Out & About: Pacoima’s Mural Mile
Many of us think of going to a museum to experience great art up close. But along a stretch of Van Nuys Boulevard in Pacoima, art has come to the streets thanks to the “drive-by gallery” of local artist Levi Ponce. The murals, which primarily depict Latino icons and imagery, are community projects that bring together artists, volunteers, business owners, and residents to transform defaced city walls into works of art for this San Fernando Valley neighborhood. I took a tour of these murals including Ponce’s latest work “Girl with a Hoop Earring,” a clever and more locally-inspired take on Vermeer’s renowned “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” as well as “The Day the Music Died,” which features Buddy Holly alongside famed musician and Pacoima native Ritchie Valens. We also got an impromptu dance performance by The Gr818ers and stopped by Myke’s Cafe, the area’s favorite spot for wacky burgers, crazy pancakes and other unexpected eats! And… after all that we had to head over to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels when news broke about the new pope! I even went to church for a little bit (I had never been inside the cathedral.) That’s why I love my job — I never know what’s going to happen next!
Lifestyle writer Mar Yvette is on a mission to bring you the best people, places, and products to make your life pop!