Since I was a teen in Brazil I’ve been fascinated with downtown Los Angeles, from John Fante’s Ask the Dust to Charles Bukowski autobiographical stories of boozing and bar fights. I thought I had explored everything above ground, until we did the Underground LA Tour with Cindy of Cartwheel Art Tours, who did not just take us to underground speakeasies and prohibition era tunnels and hide outs, but to above ground haunted hotels and the most powerful spiritual experience I ever had in LA: Indian Alley. Stories that might make your spine shiver, hook ups with some of downtown’s characters: artists, curators, bar owners. Lots of fun and delicious foods at DTLA staples like Nickel Diner and Clifton’s Republic. Also a unique tour thru the Last Bookstore – all culminating at a sage cleansing to get rid of any bad vibes we might had caught visiting famous murder scenes.  With the lovely company of Cindy, who more than a guide, became a friend and part of the group, we felt less like tourists visiting and more like members of the downtown scene. We had donuts at Nickel Diner, and a drink at King Eddy’, Bukowski’s daily bar (inspired the movie Barfly), where Fante, Hemingway, Duchamp, Warhol, Kerouac and others famous writers and artists would drink and hang out. There was a historic speakeasy that was part of yesterday’s glamorous Bunker Hill as well as downtown hotels that we explored. The whole tour was tailored to our group’s interests. The history behind Indian Alley, with a private tour by its curator, was my favorite: the street art on the walls spoke directly to us. Jews and Hawaiians moved forward facing their past, because if you don’t know where you come from, you don’t know where you are going. As an adopted Angelino, Cindy’s tour connected me with the LA underground roots and above ground beauty in the form of street art.