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Meet

founder

I’ve been curating Neighborhood Guide long before I bought the domain. Hunting for hidden local gems has always been my thing. I could never find an online travel guide that wasn’t too touristy or too trendy - I just wanted something simple with a diverse mix of places from a local’s perspective. So I decided to start building it myself.

I know what you’re probably thinking, “Why should I trust this random girl on the internet?” Honestly, i’d be thinking the same thing! So here’s a little backstory on how I got so good at finding local gems.

My grandparents immigrated to Salinas, California from Mexico in 1960 - opening up a humble little Mexican market named El Charrito Market. It had three tiny aisles full of Mexican pantry staples, worn out green linoleum tiles, and one long hot deli case serving my grandmother’s secret recipes.

I’ll be honest, for decades, the outside didn’t look all that nice, but we still had a line out the door during the lunch rush. It quickly became, and still is, a Monterey County award winning staple.

Once I moved away, I found myself longing for the same comfort food in places I called home: San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Tokyo. Once friends started asking for recommendations, I knew I couldn’t just text back a list of my favorite places - I had to put them on the internet for the world to see too.

Whether you’re planning a trip or not, I hope these city guides can inspire you to support a small business.

Thank you for your support!

Jeanette, Founder & Photographer.

Read more about El Charrito Market in SF Eater.