Skip to Content
Featured

The Friday Photo Essay: Capturing Historic-Filipinotown Culture On a Film Camera

2:25 PM PST on January 13, 2023

    The iconic neon sign at the original Tommy’s Burgers location on Rampart Boulevard.

    L.A. TACO is embarking on its biggest mission yet: to create a taco and food guide for every single neighborhood in Los Angeles! Along the way, we will also be releasing brief histories of each neighborhood to understand L.A. a little more and celebrate how each and every neighborhood makes our fine city the best in the world.

    The best way to know your neighborhood is to walk your neighborhood. Photographing Filipinotown on 35mm film for the past half-decade, I sometimes feel like I've walked every inch of the neighborhood countless times. But while working on this photo essay, I found plenty of places that I was unfamiliar with, from offices, homes, and studio spaces to homeless encampments hidden from the road, new plants, flowers, and murals. The experience reminded me that neighborhoods are constantly changing, and you’ll never see everything.

    The iconic neon sign at the original Tommy's Burgers location on Rampart Boulevard.
    The iconic neon sign at the original Tommy's Burgers location on Rampart Boulevard.
    Morning light hits one of my favorite store front signs.
    A Victorian style house that's been converted into apartments with views of the DTLA skyline.
    A Victorian-style house that's been converted into apartments with DTLA skyline views.
    An elderly man walks by an 20th century craftsman house as it's being demolished.
    An elderly man walks by a 20th century craftsman house as it's being demolished.
    A tree grows out of a wall in a parking lot.
    A tree grows out of a wall in a parking lot.
    A sign that's no longer around.
    A sign that's no longer around.
    The farmacia in this photo is now Brooklyn Bagels.
    The farmacia in this photo is now Brooklyn Bagels.
    The pharmacy in this photo is now Brooklyn Bagels.
    Craftsman homes on a residential street in Historic Filipinotown.
    A driver kills a man riding a motorized bicycle on a dangerous stretch of Beverly Blvd that has seen numerous fatalities and reckless driving incidents in recent years.
    A Victorian-style home with Halloween decorations outside.
    Businesses on the eastern edge of Historic Filipinotown.
    A body shop on Beverly Boulevard
    Body shop on Beverly Boulevard.
    A body shop on Beverly Boulevard
    A carniceria on Beverly Boulevard that also has a taco stand.
    A memorial for Karla Duarte, a young woman who was fatally shot in an abandoned home in Filipinotown.
    Pinay Coin Laundry.
    Historic Filipinotown at dusk.

    Stay in touch

    Sign up for our free newsletter

    More from L.A. TACO

    Juárez-Style Burritos Have Arrived in Southern California, And They are Already Selling Out In Less than An Hour

    The month-old strip mall taquería in Anaheim make all their flour tortillas from scratch using both lard and butter, resulting in an extremely tender vehicle for their juicy guisados like carne en su jugo, carne deshebrada, chile colorado, chile relleno, and chicharrón. Every tortilla is cooked to order, too.

    April 23, 2024

    Urgent: L.A. TACO Falling Short of Fundraising Goals and Needs Your Support

    Emergency. This is not a test. This is not a ruse. This is not a marketing scheme. We need your support if we're going to make it and every single membership counts.

    April 23, 2024

    The 11 Best Backyard Restaurants in Los Angeles

    Despite many requests to publish this guide, L.A. TACO has been somewhat protective of these gems to not "burn out the spots." However, we wanted to share it with our small, loyal pool of paid members, as we appreciate your support (and know you to be okay, non-NARCs). Please enjoy responsibly and keep these 'hood secrets...secrets.

    April 18, 2024

    Here’s What an L.A. TACO Membership Gets You and Why You Should Support Local Journalism

    With more than 30 members-only perks at the best L.A. restaurants, breweries, and dispensaries waiting to be unlocked, the L.A. TACO membership pays for itself!

    April 17, 2024
    See all posts