The Famous Farmers Market Ava Gardner Loved To Shop At Is Still Around

When you visit Los Angeles, California, it's hard to imagine the bustling metropolis and entertainment epicenter was once thousands of acres dedicated to farming and agriculture. But even among the sprawling urban jungle, there are symbols of days gone by. For example, the Original Farmers Market that sits on the corner of 3rd Street and Fairfax in West Hollywood was built on a former dairy ranch, which then became an oil field. Once the land was transformed into a farmer's market, though, it became so popular that Hollywood icons like Ava Gardner even made shopping trips there.

On the Farmers Market website, a photo of Garnder is showcased trying on a hat at The Dell, a section of the market that no longer exists but once housed a collection of shops. She wasn't the only luminary that made their way to the Farmers Market; Shirley Temple (whose namesake drink can be improved with booze) stopped by for a fundraiser, Marilyn Monroe appeared for the grand opening of a cheesecake vendor, The Beatles visited Magee's House of Nuts, the first non-farmer vendor at the market, and, when he wasn't waiting for a table at Romanoff's in Beverly Hills, Frank Sinatra visited for pizza.

But before the stars showed up, the Original Farmers Market began in 1934, when about a dozen farmers arrived on the developed land plot to sell their goods. Months later, the stalls and stands were occupied by more farmers, merchants, restaurants, and craftspeople. More and more Angelenos shopped for groceries at the market, and it very quickly became a major tourist attraction and remains so today.

The Farmers Market is now home to over 100 specialty shops, restaurants, food stands, and grocery stores and is still a popular spot for celebrity sightings. On a visit years ago, I was having lunch at The French Crepes stall when Maggie Grace from the movie "Taken" sat down with a friend across from me. Throngs of tourists visit the market every day to eat, shop, and just check out the historical landmark. In the summer months, it hosts live music on Thursday evenings, and in the autumn, there is a Fall Festival, which has been a tradition ever since 1934.

It might sound like the Original Farmers Market has been overtaken by tourism and trendy eats, but it is still very much a place to purchase some of the best ingredients Southern California has to offer. There are fruit and vegetable stands with gorgeous, seasonal, local produce; beef, poultry, and pork butchers; seafood markets selling fresh catches from the nearby Pacific Ocean; and bakeries serving up artisan loaves and pastries.

When you can stock up on groceries for the week and then grab a snack from one of the food vendors that have been part of the market for decades (like Littlejohn's English Toffee House, which became available there in 1946), plus catch a glimpse of a star, it makes for a great day in L.A.