The Original Farmers Market: the place to meet for 88 years

BY ERIKA THOMAS

For years, the cheerful greetings of “Hi” and “Good to see you” in a sunny Irish dialect could have been heard on any given afternoon from behind the counter at Magee’s House of Nuts at LA’s Original Farmers Market. The infectious salutations came from Doris Perez, who had been serving customers for over 50 years and just retired last year. “I came here from Ireland in 1959 with the plan to stay for one year.” Perez (formerly Leach) said, “I liked it so much that I just never left.”

Long before the scads of retail stores, restaurants and parking structures, before CBS Television City and before the luxury shopping metropolis known as the Grove, LA’s Original Farmers Market was the site of Arthur Gilmore’s 256-acre dairy farm.

Gilmore, who had been looking to expand his farm, knew he would first need to provide more water for his livestock. While drilling for water one afternoon, the farmer struck oil and, in an instant, he was rich. Cows were replaced by oil derricks, which would continue to harvest oil, though city officials would soon tell Gilmore the intrusive rigs would no longer be permitted. Gilmore vacated the property for his next venture, a sports venue he would name Gilmore Stadium.

His land would sit empty until a group of farmers decided to make use of it. Parking their produce-filled trucks on the deserted tract in the summer of 1934, they sold their goods to locals — mainly housewives — and offered vegetables, fruit

“IN JUST OVER A DECADE, THE FARMERS MARKET HAD BECOME THE GOTO SPOT FOR LA’S FRESHEST PRODUCE AND DELICIOUS EATS.” and other locally produced items. By October, only a few months after opening, merchants had built and moved into permanent stalls. Soon more sellers joined them and the list of offerings grew, boasting everything from meat and sausage to pie, candy and ice cream. The famed clock tower went up in 1948, making the corner of Third and Fairfax an official landmark.

In just over a decade, the Farmers Market had become the go-to spot for LA’s freshest produce and delicious eats. CBS Television City opened next door in 1952 (Gilmore Stadium was demolished to make room for it) bringing an influx of celebrities, not to mention giddy tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of one. The Farmers Market soon became a place movie stars were known to frequent, and studios often used it as the backdrop to shoot up-and-coming starlets’ publicity photos. Marilyn Monroe was even named “Miss Cheesecake of 1953” by Michael’s Cheesecake, where she was photographed cutting into one of the fluffy confections wearing a chef’s hat and an evening gown.

The Farmers Market seemed to enjoy a never-ending heyday for decades until the 1990s, when its popularity began to wane and business declined significantly. “Things really started to slow down and a lot of the vendors were struggling. So it really helped us when The Grove came along,” Perez said.

Today, the Original Farmers Market enjoys a bustling existence and remains one of LA’s most popular places for locals and tourists. Before retirement, when asked what Perez liked most about working at Farmers Market, she had said, “Just meeting people — all kinds of different people. I’ve gotten to know so many of them over the years. And the Market has the best atmosphere. It’s a great place to come.” g

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BY LAURIE HARTT

Have a long weekend and looking to discover a hidden treasure?

Consider a trip to Oxnard, once referred to as “Hollywood by the Sea” for its notoriety as an escape for cinema’s biggest stars during the Golden Age of filmmaking. Just north of Malibu, where PCH and the 101 intersect, this coastal city is welcoming for families and travel adventurers alike. Home to the California Strawberry Festival and backdrop to many a music video, commercial and movie scene, Oxnard is full of year-round beauty and unexpected surprises.

Brittney Hendricks, vice president of marketing and communications for Visit Oxnard, invites sightseers to come explore.

“We’re a welcoming, approachable, downto-earth city,” she said. “People are surprised when they come to Oxnard. We like to say we’re more than a pretty name.”

Follow her itinerary to see how a long weekend in winter might unfold.

Day One

Make the most of the weekend with an early start on Friday. Catch a ride on Amtrak’s Pacific Sunliner from one of the many departure destinations throughout Southern California for a short ride up the coast. Arrival at the muraled train platform at the Oxnard Transit Center makes for a perfect introduction to the quirky beauty throughout the city. These days, the temperature hovers between 47 and 66 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and is known to have moderate temperatures year-round.

With a weekend planned full of activities, packing light might not be an option, but don’t worry — the bellhop at Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach, which just reopened in October after a $40-million renovation, will hold the bags until check-in. As the only all-suite beachfront resort on Mandalay Beach, it was hand-selected for its unique character to be a part of the Hilton Curio Collection. With views of the beach, garden and pool, each suite is equally charming and relaxing for a weekend getaway.

For lunch, take your pick from one of the many amazing taco trucks, taquerias and restaurants participating in the “Oxnard Taco Trail” mobile pass — visitors checking in and tasting fare at a minimum of 15 locations will be proud winners of an “I conquered the Oxnard Taco Trail” T-shirt. Not sure where to start? Try Cabo Seafood Grill and Cantina for their fresh handmade tortillas and tableside guacamole.

Fueled by cilantro and salsa, head off for a little tours de concours. Oxnard is home to two car museums. The Murphy Auto Museum is a true vintage Americana delight hosting more than 60 classic cars and a not-to-be-missed DIECAST Hot Wheels Collection. And Mullin Automotive Museum, home to the “Mona Lisa of Cars,” boasts a powder blue Bugatti thought to be one of the most valuable cars in the world. As legend has it, a Saudi prince offered the owner $250 million, and the owner turned the prince down! >>

There are very few things more soothing than a sunset on the beach, so take a stroll on the dunes before dinner to work up an appetite.

Oxnard is home to many incredible restaurants, so foodies of all persuasions will have their pick. Ox and Ocean, Zarachi Dunes’ latest restaurant offering, is one of the newest in town. In true Oxnard style, the venue has leaned into its namesake, with the entire place exploding with oxen decor and detail. Consider s’mores at Dunes Pyre, the on-resort fire pit before a good night’s sleep to the sound of the waves.

Day Two

Saturdays are for explorers, so get an early start to fit in all the fun. Nearby Channel Island Harbor is home to the embarkation station for Island Packers Cruises.

Depending on the time of the year, visitors to the fiveisland park can visit sea caves, try ocean kayaking, spot the 30,000 seals that congregate at Point Bennett, making it one of the largest concentrations of wildlife on earth, and sea lions living on San Miguel Island, or navigate

Channel Island’s National Marine Sanctuary, home to a third of California’s kelp forests. January through March is also prime whale watching season.

“A lot of whales migrate through the channel — you’re almost certain to see one,” Hendricks said. “Oxnard is the gateway to the Channel Island National Park, which some people call the Galapagos of North America for the diversity of the wildlife you can’t find anywhere else.”

For a late lunch or afternoon snack, try quesa birria tacos from Juarez Tacos or another location on the Taco Trail — no matter what you choose, you can’t go wrong.

After a rest or a short siesta, make your way back to the Channel Islands Harbor for one of Oxnard’s hidden gems: an authentic Venetian gondola ride. Gondola Paradiso gives private gondola boat rides along the canals around Coral Island. Time it for the sunset and bring snacks or even a bottle of Chianti for the ultimate romantic ride as the gondoliers sing as they glide you across the water, stopping at Seabridge bridges, which are like Venetian mistletoe encouraging passengers to kiss.

Oxnard doesn’t disappoint with dinner options. If you’re feeling nostalgic, make your way to Heritage Square for a Prohibition-era craft cocktail from 1901 Speakeasy, then head to Tierra Sur located within the Herzog Wine Cellars. ZAGAT called it “a foodie paradise,” with mouthwatering menu choices like Spanish ahi tartar with marinated beet, caramelized leek, and pomegranate and sunflower seeds or a flat iron steak with truffle béarnaise, wild mushroom and shallot demi.

“The original owner of the winery was a winemaker to the emperor of Austria-Hungary,” Hendricks said. “Today, the cellar has the largest portfolio of kosher wines in the world and a fully kosher menu.”

Zachari Dunes has the perfect alfresco terrace for afterdinner drinks followed by a quick soak in the outdoor hot tub and another great night’s sleep. >>

Day Three

One day left, but still so much to do. Henry’s Sundries and Gear Rental in the lobby of Zachari Dunes offers games, stand-up paddleboards, surfboards and body boards. There are also bike rental spots, including Wheel Fun Rentals, which has a rental station at the beach-access gate between Zachari Dunes and Mandalay Beach to enjoy a cruise down the Pacific Coast Bike Route that runs through Oxnard.

As you explore Oxnard, you'll see why “Hollywood by the sea” fits so well. “You’ll notice much of the city’s Golden Era film heritage in the street names — La Brea, Tujunga, Hollywood,” Hendricks noted.

Over the years, many celebrities have visited or made Oxnard home including Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, and Sonny and Cher Anderson .Paak is originally from Oxnard and named his Grammy-winning album “Oxnard” with tracks paying homage to the town like “Saviers Road.” While Dr. Dre never lived in Oxnard, he did film his Pepsi Super Bowl halftime commercial here. Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters lived in Oxnard Shores for a bit, and John Wayne and Rudolph Valentino once each had vacation homes. In the ’60s, Oxnard’s beautiful beaches were split in the middle for the development of the Channel Islands Harbor. The result? The North Side was named Hollywood Beach, and the south side of the harbor “Silver Strand” after the silver screen.

Late morning, before checkout, sit on the dunes for a bit to watch a few late morning surfers. “We have seven miles of beaches and a huge surf culture,” Hendricks said. “The waves at one of our beaches are considered extremely advanced; they break in such a way that the waves curl similar to those at Bonzai Pipeline in Hawaii, and a lot of professional surfers surf there.”

The Surfliner has several different departure times throughout the day, so if adventure is still calling, grab one last lunch at The Haven at White Sails. This Caribbean-meetsFilipino vegan restaurant serves up bucket list worthy eats.

Even though the weekend is over, there is still much to explore. So, if a few extra days can’t be on the agenda, there’s much to see when the next visit rolls around. Because, as the Visit Oxnard website notes, from festivals to breathtaking beach views, and cinematic history at every corner, “Oxnard Is California cool, panorama-perfect, culturally authentic and vibrant beyond measure.” g