[dropcap size=big]I[/dropcap]t was compared by many in the crowd and around Los Angeles to the burial of a king. It sure seemed that way at times, as thousands of people came out to pay their respects and say farewell to Nipsey Hussle, whose legacy of activism, artistry, and of investing in his own community will surely live on.
Since his death, parts of Los Angeles have been in mourning. But Thursday, the city came together to honor a native son and champion, and in doing so, healed some. "Y’all from L.A. stand up, because this pain is really ours," Lauren London, Nipsey's girlfriend told a capacity crowd at Staples Center about an hour before the streets would fill for “victory lap,” from downtown to Watts, Inglewood, and finally Crenshaw.
These are scenes from that procession, one last victory lap for a father, a son, an icon, and an L.A. king.
Despite L.A. being the home of the second largest population of Mexicans—that counts Mexican-Americans as well, by the way—after Mexico City, it has never been known to go as hard for actual Mexican Independence Day on September 16th as it does for Cinco de Mayo. But these four places are going all out!
Antojitos get the wild game and Indigenous protein treatment at Sage Vegan Bistro in Echo Park, but are they intriguing enough to lure you away the chile colorado at El Ruso across the street?
The pork is marinaded in a secret recipe for ten hours and roasted for four hours until it falls apart. They top it with crumbled chicharrón that they puff up themselves, a habanero salsa, and taquería guacamole. They just started offering an outstanding suadero that is confit in beef tallow, longaniza drippings, and lard until it gently crisps up like a beef version of carnitas.
L.A.’s taco life lost one of its most beloved personalities, Jose “Chuy” Tovar, who died in a car accident at 55 on Monday afternoon. A GoFundMe has been set up by his family.