Inglewood is well-known for many things: gangsta rap, its proximity to LAX, the Lakers' glory years inside The Forum. And Inglewood really does feel like Los Angeles: the history, the hum of airplanes overhead, a distant breeze from the ocean, diners and donut shops that people have been frequenting for years and years. But it's also the changing LA of the future, with its shift in demographics (happening all over the city), the new wave of artists making Inglewood home, the updating and re-designing of neighborhood landmarks.
There is certainly a nostalgia to all this change, to the Sundays spent watching the horses at Hollywood Park and picking up homemade cheesecakes at Harriet's. But the fantastic thing about Inglewood is that you can still find the history, the remnants of an LA of yesteryear, while also looking ahead to a new and vibrant Los Angeles. So saddle up to the countertop for a plate of chicken & waffles, and then grab your tickets for a show at the dazzling new Forum. Inglewood is ready to show you her stuff.
Stop 1: Inglewood Park Cemetery
Want to pay your respects to some of the greatest legends in music? Head to the Inglewood Park Cemetery to see the final resting place of Ray Charles, Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald. You can also visit other notable LA figures like Tom Bradley, Sugar Ray Robinson and Paul Walker. Be warned: the cemetery is HUGE, so make sure to stop by the information office, where you can pick up a map and specific directions to the gravestones you wish to visit.
720 E Florence Avenue, Inglewood
Stop 2: The Serving Spoon
Inglewood just wouldn't be the neighborhood it is without restaurants like The Serving Spoon. Their tagline is "There ain't no better breakfast" and that just might be true. We ordered "The Cookie" (drum sticks and waffles) and "The Monique" (eggs, grits, bacon and biscuits). There's no better place to be than the counter, where you can watch the solo regulars reading the paper and drowning their hotcakes in syrup, and families crammed into booths after a morning at church. They play a variety of soulful r&b jams, and even on a busy weekend, we only waited about 15 minutes. No better breakfast, indeed.
1403 Centinela Avenue, Inglewood
Stop 3: Gwen's Specialty Cakes
Gwen's Specialty Cakes wasn't originally on our list of places to visit in Inglewood, but we could smell the cakes baking as we tried to find a way into the Beacon Arts Building along La Brea Avenue. We wandered up to the door and were greeted by a friendly girl named Serenity, who beckoned us in and encouraged us to try her favorites. We nibbled on Peach Cobbler, Sweet Potato, Lemon and Pecan tarts, all of which were sweetly delectable. Weight Watchers, no. But as Gwen says, "You'll love that homemade buttery taste."
820 N La Brea Avenue, Inglewood
Stop 4: Bayou Grille
If you only go to one place in Inglewood, GO TO BAYOU GRILLE. This restaurant is the real deal, as authentic as you'll get anywhere outside of good ol' N'awlins. The inside is decorated as though you're dining along Bourbon Street, and you can order crawfish, sweet tea, beignets, and catfish. Our favorite is always the shrimp po'boy sandwich, and we also had a small order of jambalaya, coleslaw and a side of hush puppies.
Insider's tip: they close early on Sundays, and you can "BYOB" from Nelson's Liquor across the street!
1400 N La Brea Avenue, Inglewood
Stop 5: The Centinela Adobe
The Centinela Adobe, known as the birthplace of Inglewood, is a landmark Spanish Colonial adobe house built in 1834 (before California was even a state!) It is one of only 43 surviving adobes within Los Angeles County, and is just brimming with history. The volunteers who lead tours through the home (decorated in all its mid-1800s glory!) are mostly in their 80s and 90s, and many remember the neighborhood as far back as the 1930s. Just chatting with them is enough of a reason to tour "La Casa de la Centinela," but history buffs will get a kick out of the original oil lamps (now converted to electric), the pump organ, and the wall of original black and white wedding photographs of the home's earliest inhabitants.
7634 Midfield Avenue, Inglewood
Stop 6: Randy's Donuts
That giant donut on the roof of Randy's is an iconic sight in Los Angeles, and this landmark bakery and donut shop has been serving up hot treats since the early 1950s. There were originally at least 10 big ol' donuts throughout Los Angeles, but today only 4 survive. Randy's Donuts has been featured in dozens of Hollywood films (Earth Girls Are Easy, Iron Man 2) and even a Red Hot Chili Peppers music video. You can still drive-thru 24 hours a day, and the Apple Fritter, Coconut Donut and Devil's Food Donut are as good as ever (at $1.20, $1 and $.90 respectively). Cartons of milk and eating on the hood of your car are a must.
805 W Manchester Boulevard, Inglewood
The Details:
We would love to add that there is a thriving arts scene in Inglewood, although we had trouble pinning down times/days that studios were open (advertised times were not always correct). If you are able, be sure to check out some of the studios in the neighborhood.
A map of our day looks like this:
