Bell, CA

Bell is a compact, walkable city in southeast Los Angeles County where three avenues do almost all the work. Gage, Florence and Atlantic carry the shops, taquerias and bus lines, and the houses spread out in the grid between them, with the river marking the eastern edge. Stucco bungalows from the 1920s through the 1940s, many with arched porches and red tile, sit close to the sidewalk on modest lots. Age is the main thing to understand about a house here, since most come with the upkeep a century-old home needs. The town's backyard is Veterans' Memorial Park, where ballfields share the grounds with a rose garden and a spray area for hot afternoons. Smaller parks are spread through the neighborhoods, and the river bike path runs along the edge, reachable from Maywood's riverfront park to the north. Eating in Bell covers far more ground than its size suggests. La Casita Mexicana on Gage draws visitors from across the region for its moles and chiles en nogada. Panaderias on every avenue take care of the morning coffee and sweet bread. Errands run on the same three streets. Downtown is about ten miles north by the 710, and Metro buses cover the avenues for anyone who would rather not drive. The tradeoff is age and upkeep. What makes Bell feel like home to the people who live there is how much fits within a short walk, from a plate of mole to the library to a lap around the rose garden.