One hundred and eight minutes

Yesterday we had an experience that crystalizes for me what it's like to live in L.A.

We pulled into a parking lot off of Logan Street, just south of Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park. We put enough change in the meter for 2 hours.

Here's what we did.

Marveled at the terra cotta decorations on an historic building.

Stopped at a taco trailer and ate a taco - his was chorizo, mine al pastor.

Ate blue-corn quesadillas from an illegal street vendor, with potatoes and chorizo for him, and - for me, huitlacoche. Garnished with pickled red onions and nopales.

Bought a horchata smoothie from a Thai woman at an ice-cream store, to cool the chile burn.

Checked out an artsy boutique with a militant pro-Latina, pro-Native American vibe.

Walked up a 1920's era flight of steps to a broad avenue of palm trees with a view - in one direction - the skyscrapers of downtown, and - in the other direction - the Hollywood sign.

Saw a glimpse of golden domes behind the cover of trees and the houses. Walked through the neighborhood to find it, while rock bands rehearsed in nearby garages.

Climbed a path through Elysian Park and saw Dodger Stadium.

Asked three guys with jailhouse tattoos about the golden domed building. "I don't know, man, I think it's like a Buddhist church or something. There's a path that takes you there if you follow the road."

Followed the path through a grassy parkland with arching pine trees and verdant green grass.

Climbed a heart-stopping hill to the end of a street and found Saint Andrew's Ukrainian Orthodox church with its golden domes. Admired the restored 1920s bungalow across the street.

Walked down to Sunset Boulevard, passed a Cambodian restaurant, a shuttered cocktail bar and black-painted nightclub, closed during the brightness of the day.

Bought a papier mache figure from the militant boutique.

Passed a trendy beauty shop, a fashion boutique, an antique store, a 99 cent store, a dental clinic painted with colorful murals.

Passed a fruit vendor and exchanged a pleasant greeting with a random guy on the corner who blessed us.

Bought fresh tortillas.

Got back to the car and there were twelve minutes left on the meter.

So, to recap:

Tacos
Quesadillas
Multicultural ice cream
Exercise
Hollywood sign
Garage bands
Dodger Stadium
Three cholos
Beautiful religious monument
Historic restored buildings
Nightclub
Handcrafted folk art
Antique store
Murals
Being blessed by a random guy
Fruit vendor
Tortillas

Los Angeles in one hundred and eight minutes.