Untitled — 1 year ago
One of my favorite places in LA! This is where the clothing that you buy in malls comes from, chicas. There are factories here that produce that stuff. The stores have signs that say “mayoreo” and “menoreo”. Mayoreo means wholesale, and you can only buy if you are a buyer for a company and are buying in bulk. Menoreo means anyone can buy.
Go down Santee Alley. It is really loud, because they play the reggaeton music with the volume pumped up (I love it! Yes, I believe I am a tad deaf though. haha) You can find the freshest styles, a lot of times before they get to the stores in the US. Deep discounts on shoes, etc. If bootlegs are your thing, they have those fake bags and glasses and whatnot. (Not promoting that, but do your thing, baby.)
They also sell small turtles, bunnies, etc. Be aware that those small turtles are endangered species. It is illegal to sell them, and the police occasionally crack down on that. Same with the bootleg merchandise.
They have carts where vendors sell fruits, hot dogs, churros, etc. It is up to you whether you want to eat at those places, but I wouldn’t recommend it, because the city sometimes shuts down those carts because they can be unsanitary. Especially those hot dogs wrapped in bacon. (Not my thing, but people seem to like them.)
Parking is tricky to find here unless you want to pay 7 bucks for 10 minutes. It is better to take the F dash bus from downtown. This is located between downtown and skid row. Use your common sense here. The shops are only open anyway between 9 and 5:30 or so. Of course, it is more crowded on the weekend. Most places take cash only, no charge. You can bargain if you want here.
I am half latina, but I look white, so the vendors tend to assume that I can pay more and will charge me higher prices. If you know someone who looks like a stereotypical latino, get them to do the bargaining for you, and you will probably get a lower price, especially if they talk Spanish. I know that is not pc, but it is true.
