Orange County: The Best Mexican Food

Owner of Casa Oaxaca, Rogelio Martinez

Smack dab in the middle of a residential area several miles from bustling Downtown Santa Ana sits a row of seemingly unremarkable businesses: a beat-up liquor store, a tortilleria churning out stacks of fresh corn tortillas, a botanica (spiritual remedy shop), a salon and a Mexican restaurant.  

This block blends in perfectly with the city's aesthetic. The stretch of sidewalk in front of the shops is generally deserted with the exception of one or two nearby residents running errands. The buildings are covered in a traditionally bright palette of Mexican paint that has faded and peeled from neglect. Casa Oaxaca is no exception. It's got a coral exterior with navy blue trim around the perimeter of the shudders and fraying rainbow curtains. 

You'd never know that inside this family run establishment is a steady flow of loyal customers who will swear it's got the best Oaxacan food outside Mexico. At off hours it's always full of locals who stop in for a few hours to rest and sip on a cup of cafe de olla (a traditional Mexican brew with cinnamon sticks, dark brown sugar, anise seeds and molasses). They also often order a molcajete for the table; a small feast of marinated carne asada, spicy and sweet chorizo, nopales (cactus), grilled chicken and shrimp served with moist, homemade corn tortillas. It comes in a small stone-carved bowl that originated in pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica thousands of years ago.

At lunch and dinner their most popular dish is mole. Most Mexican restaurants in California don't serve it, because it takes too long to make. Casa Oaxaca cooks up five different versions of the sauce daily with over twenty ingredients; the most distinctive of which is cocoa. They then pour it over a juicy pile of shredded chicken, beef or enchiladas. The result is a complex combination of sweet and spicy unlike anything your taste-buds have ever experienced. 

While I'm pleased to see the Artist's Village in Downtown Santa Ana is blossoming, I'm equally as happy to discover pockets of Mexican-American businesses that are still providing a taste of home for the immigrant community. It's the juxtaposition of the new and the old, the trendy and the traditional that makes Santa Ana unique. If you take a day trip there don't forget to experience both sides of the city. They're equally inspiring...and delicious! 

Click here for Casa Oaxaca's website 

Photos courtesy of: www.casaoaxacarestaurant.com

Orange County: Inspiring Locals to Stay Local

One evening Delilah Snell, owner of Santa Ana DIY workshop and boutique The Road Less Traveled, was sitting in her backyard sipping on a glass of wine and chatting with her niece. “There are a lot of rad people in Orange County, there’s just nothing to do,” she said. Her niece, Street Artist and Fashion Designer Nicole Stevenson, replied “Let’s do a craft show.” 

Delilah Snell (left) and Nicole Stevenson (right), Founders of Patchwork

They called up twenty to twenty-five vendors they knew and invited them to set up a small fair in the parking lot behind Snell’s old store location on North Main Street in Santa Ana. The word spread about the event and 500 people showed up to support. That was eight years ago and now “The Patchwork Show: Modern Handmade Festival” takes place twice a year in Costa Mesa, Long Beach, Oakland and Santa Ana. The first out-of-state location will launch in Phoenix this fall. 

The festival is an afternoon of mingling with local artists, shopping for handmade goods, live music, arts and crafts and food trucks.

The project is about more than having fun, it’s about encouraging people to find inspiration in their communities.

“Craft can make the world a better place…the feeling one gets from making something with their hands is beyond empowering,” said Stevenson.

It’s because of people with a commitment to staying local that Downtown Santa Ana is giving artists in Orange County a long overdue neighborhood to live and work. 

“There are so many creative people in every city and town, not just in the big cities,” Snell said, “You don’t have to go where the ‘cool’ is, it’s right in your own backyard.”

Click here for a calendar of Patchwork events

Orange County: The Birth of The Artist's Village

On the first Saturday of every month, downtown Santa Ana transforms into a lively walkway of people from all over Orange County. Twelve contemporary art galleries host an evening of mingling, dining and inspiring friends to spread the word about their up-and-coming neighborhood The Artist's Village. 

An estimated 1,000 people made it out to this free event last month. A local gallery owner who recently opened a space in the landmark Santora Arts Building says he can see the area transforming all around him. 

“Notice the building across the street," he said, "Three months ago everything was empty in that space and now there’s 'coming soon' signs everywhere." 

Santora Arts Building built in 1929

There's currently about a dozen restaurants and bars surrounding the galleries. They give the culinary scene in some of America's coolest cities a run for their money. The Crosby's quail & hen of the wood ragu and Memphis Cafe's barbequed duck quesadilla are particularly noteworthy. 

Many of these local hot spots have managed to curate the unpolished industrial look that has seemingly become requisite across LA, New York and The Bay Area; single Edison light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, exposed pipe and a brick wall. 

craft beer and live music at The Copper Door

For owner of The Road Less Traveled, a small art school and boutique in the village, Santa Ana was the most logical place for young artists south of LA to dig roots. 

"You get different stuff here. You get one of a kind businesses; you're in old buildings. It's the only downtown area really in Orange County." 

The Craft Kitchen

Most of the storefronts are built in the old Spanish colonial style and date back to the 1920s. Now many of the second and third stories above the shops are being converted into work/live lofts which are open to the public for viewing during the art walk. 

photo courtesy of: www.condo.com

The City of Santa Ana has managed to get visitors to their downtown and now they're looking to encourage more creatives to call it home. 

Seven painters cover a blank canvas in inspiration as the art walk buzzes around them

The transition has been a slow process. While more and more artists are opening up their studios for the art walk, many have yet to convert them into full-time galleries because there's just not enough people coming through on a daily basis. 

One gallery owner is optimistic about the future, "We actually chose this location, because it’s a great, hopefully up and coming place," he said, "It feels like things are coming back." 

From the looks of all the businesses moving in, he might just be right. 

Orange County: The Place To Be

East 4^th Street in Santa Ana is a cultural haven for Mexican immigrants in Orange County. On a sunny day you’ll see large groups of extended families with children strolling down the street. They socialize, shop and crowd around fruit stands for fresh mango with chili salt and lime. Old men in sombreros with sun-baked skin and tired eyes rest under trees. They sit so far apart from it seems they're unacquainted, but if you look closely they occasionally mumble between one another in Spanish.

There are only about half a dozen types of stores on these blocks. Quinceañera shops boast A-line ball gowns in bright colors covered in sequins, botanicas display their herbs, charms and other spiritual remedies in the window, instrument shops blast Spanish pop songs onto the street from over modulated amps , piñatas and flowers are sold at a discount in bulk and travel agents stand outside their stores dancing with flyers that promise the cheapest flights to Mexico and back.

As you cross over Main, you step out of Santa Ana as it has existed for over half a century and into the rapidly blossoming Artist’s Village. 

Over the last five years, this little piece of 4^th Street and intersecting Broadway has become a hub for a different group of people; writers, painters, actors, gallery owners and chefs who have chosen Downtown Santa Ana as the spot to finally bring some creativity and trend to Orange County.

Lola Gaspar Bar

These next few days I'll focus on the collaboration and tension that exists in this culturally diverse neighborhood as it slowly, but surely is transformed into a long overdue residency for artists in Southern California who are looking for somewhere other than LA to work. 

Orange County: Sweets in Little Saigon

Banh Mi & Che Cali is a bustling bakery in Little Saigon. It's got a factory of employees constantly restocking the shelves with warm, flaky pastries that sell faster than you can blink.

The piles of coconut cookies, red bean-filled buns, baguettes, banana and durian cakes, mini doughnuts and sticky rice wrapped in coconut leaves make this small shop smell like a buttery croissant. All the treats have long Vietnamese names like "Banh Deo La Dua Sau." Good luck trying to get someone to translate for you, but half the fun is the mystery. Seeing as everything is no more than a few dollars you can pick up a pu pu platter of tastes without worrying about breaking the bank.

Just be prepared to push through aggressive crowds of Vietnamese immigrants with cash in hand if you ever want to place your order; politely waiting in the back won't get you anywhere.

Orange County: Socializing Like the Vietnamese

The shopping centers in Little Saigon are always packed with Vietnamese immigrants mingling and running errands. They go from specialty shop to specialty shop picking up fresh flowers, huge slices of durian, whole roasted ducks, freshly baked baguettes for $1.00, clothing from the laundromat and maybe even some groceries from a stall set up on the sidewalk. 

             

Vendors squat outside storefronts on the curb just like they do in Vietnam. They sell their products at unbelievably low prices. A box of sixteen juicy mangoes goes for $9.00. 

Older women and men sit in the middle of the bustle. They relax on the dirty pavement for hours smoking cigarettes and chit-chatting.  

If you're lucky you'll get to catch the local busker singing pop tunes to a karaoke machine on wheels. 

It's fun to spend a few hours perusing the shops; trying snacks and just observing the unorganized chaos of a neighborhood that operates by a completely different set of rules. The particular plaza I chose to explore is home to "Banh Mi & Che Cali" located at the intersection of Brookhurst and Westminster. 

Orange County: A Sip of Culture

One of the most popular beverages on a hot day in Vietnam is sugarcane juice. Women in conical hats squat on the streets pushing thick pieces of the plant through a rotating wheel and collecting the drink drop by drop in a large pitcher.
                                


Nuoc Loc Long An in Westminster is always crowded with immigrants looking to quench their thirst with a bit of nostalgia.

Orange County: Chinese Massage

When I lived in China I used to get an hour full body massage everyday for $5.00. I know what you're thinking; "stop bragging!"

Spa treatments in Asia are not occasional splurges, they are an integral part of maintaining your well-being and appearance like getting your hair cut or taking a shower. When I got back from studying abroad in Qing Dao (like the beer Tsing Tao), I was determined to find somewhere affordable to keep up my newly acquired habit. Not surprisingly, the place I ended up frequenting is in Little Saigon in Westminster. It's called Bali Foot Spa and for $20.00 you can get all the knots worked out from your neck down to your toes.

It's hidden in the corner of the Westminster Superstore shopping center which in and of itself is worth a trip down to the OC (ref: previous post). Don't be deceived by the name of the spa (a transparent attempt to use an exotic Indonesian getaway as a branding tool). This place is 100% Chinese from the ancient reflexology techniques to the staff who primarily speaks Mandarin.

While it might take a minute to get used to lying on a massage table next to the other clients, you'll be transported to another dimension in no time as the masseuse intuits where your stress is centered and pinpoints the exact area in need of pressure. Even though it's not quite as glamorous as a European style spa with a sauna and cushy white robes, you'll leave feeling equally if not more relaxed (especially cause you'll have plenty of money leftover to go get some pho next door when you're done).

Orange County: The Vietnamese Community

Westminster Boulevard is lined with strip mall after strip mall filled with bakeries, laundromats, hair salons, flower shops, banks, pharmacies and post offices that are owned, operated and frequented by Vietnamese. 

The blood of the community pumps through the largest store in the city and the one-stop shop for immigrants; it’s called “Sieu Thi Thuan Phat” or “The Westminster Superstore.”

It's about the size of Costco and it has tens of thousands of ingredients from all over Asia for immigrants looking to replicate their old lives. It's always full of shoppers walking around with carts full to the brim as Vietnamese music blasts over a loud speaker throughout the store. 

"pink grouper head, fresh yellow eel and goby fish" 

Just the produce department contains seven kinds of pears, ten kinds of apples, four kinds of bananas, three kinds of mangoes, star fruit, dragon fruit, lychee, durian, Korean melon and dozens of other fruits I've never heard of. Everything is about half the price of the regular grocery store and can be bought in bulk. It's heaven for vegetarians on a budget. 

The fish department is another story. It’s like an aquarium with tanks of live fish, crab, shrimp and lobster. 

The biggest tank is about twelve-feet long and full of catfish. The fish push against each other trying to find space to swim and instead get their lips pressed up against the glass as though they’re trying to kiss through a window. There’s also a row of fresh catches bleeding on exposed ice. Shoppers sift through with their hands in plastic bags looking for the perfect piece. 

Next door is the meat department where you can buy any part of the pig, cow or duck you desire.

The aisles themselves are long and full of many variations of the same product. There’s a section just for ramen, Sunny D (it’s a popular alternative to orange juice in Asia), obscurely-flavored canned drinks like glass jelly, chrysanthemum and aloe vera, bags of rice the smallest of which is 15 lbs, all the necessities to build an alter for ancestry worship and different types of dried seaweed. They also have designated frozen sections for dumplings, buns, fruity popsicles and dried shrimp.

fake money to give as an offering to one's ancestors

Just outside the check out area there’s a hallway of other essential businesses: an alteration kiosk run by a husband and wife with one sewing machine, a clothing booth with some cheaply-made outfits and knock-off designer shoes, a pho restaurant, boba to go, a jewelry case with miniature buddhas, pearl earrings and lucky jade bracelets and a cosmetics shop.

The Superstore provides insight into how so many immigrants manage to come to America and never integrate into mainstream society. We’ve all encountered people who have been living in the U.S. for over ten years and still have a hard time speaking English. I’m not judging those people; especially the ones who live in Westminster many of whom narrowly escaped death during The Vietnam War.

I’m merely saying that miniature countries have been built in this country. It’s actually quite incredible that we’re able to travel the entire world without leaving our own backyards. If you’re longing to go to Southeast Asia, start by spending an afternoon at the Superstore. It’s fascinating and you’re bound to bring home some souvenirs.

Orange County: Pho in Little Saigon

I've had pho all across Vietnam and let me tell you no where has more flavorful broth than Pho Kimmy in Westminster, California. It's packed from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. seven days a week with Vietnamese immigrants chowing down. They don't take reservations, they don't take credit cards and most of the servers don't speak English. It's a hole in the wall if I ever saw one.

Stepping through the door you are suddenly transported out of Orange County and into Southeast Asia. The tables are rickety and the walls are bare. Big families with children slurp their soup with a spoon in one hand and chopsticks in the other. 

It takes anywhere from thirty to ninety minutes to be seated, but for someone who's serious about their pho the tender meat, fresh herbs and noodles make it worth the wait. Additionally, for someone who might not have the time, resources or desire to travel halfway across the world it's an experience amazingly similar to what you find in restaurants from Saigon all the way up through Hanoi. 

Orange County: The Neglected Masterpiece

South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa encompasses stereotypical Orange County to a T. It's the biggest shopping complex in California with two massive ivory marble buildings of designer clothing connected by a sleek, modern bridge. Highflying spenders flood the stores year-round making it the highest grossing mall in the entire country.

While tourists and locals are busy buying items that are mass-produced and shipped all over the world, a neglected artistic masterpiece sits across the street awaiting visitors. 

Few know about prominent Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi's installation California Scenario: The Courage of Imagination. It sits in a large courtyard hidden between office buildings. It occupies the entire plaza with a fountain, a large mound of sand with exotic cacti, a thirty-foot sandstone pyramid, a small grassy hill with a bench at the top, two miniature forests and a winding stream. 

Each part is aesthetically striking. Together all the dimensions, angles and textures are meant to represent the diverse natural landscapes of California.

Orange County: The Oldest Town in California

Take the train through the desert and into the 18th century when Spanish missionaries were first settling in California. In 1776 they rode their horses into the city of San Juan Capistrano and built the first vineyard, the oldest active chapel and the most successful mission in the entire state.

Some of the original adobe huts built over two-hundred years ago are still intact making the walkable town center feel like a quaint Mexican pueblo.

The historic community makes for a relaxing day trip. For twenty dollars you can take the train from San Diego or Los Angeles. After a little more than an hour of expansive mountain views you'll step into the oldest continually occupied residential neighborhood in California. Across the tracks and around the corner you'll find a quiet road lined with cafes, boutiques and thrift stores.

My first stop was at the Ramos House; a pretty little restaurant situated in a wooden cottage built in 1881. For around fifteen dollars a plate you can fill up on gourmet comfort food like black truffle mac n' cheese or a goat cheese pancake.

A few hours can easily be passed perusing the shops. The Old Barn Antique Mall is a treasure-trove of typewriters, fans, porcelain, first edition novels, tea pots, costume jewelry, faux fur and more. An entire section of the store is devoted to old Native American trinkets picked up in the surrounding area.

The mission itself is of course the landmark of San Juan Capistrano. It's $9.00 to tour the grounds which consist of a large courtyard with a beautiful garden, a small but historically important chapel and an audio guide. While it wasn't the highlight of my afternoon it was an easy way to learn some basic facts about the town.

After four or five hours you'll be plenty ready to get back on the train and head home. While you may never go back to San Juan Capistrano again, you'll have seen a magical part of California that so many never will. Hopefully, like me, it will also open your eyes to the infinite number of picturesque towns that exist just beyond the limits of your city.