Topline:
A hued twist to traditional Mexican fare brings success to a taquería on 1st Street owned and operated by long-time Boyle Heights resident Yesenia Castro. Say hello to Pink and Boujee.
Come for ... the abundance and creative use of the color pink, which finds its way into every facet of the experience. The food is pretty good, too.
Where is it? 1908 E. 1st St. It's open Tuesdays-Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Walking along the 1st Street Corridor heading East, a bright pink building stands out from all the rest. Its name and tagline — Pink and Boujee, “Not your average taquería” — are sure to get people to look twice.
This story originally appeared in Boyle Heights Beat, which is an LAist partner newsroom.
Once inside, if the smell of tortillas hechas a mano doesn’t grab your attention, then the bright-colored pink brunch foods surely will. The color pink comes from the dragonfruit and beet used to color many of the food items. But the color is not limited to just the food and the outside building. Inside, the restaurant walls, chairs, booths, and decor are all pink.
The concept first went viral on TikTok with more than 800,000 views when it was still a pop-up food truck in the fashion district in May of 2022. Now with a brick and mortar at 1908 1st Street since February, supporters from near and far are showing up.
“I’ve always loved food. It’s been a very important thing for me growing up,” said owner Yesenia Castro. “When I created Pink and Boujee I wanted to create something that represented a little bit of everything.”
For some customers, the pink aesthetic definitely makes a difference.
“It’s a cute experience to just not go to your regular taqueria, and it elevates it,” said Angel Jaelin, a customer visiting from Seattle, Washington.
“I know it might be hard for people to understand,” said Castro. “I think once you really see the beauty of it and the art of even making something pink that still has the rich flavors, it might change your idea once you try it and once you learn about it.”
The restaurant is Mexican and family-owned, which is important to the 28-year-old.
“We work and try our best to bring good quality things while still keeping traditional flavors and still making it look really pretty and presentable,” she said.
I think once you really see the beauty of it and the art of even making something pink that still has the rich flavors, it might change your idea once you try it and once you learn about it.
For customer Keithy Arabella Orellanam, seeing her generation put a twist on traditional foods is exciting.
“The pinkness is the reason I came last week, but the tacos are the reason I came this week,” Orellanam said. “The tacos are the bomb, I’m not even gonna lie.”
The menu has themed names for its dishes, for example, Boujee Chilaquiles, Pink Taco Trio, and Pink Pancakes. Prices range from $10 to $15. The restaurant also serves non-alcoholic mocktail drinks, like virgin mimosas and rosé, along with aguas frescas. Although tacos and alcohol are the usual pair, Castro wants to curate a different and healthier option.
“We had a girl celebrating a bachelorette,” Castro recalled. “I gave her a rundown of what we can and can’t provide, because people usually want to have mimosas and such. She’s like, ‘Oh my god that’s actually perfect because I’m a year sober.’”
Castro didn’t set out to be a restaurant owner. She attended a magnet high school in Downtown Los Angeles focusing on fashion, business, and electronics. While she was excited to do something creative, she found herself pursuing careers like medicine in order to make money.
“I went to medical school, but that didn’t work out,” said Castro. “I ended up being in sales, and that didn’t work out. That’s when I kind of navigated to the business world. I did a little bit of everything I would say, to prepare me for what I’m doing now.”
The pinkness is the reason I came last week, but the tacos are the reason I came this week. The tacos are the bomb, I’m not even gonna lie.
Caroline Salinas, a content creator and a social media strategist, understands that deviating from the status quo is hard and that’s why she supports Latina entrepreneurs where she can.
“I think with our background, we’re taught to chase careers that are typical,” Salinas said. “So whenever I see someone chasing a dream that is risky, I admire that and I want to support it.”
For Salinas, unique takes on traditional food like at Pink and Boujee allows customers to learn about the journey someone took to add flair to these plates.
“There’s beauty to trying the different subcultures within the Latino cultures,” she said. “It’s also been interesting since social media has kind of gotten bigger since the pandemic, it’s really beautiful to realize that Latinos show up. When one is struggling, someone will make a video and people will show up and save them.”
As a DACA recipient growing up in Boyle Heights, Castro is not new to hard challenges. Pink and Boujee has given her hope about what the future can hold.
“We can open doors for other entrepreneurs or other DACA recipients, I just feel like that itself is important,” said Castro. “If I could do that, take up space in the spaces that I have taken up, as an immigrant and DACA recipient, then I know anyone else can do it.”
“To me that is success,” she added. “That is being successful, what you do with your platform and with your power.”
In this edition:
O.C. Japan Fest, corgi beach day, the grunions are back, a new play festival, a talk with Sen. Cory Booker and more of the best things to do this weekend.
Highlights:
I hope you had luck in securing the first round of LA28 Olympics tickets — and that you’re not still waiting for page refreshes this morning! We’ve got all the info on how to get your tickets and why you shouldn’t fret if it doesn’t work out on this first try.
LAist’s Mariana Dale went to Hollywood High School this week to see how students and teachers felt about Mitski bringing a concert to the historic space. Seems like no one was missing class since perfect attendance meant a shot at tickets.
No matter your music taste, there’s a show for you this weekend. It may not be the height of summer yet, but things will be heating up at the Hollywood Bowl as Ben Platt and Rachel Zegler reunite for their concert performance of Broadway hit The Last Five Years. Plus, Licorice Pizza recommends Mercury Prize-winning London rapper Dave at the Palladium, St. Paul & the Broken Bones are at the Belasco, Calum Scott plays the Wiltern, and there’s a really cool First Fridays night at the Natural History Museum with dub legend Adrian Sherwood. Saturday has pop trio LANY at the Intuit Dome, Lamb of God slaughtering the YouTube Theater, SoundCloud rapper Rich Amiri at the Fonda, post-hardcore band Hail the Sun at the Wiltern, pop sensation Nessa Barrett at the Masonic Lodge, and another rising pop star, Alexander Stewart, at Chinatown’s cool new venue, Pacific Electric.
Explore more from LAist: Check out the latest L.A. chefs who are nominated for a James Beard award, or follow the space trail if you were inspired by the new Ryan Gosling film, Project Hail Mary.
April 3-5
O.C. Fair & Event Center
88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa
COST: FROM $16.78; MORE INFO
Experience sakura season without leaving the area at the O.C. Japan Fair, featuring 250 vendors, craftspeople, food booths, art activities and more, all celebrating Japanese culture. From sake tastings to sushi-making workshops to musical performances and kimono try-ons, the annual event is one of the largest Japanese cultural fairs in California.
April 3-4
Greenway Court Theatre
544 North Fairfax Ave., Mid-City
COST: FREE, MORE INFO
Check out readings of five new plays — all for free! — at the Play L.A. New Works Festival, put on by Stage Raw and the Greenway Arts Alliance, along with a number of L.A. indie theater powerhouses. This year’s plays are Stonewall’s Bouncer by Louisa Hill, produced by The Victory Theatre; At Olduvai Gorge by India Kotis, produced by The Odyssey Theatre Company; Ghost Play by Mathew Scott Montgomery, produced by InHouse Theatre; The Incident by Rachel Borders, produced by The Road Theatre Ensemble; and Three Dates by Erica Wachs, produced by IAMA Theatre Company. Go see one, or go see them all!
Saturday, April 4, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
21351 California 1, Huntington Beach
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Head to Huntington Beach for the cutest event of the year, the annual SoCal Corgi Beach Day. This year’s theme is "Tiki Beach Pawty," because of course it is. Honor Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite pets and spend the day at the beach with these short, stout, snuggly friends while they frolic and compete in events like — I am not making this up – Corgi Limbo.
Sunday, April 5, 12:00 p.m. to 4 p.m.
3100 E. Imperial Highway, Lynwood
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
You have your pick of Easter Bunny photo ops and egg hunts around town, and Plaza Mexico would be a great one with the family. Meet and take a picture with the Easter bunny, enjoy kids' arts & crafts, family activities, vendors and sweet treats.
Friday, April 3, 7:30 p.m.
John Adams Middle School (JAMS) Performing Arts Center
2425 16th St., Santa Monica
COST: $33; MORE INFO
Spend Friday night with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, whose new book, Stand, tells stories from his political life that aim to share "actionable insights" to help preserve democracy in these challenging times. The conversation with Writers Bloc will be hosted by Sean Bailey, the former head of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production for 14 years and the current CEO of the new multi-platform production company B5 Studios. The event is sold out, but there is a waitlist available.
Saturday, April 4, 11 a.m.
Ebell of Los Angeles
741 S. Lucerne Blvd., Mid-Wilshire
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Have coffee and doughnuts with the curators of the Ebell’s Women’s History Month exhibit, "A Woman’s Place: Framing the Future." You can catch the show before it closes and see work from women artists exploring new interpretations of womanhood, feminism and art.
Saturday, April 4, starting at 10:30 p.m.
Venice Breakwater
Ocean Front Walk, Venice
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
I have lived in Venice for more than 20 years and never actually seen a grunion, despite efforts, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun to see all your neighbors scouring the beach by moonlight on a Saturday night. The Venice Oceanarium folks always organize an educational tent with lessons on how these unique fish show up on our shores to reproduce, and maybe you’ll luck out and time it right this year.
Saturday, April 4, 7 p.m.
Broad Stage
1310 11th St., Santa Monica
COST: FROM $40; MORE INFO
L.A. native Mythili Prakash takes the Tamil dance form Bharatanatyam to new heights as a choreographer and performer. Her short dance film Mollika, commissioned by Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage in London, was nominated for a 2025 National Dance Award for Best Short Dance Film. She’s Auspicious, her latest production, "blurs the line between goddess and woman, exploring the dichotomy between celebration of the goddess versus the treatment of women in society." It was nominated for an Olivier Award in the category Best New Dance Performance in the U.K., and lucky for us, is on for one performance only at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.
Topline:
The California Public Employment Relations Board (has issued a formal complaint against California State University trustees over the system’s alleged refusal to give raises to trades workers. The complaint follows a statewide strike earlier this year, in which workers at every campus walked off the job.
Why it matters: Teamsters Local 2010 represents 1,100 plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs, locksmiths and other building maintenance staff who work across the CSU system. A formal complaint from the Public Employment Relations Board means the two parties must resolve the dispute in a formal hearing process.
The backstory: According to Teamsters Local 2010, union members won wage increases in 2024 “after nearly three decades of stagnation.” That year, the union was on the verge of striking alongside the system's faculty, but it reached a last-minute deal with the CSU. The union has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the system, arguing that the CSU refused to honor contractually obligated raises and step increases for its members.
What the CSU says: The CSU maintains that conditions described in its collective bargaining agreement with the union — which “tied certain salary increases to the receipt of new, unallocated, ongoing state budget funding” — were not met.
What’s next: In an emailed statement, spokesperson Amy Bentley-Smith said the CSU welcomes “the opportunity to present the facts of this case before an administrative law judge.” After the formal hearing, the state board will propose a resolution to the dispute.
Go deeper: Trades worker union says CSU backtracked on contract, authorizes strike
What to expect: A mostly sunny afternoon with temperatures sticking to the low to mid 70s for most of Southern California. Breezy conditions will pick up in the afternoon for some valleys and mountain communities.
Read on ... for more details.
The cool weather continues for one more day in Southern California. Later this evening, strong winds will kick in for some mountains and highway corridors ahead of a Santa Ana wind event slated for Friday.
Temperatures at the beaches are going to stick around the mid to upper 60s, and around 70 degrees more inland.
Coachella Valley, San Bernardino and Riverside County mountains will continue to see gusty winds until tonight.
At noon, the Antelope Valley will be under a wind advisory, with winds expected to reach 20 to 30 mph, and some gusts up to 50 mph. Wind advisories will also kick in for the 5 Freeway corridor, Ventura County mountains and the Santa Susana mountains, where gusts could reach 45 mph.
Topline:
One or two line overview of the story, should be sharp and to the point. If it's the only thing they read it should still give them good info.
{ERASE ME — some possible lead ins, please change/add/delete what makes sense for story}
Why it matters:
Why now:
The backstory:
What's next:
Go deeper: {if you have stories you want to link add them here}
A key agreement outlining what city services Los Angeles will provide for the 2028 Olympic Games and how the cash-strapped city will be reimbursed for its extra work is now six months late.
High-stakes talks over that agreement between the city and the private Olympics organizing committee LA28 have dragged far past an Oct. 1 deadline, sparking concern from city officials and observers that taxpayer dollars could be on the line.
City Controller Kenneth Mejia, who audits and scrutinizes city finances, called the delay "deeply troubling."
"The City needs a guarantee from LA28 that they will not go over budget and will pay for all of the additional security, sanitation, transportation, administrative, and any other costs associated with the Games," Mejia said in a statement to LAist. "The preparation and execution of these events should not come at any cost to Los Angeles taxpayers."
The 2028 Olympics are intended to be privately financed, and an existing city agreement with LA28 states that the Olympics organizers, not L.A., will pay for extra costs for public services in support of the Games – like policing and traffic control.
But the nuts and bolts of that arrangement have not been finalized, and if the agreement leaves L.A. exposed to unexpected or additional expenses, taxpayers could end up paying many millions.
Hosting the Games is already an enormous financial risk for Los Angeles. The city is the financial backstop for the Olympic Games, meaning if the organizing committee runs into the red, L.A. will pick up the bill, along with the state of California.
The extra staff and resources the city will dedicate to the Games represents another area where L.A. may end up with surprise costs.
Neither the city nor LA28 have shared publicly what's holding up the deal.
Past public meetings and comments indicate that the two sides may disagree over the scope of LA28's obligation to cover city expenses.
At a December city council meeting, the city administrative officer and council members discussed the boundaries of where LA28's responsibility for a service like traffic control ends and the city's responsibility begins.
The city's Chief Legislative Analyst Sharon Tso, who is leading negotiations with LA28 along with the City Administrative Officer, told LAist in an email Wednesday that the city is still discussing the terms for things like cost estimates, service levels, and timelines for repayment.
"We continue to work diligently with LA28 to finalize the agreement," Tso wrote. "I do not have an anticipated completion date at this time."
Jacie Prieto Lopez, Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for LA28, said in a statement provided to LAist that the organizing committee was working with city leadership to finalize the agreement.
"We remain engaged in good faith negotiations and look forward to our continued partnership with the City of Los Angeles," she said.
Once the agreement is completed, it will be submitted to the city council and mayor.
LA28 isn't the only entity expected to pay L.A. for Olympics-related costs. The city also is banking on money from the federal government, which has allocated $1 billion for security costs.
The city administrative officer told the council last year that city spending on security at the Olympic venues, like for local police, should be covered by those funds.
But exactly how much federal money the city of Los Angeles will actually get is yet to be determined. And it's possible that money could face delays – a problem World Cup host cities including Los Angeles encountered in the run-up to this summer's tournament.
