Hop Louie’s, drinking booze, drawing faces, waving the smoke away, enjoying the everloving shit out of Chinatown. In fact, enjoying the everloving shit out of just saying Chinatown. Say it with me. It has a rhythm. Chinatown.

Chinatown.

Sounds like a train.

Chinatown! WOOOOOO-WOOOOOOO
Chinatown Chinatown Chinatown Chinatown ALLL ABOOOOOOOAD

Anybody out there up for giving me a history lesson on LA’s Chinatown? I dug this up for starters.

Chinatown Bonuses
Pony, plaza, polanski

What now?

17 Responses to “Photo Op: Chinatown”

Posted by Jake 1/11/06 at 7:15 pm #

So there’s this guy Walsh, do you understand? He’s tired of screwin’ his wife… So his friend says to him, “Hey, why don’t you do it like the Chinese do?”…
Posted by midge 1/11/06 at 7:52 pm #

you should know then about hop’s magic fridge, not a thing to be abused
Posted by Jake #2 1/11/06 at 8:09 pm #

Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.
Posted by kathie 1/11/06 at 9:49 pm #

hop louis made me barf the last time i was there.
Posted by Hop Louie 1/12/06 at 11:15 am #

Exciting Chinatown Factoids:

1. The original Chinatown was called China Camp was razed in the 1930s to make way for Union Station.

2. Present-day Chinatown is located in what was originally an Italian neighborhood.

3. Chinatown owes it’s faux-oriental appearance to the the movie studio set designers who designed its trademark gate along with many of its buildings in the 1930s.

4. Black Flag used to play regularly at some bar who’s name escapes me on Gin Ling Way.
Posted by haav 1/12/06 at 11:27 am #

Re: #4. Perhaps you mean Hong Kong Cafe, Mr. Louie
Posted by curelover 1/12/06 at 11:55 am #

I heart Chinatown but the “real” Chinatown in Monterey Park is pretty cool.
Posted by Hop Louie 1/12/06 at 12:12 pm #

Haav,

You are correct, grasshopper. Now, snatch the pebble from my hand!
Posted by Stan 1/12/06 at 2:11 pm #

Chinatown has been there since the late ’30s, but the Monterey Park chinadown only arose in the ’80s, and it’s been spreading westward since then.
Posted by Pete 1/12/06 at 4:24 pm #

The Monterey Park Chinatown actually arose in the Sixties, not the Eighties. It’s been spreading north, west, and east.
Posted by Emily 2/6/06 at 9:33 am #

You can learn more about Chinese Americans here:
http://camla.org/

The Chinese American museum is located in the El Pueblo area, next to Olvera Street and near Chinatown.
Posted by New York / LA: A Comparative(ly Foolish) Study 3/21/06 at 10:41 am #

[...] Chinatown [...]
Posted by Photo Op: Friday Night Lights 4/30/06 at 4:36 pm #

[...] I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you could do far worse than to start your evening at this venerable establishment. Far worse. [...]
Posted by la2 8/13/06 at 6:52 pm #

Dis is quite ok but a bit… mmm…quitta RUBISH!!!
Posted by Boston::Los Angeles: A Comparative(ly) Foolish Study 10/14/06 at 8:56 pm #

[...] Chinatown [...]
Posted by Krazee 8/7/07 at 1:37 pm #

chickety china the chinese chicken, you have a drumstick and your brains starts kicking!!!
Posted by fuck white people 11/8/07 at 10:40 am #

æ»é¬¼ä½¬
go find out what that means

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