St. Vincent Court (Los Angeles, California)

 alley, interesting place

Nestled inside the St. Vincent Jewelry Center, it is a European-inspired alleyway filled with French, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern restaurants. This was the site of Saint Vincent's College from 1868 to 1887, which was the first Catholic University in the city. In 1907, the university was replaced by Bullock's department store until its closing in 1983. St. Vincent Court (formerly St. Vincent Place) was renovated in 1956 by Bullock's and the city beautification committee. Plants, flowers, ornamental lamps, colorful awnings, and new businesses were brought in the alley. In the early 1960's, Ambrose Pasquini opened the alley's first establishment, Pasquini's Espresso Bar, when Bullock's invited the him to join the social and retail scene. The bar remained until Bullock's department store closed in 1983, it is now located 1501 West Olympic Boulevard. Everything has changed on February 5, 2013, when the restaurant and other business owners in St. Vincent Court were forced by the Bureau of Street Services to remove their outdoor tables within 24 hours. As a result, this historical landmark has become a ghost town and some restaurants have laid off employees or even closed down. This is the modern-day speakeasy.

The episode Orange Blossom Ice Cream from the TV series The Mentalist was filmed here. It was the scene for the alley in Beirut, Lebanon, where Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) and Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney) went undercover in order to capture a terrorist.

www.kcet.org/living/food/the-nosh/st-vincent-court-los-...
articles.latimes.com/2013/apr/07/local/la-me-st-vincent...
www.notfortourists.com/LD.aspx/Los-Angeles/Restaurants/...
www.ladowntownnews.com/news/city-cracks-down-on-st-vinc...
www.ladowntownnews.com/news/as-st-vincent-court-fight-e...
la.curbed.com/tags/st-vincent-court
www.iamnotastalker.com/2015/01/28/st-vincent-court-from...
militantangeleno.blogspot.com/2008/01/st-vincent-court-...
xplorela.com/2013/07/22/saint-vincent-court/
theminty.com/2011/05/02/dtla-st-vincents-court/
www.forloveofexploration.com/2011/02/03/discoveries-in-...
www.laobserved.com/archive/2003/08/new_look_for_st.php
gprimm.blogspot.com/2012/06/st-vincent-court-pizza-gyro...
hostesshandbook.com/2012/03/st-vincent-court-downtown-l...
blogging.la/2006/11/19/st-vincents-court-in-downtown-la...
www.ten57mag.com/2013/10/31/an-adventure-in-downtown-la...
frogparade.com/2009/07/downtown-part-iv-st-vincent-cour...
departmentstoremuseum.blogspot.com/2010/05/bullocks.htm...
www.grubstreet.com/2013/02/st-vincent-court-cleared-out...
www.grubstreet.com/2013/04/st-vincents-court-outdoor-di...
laskinc.blog89.fc2.com/blog-entry-14.html
www.downtownla.com/0_01_eventDetail.asp?EventID=2276
vickylalife.blogspot.com/2014/05/la-st-vincent-court.ht...

Foursquare
foursquare.com/v/st-vincent-court/4b4e533af964a52078e92...

Watch on YouTube

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyo6gUP2E8g

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlDteWzMafA

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqnxSARZqjk

Vimeo
vimeo.com/19480557

California State Landmark #567