What’s your name, and which food tour do you lead?
Hiya, I’m Tracy Lawrence, and I lead the Financial District Tours in beautiful Downtown LA!
Of the five tastes, which are you?
Sweet for sure — I would eat cupcakes all day if they were nutritionally sound.
Let’s say you’re on death row…what would be your last meal?
The Thai fried pepper & garlic tofu and dessert would be a peanut butter pizookie topped with cookies n’ cream ice cream. Ooo, and maybe a glass of Spanish sparking wine…might as well go out in style.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
A spoonful of pure, delectable, nutty peanut butter. More pleasure than guilt.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
Durian - A Southeast Asian fruit that smells of corpse and is specifically banned from public transit. Having it as a straight up fruit was tough, so I’ve started light and had it in sweet rolls and custards. I’m working my way to finally reaching its mushy heart.
What’s a food that you will never eat again?
Insect of any kind. I had some intensely salty shelled, spiny animal in South Korea and I still shiver thinking of the taste.
What’s your favorite LA restaurant?
Palms Thai in Hollywood, mostly because it was a consistent hangout during my high school years. Now Thai Elvis keeps me coming back for more…
Outside of doing food tours, what do you do?
I’m finishing up my final year as an undergrad business student at USC, and then eating my way through Downtown as I start up an online dining guide. Who knew that outside of being a chef, you could be a professional foodie?
What’s the best thing about being a Six Taste tour guide?
Showing others an insider’s view of a part of LA that gets a bad rep. Downtown is the underdog, and I’m here to prove it’s more than a meeting of freeways. The hidden cafes and converted venues like the bank vault at the Crocker Club or factory at the Edison speak volumes about the rising culture that is unique to Downtown LA.
