Welcome to Los Angeles

You are in the city of Los Angeles. Now what?

Los Angeles, which is Spanish for “The Angels,” is rich in culture and full of history.  From the restaurants to historical landmarks, the City of Angels has so much to offer visiting tourists and local Angelenos.  

Let us explore the fascinating history that has contributed to the creation of Los Angeles and the development of its unique and incomparable culture!

Being abundant in history, it is tough to select the most momentous facts of Los Angeles.  Described below are some of the significant dates of this city’s history.  As described by Rama Iingam in "Top 10 Most Important Historical Facts About Los Angeles, California," Los Angeles’ long history is has multicultural as its population is today. Los Angeles was first established in 1781 when the Spaniards developed their settlement(s) and Spanish mission(s) in what is known today as the state of California.  Following the Mexican War of Independence from Spain in 1822, Mexico gained control of California with Los Angeles as its capital.  It was not until sixty years later that California became a part of the United States through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 after the Mexican-American War.  Furthermore, the discovery of oil in 1892 was a ground breaking economic event in Los Angeles’ history because it resulted in the growth of oil wells in Southern California.  Flash forward twenty years, Hollywood, the heart of American cinema, was annexed to Los Angeles in 1910.  In addition, forty years later, Los Angeles officially became a city of California.  On another note, for those with interest in technological advancements, Los Angeles was one of the birthplaces of Internet, which was developed in 1969.  More importantly, Los Angeles hosted the world summer Olympics twice, once in 1932 and another time in 1984.  In 1994, the city experienced the Northridge earthquake which caused costly damage to Los Angeles.  Knowing some of the background of Los Angeles is significant in understanding the current culture and the future of the city.

With this said, Los Angeles is the melting pot of cultures. It is one of the few cities in the world where one can drive for fifteen minutes and end up in a completely different environment (from the fabulous city of Beverly Hills to the Arts District of Little Tokyo).  It has always been captivating how so many diverse cultures and environments can exist all in one area. 

A view of downtwon Los Angeles

Los Angeles is about variety.  Living in one of the most populated cities in the country, there are an endless number of activities that locals and tourists can partake in.  For example, going to the beach is doable.  Los Angeles has so much to offer and you get what you put in.  Surely public transportation is not the greatest, but it forces people to cruise through Los Angeles and experience one of the things this city it known for—traffic.

Local Angelenos and tourists are fortunate to have access to different cultures through the many food outlets Los Angeles has to offer. In Los Angeles, you can indulge your taste buds by going to the many eateries, restaurants, and food trucks showcasing the delicacies of international flavors.  The wide selection of food options that this city has to offer is infinite. From the Original LA Farmer’s Market on Third Street to the Grand Central Market on South Broadway, Angelenos and visitors can travel all around the world and not leave the Los Angeles city limits for their cuisine whims. You can visit Greece by visiting Papa Cristo’s.  A favored brunch spot in Los Angeles is Bottega Louie, which is located in downtown on South Grand Avenue.

Why does this place foster dreams? Why do people come here to create businesses? Los Angeles is a great place to start fresh.  Diversity in Los Angeles makes this city a wonderful place to live and learn.  Experiencing all that Los Angeles has will cause one to develop a tremendous curiosity about all cultures. The city of Los Angeles is the mecca for all things great, beautiful, and marvelous when it comes to food, shopping, entertainment, and more! 

Helpful Links:
The Official Los Angeles website: http://www.lacity.org/index.htm
Discover Los Angeles: http://www.discoverlosangeles.com/
History of Los Angeles: http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/california/los-angeles/history