This week, the Global Traveler team made its way to Los Angeles to host the annual GT Tested Reader Survey awards at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles, in Downtown LA. This was my first time in California, and while our days were filled with planning and preparation, I found some time to see a little bit of the city one afternoon when venturing out for lunch.

Our team’s L.A. resident, Maria, led some of us to Grand Central Market to grab lunch and explore. This historical landmark opened its doors in 1917, and its vendors have shaped the culture of Los Angeles’ food scene ever since. The 40 stalls within the market feature a variety of different cuisines, honoring the historical immigrant communities within the city.

While there were so many options to choose from as we walked through the market, I finally settled on a bowl of vegan Spicy Garlic “Katsu” Ramen from Ramen Hood. While it was probably one of the best bowls of ramen I’ve tried, I couldn’t help but be a little jealous of the food my colleagues got from Tacos Tumbras a Tomas, a family-owned stand operating for more than 50 years. After all of us finished our lunches, we stopped at La Huerta, a candy vendor in operation since 1999. There I grabbed a small bag of chamoy-coated dried mango (chamoy is a spicy and tart chili-lime sugar).

As the event was that evening, we headed back to get ready and set up the space, putting on an entertaining and successful awards show. While I wish I had an extra day to see the rest of Los Angeles, I’m glad I got the chance to explore a little bit of the city’s history while helping put together a great event. Now I’ll just have more to look forward to next time I make it back to the area!

— Aly Evans, administrative assistant