Itinerary / M.L.K. Boulevard

One way to honor the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. is to visit theboulevard named for him in the Crenshaw District.

Friday Evening

Catch a movie at Magic Johnson Theaters. Open since 1995, this multiplex is the realization of the basketball star’s dream of bringing a first-run movie house to an area of the city he felt was being underserved. The theater is one of the nicest in L.A., has plenty of free parking and plays host to the Pan African Film Festival--the largest independent black film festival in the United States--scheduled for Feb. 6-16. Crenshaw Plaza Baldwin Hills, near the intersection of Crenshaw and Martin Luther King boulevards. (213) 290-5900.

Stop by Jack’s Chili Factory for a perfect bowl of meaty mess served up any way your heart desires: on a dog, burger, tamale, rice or in a bag of Fritos. 3630 S. Crenshaw Blvd. Open until 9:30 p.m. daily. (213) 296-2930.

Saturday

Have breakfast at the Boulevard Cafe, where, along with a taste for grits and biscuits, you had better bring a hearty appetite for politics. Owned by former Assemblyman Frank Holoman, the Boulevard Cafe acts as a town meeting hall of sorts for the African American community’s political insiders. 3710 W. Martin Luther King Blvd., No. 1, (213) 292-7900.

In addition to all the stores you’d expect in a mall--Macy’s, Sears, Robinsons-May and T.J. Maxxs’--Crenshaw Plaza Baldwin Hills has a few not-to-be-missed unique shops. An outgrowth of the annual African Marketplace that takes place every August in Rancho Cienega Park, the African Marketplace Boutique (open year-round) is chock-full of goodies: beaded bracelets and earrings, calendars, cookbooks, cards and clothing, posters and pottery from past festivals and an array of dolls depicting Africans in native garb. (213) 293-3277.

Nearby is the unusual Valley of the Kings, a combination art gallery and ancient Egyptian temple you have to see to believe. Owner Prentis Luster has assembled a collection of Egyptian artifacts that includes sarcophagi, canopic jars, jewelry and papyrus paintings--both originals and replicas. (213) 293-9800.

Tour the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, built in 1923 and the venue for the ’32 and ’84 Olympics. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays 10:30 a.m., noon and 1:30 p.m. $1-$4. (213) 765-6347. Off Martin Luther King Boulevard at Figueroa Street.

Grab a bite at M & M Mississippi Home Cooking where fried chicken, catfish and collard greens are served at fast-food prices. 3552 Martin Luther King Blvd. at Crenshaw, and three other area locations. (213) 299-1302.

Sunday

Led by the venerable Rev. Cecil B. Murray, the Los Angeles First African Methodist Episcopal Church at 2270 S. Harvard Blvd. is not only a spiritual center, but also a political and social force in the community. Sunday services at 8, 10 a.m. and noon. (213) 735-1251.

Spend the afternoon browsing the shops in nearby Leimert Park. Afrikan Color Scheme specializes in African clothing and fabrics and will make clothes to order. 4341 S. Degnan Blvd., (213) 298-8662.

Kongo Square Gallery and Gift Shop is a lovely spot that has updated gold and silver versions of traditional shell and bone African jewelry, cards and collectibles, vintage jazz albums, old and new books, posters and dolls. 4334 Degnan Blvd., (213) 291-6878.

Pick up dessert at Mr. Cobbler’s, where peach, blueberry and apple varieties are handmade. 3415 W. 43rd St. (213) 295-2059.

Long regarded as the authority on Jamaican cooking in L.A., Coley’s Kitchen still delights the taste buds with braised oxtails, curried goat, jerk chicken and plantains. Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily for dine-in and takeout. 4335 Crenshaw Blvd., (213) 290-4010.