My belly started rumbling an hour ago, so I started my lunch 24 hours after my last bite yesterday.
Taqueria Los Gueros in Anaheim. I have no pics 'cause my hands are occupied with tacos and grilled jalapenos lol Hole in a wall place, in an area looking sketchy BUT the $1.65 street tacos are 
When I crave tripa, cabeza, and buche, I come here. A very satisfying $10 lunch.
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Tangential, but Iām also picking for LPs while Iām eating around town. Donāt get to LB so much but I like the smaller shops there.
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Twelves and Third Eye are probably my favorites in LBC. Fingerprints is okay.
Boogie Maru in Torrance is my spot. Mostly jazz although I did get an original Pet Sounds from there! Nory/Nori-san the owner is a super jazz head, and always has beautiful jazz records. Whether itās a pristine Japanese press or a OG Blue Note/Riverside/Prestige. Also lots of Japanese pop if you are into that. Every record that is in an outer sleeve has been cleaned and inspected. There some really great Bill Evans on the wall currently. I gotta hit up PM Sounds in San Pedro for jazz.
Parlour and Amoeba are fun places to dig maybe more than Discogs to pay for the rent. Amoebaās new used arrivals section is pretty good just from the sheer amount of vinyl they get. 3 different areas of the store for that. Almost always find something in the new used arrivals.
Went to Record Surplus I thought it was okay. They got some fun obscure stuff in the back. Reddit made it seem like the place to be or my timing was off and all the good stuff was picked thru.
I might hit up Arroyo Records in Highland Park I heard they have a great soul selection and on IG the new used arrival stacks always look great. I am going thru a soul era currently lol. Northeast LA looks like they have some great shops. Will also have to hit up Record Safari.
Always a plus when a shop is close to some good food!
Where do you like to go? Who do you recommend? What do you collect?
PCC record swap this Sunday!
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I am based in NELA so I hope I know what Iām talking about. Lots to like here, and the new shops have been much more specialized than the general interest stores (like Fingerprints or Amoeba). Those are spots like Estuario (Highland Park; obscure, experimental, and almost entirely international (African, South American, Japanese)), Sibylline (downtown Pasadena; a mix of 80s-00s punk/alt and international ā but they just got a big collection in of soul and spiritual jazz rarities in, like the famed Dorothy Ashby record, so maybe get down there), and Commune (emphasis on punk, post-punk, and various alt offshoots in the heyday of those genres with some soul/international smattered through). And Pop Overbite just opened their brick + mortar; they specialize in international, with an emphasis on Soviet new wave/punk groups and bootlegs ā all from the cold war. Itās a very cool selection.
I always leave with one thing from Gimme Gimme; Poo Bah is an old and legendary shop for hip-hop producers, so if you are collecting soul/jazz, they have some goodies here, and Estuarioās collection is the most interesting and provocative on the east side. I went to Sibylline recently (they just opened) and picked up a first-press of Eno/Moebelius/Roedeliusā After the Heat for a reasonable price. All of their LPs are accessibly priced!
I would agree that Twelves and Third Eye are the better spots in LBC. When Fingerprints was on 2nd Street, and prices for vinyl were more reasonable, I always made sure to go there.
Record Safari always surprises me with one or two things, as well as their wall records, but itās not on my usual circuit. I too also usually get something from the new used arrivals section at Amoeba, and for new jazz (e.g., reissues and ECM), their stock is robust (Iām getting nostalgic for their old store, and that huge space in the back). But I only get myself out there if I have a couple of things to swap; they still pay the highest for trade.
Iām also a big Boogie Maru person (the sushi spot next door is supposed to be excellent?!). Nori is a solid dude; heās helped me flatten an LP or two, and the first time I visited, I brought a whole stack to be ultra-sonically cleaned. recommended service technicians for my gear. Itās great to have a real audiophile to talk gear while listening to LPs. I havenāt been anywhere else in the South Bay (like PM Sounds) so donāt know anything else.
I have been really into British jazz the last couple of years, mostly via through a contemporary pianist (Greg Foat) who weaves in myriad influences from that sphere and the library music from the 60s and 70s (think KPM, Sonoton, de Wolfe, Morricone yes, but so many others; many of the people playing on those made-for-TV movies were also great jazz players in their own rights). Record Surplus has a small stack of reissues of these records in the back, and so does Amoeba, but unfortunately, I have to mostly order online for those. CD Trader out in the SFV has a decent selection of it, and I do like to dig there. If youāre collecting soul right now, maybe a visit to Atomic is worth it? Jacknife just opened up their new project in Pasadena called Healing Force of the Universe (listening space / more records than their Atwater outpost), and I know he likes to stock a lot of that.
I overboiled some eggs and charred some toast while writing this post, but it was worth it. I might have to miss out on PCC this time around unfortunately!
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Thank you so much 
That some great info! Makes sense to me that NELA is such a great spot to be for music lovers, and musicians. The great shops is a mirror of the music culture in that area.
I first heard about the area because thatās where the Beastie Boys relocated and I noticed a lot of indie rock groups moving into the area (Lord Huron being my personal fav). I wonder what was MCAās favorite burrito at Tacos Villa Corona. Also would you sell me a copy of Paulās Boutique lol? Also lots of cool music venues. You never know if Thom Yorke would show up to one of those places. Stones Throw Records is one of my favorite labels and they opened up in HLP. I gotta visit the Gold Line Bar I donāt drink though but would love to hear the DJ sets.
I might hit up PCC this Sunday! Or some of the shops in HLP. If HLP than Mariscos El Faro would be in order and maybe Azteca or Villas.
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Dude I am listening to this Dorothy Ashby Afro Harping album on my Amazon musicā¦ā¦
Holy shit this is some great stuff!
Harp? Jazz harp? Wow. I didnāt know that was a thing
Give me more of these less mainstream jazz records recs!
Old music can be new music. The search never ends. The possibilities are endless.
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proceed straight to Alice Coltrane ā Universal Consciousness
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Whenever i do that hike I hit them up after for coffee and some baked goodies.
Ns1 kinda nailed it.
I usually grab a slice of peach pie (seasonal), lavender shortbread cookie and a couple biscuits for home.
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I have been reading good things about a small taco truck in San Gabriel, Taco Point. Finally tried it recently, and was very impressed. Meat quality is excellent. Sampled Carnitas, Carne Asada tacos and an al pastor mullita. All meats were tender and good quality, and tortillas are handmade fresh. Carnitas and their chunky and tender al pastor mullita were my favorite.
They have been parked on San Gabriel Blvd for a while, but moved to a new Valley Blvd spot near New Ave on 12/1.
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This has been my to go place in the OC for the past 3-4 years. Cash only. Late hours. Hole in the wall with what seems sketchy parking lot. But the people out there who arenāt homeless are trying to sell you more food lol this is sketchy for OC standards but not LA standards I thought their tacos are now 1.70 or 1.75. Still cheaper than most places here that has a brick and mortar place.
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Regular reader, first time poster, and Iām here to report back about records of all things! Permanent Records In Cypress Park is small but mighty. Itās also a great dive bar/venue (after 6). The pro move is to do some record shopping right before the bar opens at 6, then bring in some pupusas from Salvamex next door or slices from Shinās down the street and maybe catch some tunes during sound check. They book good bands, too, but itās crowded later on (not conducive to snacking).
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Thank you! I donāt drink but I do love music and pizza! I always wanted to try Shins! The fact that they have Chinese sausage on pizza 
Interesting story as a Korean adoptee growing up in Philadelphia also peaks my interest. Plus Philly water ice!
Roadhouse? That is pretty cool. Love that movie btw lol!
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Welcome!
Unrelated: forgot to post this last mo. Itās been awhile since Iāve gotten anything from Santa Monica Pizza Kitchen. We were there when La Puglia was closed for a (very swanky) private event and when we didnāt feel like waiting for Sushi King.
Iāve never ordered the Italian sub from there b/f, but it is SHOCKINGLY competent:
Good filling to bread ratio, and the bread itself is actually delightful. I assume they make it in-house. No, itās not Gjusta good, but for $12 (IIRC) for a sandwich and fries, Iām very happy (half of the sub had been eaten by the second pic).
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Looks like tacos on fresh tortillasā¦I am a sucker for tacos on fresh tortillas.
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Dude I like shins. Give it a try. The Asian pear salad was really tasty! The water ice is great too.
Whenever I go I pay the 2 bucks for the ranch too.
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Lol is right! That blousey shirt + acid washed jeans that Swayze rocks in that movie is pretty specialā¦
Shins is really good, and as set0312 points out, their Asian pear salad is delicious (I would also recommend their celery salad with Fresnos and blue cheese). The ranch is really good! I think it has fish sauce in it?
Permanent has some decent N/A options and itās a comfy bar to be in as a non-drinker (Iām married to one).
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