But thanks to botox, she doesn’t look a year over 200.
On September 4, 1781, Los Pobladores de Los Angeles (44 people in 11 Mexican families – including 22 children – who bravely walked all the way from Nueva España) set out to walk the nine mile trail from the San Gabriel Mission to the Los Angeles River. On that day, our city El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles was born. The 44-acre park we now refer to as Olvera Street protects our city’s original history including the first church, firehouse, theater, the 1818 Avila Adobe (the oldest existing house in the city) and the old plaza… literally, the area is the first heart of Los Angeles.
At 6am on Saturday September 5th, walkers will gather at the San Gabriel Mission and head west for nine miles to re-enact the Pobladores walk along Mission Road to El Pueblo Plaza (Olvera Street), where they will be greeted by birthday festivities. The Walk takes approximately three hours to complete. If you’re a lazy bum and feel like sleeping in, that’s okay. You aren’t the one turning two hundred and twenty eight, but whatever. From 6am to 6pm there will be a party goin’ on over at la Plaza Reina including artisan demonstrations, exhibits, food, entertainment and plenty of birthday cake… or pan dulce or something.
Oh, and in honor of her birthday, the Los Angeles Conservancy will be offering their Facebook fans a $10 membership discount (for new members only) through Monday, September 7. So befriend them on Facebook and help to save our local heritage.