My Sunday Routine - Larchmont Village Farmer's Market

Gosh - recently I came to realize that I'm getting old and set in my ways!  Every Sunday morning, I make my breakfast and eat it while reading the Sunday paper.  Then I work out a little and, unless I have special plans for the day, take a stroll through my favorite streets in Hancock Park to Larchmont Village, where they have a small weekly farmers' market.  It is literally one of my favorite things to do.  I'm so happy wandering around, looking in awe at the beautiful homes on Plymouth, Arden and Lucerne.  There are so many other people, jogging, walking their dogs, etc., that it almost has a small town feel, in the midst of Los Angeles, which can sometimes make one feel very alone and unconnected to one's community.

  This is such a pleasant respite from the "big city" feel.  Don't get me wrong - I'm a total city person, but there is something lovely about a place where people greet strangers on the street with a friendly "hello".  Anyways, I digress... 

Larchmont Village is located on Larchmont Blvd. between 3rd St and Beverly - it is filled with quaint little boutiques, cafes, restaurants, coffee shops, etc.  The people are so friendly here and you get the sense that the folks sipping their coffees in the sidewalk cafes really know almost everyone who wanders through here.  Some highlights (sorry I don't know all their names):  Larchmont Beauty Supply Store (it's been there forever and carries so many different brands - it's a girly delight), the newstand next to the yoga place (carries every magazine you can think of), Coffee Bean (legend has it that this location is literally the birthplace of the ice blended drinks), pinkberry (ok, this is clearly a new addition, but so convenient for moi), pizza place (not the z pizza place, but the red and white one north of that; it's been in the village forever and has yummy pizzas and pastas); Noah's Bagels, etc.

etc.  I often window shop and am delighted by the cute window displays.

The farmers' market is here every Sunday (officially between 10am - 2pm, but I usually get here before that and it's already open) - there are several flower vendors with the most vibrant beautiful flowers, fruit and vegetable stands galore (there's a korean woman here with the best apples, the blueberry guy is here only in the summer) and many of them have sample stands so you can try the different fruits, lots of jewelry stands with handmade necklaces, earrings, etc., bakeries, cheese stands, etc.  For hot foods, there's one little corner with roast chicken (the kind where the chicken are turning and roasting on top of a bed of potatoes so the potatoes are drenched in chicken fat and juice .

..yummm), tamales, kettle corn, etc.  It's a pretty small market (only 2 lanes really) but I always walk through once before I start buying stuff.  Everything's pretty good and there's enough variety to satisfy everyone. 

Afterwards, I take a leisurely stroll back home.  Lately it's been particularly nice because people have their holiday decorations up.  :)

This is a great place to hang out, but also lovely for visitors from out of town, so they can see a wonderful, quaint area in the middle of Los Angeles that many people don't get to experience.