Airport Tract, Alhambra, CA

Airport Tract takes its name from the Alhambra Airport, which operated on this ground in southeastern Alhambra from 1928 until 1946 before developers bought the land and filled it with houses. Houses in the Airport Tract are mostly postwar Minimal Traditional homes, the modest single-story style that went up fast after World War II, on even lots with driveways and small front lawns. Many have been added onto over the decades, so no two blocks look quite the same, and a few newer two-story rebuilds sit among the originals. East Valley Boulevard is the reason people come here. 101 Noodle Express is known for its beef roll, a crisp pancake wrapped around beef and bean paste, and You Kitchen next door makes a long list of dumplings with the pan-fried house version as the favorite. 168 Market at 1421 E Valley Blvd and Quang Hoa Valley Supermarket at 1251 E Valley sit inside the neighborhood, along with smaller markets like Cali Mart, and Lee's Sandwiches handles banh mi and iced coffee on the go. Most residents drive to Valley, though the streets closest to it are within an easy walk. Parks are the thin part. There is no large park inside the tract, so outdoor time usually means Almansor Park and the Alhambra Golf Course along Almansor Street nearby, just past the tract's western edge. The Interstate 10 runs along the southern edge, and homes near it live with steady freeway hum. The upside of that position is quick access west to downtown Los Angeles and east through the valley, and a dumpling dinner on Valley is rarely more than a few minutes away.