Last weekend was one of my favorite events of the year: the West Hollywood Book Fair. I scored two great reads, and sat around on the lawn of park, under a hot, hot sun.
There's finally been a break in the weather. It's no longer scorching, but it is still beautiful. Get out and enjoy it.
ALL WEEKEND
Culture Collide Festival
FILTER Magazine’s Culture Collide is a four-day international festival welcoming artists from 25 countries and counting, bringing their unique perspectives on music and culture to LA’s East Side for a musical melting pot of live performances, film screenings, and happy hours featuring food and drink from around the world. The festival will once again end with the Block Party, a free all-day event in Echo Park on Sunday, October 7th.
Wristbands $20
Thursday - Sunday
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
How to Love Los Angeles
Take the train to Union Station.
Yes, LA has a metro. Ride it, take note of its uncanny timeliness (trains arrive on schedule to-the-minute). Observe the diversity of the ridership. Check out the neighborhood-centric art at the stations. Walk around Union Station, gawk and its beauty, and realize that there is both history and architecture in LA.Bar-hop in Downtown LA.
Go to the dives like the Down and Out, Bar 107 and King Eddy's Saloon (John Fante drank there). Then, go to the swanky spots like Seven Grand, Varnish and The Edison.
Tip: Do this on a Wednesday or Thursday for maximum enjoyment, and minimum crowds.
Get a steak and a martini at Musso and Frank.
Musso and Frank is not only in the heart of old Hollywood, but also embodies the heart of Hollywood. It's been there forever, and so have its waiters. Charlie Chaplin was a regular.
Tip: Take the train, wander the area. Do not drive into Hollywood. Seriously, don't do it.
See a movie at The Vista.
Screw the Arclight. The Vista is king. It's an old-style movie theatre with a grand, gilded ceiling, red velvet curtains, and a gem of a manager.
Ride your bike from Santa Monica to Hermosa Beach and back.
You can rent bikes for $20/day at any of the major beaches. This activity will leave you dripping with gratitude for life and its wonders. I do not exaggerate. You'll see dolphins and surfers and the weirdos of Venice, and you'll feel like you're in paradise. Because you are.
How to Love Los Angeles will be a monthly post. I'll list five different things to do every month. Do these things and you're guaranteed to uncover LA's unique charm, and fall irreversibly in love with this city. No looking back.
This list was for beginners - those new to LA, or those only here for a day or two. I'll get into things like art, culture, theatre and entertainment in later lists.
Friday, September 28, 2012
The City Prolific: Weekend Events Sep 28 - 30
This weekend is about art. Art art art. As was last weekend. Did you see The Clock? Incredible.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 28
Free
1 - 9pm
YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles
401 S Hope St
Los Angeles 90071
“The Wizard of Oz” Presented by Front Porch Cinema
The Santa Monica Pier is LA's front porch. Front Porch Cinema, co-produced by Eat|See|Hear, LA’s premier outdoor movie event series, will feature an eclectic line-up of movies, pre-show DJ, interactive booths, refreshing drinks and delicious snacks under the stars, complimented by a cool, ocean breeze. The series kicks off tonight with the 75th anniversary celebration of “The Wizard of OZ.” Moviegoers are encouraged to walk the yellow brick road and dress as their favorite character.
Free
6 -11pm
Santa Monica Pier
100 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica 90401
Friday, September 21, 2012
The City Prolific: Weekend Events Sept 21 - 23
Autumn ought to be the time of Pumpkin Spice Lattes and knitted scarves. But no, not so in LA. It's hot. Iced coffee hot.
There's SO MUCH happening this weekend, all crammed into Friday and Saturday. Get out!
FRIDAY, SEPT. 21
NewFilmMakers September Screening
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles holds its September screening tonight of a dozen new short films at Sunset Gower Studios. There are pre- and post-receptions for each program, a filmmakers’ lounge, and audience Q&A sessions. It's a fun way to see the studio campus, and support and network with new filmmakers.
$6
Three programs: 6:30 pm, 8:00 pm and the third at 9:30 pm
Sunset Gower Studios
1438 N. Gower St. Box 83
Hollywood CA 90028
Chocolate and Art Show Experience
This art experience is currently one of the largest underground art shows in the Los Angeles area! Free chocolate fondue, live music, art, nude body painting, and more. KGB Studio is an ever-evolving creative space, a hidden gem located east of Chinatown. The Crispy Food Truck will be on hand.
$10
7pm
*free parking 7pm-2am,
KGB Gallery
1640 North Spring Street
Los Angeles 90012 – be sure to use this zip code so you don’t get lost!
There's SO MUCH happening this weekend, all crammed into Friday and Saturday. Get out!
FRIDAY, SEPT. 21
NewFilmMakers September Screening
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles holds its September screening tonight of a dozen new short films at Sunset Gower Studios. There are pre- and post-receptions for each program, a filmmakers’ lounge, and audience Q&A sessions. It's a fun way to see the studio campus, and support and network with new filmmakers.
$6
Three programs: 6:30 pm, 8:00 pm and the third at 9:30 pm
Sunset Gower Studios
1438 N. Gower St. Box 83
Hollywood CA 90028
Chocolate and Art Show Experience
$10
7pm
*free parking 7pm-2am,
KGB Gallery
1640 North Spring Street
Los Angeles 90012 – be sure to use this zip code so you don’t get lost!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Busy in Paradise
I've registered for the Malibu International Half Marathon. Look at this course.
Beautiful.
I imagine that the running will be a breeze alongside the paradisical views of the PCH. And then I remember that I currently struggle to run more than four miles straight through. My last half marathon was nearly a year ago. And these days, balancing writing, acting, and work, I'm finding that I have no time to run. Truly, no time. Unless, of course, I were to utilize the early mornings. I've set my alarm for 6:15 am every morning this week, and every morning I've slammed my zombie paw on the ringing button, shutting it down.
I've been doing a lot of walking, though. That counts for training, right?
Friday, September 14, 2012
The City Obscure: Weekend Events Sept. 14 - 16
Last weekend one was one of working followed by winding down. One of my favorite places in the world to wind down is Canter's Deli. If you eat in the dining room, you can order cocktails from the bar in the Kibbitz Room. How much will a classic Manhattan with a side car run you? Six dollars. Yes, you can still get a cheap drink in LA.
This weekend's events consist primarily of, once again, outdoor screenings. Perfect, since it's hot as hell outside!
FRIDAY, SEPT. 14
Rod Serling: Other Dimensions
UCLA’s Film and Television Archive continues the Rod Serling: Other Dimensions series with a double feature tonight at 7:30 pm. In addition to creating The Twilight Zone (can you imagine a world without it?), Serling also amassed an impressive list of other credits, including screenwriter for The Yellow Canary (1963), a mystery starring Barbara Eden and Pat Boone as a n’er do well singing idol who must man up when his son is kidnapped. The screening will be followed by Assault on a Queen (1966), a caper movie with Frank Sinatra. Pat Boone will appear in person at tonight’s screening! Hollywood royalty! Man, LA is so great.
$10
Billy Wilder Theater
Courtyard Level, Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Boulevard (intersection of Wilshire and Westwood Boulevards)
Los Angeles, CA 90024
This weekend's events consist primarily of, once again, outdoor screenings. Perfect, since it's hot as hell outside!
FRIDAY, SEPT. 14
Rod Serling: Other Dimensions
UCLA’s Film and Television Archive continues the Rod Serling: Other Dimensions series with a double feature tonight at 7:30 pm. In addition to creating The Twilight Zone (can you imagine a world without it?), Serling also amassed an impressive list of other credits, including screenwriter for The Yellow Canary (1963), a mystery starring Barbara Eden and Pat Boone as a n’er do well singing idol who must man up when his son is kidnapped. The screening will be followed by Assault on a Queen (1966), a caper movie with Frank Sinatra. Pat Boone will appear in person at tonight’s screening! Hollywood royalty! Man, LA is so great.
$10
Billy Wilder Theater
Courtyard Level, Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Boulevard (intersection of Wilshire and Westwood Boulevards)
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Friday, September 7, 2012
The City Prolific: Weekend Events Sept 7 - 9
Summer might be winding down, but thank goodness the outdoor screenings aren't!
FRIDAY SEPT 7
First Friday on Abbot Kinney
Clothing stores, galleries and restaurants stay open late on this lovely stretch of Venice. Lots of live music, plenty of food trucks. Hardly any parking.
Primitivo will feature a happy hour with $5 wines and $4 sangria, from 4-7pm and 10-11pm
Free
6-10pm
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice, CA 90291
SATURDAY, SEPT 8
Swimming with Sharks Closing Party
Boo. I'm sad this is ending, because I didn't get to go to one this year, and I can't go to this one. But you should! Splash in the rooftop pool, swallow a few free jello shots. KCRW DJ's Mario Cotto, Mathieu Schreyer and Travis Holcombe spin. Bring waterguns and your A-game. Get there early!
Free for first 100 with RSVP
1pm to Sundown
The Standard Downtown
550 South Flower at 6th Street
FRIDAY SEPT 7
First Friday on Abbot Kinney
Clothing stores, galleries and restaurants stay open late on this lovely stretch of Venice. Lots of live music, plenty of food trucks. Hardly any parking.
Primitivo will feature a happy hour with $5 wines and $4 sangria, from 4-7pm and 10-11pm
Free
6-10pm
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice, CA 90291
SATURDAY, SEPT 8
Swimming with Sharks Closing Party
Boo. I'm sad this is ending, because I didn't get to go to one this year, and I can't go to this one. But you should! Splash in the rooftop pool, swallow a few free jello shots. KCRW DJ's Mario Cotto, Mathieu Schreyer and Travis Holcombe spin. Bring waterguns and your A-game. Get there early!
Free for first 100 with RSVP
1pm to Sundown
The Standard Downtown
550 South Flower at 6th Street
Friday, August 31, 2012
The City Prolific: Weekend Events Aug 31 - Sep 2
Labor Day weekend in many cities is often pretty quiet, as everyone hits the road. Not so in LA. There is tons to do. This list is just a smattering.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
LA is drawing a blank tonight. Nothing going on. Am I wrong? Did I miss something? Submit your event here.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
FYF Pre-Party Party
It's FYF Weekend, but if you want to avoid the ticket cost, just go to the free events. I mean, I love seeing bands and I love festivals, but I don't love the price tag. No need to miss the party, though. Join DJs Lexinterior and Funzo Verated for music and cheap drinks at Footsies in Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park.
Free
Happy Hour Prices from 1pm - 8pm
$2 PBRS, $3 Wells, $3 Domestics
$5 Marys and Margs
DJ Funzo Verated [Sharif Dumani] will be spinning party tunes from 3-6
DJ Lexinterior [KOOLRANCH]will be spinning ragers from 6-9
Footsies
2640 N. Figuerroa
Los Angeles
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
LA is drawing a blank tonight. Nothing going on. Am I wrong? Did I miss something? Submit your event here.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
FYF Pre-Party Party
It's FYF Weekend, but if you want to avoid the ticket cost, just go to the free events. I mean, I love seeing bands and I love festivals, but I don't love the price tag. No need to miss the party, though. Join DJs Lexinterior and Funzo Verated for music and cheap drinks at Footsies in Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park.
Free
Happy Hour Prices from 1pm - 8pm
$2 PBRS, $3 Wells, $3 Domestics
$5 Marys and Margs
DJ Funzo Verated [Sharif Dumani] will be spinning party tunes from 3-6
DJ Lexinterior [KOOLRANCH]will be spinning ragers from 6-9
Footsies
2640 N. Figuerroa
Los Angeles
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Mapping a Life in LA
It's a vastly different life, this one, and I've lived a lot of them. Possessing, as I do, a devotion to creativity, as well as a pre-occupation with steady paychecks, I've traversed a lot of ground, mapped many routes.
My legs are sore from all the walking, both literally and figuratively speaking. I'd like to think that the miles I've walked in life, observing cities from the inside out, have helped form my physical and mental shape. I'm not speaking about fitness, but about being, about the shape I embody in actual space. So, there are the aggregate miles. But there's also now. In the last three days, I've shed the cocoon of my car, and have put my feet to pavement. See, the thing is, I've gone back to school. I'm getting a master's degree in writing at USC, and, conveniently enough, the Expo Line has been up and running since spring. When I was acting in USC student films a few years ago, the Expo line did not yet exist, and getting down there was a pain. Now, it's a real breeze, filtering between buildings, through tunnels, down avenues.
Hence, the new map of my existence: walk 1.7 miles to work, walk 0.7 miles to the train, commute to school, commute back to Hollywood, walk 0.5 miles home.
There are auditions and things that will break up this experience a bit, and require me to, once again, shut myself in a car, but, for the time being, I'm feeling the soreness in my legs as proof of my dedication to this city.
My legs are sore from all the walking, both literally and figuratively speaking. I'd like to think that the miles I've walked in life, observing cities from the inside out, have helped form my physical and mental shape. I'm not speaking about fitness, but about being, about the shape I embody in actual space. So, there are the aggregate miles. But there's also now. In the last three days, I've shed the cocoon of my car, and have put my feet to pavement. See, the thing is, I've gone back to school. I'm getting a master's degree in writing at USC, and, conveniently enough, the Expo Line has been up and running since spring. When I was acting in USC student films a few years ago, the Expo line did not yet exist, and getting down there was a pain. Now, it's a real breeze, filtering between buildings, through tunnels, down avenues.
Hence, the new map of my existence: walk 1.7 miles to work, walk 0.7 miles to the train, commute to school, commute back to Hollywood, walk 0.5 miles home.
There are auditions and things that will break up this experience a bit, and require me to, once again, shut myself in a car, but, for the time being, I'm feeling the soreness in my legs as proof of my dedication to this city.
Friday, August 24, 2012
The City Prolific: Weekend Events August 24 - 26
I didn't post for the last two weeks because I was away. Far away. In the High Uintas, the only East-West mountain range in the lower 48 states. I spent six days living in a tent, alongside a creek that provided a far more soothing nighttime soundtrack than the Hollywood traffic to which I usually fall asleep.
Back now in LA, I'm once again amazed at all there is to do. The list below is just a drop in the bucket of free or cheap events this weekend. I've chosen the ones that seemed the most fun.
ALL WEEKEND
FIESTA LA BALLONA
A celebration of Los Angeles's rich history, "Fiesta La Ballona Days" offers live music, food and festivities in the heart of culver city. From the website: Fiesta La Ballona Days" began in 1951 as a week-long celebration of the region's early settlers. People went to events and even to work dressed up as Native American Indians, rancheros, señoritas, cowboys and cowgirls. The early fiestas evoked pride among the descendants of the "first families" and offered the entire community a playful opportunity to connect with its history. In 1985, the fiesta was reinvented as a "Festival of the People" and the one-day event took on an international flavor. Five or six years later it became a weekend fair in May. In 2003, the Fiesta was once again revived by offering events during the entire week with a culminating festival in Veteran's Park. In 2004 amusement rides were added to attract families to the event. In 2005 the Culver City Lion's Club opened the first Beer and Wine Garden. The Fiesta La Ballona continues to be a celebration of the past, present and future of Culver City showcasing both its warmth and its sophistication. It continues to offer people a place for food and fun and sharing.
Free Friday-Sunday
Veteran’s Park
4117 Overland Ave
Culver City
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24
Echo Park Rising
Just as yellow is the new black, Echo Park Rising is the new Sunset Junction Festival. Revel among live music, great shopping and eating deals on Sunset Blvd, Echo Park Ave, and Alvarado. Over 60 bands, performers, comedians, and DJ’s will perform along the streets of Echo park, with the main stage setup on the parking lot of TAIX French Restaurant, a movie screening of a classic horror film on the roof of the citibank building, and a fair of sorts solely dedicated to those who press and print their own zines, books, albums, t-shirts, etc that will take over the entire Echoplex.
Back now in LA, I'm once again amazed at all there is to do. The list below is just a drop in the bucket of free or cheap events this weekend. I've chosen the ones that seemed the most fun.
ALL WEEKEND
FIESTA LA BALLONA
A celebration of Los Angeles's rich history, "Fiesta La Ballona Days" offers live music, food and festivities in the heart of culver city. From the website: Fiesta La Ballona Days" began in 1951 as a week-long celebration of the region's early settlers. People went to events and even to work dressed up as Native American Indians, rancheros, señoritas, cowboys and cowgirls. The early fiestas evoked pride among the descendants of the "first families" and offered the entire community a playful opportunity to connect with its history. In 1985, the fiesta was reinvented as a "Festival of the People" and the one-day event took on an international flavor. Five or six years later it became a weekend fair in May. In 2003, the Fiesta was once again revived by offering events during the entire week with a culminating festival in Veteran's Park. In 2004 amusement rides were added to attract families to the event. In 2005 the Culver City Lion's Club opened the first Beer and Wine Garden. The Fiesta La Ballona continues to be a celebration of the past, present and future of Culver City showcasing both its warmth and its sophistication. It continues to offer people a place for food and fun and sharing.
Free Friday-Sunday
Veteran’s Park
4117 Overland Ave
Culver City
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24
Echo Park Rising
Just as yellow is the new black, Echo Park Rising is the new Sunset Junction Festival. Revel among live music, great shopping and eating deals on Sunset Blvd, Echo Park Ave, and Alvarado. Over 60 bands, performers, comedians, and DJ’s will perform along the streets of Echo park, with the main stage setup on the parking lot of TAIX French Restaurant, a movie screening of a classic horror film on the roof of the citibank building, and a fair of sorts solely dedicated to those who press and print their own zines, books, albums, t-shirts, etc that will take over the entire Echoplex.
Friday, August 10, 2012
The City Prolific: Weekend Events August 10 - 12
Raphael Saadiq took the stage at KCRW's Who Shot Rock Summer Series last Saturday night. It was an evening spent drinking wine in the plaza behind CAA, people-watching the very KCRWesque crowd, and strolling the incredible Who Shot Rock and Roll exhibit at the Annenberg Space for Photography. Then, Mr. Saadiq took the stage, and blew everyone away. He was really something.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 10
H+ The Digital Series Screening at USC School of Cinematic Arts
One of my dear friends, and master acting coach, Marjo-Riikka Makela appears in this Bryan Singer-produced apocalyptic web series. USC offers a free screening open to the public, followed by a Q&A with Stewart Hendler, Jason Taylor and John Cabrera.
H+: The Digital Series takes viewers on a journey into an apocalyptic future where technology has begun to spiral out of control.... a future where 33% of the world’s population has retired its cell phones and laptops in favor of a stunning new device – an implanted computer system called H+. This tiny tool allows the user's own mind and nervous system to be connected to the Internet 24 hours a day.
But something else is coming... something dark and vicious... and within seconds, billions of people will be dead... opening the door to radical changes in the political and social landscape of the planet -- prompting survivors to make sense of what went wrong.
Free
7:00 P.M.
The Ray Stark Family Theatre
SCA 108, 900 W. 34th Street
Los Angeles, CA
FRIDAY, AUGUST 10
H+ The Digital Series Screening at USC School of Cinematic Arts
One of my dear friends, and master acting coach, Marjo-Riikka Makela appears in this Bryan Singer-produced apocalyptic web series. USC offers a free screening open to the public, followed by a Q&A with Stewart Hendler, Jason Taylor and John Cabrera.
H+: The Digital Series takes viewers on a journey into an apocalyptic future where technology has begun to spiral out of control.... a future where 33% of the world’s population has retired its cell phones and laptops in favor of a stunning new device – an implanted computer system called H+. This tiny tool allows the user's own mind and nervous system to be connected to the Internet 24 hours a day.
But something else is coming... something dark and vicious... and within seconds, billions of people will be dead... opening the door to radical changes in the political and social landscape of the planet -- prompting survivors to make sense of what went wrong.
Free
7:00 P.M.
The Ray Stark Family Theatre
SCA 108, 900 W. 34th Street
Los Angeles, CA
Friday, August 3, 2012
The City Prolific: Weekend Events August 2 - 4
Sand, sun, and stars: I saw a lot of each last weekend. Went to the Nick Waterhouse show at the Getty, and spent a good portion of the time looking up. The sky is so big over those Santa Monica hills. I also got a lot of sun. Went to Huntington Beach with my SoCal cousins, and played in the sand with the littlest one, as seen below.
It's August now, my favorite month. Its days cast a wash of deep yellow, my favorite color, 3:00pm yellow, hottest time of the day yellow. Again this weekend, everyone in LA is outside, absorbing the late summer sun at screenings and festivals.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 3
First Friday At The Refine House (Art Show)
Refine Mixers is hosting a specialty “First Friday” where they will serve complimentary Refine specialty low-calorie cocktails for guests to enjoy while mingling amongst the artwork of Renowned artists Louie Ferrigno Jr. and Kelcey Fisher.
Free
8-10:30pm
Refine Mixers House
619 San Juan Ave
Los Angeles 90291
Oscars Outdoors Presents "North by Northwest"
Oscars Outdoors is a summer screening series at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science’s new open-air theater, located on the Academy Hollywood campus. The series features a permanent 40’ x 20’ screen, a 10,000 square-foot plaza, and lawn seating (blanket or low chair). Food trucks are curated by Roaming Hunger and tailored to the movie showing whenever possible.
For sold out films, a standby line will form on the day of the event, and standby numbers will be distributed at 6pm; available tickets will be sold at approximately 7:45pm (grab happy hour at Wolfslair Biergarten while you wait). Ticketholders should plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the event to ensure a seat at the venue.
$3-5
Gates open at 6:30pm, screenings begin at sunset.
Oscars Outdoors
1313 Vine St
Los Angeles 90028
www.oscars.org
It's August now, my favorite month. Its days cast a wash of deep yellow, my favorite color, 3:00pm yellow, hottest time of the day yellow. Again this weekend, everyone in LA is outside, absorbing the late summer sun at screenings and festivals.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 3
First Friday At The Refine House (Art Show)
Refine Mixers is hosting a specialty “First Friday” where they will serve complimentary Refine specialty low-calorie cocktails for guests to enjoy while mingling amongst the artwork of Renowned artists Louie Ferrigno Jr. and Kelcey Fisher.
Free
8-10:30pm
Refine Mixers House
619 San Juan Ave
Los Angeles 90291
Oscars Outdoors Presents "North by Northwest"
Oscars Outdoors is a summer screening series at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science’s new open-air theater, located on the Academy Hollywood campus. The series features a permanent 40’ x 20’ screen, a 10,000 square-foot plaza, and lawn seating (blanket or low chair). Food trucks are curated by Roaming Hunger and tailored to the movie showing whenever possible.
For sold out films, a standby line will form on the day of the event, and standby numbers will be distributed at 6pm; available tickets will be sold at approximately 7:45pm (grab happy hour at Wolfslair Biergarten while you wait). Ticketholders should plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the event to ensure a seat at the venue.
$3-5
Gates open at 6:30pm, screenings begin at sunset.
Oscars Outdoors
1313 Vine St
Los Angeles 90028
www.oscars.org
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
The Exercise of Meandering
I wrote about walking recently, and it's been on my mind a lot. On my mind, because it isn't in my life as much as is necessary to not think about it.
Some years ago, I would alter my after-work journey home with the errands I wanted to run. I'd zing down the 6 to hit up The Strand Book Store, and then wile away the last hour of dusk in Union Square Park or window shop along 5th Avenue before hopping on the L train home. I'd walk over to Central Park to pick up a new read at the used book stand on Central Park South, and then take the F to 42nd Street and wander over to Grand Central Market to pick up a little gourmet something for dinner. Or I'd take the F to West 4th and grab a cocktail at Do Hwa and then indulge in a cupcake at Magnolia ($1.25 at the time seemed extravagant), before moseying around the West Village until I was ready to go home.
I guess it's both walking and public transit I'm talking about: the foot-to-ground, visceral connection to a city, literally mapping your community with the soles of your feet, public transit serving as a means to speed up the journey while keeping you contained in an area only as big as yourself (you get in a car and you're twenty times your regular size, requiring a lot more space and energy).
I got tired of being underground so much, though, especially when I lived in Brooklyn. In Manhattan, I could walk or bike everywhere, the train simply being the quicker option. In Brooklyn, the train was my only option (I'm not a gung-ho bicyclist, and was never prone to riding over bridges, nor was I near enough any of the bridges for this to be an efficient mode of transit).
In LA, I am above ground, and I see a lot of sunlight and trees, which is an improvement over the dripping concrete ceilings and rusted pipes of NYC subway stations. However, I'm always just where I am, or going there, usually in my car. I'm never meandering. Oh, to meander. I miss it so. I regularly attempt it, often spending my lunch breaks wandering around the Hollywood and Vine area. It's a fascinating stroll of opposites - urban and suburban, industrial and corporate - but it has no parks. Nowhere to sit, reflect, absorb. When I get back to my office, my legs are very tired, my shoulders browned by the sun, my forehead flecked with sweat.
Walking in LA. It's an exercise, in more ways than one.
Some years ago, I would alter my after-work journey home with the errands I wanted to run. I'd zing down the 6 to hit up The Strand Book Store, and then wile away the last hour of dusk in Union Square Park or window shop along 5th Avenue before hopping on the L train home. I'd walk over to Central Park to pick up a new read at the used book stand on Central Park South, and then take the F to 42nd Street and wander over to Grand Central Market to pick up a little gourmet something for dinner. Or I'd take the F to West 4th and grab a cocktail at Do Hwa and then indulge in a cupcake at Magnolia ($1.25 at the time seemed extravagant), before moseying around the West Village until I was ready to go home.
I guess it's both walking and public transit I'm talking about: the foot-to-ground, visceral connection to a city, literally mapping your community with the soles of your feet, public transit serving as a means to speed up the journey while keeping you contained in an area only as big as yourself (you get in a car and you're twenty times your regular size, requiring a lot more space and energy).
I got tired of being underground so much, though, especially when I lived in Brooklyn. In Manhattan, I could walk or bike everywhere, the train simply being the quicker option. In Brooklyn, the train was my only option (I'm not a gung-ho bicyclist, and was never prone to riding over bridges, nor was I near enough any of the bridges for this to be an efficient mode of transit).
In LA, I am above ground, and I see a lot of sunlight and trees, which is an improvement over the dripping concrete ceilings and rusted pipes of NYC subway stations. However, I'm always just where I am, or going there, usually in my car. I'm never meandering. Oh, to meander. I miss it so. I regularly attempt it, often spending my lunch breaks wandering around the Hollywood and Vine area. It's a fascinating stroll of opposites - urban and suburban, industrial and corporate - but it has no parks. Nowhere to sit, reflect, absorb. When I get back to my office, my legs are very tired, my shoulders browned by the sun, my forehead flecked with sweat.
Walking in LA. It's an exercise, in more ways than one.
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