Saris and Spices...My Day in Little India

Unofficially referred to as "Little India", Artesia California is a day trip worth visiting. Artesia is a colorful destination for shoppers and epicureans alike. Make sure you arrive with an appetite. 

The main drag, Pioneer Boulevard, is lined with restaurants, Indian shops, food markets, music stores, beauty parlors and sweet stops. Many shops sell a rainbow of saris, which is the traditional dress of Indian women. Everything is hand embroidered, beaded and gorgeous.    

When shopping, don't be afraid to haggle a little. It is both customary and expected. My favorite shop was Cottage Art on Pioneer Boulevard.

From floor to ceiling, Cottage Art is packed with gorgeous furniture, richly colored wall tapestries, fabrics, pillows and linens. All imported from India.

It was a wonderful shop and I didn't want to leave, but my family was hungry and dragged me out of there. Shopping at Cottage Art...to be continued. 

We asked several merchants, which was their favorite restaurant for lunch, and one place seemed to stand out, Ashoka the Great.

With an excellent lunch buffet, including vegetarian options, Ashoka the Great, was a crowd pleaser.

So many choices, such a small plate. Lunch was amazing and it made us all very happy. Surprisingly, we saved room for dessert and headed down Pioneer Boulevard for ice cream at Saffron Spot.

We cooled our palates with a scoop of chikoo (fruit flavored) and some malai kulfi (milk-based) frozen dessert.

We were in "Little India" for approximately 5 hours. It was a joyful, fun filled day. I escaped without spending too much money. I purchased a bracelet, necklace, Bollywood CD and some baked goods. However I plan to go back to my favorite store, Cottage Art, and do some more shopping!

I hope you visit and enjoy it as much as we did.