Farmers Market and The Grove

Farmers Market and The Grove Review

The saying "Meet me at 3rd and Fairfax" became a standard line for generations of Angelenos who ate, shopped, and spotted the stars who drifted over from the studios for a breath of unpretentious air. Starting back in 1934 when two entrepreneurs convinced oil magnate E.B. Gilmore to open a vacant field for a bare-bones market, this spot became a humble shop for farmers selling produce out of their trucks. From this seat-of-the-pants situation grew a European-style open-air market and local institution at the corner of 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue.

Now the market includes 110 stalls and more than 30 restaurants, plus the landmark 1941 Clock Tower. The Grove celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2012, and the outdoor mall, with its pseudo-European facade, cobblestones, marble mosaics, and pavilions has never been more popular or packed, especially on weekends and holidays.

Los Angeles history gets a nod with the electric steel-wheeled Red Car trolley, which shuttles two blocks through the Farmers Market and The Grove. If you hate crowds, try visiting The Grove before noon for the most comfortable shopping experience. By afternoon, it bustles with shoppers and teens hitting the movie theaters and chain stores such as Banana Republic, Crate & Barrel, Barnes & Noble, and J. Crew. Fashionistas find a haven at the Barney's Co-Op store. The parking structure on the east side for The Grove handles the cars by monitoring the number of spaces available as you go up each level, combined with the first hour free and a second hour free if you get your ticket validated, which helps to make parking less of a pain. Surface parking for the Farmers Market is 2 hours free with validation. The Grove really dazzles around Christmas, with an enormous Christmas tree and a nightly faux snowfall until New Year's Day.