A Girls Day Out in LA
Live in LA? Love art? Can’t get enough Mexican food? Need ideas for a girls day out? I have two suggestions for you — Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Guelagetza Restaurant. Yes, a spa day is nice. Or a shopping spree. But so is a great art show and food. I mean, food is always a win — especially is tacos are involved.
The beauty of LACMA is that it’s big enough for you to split up visits. No need to do it all in one big overwhelming day. Make a theme of it. For example, Dove Dry Spray (one of our work clients) recently invited several Latina Influencers to the museum for an afternoon of 20 century Latin American Art.
Instead of just wandering about, request that someone walk you through for a more informed experience. A docent walked us through the galleries, and I really loved being able to ask questions and learn more about the works. But then again, I’m an art nerd.
It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen a Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, there’s always something new to learn. For example, the portrait below was painted by Diego but wasn’t discovered until his death. It is believed that it’s the only portrait he ever painted of her.
A Girls Day Out in LA
Related post: 3 ways Frida Kahlo changed my life
After taking in the works of Kahlo, Rivera, Siqueiros and Orozco, we Ubered over to Guelagetza Restaurant located in Koreatown, which is about 10 minutes from the museum.
An advocate of Oaxacan culture, Guelagetza is a family-owned restaurant and marketplace. Known for their mole and micheladas, the restaurant also hosts events, musical performances and art shows, and is the proud recipient of the prestigious James Beard Award. To put it plainly, their food is the real deal. If you’re not familiar with Oaxacan cuisine, the best way I can describe it is decadent, rich, spicy and chocolately.
During our visit, the owners gave us a lesson in the art of tamale making. They taught us how to make sweet tamales with pineapples, which I didn’t know was a thing. I know, I know. I’ve been living in LA for over 10 years, how am I not up on my tamale game? When it comes to Mexican food, I learn something new all the time.
If you’ve never had an authentic tamale (the frozen section at Trader Joe’s doesn’t count), you’re missing out. There’s something about unwrapping that steamy cornhusk and finding a delectable treat inside.
While we tested our tamale making skills (and snacked), Dove set up a lovely table for our main course.
Between all the hugging, walking and food prep, Dove Dry Spray (with ¼ moisturizing cream) kept us dry and fresh.
Thank you to Dove, LACMA, Guelagetza and #WeAll Grow Latina Network for an afternoon well spent.
