Historic Leimert Park is the cultural heart of South Los Angeles. Sundays beat with energy from drum circles in the park, passionate political exchanges at Eso Won Books, and laughter-heavy conversations from patrons of nearby Jamaican and Southern restaurants. When evening falls, the mile-and-a-half strip pulses with sound as jazz, blues and R&B beckon music lovers from all over the city to peruse this jewel of a neighborhood.
Need a shiny new Sunday hat? Lucy's got you. How about some new jewels, shoes, coffee and homemade jam? Lucy has that too. Along with a cafe and boutique, charming twins Ron and Richard Harris run a theater and gallery, and they regularly host art-enthused happenings and community discussions.
Sit in the shade and sip Jamaican Kola Champagne at this low-key island-style eatery. Or try the salt fish made with ackee, Jamaica's national fruit, which is boiled down and cooked with onions, tomatoes and bell pepper. Yeah, mon. Jamaica's national fruit, which is boiled down and cooked with onions, tomatoes and bell pepper. Yeah, mon.
Before blazing the campaign trail, Barack Obama appeared at this African-American literary locale to sign books at one of its signature parking lot readings. Pick up local poetry or something from one of the store's indie publishers, then settle in for a while at the read-ready tables outside.
Named after shop owner and master jeweler Sika, this store is bursting with clothing and tapestries from all over Africa. Sika himself crafts large metal pieces of Egyptian jewelry, as well as smaller items made from materials like amber, bone and turquoise. If you just can't find the perfect nose ring, he also does custom work.
Everyone and your favorite aunt's '80s hot pants are here Monday nights. Elders, USC kids and blues junkies all gather for an earful of hot music and mouthfuls of soul food. Get a plate of grub for $8, and at 9 p.m., witness songs from living legend Mickey Champion. Then shimmy after the show to other live local blues greats. Thursdays you'll find open jam sessions; on weekends, house band Mighty Balls of Fire rattle the red leather booths and retro-fab blue curtains.
After your fill of collard greens, scope a jazz jam at KAOS. On Monday nights catch percussionist Sticks from Dreamgirls and his talented cronies there. The rest of the week, explore martial arts, film screenings and hip-hop workshops. This artists collective is also home to the legendary open-mic night Project Blowed, which has served as an experimental stomping ground for hip-hop big-timers like Busdriver and Xzibit.
