| The Charm of China in Los Angeles |
| Sunday, July 25 2010 |
 The many ethnic enclaves in our city provide a wealth of opportunities for an afternoon that feels just like being in a foreign land.  By Amber Chen One moment youâre on the 10 freeway just east of downtown Los Angeles, and then, in a matter of a few city blocks, it seems youâve just time-traveled into the center of a busy metropolitan city in the middle of China. Itâs hard to believe youâre actually in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley, home of one of the largest populations of Chinese immigrants in the world. All the signs are written in Chinese letters â illegible to most Westside visitors â and the streets are lined with markets filled with exotic goods like mysterious herbs, Peking duck and fragrant teas. This Chinatown is not just a neighborhood, itâs an entire âChineseâ city. When youâre there, itâs easy to imagine youâre in Taipei, Shanghai or Hong Kong.  Chinese immigrants formed this ânew Chinatownâ over that last 40 years, blending the cultures of Chinese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong people until it became the dominant âChinatownâ in the Los Angeles area. Although an older Chinatown still exists on the north side of downtown Los Angeles, it pales in comparison with the bustling liveliness of this new Chinatown in the San Gabriel Valley. The area started attracting Taiwanese professionals such as doctors and business owners in the 1970s. Later in the 1980s, Mandarin-speaking immigrants from mainland China followed and even more Taiwanese arrived. Typical of immigrant communities in any country, people with similar customs and a common language feel more comfortable in familiar surroundings, so Chinese businesses burgeoned to serve the localsâ needs.  One of the specialties of this area is the authentic and delicious Chinese cuisine. When you think of how enormous China is, youâll realize how diverse its cuisine can be â and you can find nearly all of it here. From the traditional Chinese family feast, to Taiwanese street food to Hong Kong-style dim sum â no matter what Chinese taste treat you desire, youâll find numerous restaurants to satisfy your cravings. The all-time-favorites are Xiao Long Bao (soup dumpling) and lionâs head (stewed pork meatball with brown sauce). And the sautĂ©ed string beans should not be missed. Just be sure to save room for sweets and beverages like the Taiwan-originated boba tea you can get âto-go,â or try sipping a more traditional tea brewed at any of the charming tea houses. Itâs the perfect way to relax with friends after eating a big Chinese meal.  Fun activities play an important role in diligent Chinese culture â yes, Chinese are not all work and no play. They enjoy getting together with friends on the weekends for entertainment, sports and games. One of the favorite pastimes is called âsing Kâ â what they call karaoke â enjoyed immensely for the fun and fantasy of playing pop star in front of their friends. Like the tea houses, âkaraoke boxesâ are popular hangout spots for socializing and fun. If you are not in mood for âloudâ leisure activity, indulge yourself in soothing foot massage and spa treatment. Itâs a great way to find your center in the heart of Chinese culture in Los Angeles. Discover the Dragon with SingularCity  Sunday, Aug. 15, 2010 from 1:00 - 7:00 PM Have you always been fascinated by Chinese culture but too busy for a trip to Asia? Well now you can discover the mysteries of the Orient without leaving Los Angeles when you join your SingularCity friends as we venture to the Far East â the east part of Los Angeles that is, to the San Gabriel Valley, home of one of the largest Chinese populations in America. Amber Chen, from Taiwan, will be our singular tour guide on this exciting and fun adventure that begins with a tea tasting at Tea Station where we will learn how tea is an essential part of Chinese culture as we sip our choice of this soothing and refreshing beverage. When you're in China, exploring the markets is a must so we'll explore 99 Ranch, the huge local Chinese market where weâll find Oriental goodies such as sweet sour plum and pineapple cake. Then we're off to Shinsen Ginseng & Herbs, a traditional Chinese herb pharmacy to learn how practitioners have used herbs like ginseng for centuries to effectively treat and cure ailments. Our next stop is LH Foot Care for an authentic reflexology session that consists of a head-to-toe massage and acupressure treatment. Sitting in comfortable recliners, we'll enjoy a one-hour treatment that will align our energy and relieve the stress of our busy singular lifestyle. With our appetite peaked, we'll will sit down together for an authentic, multiple course Shanghai-style dinner at Mei-Long Village where we will enjoy their famous Soup Dumplings, an all-time favorite dimsum steamed in bamboo baskets; the Lion Head in Brown Sauce which combines savory, stewed pork and cabbage; and other Chinese dishes such as Dry Sauteed String Bean and Bean Curd in Hot Garlic Sauce. Tickets are $45 and includes: tea at Tea Station, herb samples at Shinsen Ginseng & Herbs, the tour through 99 Ranch Market, the one-hour Chinese foot massage at LH Foot Massage, the multiple course Chinese dinner at Mei Long Village â as well as the services of our expert guide Amber Chen who will provide us with all kinds of inside information about Chinese culture and customs. Tickets must be purchased in advance.  Meet at 1 PM sharp at Tea Station 154 and 158 W. Valley Blvd. San Gabriel, CA 91776. If you would like to carpool from a West Los Angeles location, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  and we will coordinate. Copyright © 2010 Singular Communications, LLC.
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That's great.