Chapter 7 The New Global Chinatowns: From Ramshackle to Luxurious Enclaves

California, February 2015

“Welcome to Arcadia,” Jimmy Zhang beamed as he opened up the door to his Mercedes S600. Behind him, the San Gabriel Mountains towered regally. We had just arrived in Los Angeles the night before. Traveling through the United States during the Chinese New Year holidays, visiting with family and friends, had become an annual tradition. We had come to America for the past several years to scout out potential real estate investments. A few years prior, we had visited Maui, another year Boston.

While none of us had yet bought anything, we were coming close in part, with the hope that our kids would eventually attend boarding schools like St. Paul’s ...

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