Sometimes, things just work out. Timing is fortuitous and what might have been a fun activity becomes something incredibly meaningful. This is one of those stories.

As regular readers of this website know, I’ve been endeavoring to explore each of Los Angeles’ official historic ethnic neighborhoods. It is one of my favorite parts of my home, something I think LA does better than anywhere else. Today was a trip to Chinatown. It was my intention to see a temple, have some good food, maybe do some shopping… and indeed, as you’ll see, I did all of those things. But as I planned out my day, I was oblivious to the fact that the lunar new year had just passed, ushering in the Year of the Dragon. And with it, Chinatown was busy, packed with locals and visitors, all enjoying what is truly the best of Los Angeles.

The history of Chinatown isn’t one that is totally pleasant. What was the original Chinatown was demolished in 1933 to make way for Los Angeles’ Union Station, part of a spate of similar events around the city, where minority communities were displaced for infrastructure projects rather than inconveniencing the more affluent white population. (Dodger Stadium is one of the worst.) The Chinese community moved up the street, and by 1938, what is now Chinatown was a bustling commercial center.

For the next fifty years, Chinatown was the center of the Chinese-American community in Los Angeles, but by the end of the 1990s, many had relocated to the east-side suburbs of Alhambra and Monterey Park. Since then, Chinatown has undergone extensive renovation, with new mixed use commercial-residential buildings sprouting up around the still-busy traditional mini malls and plazas. And while the population isn’t as heavily Chinese as it once was, today’s Chinatown is a vibrant neighborhood.

Getting here is easy, with Chinatown having a stop on the Metro A Line, but I walked in from downtown Los Angeles to pass under the more traditional gate. My first stop was the Thien Hau Taoist temple, and it was here that I first realized I was going to have a special day. The temple was packed, and the smell of incense reached out to the street. I know basically nothing about Taoist practice, so I spent some time inside the stunning building watching worshippers going about their routines, taking the opportunity to admire the richly decorated interior. The temple is open, meaning anyone can walk in, but I tried to stand out of the way, a difficult task when so many were coming and going.

For many coming to Chinatown, shopping is the key activity. From souvenirs to traditional attire to a wide variety of jewelry, handbags, clothing, herbs, and more, Chinatown’s shopping plazas are a fun maze to explore. Well, it was a Sunday during the lunar new year celebration, so many shops and stalls were closed. That was a bummer, although I did wander around enough to get a sense of them.

A traditional Chinese grocery came next. The best part of the store, Far East Center, was the tea aisle. There were easily a hundred or more types of tea, from traditional to those claiming to cure all sorts of ailments. Well, my cholesterol is a bit high, so a tea claiming to help with that came home with me. I’m dubious, but it can’t hurt, right? (If you have the ability to keep things cool, you can also try poking your head into one of the seafood stores for some of LA’s freshest fish.)

I had a bit of time before meeting friends, and it is here that my story goes from a fun day to an amazing one. I wandered down Broadway, and noticed a crowd of people and dogs in a plaza across the street. Ever curious, I followed. Sure enough, it was a street fair, Lanterns and Pups – or something similar – that is part of the new year celebration, and includes a walk/run for Angelenos and their four legged friends. I grabbed a sample of mango milk tea, checked out the vendors, and pet a ton of cute critters, out enjoying a beautiful day with their human friends.

And this is Los Angeles in a nutshell. A beautiful sunny February day, a ton of humans and dogs, and a celebration of just one of the many cultures that has helped to create the fabric of our city. I sat for a while, played with the pups that came up for some attention, and smiled at how lucky I am to live here, and to have experiences like this be a part of my daily life.

All the dogs got their treats, so it was time for mine, and dim sum is one of my favorites. Tian’s has a large selection (to order from a menu; it is not brought by like some of the larger joints) at good prices. Hargow, shumai, pot stickers, pork buns, and more made my stomach as happy as my soul. There is something about dumplings that can make any experience better.

Stuffed to the gills, I walked the streets a bit more, checking out the traditional architecture. And then I noticed another crowd of people, this time in line at the Phoenix Bakery. Naturally, I joined them. The bakery is a Chinatown staple, and while the majority of the treats are more western than Chinese, they are terrific. The almond cookies are famous, and the ube-blueberry cake looked too good not to have a piece.

My day ended with a more traditional Chinese-American takeout meal to bring back home. Orange chicken, veggie lo mein… these are not the things one will find in China. But in Chinatown neighborhoods across the country, such staples helped to launch Chinese food into the American mainstream. I picked Broadway Cuisine for its reviews and its proximity to the Metro station for my quick ride back home, there to enjoy another taste of my day and a cup of tea my doctor will approve of.

Sometimes, the stars line up. Or in this case, the moon and its annual cycle. My day in Los Angeles’ Chinatown was one that truly represented what I love most about this incredible city.

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