wheeling to share

Cheers to festive fourth!

2007-07-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends & Family ...

Attached below is an article that describes one of my fourth of July heroes. Wouldn't it be nice if we were all together, sipping cold beer that's been iced all day in a converted horse tank, listening to Willie and Trigger?

I just picked up his 2006 book, The Tao of Willie, in which he talks about meditation, drinking water, writing damned fine songs and Poodie wisdom. In the section titled "The Man in the Mirror," Willie discusses the need to unearth your own nature, be true to yourself and not be "dazzled by your own bullshit."

He goes on to say: "My family, my friends, my music and my willingness to just be me have made me strong and carried me far. They are happiness in my heart ... Even when I'm far away, they're all with me. Especially when I look in the mirror."
The miles may separate us this 4th o' July but you will all be thought of fondly (is that better than fondled thoughtfully? hmmmm ...).

You are all happiness in our hearts!!
Kenya, Nathan Dana, Po and Jackpot (aka, Seven Lives Left)

Untitled Poem

2007-06-18T14:10:00.000-07:00

by Woodrowe Barber

I've known a bunch of good cowboys
Also some good cowmen.
I've worked big herds of cattle
Where you had to read the brands.

I've seen some bad cold winters
You had to feed'em or they'd die.
But I've seen it rain in August
With the grass up to their eyes.

I've been bucked off some horses
I had to get back on and ride.
The work went on, you couldn't walk home
Also, I had my pride.

The honesty of a good cow horse
Is very hard to describe.
He knew his job, he did the work
I was just along for the ride.

Now it is just friends and family
The years roll on, but memories stay.
I hope they have good horses and wild cattle
When I'm tried for Judgment Day.

(You're on our minds and in our hearts Grandpa Woody)

Bus Poem

2007-05-31T08:28:00.001-07:00

Losstalgia

Macias, the old, dead poet
wills the pencil to the page
from deep inside the casket

the sunflower
even torn from its stalk
still follows, attentive, the movement of the sun

the clams from Maine
taken from their tidy beds
west to Monterey
still open with the ebb and flow from way back east
their mute cries falling flat
on laboratory ears

and the corn never tastes as sweet
as it did in summer
at home
with you

Nathan Dana Aldrich
2007

O.J and The Bus

2007-05-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

(With apologies to Jerome Bettis...and football fans who don't glorify murderers)

So...less than a month after my O.J. and Coffee post, I got to see someone else sporting an O.J. Simpson jersey in public. This time on the Culver City bus. Even Johnny Cochran would be rolling over in his grave - laughing. "Hee-hee. Man, that race card beats everything else in the deck. Hee-hee, they're still buying it. And merchandise, too! If the glove don't fit...then buy the jersey! Damn - I was good." Which is more than you can say for his knife-wielding client - a guy who had more in common (money, celebrity, ego, entitlement, connections,"juice") with every white, millionaire limo-flashing scumbag in Beverly Hills than any young brother riding the bus. Seriously. The guy in the photo above probably spent the better part of his hard-earned weekly salary (ie. a couple of Bills) to champion the worst of all the Bills: a jealous, privileged, woman-abusing, murderous millionaire with blood on his hands and a Dream Team of lawyers to make it all go away. Talk about being Buffaloed. Doesn't he know Simpson wasn't innocent? That he carved up his wife the same way he knifed through all those NFL defenses? That people (women, especially), of all races and walks of life might not exactly appreciate his very public form of sartorial free-expression? Either he (and the woman in the coffee shop) doesn't know. Or, worse: THEY DON'T CARE. What's next? White boys and rocker girls busting out Phil Spector Throwback Jackets? Turnabout's fair play - but not justice...

downtown adventures: the LA Library

2007-05-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

i'd lived here for 14 years prior to venturing into our downtown library. suffice it to say that's just far too long.

but driving from breezy santa monica beach to downtown LA was never high on my list of priorities. now, however, i just hop on the Metro 33 or 333 along with something to read, a notepad and my blackberry and soon my city-powered chauffer drops me at Fig & Venice. once downtown, the Dashes take over with enviable frequency and cleanliness.

our 'brary is gorgeous, from the large courtyard with ample shade, to the vast atrium ... but the old section is the real glory. now the children's zone and also the locale for exhibits, you can still see murals originally hung in 1928.

get there prior to the end of July and check out the Getty Gallery's exhibit of Fred Marcellino's work. Marcellino illustrated the covers of some of my favorite books (Bonfire of the Vanities, Handmaids Tale) as well as Puss in the Boots (he'll be quite familiar as a member of Shrek's posse).

one more tip: if you go during the week, wear your swimsuit under you clothes and treat yourself to lunch at the rooftop bar of the Standard ... you'll have the pool -- and view -- to yourself ... perfect for devouring the books you just picked up!

More mobile poetry

2007-05-06T22:49:00.001-07:00

Eastbound Downtown 33

light falls heavy

now

long shadows
on the backs of us busriders
headed home
in the spring evening
our work on our shoes
under our nails
in our yawns
and the driver has miles to go
before eyes sleep

Nathan Dana Aldrich
April 2007

March 12 Venice Beach

2007-04-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

March 12 Venice Beach

sitting on top of misplaced granite
i watch these wicked waves break with rocky New England bombast

the wavesplash
shockingly cold

the sky
a lie
of the summer yet-to-be

June and July don't exist now
and here
where cat-quick crabs magnetically move
over the stony jumble
amid my braincoral thoughts of other oceans
and the creature I will always be and
simultaneously of O'Neill
likewise haunted by the sea but oh-so-much-more unhappily
gin-tossed
on the rocks
in the shadows
anemones hide, retracted from the sun
their purple pulpy arms pulled in
withdrawn
they wait
as I do
on powers moving

and on the Police Station behind the break
here's the evidence
of the power that can pour forth
poets' quotes soften the strongbronzed arm of The Law
carved like a surfer's wake
words on a curving wall
is it an epitaph after the fall
a funeral for what was or a plea for what could be?
not even the writers know
the future or the past of their prehistory
but at least they got in the flow and got it down so the moment would never get
wiped out
look up at that wall
see what lived in
sea and sand and sin
for better or for verse
Exene and Viggo
are still together there
and Jim Morrison makes his point - all stoned and concrete
these thoughts and their thinkers
some whole some beautifully broken
once so liquid and mutable
now stand fixed for all to see
under the iron V for venice
by the spray-painted dayglo palms

switzerland by way of payola

2007-04-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

lots of chatter about carbon neutrality and the offsets market.

for the uninformed, a company or individual can estimate their output of greenhouse gases. then donations are made to projects designed to "offset" the emissions (tree planting, solar panel installation etc. and the options in the etc. category are growing daily).

the concern is that substituting dollars for deeds not only doesn't solve the rapidly increasing amounts of carbon dioxide spewing into the air, but that these programs actually distance consumers from the real problem at hand.

well, of course, it's a bit yes and no. yes, it does prevent the average consumer from getting their hands dirty by insulating them from tougher choices and real change. however, on the "no" side, mightn't it open the door to the many ways to add environmental consciousness to their lives?

so, let's salute the projects designed to diminish our wicked fossil fuel dependent ways. then let's keep recommending, pushing and suggesting, making it seem easy and natural to evolve. sorta like toning up the ol' bod: it's not just one long day in the gym that gets you there; it's more the daily, small shifts.

here's what we do know: you can get carbon-neutral real quickly when you break the habit of sliding your key into your saudi-powered mobile at every whim. simple, no?

time for a nice, long walk ...

Poetry In Motion

2007-04-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

Hi. So, riding the bus has led to an off-and-on "discipline" in captive creativity, wherein I attempt to put the ride to good use and use the traveling time to write with the intent that the existence of this blog would encourage me to post the Observational Poetry results here. Someday soon, I plan to at least create a blog devoted to my poems (whether bus-borne or not) but scattered amid the next few posts, expect to find some poetry on display. (Consider this a warning.) I would like to say that each ride to work in the morning (or ride home) either results in a list of restaurant-things-to-do-today or a decent poem - but I'd be lying. And since the only good poem, or song, or story is a "true" one, hopefully these won't suck. Yeah - and hopefully the bus will pick me up on time...

Chronologically, here is the first one I wrote since joining the masses of mass transit.

Nathan Dana 5/29/07

they call it
Poetry In Motion
these poems posted on the city bus
today it's a good one
the stanzas rolling smoothly and steady-on and

interrupted

suddenly obstructed

by the hulking Latino with the hoop in his ear

I wait.

No good. He won't budge. The poem stops. The bus moves.
My eye drops
from the poet to

a man in my grandfather's hat.
His head, from behind, recalls Nate in my mind. For a beat until
he turns and I see the difference. The door opens.

He walks off the bus

taking me
(for just a little bit)
with him

just like a good poem.

Tipping my cap to David Halberstam today...

2007-04-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

Very strange. Last night, before going to bed, I happened to pull his book
THE TEAMMATES (about Ted Williams and pals) out of storage and read a few passages before going to sleep. This morning, out of habit, I checked the sports page online upon waking and found that he was dead. Such a shame. I always liked reading him - not only for his talent for the Truth, but admittedly for the fact that he, like me, had both spent some college days at UMaine and hung his hat in Los Angeles.

Beyond his classic, SUMMER OF '49 and other works (or the occassional TV interview, if you didn't know what kind of journalist this guy was - read the links below. Of course, this was in another bygone America, when heroes were more than ballplayers and News Organizations would actually let you report on a war.

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/04/24/halbertstams-fans/

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/24/arts/24halberstam.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

BOSTON -- Red Sox legend Johnny Pesky reacted with sadness when told of the news that legendary author David Halberstam died in a car accident in California on Monday.
Pesky, along with Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr and Dominic DiMaggio, was featured in a stirring 2003 book by Halberstam titled "Teammates: A Portrait of a Friendship."
With enriching detail, Halberstam described the bond of four men who not only played together on the Red Sox, but grew up together, and remained friends their entire lives.
"He wrote the book about the four of us and it was very flattering," said Pesky, speaking from Fenway Park during Monday's Red Sox-Blue Jays game. "I know it was a best-seller for a number of years. I was very sad to hear this happened. Just a fine man. A great reporter, a great writer, he did everything that possibly a good human being could do. He was just an outstanding man. I feel really badly about this. I haven't talked to Dominic or Bobby yet, but I hope to tonight when I go home."

The book represented a must-read for baseball fans everywhere, particularly on the heels of Williams dying in July 2002. The riveting read gave generations young and old an in-depth glimpse into Williams, and three of his closest friends.

Pesky didn't know Halberstam until the book project, but instantly was impressed.
"He talked exceptionally well. He had that great voice," said the 87-year-old Pesky. "I've heard him speak other places. He was spell-bounding. Just an outstanding man. I met him because of the book."

After the release of "The Teammates", Pesky, Doerr and DiMaggio did some appearances with Halberstam. "He wrote the book, and how that came about was Halberstam was in Florida when Dominic was there," said Pesky. "Halberstam found out Dominic was in the area so he called him and Dominic invited him over to the house and that's how this book came about. He talked to Dominic and Dominic told him we were going to go to Florida [via car] to see Ted. He said, 'Boy, this will be a great book."

The drive that Pesky and DiMaggio took from New England to Florida to visit an ailing Williams is a memory captured forever by Halberstam. Though Halberstam wasn't in the car, he did enough in-depth reporting with Pesky and DiMaggio to make readers feel that he was.
"I really feel bad about this," said Pesky. "Here's a guy who wrote a great book about four old guys, they tell me it was a best-seller."

Coffee and O.J with local flavor...

2007-04-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

Wake up and smell the ignorance. It was Monday morning and my wife didn't know why my jaw had dropped into my java. Gulp. We had just done our sleepy-eyed morning walk down to Culver City's Conservatory of Coffee, and were enjoying the fresh-roasted brew and view of our fellow city stumblers when I saw her. Forty-something. Upscale, well-coiffed and accessorized and put-together, having a smiling, lively conversation with her friend as they she got into the coffee line. In an O.J. Simpson jersey. Not an ironic, snarky "FREE O.J". t-shirt. No. A vintage, limited-issue, long sleeved, very expensive-throwback kind of jersey. 32 in putrid yellow on a field of maroon blood red. (Sorry - couldn't resist the overkill.) I had to explain to my wife that "No, no. It is THAT Simpson."

I was stunned that somebody so apparently all-there would go there. HERE. In the city where it happened. Where was Fred Goldman when I needed him? He could tell her everything that was wrong about it. He might even get through to her or get an answer as to Why Her and Why That Outfit? Who was I to ask and what could I do... except tell you.

Frankly, my head is still shaking - and it's not the caffeine. Maybe she has her reason. Then again, maybe she should use some. Or maybe she likes scream in her coffee.

take me out to the balllllgaaaaaame ...

2007-04-04T23:41:00.000-07:00

or, at least to the nearest Red Sox bar!

Board?

2007-04-02T07:44:00.000-07:00

Lumber, next exit.

This clever billboard has long been one of my favorites. And it quite sums up where we are with this blog: bored.

So, when in doubt, reinvent! We're mixing things up here on Wheeling (because if we didn't, we'd definitely never come for a visit, let alone post something).

To give you a taste of the new direction and kick things off, here's some bus poetry, meaning it was written on the bus by our very own N8theSk8. Enjoy!

March
twenty four play
for
Wilhelm Reich's
birthday
A 110 year-old Willi
still he
looks for redemption
in this Armored Age
where the erection
of monuments to troublemakers
never happens
in time
for them or for us

so go
you messed up, sexed up masses
huff and puff
put your lips together
and
blow
sextinguishing their flame
and their wishes for us all

in the dark

Making me CROSS(walk)

2007-02-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

So on the heels of hearing that more people (at least in California) are killed in crosswalks than while jaywalking - here's more proof that He Who Loves to Jay, Lives to See Another Day.

In theory, crosswalks are supposedly designed to make it safer to cross the street, right? In reality, they offer a false sense of security and visibility for pedestrians. Frogger, anyone?

I used to (selectively) kick cars when they violated crosswalk rules (next blog) and common sense. Now, I realize that - with almost every crosswalk crossing containing unacceptable chances of death and injury, drivers who practice sensible and safe behavior at these intersections of People Vs. Machine are all too uncommon.

From Yesterday's Almost Hit Parade:

Picture me and a very Old Man attempting to cross Washington Boulevard at Culver Center from opposite sides of the street - WITH A SIGNAL. On my right, as I step into the street, I see a car languidly moving into the intersection, turning left, hoping to proceed through the crosswalk and head towards Sony. So far, so good, right? Left? Indifferent? So was I...

Flash forward a few precious seconds. The car is now out in the middle of Washington Boulevard and we're well into the crosswalk when the latest example of stupid, selfish, ASSuming drivers rears its ugly cylinder head. To give you a picture: The car is where it should be - minding its business, waiting for the foot traffic to pass. We're where we should be - IN THE CROSSWALK. (Here's where, once again, the bets get made and things get dicey. Fast. The Old Man is halfway to the middle of the boulevard and I'm AT the middle of the boulevard now which leaves a gap of maybe 15 feet and closing which this moron is now attempting to shoot. (Why do I think of bullets and cars as inextricably intertwined? Deadly power at the fingers of idiots? Metal vs. flesh? The inability of "Oops" to stop the Laws Of Physics in their tracks and repair all the resulting damage to flesh and bone and families?) Anyway. Just so you understand - she's not idly, casually, slowly taking this turn towards the gap (which might, in the moment, at least inspire confidence in her driving ability, if not her judgement) - NO - she's actually revving up from her rolling position - you know, the typical I'm -waiting -for- you- dumb- pedestrians -to -cross -and- just- as -soon -as -you're -clear-I'm -comin'- on- thru position (ie: the middle of the road) and gunning it like a hitter in baseball exploding out of his slow and expected turn a few feet off of first as he decides then and there to catch everyone by surprise and stretch a pedestrian single into a risky and oh-so-thrilling double. I'm stunned. I can't believe she's doing it. It's like the fat kid who can only hit homers deciding he's Charlie Hustle . It's a Volvo. You're a Mom? Are you kidding me? If she wore a different face - say Young Guy In A Truck, Young Gal in a Mustang, Cellphone User In A Coma, I might understand her - I'd certainly fucking recognize her having seen this crosswalk gambit too many times, in too many places, but look at her. Late Thirties - Educated, Upper Middle Class, Horn-rimmed glasses, Kind of dweeby and with a Gal pal, both hands on the wheel, perfectly sane looking. And STILL - doing this." At this precise point where the Old Man's life flashes before my eyes, I see she sees him and also see her now go into that doubly-dangerous Waffle Face. You know the one: the face your friends or siblings made just as their feet left the diving board and their braingears attempted to turn that routine, planned-to, perfect Jackknife into something else in midair. The look that hung there suspended between two beautiful possibilities and caught staring down frozen at the cold reality awaiting them. You watching bemused, suspended in time along with them, as their confidence went slack and the result was a gutsmacking, balls whacking hybrid of both maneuvers, an ugly and painful bellyflop smashup of mixed intentions and sudden changes of mind.

So,just as her Waffle Face pops out, all confidence in her ability vanishes and the Volvo seems to (ever so slightly) buck, as she now (far too late) starts to calculate just how close she can still cut it. I stop her. And seem to make the Volvo - if not her - change its mind. Even though she doesn't apparently see me, she hears my HEY - not screamed - just barked - and looks up startled, like the nice girl caught passing notes in class by the Substitute. The Old Man looks up from his shuffling feet as the car brakes decide to lock completely. ARE YOU IN THAT BIG A RUSH? (I slow to a stop now, point at my watch) HUH? IS IT THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU? She blinks at me like a frightened rabbit. Like I'M the crazy one. ARE YOU IN THAT BIG A RUSH? I repeat - just for effect. (I pause, stand there, reclaiming the area between the white lines for all mankind. Now she's uncomfortable. Awwww. Silly Rabbit. Tricks are for you. I can see/feel her friend muttering shit under her breath about me, a "Yeah, yeah, buddy, whatever." I stare on at the driver, from behind my bugeye, black sunglasses and she looks back at me, blankly, busted. I point at my head as I pass her bumper and The Old Man reaches safety THINK! (disgusted) MAN... (shake head as I walk away). The Volvo skulks past.

Day in, day out, people driving 3000 pound missiles around and how many of them are doing so consciously? Consistently? Even in f'n crosswalks. Terrifying. And they're they go zzzzzoooooom...crossing the line(s) of right and wrong and gambling with your life as they roll on through their deluded dayze. I'm inclined to agree with the statistics and take my own proactive chance where i can with jaywalking, picking my time and place to leap across the squash zone rather than rely on rules no one gives a damn about and the Average Driver.

Me, angry? No, me cross. Safely.

Ribbit.

Weren't "nathan" goin' on here fer awhile...

2007-02-12T22:41:00.000-08:00

Yes. it's official. Regarding this blog - the wheels definitely fell off.
But now they're back on and so am I. Obviously, I wasn't driven to post anything and...
if it takes a few gratuitous puns and clumsy transportation metaphors to get back up to speed, so be it, damn it!

Let's see...it's February 12th. WTF??!!! FEBRUARY?!!! How long HAVE I been away? Did I miss the Super Bowl?!(Hey - speaking of cars - maybe they should change his name to "Wrecks" Grossman. Or rename the mistake-prone Ursines as DUH Bears.) The answer: no - I didn't. But in the interim,I did miss a wide variety of buses, MTA, Culver and Blue, too. And by that much. But I didn't miss everything...

Some random observations from the field:

Despite the warning posted to the contrary, every bus driver I meet loves to talk. As long as you don't stand in front of their mirror.

I'm starting to learn their names. (Their routes, no. Thank goodness, the paper maps on board give me one more way to avoid the Internet.)

I'm beginning to see the wisdom in the monthly pass and the complete lack-thereof in the "in-flight entertainment" playing on the bus monitors. (Oooh - an idea for the next blog! I am soooo BACK!) Of the bus, that is. Where it doesn't smell like ass. Much. (Too bad, I can't say the same for those puns and metaphors.)

le beaujolais nouveau est arrive!

2006-11-16T13:11:00.000-08:00

today is the annual launch of beaujolais nouveau!! all over the world, vino lovers like us are toasting and sipping the freshly harvested fruits from the beaujolais region of france.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! it is on mornings just like this one (rare, sadly, lo they are) that we are glad to have our drivers in waiting (specifically the Culver 6).

the worldwide awareness for this juicy juice is due primarily to Georges Duboeuf. in the '50s, he gave up studies in Paris to travel around the Maconnais region via bicycle to help sell his family's Pouilly-Fuisse.

today, we joined the US importer -- WJ Deutsch & Sons -- for a sampling of this year's vintage. at the tasting, Georges Deboeuf and Deutsch presented a check for $7,000 to the LA Food Bank!

and now, to nap!

PS: lil' bro: your bday goodies are en route!

being home on Halloween rocks!

2006-11-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

some of the all-time best outfits haunted our door last night. lil' chillens from far and wide made their way to Culver City for a helluva take on sweets.

just think, if i'd had an auto, i might've felt obligated to attend a party here or there. instead, i sipped vampire wine, laughed with friends in front of crackling fire place, cuddled kittens and doled out jelly eyeballs, skull pops, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate ... even a cupcake or two.

why is halloween only once a year?!

things to do without a car:

2006-10-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

1. walk by Kirby's Pet Store on your way home from the Farmer's Market and exit with a new bundle of fluff & sass

2. throw a "cracklin" duraflame on the fire and watch Batman Begins with your pals, lolo and po

3. join your significant other on the walk home from work in the quiet of the late, late night

4. hop the bus to see Jack in 3D (with new & improved Roy Orbison styled glasses)

5. watch a meth junkie tweak and twitch on the bus as she multitasks and begs for quarters

So...Vegas

2006-10-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

Not our favorite city.

Smoke
Ridiculous airport
Are-you-kidding-me taxi lines
Non-stop noise
Sensory confusion and overload
The general smell of ass near the slot machines

We recently discovered that you can do Vegas and avoid some of the nonsense.
Item 1: Flexcar
$100 roundtrip, including gas, insurance and any maintenance.
No line, no early check-in and wait.

Item 2: Don't fuck around
Go directly from your hotel room to dinner. Vegas has upped the ante on stellar restaurants. One of our faves is Craft. The room is much too large but the somehow the service team makes it fun and the sides are amazing.

Item 3: Stick with people you dig
Head back to your room with wine and champagne. Spend time talking with people you love. You get to talk in your normal voice; you aren’t jostled, or hurried. The smells are up to you.

To quote the ubiquitous credit card ad: priceless.

Well, blow me down (the road) or Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

2006-09-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

In my last post - about our Flexcar jaunt to Palm Springs - I mentioned
something about having Willie Nelson along for the ride. Well, as bad
as yesterday's errand-running adventure was for me, I think Willie had it worse this week. All for having Mary Jane along for the ride in his tour bus.

I mean, come on Louisiana! I know Bush and the Republicans screwed you and now with noone coming to New Orleans y'all are a little desperate for revenue but busting Willie for pot is just UnAmerican. And well, just plain MEAN. Pulling over Willie's tour bus to look for marijuana is like pulling over Popeye's boat to look for spinach: OF COURSE he has some on board. Where do you think Willie gets the strength at his age to play music for the masses three hours a night and god knows how many nights in a row? (Hmm. Given this weeks e-coli scare, maybe Popeye would be happy to switch places with Willie. I bet Bluto's been kicking his ass non-stop.)

No doubt Wille and the Family were (pardon the pun) ROLLING thru the state trying to spread a little good cheer in these hard-luck times and backwater bayous and this is how you thank them down there?

Oh and if you think a pound and a half of marijuana in this case means "Intent to Sell" not only do you not know jack, you sure as shit don't know Willie. That was ALL for the boys and girls in the band. Or in the Family. Hell, it was probably just enough pot to get 'em thru to the next whistle-stop. Maybe the DA should change the charge to "Intent To Share." Regardless, once again, I'm rooting for the Outlaw.

learning from the kiddos

2006-09-18T09:52:00.000-07:00

our culver digs provide a long sidewalk in front of our house and down the side yard. on weekend mornings, wee ones scoot by on their own four-wheeled chariots. they get especially excited when they come to the end of the sidewalk and the sloping ramp that gives them some acceleration. always elicits brrreerrrrurrr sounds followed by giggles and hoots.

how much more fun would our city streets be if we were each using our own internal horsepower to propell our scooter along and, at the same time, making our own engine noises?

vroom, vroom

right place, wrong stuff

2006-09-12T22:36:00.000-07:00

advertising and messaging on the bus makes sense. you've got a captive audience who actually can take their eyes off the road and focus on what you have to say.

inside the LA metro bus system you'll find printed display panels and small, LCD screens. the printed display panels are, for the most part, really well done and provide a tasty mix of art and useful tidbits (Poetry in Motion and the schedule changes for corresponding routes, for example). there are a few cheesy ads from ambulance chasers and debt consolidators, but these seem almost demure in their quiet printedness.

the screens show content managed by TransitTV. folks, this is some of the all time poorest use of full motion video and place-based media we've ever seen. the content is obviously repurposed from use on traditional networks. we say obviously because the logos, show titles, web sites etc. all get lost when shown on the little screens. the few slides that are printed in large enough type to read from a bus seat typically contain multiple typos and are random headlines culled from front pages. and, most of the content is in English; this might shock you, but English is not the primary language on the metro bus routes.

we might mind the lame ads for the “work from home” scams less if the content on the screens was even a smidge better and more relevant. why use this valuable time to showcase snow boarders at a competition in Utah? why not publicize LA-based events? theater shows, art openings, new restaurants, local sports scores, and cultural celebrations, to name a few. (to be fair, there is often a print ad for the Hollywood Bowl, but it doesn’t include the schedule (which could be easily updated via a digital, visual program)).

or, here’s a thought: communicate the location and availability of programs that are useful to the onboard audience such as business development workshops, ESL classes, car sharing programs, bicycle repair tips, job postings and more.

yeah, yeah ... we know that TransitTV probably thinks it's saving money by just using the same programming on all screens across the states. and that going after national advertisers is the best way to make bank. well, it might be but only if the advertisers are chumps and don't care about actual ROI because we've never seen moving images get so little attention as the screens on the LA metro.

cultural immersion

2006-09-10T21:50:00.000-07:00

we hadn't ventured onto olvera street before. so with tickets to Culture Clash's new show at the Mark Taper in our pocket, we felt today was the day.

we strolled in the sunshine. listened to music. watched kids play and families gossip. grabbed lunch at El Paseo, along with a tasty margarita (as you can see from the blurry pic, our table neighbors may have had more than one).

Water & Power is really good, filled with great characters and terrific performances. the three founders of Culture Clash, also leads in the play, work amazingly well together. their closeness is palpable and necessary for the storyline.

there is a timeline titled "how'd we get here?" in the program. it begins at 8,000BC and chronicles Los Angeles-area milestones. here's an entry for 1954:
"the police swarm through Mexican American neighborhoods searching for illegal immigrants in 'Operation Wetback.' agents locate over 1 million illegal immigrants. some American-born children are deported along with non-citizen parents. agents begin stopping 'Mexican-looking' citizens on the street and asking for identification."

clearly not one of our best moments.

the route home was detoured due to filming which involved a huge, smoldering hole in a downtown city street, complete with a taxi on its side. a crowd had gathered for the free entertainment ... a very lovely, diverse Angeleno crowd, brought together in the afternoon heat by our natural inclination toward human interaction and the uniqe surrealness of this city that we share ... just the way it should be!

Hybrid to Hell?

2006-09-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

Driving on Labor Day has always seemed like work to us, so we’ve avoided it. Of course, living just off the beach in Santa Monica for 10 years made that easier. It seemed those car-obsessed masses fuming and reeling from the congestion of the 10 Freeway and the 405 were all headed to our neighborhood anyway, so most of our efforts on the long weekend went toward avoiding them.

This year, we decided to join the rest of the lemmings and hit the highway, but driving in the opposite direction. We may be just as crazy, but we’re a smarter kind of crazy. Or are we? Palm Springs this weekend was easily into the triple digits and apparently still “off-season” so when our old beach buddies from Santa Monica invited us out to their new digs in the desert, we fired up the Flexcar in the cool belly of its Batcave and took off toward the desert heat.

And liked it. Of course, it’s all in the timing and having Willie and Waylon and Dwight Yoakam along for the ride helped.

Yet, the best driving (for me, anyway) came on the Westin’s Mission Hills Gary Player golf course – where the rates are still cheap because the Golf Rat regulars have yet to come out from under their rocks. There the fairways are fair and square and more forgiving than most and the deserted course was devoid of party-pushing pinheads and sputtering putterers as well. Kevin and I quickly breezed through 18 holes before the cicada-drone heat and the humility got to us. Back at the Rancho ranchero, the pool was cool, the golf widow wives were too and the margaritas frozen.

And when it was time to leave, the cumulus clouds provided cover for our trek back with the American masses. No blinding setting sun in our windshield sights but a quick flash of lightning (!) was a sure sign from the Gas Guzzling Gods to hit the Drive-Thru Starbucks for a jolt of caffeine. Safety first/thirst. And save for two fender-bender slowdowns (not involving us), we made good time and shockingly HAD a good time Flex-ing our Freeway muscles. Equally amazing, Flexcar’s new Hybrid Honda Civic still feels like the first easy-to-drive Honda I drove back in 1980 . For just over a hundred bucks (gas included! insurance included!) we got our communal little Hybrid for more than 48 hours which meant a lot of cylinder-bang for our bucks. And for little work. Of any kind.

2006-08-30T07:44:00.000-07:00

by nature or nurture, we tend not to be "joiners." one friend wiser than we recently recommended that we stop belittling ourselves for not joining more groups and to be loud and proud weavers, weaving together the ideals that work for us from the various groups we check out.

however, make no mistake that by choosing not to own a car and therefore curb the whims to hop in and drive when the mood strikes (as it inevitably will) is our way of joining the peace movement. choosing to find new ways to be less dependent on oil is our way of joining with parents who want their kids home and out of war. it is our way of joining with back-to-the-landers who work to reincorporate locally and mindfully produced agriculture into our societies. it is our way of joining with other likeminds who say: we can do better, simply because it feels better.

fourplay

2006-08-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

if you put up a fete within a rock's throw of the Green Machine 1, we're pretty much a sure thing. we like to get out and about; ain't no lack of four wheels gonna slow us down.

so last night we trekked to the marina for the fourth of four parties given by monsieur hotcakes, Fernando. yes, that's no typo, four soirees.

it was an easy trip down washington but we were left waiting due to the weekend schedule. fortunately we have a new toy. prepare yourself, this blog just went full color. we've got a digital camera and we're not afraid to use it.

if you see a flash and some goofy looking folks posing at a bus stop, you've got a pretty good idea who it be.

enjoy!

flexcar as magic carpet ....

2006-08-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

anyone else out there rented a flexcar and then began manifesting everything they've been asking for?

is the flexcar magic?

or, is it just that we took this leap of faith, tried a little somethin new and the universe is serving up all the tasty morsels are hearts desire? can it really be that simple?

rockin' downtown

2006-08-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

so we bus-stopped into downtown Los Angeles last night to meet our gorgeous friend Pammy for an evening of music and art at MOCA's Night Visions.

yep, the bus to downtown. LA. and ya know what? it was pretty cool. there were people milling about, headed into restaurants, coffeeshops still serving on patios. it was, like, a city.

yeah, sure, there were still homeless folks setting up their cardboard homes for the night. but hey, it's a free country and LA's got that great climate. it is what it is.

but there was, dare we say it, a vibe. a feeling of energy, of happenings. and even though we were headed back to the Double C by 10:30pm, it was obvious that things would still be going down 'til much later.

we left with a promise to return for further investigation into this evolving landscape ...

2006-08-17T14:49:00.000-07:00

We started this blog as part of an eco-challenge to ourselves ... go without a car, see what LA is like from the vantage of a bus, source new ways to get mobile, and at the same time, be a little kinder to mother earth.

Occasionally, and lately frequently, we are shown other reasons why NOT driving so much might be good for our health, too. Our lovely pal Lori and her little mustang were recently rammed by a giant F-150. Fortunately, she's physically fine; the same cannot be said for the 'stang.

Then, over lunch, you read a story like Rick Rielly's piece in Sports Illustrated, and tears well up so quickly there is simply no way to stop them.

Here's a link to the article. And, before you drive, please take some time to buckle up and envision a safe journey for all!

Schtuff for Safe and Savvy Sojourns

2006-08-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

1. Handiwipes: Typically the seats and handrails on the buses and trains we've taken are far cleaner than the baskets and shopping carts at our local Ralph's. Still, occasionally, you’ll happen upon a substance that you simply don’t want to continue with on your hands.

2. Change: Duh. Though, if you’re going to use the Metro, a monthly EZ Pass ($52 per month) or all-day pass ($3) are better options (versus chucking in quarters each time). However, if you have extra change, you will be very popular with other less prepared passengers who only have singles.

3. Kleenexes: Public transportation is no time to touch eyes, nose or mouth at any time. Nuh uh.

4. Face Spritz: Waiting for the bus can leave you in the sun and exposed to exhaust, so it’s handy to have a small spritzer to freshen and refresh.

5. Reading Material: Helps the time at the bus stop pass more quickly (you’d be surprised how long five minutes seems when you’re waiting). And, prevents the unconscious stare at the occasional rider-as-human-oddity accompanying you on your journey.

6. Patience: Ha, ha. Well, we try.

7. A Bag: The perfect yoga mat bag for the bus...done. The search for a general tote-all continues. Backpacks smack other passengers in the face when you try to sit down. Suggestions and comments welcome!

8. Flashlight, whistle or some other talisman: While it's probably safer waiting for the bus than walking to your car in a dark, deserted parking lot, you should still carry something that helps you feel certain in your safety. Krav Maga training is useful, too.

See you 'round town!

welcome to socal ...

2006-08-13T19:28:00.000-07:00

bus

beach

bbq

beers

buds

bands

buses

(followed by some other stuff that belongs on a tooooootally different blog ;)

our crystal ball for public transpo

2006-08-11T08:19:00.000-07:00

if you are contemplating utilizing the bus for trips around town, there are tricks to be learned. one of the best is SoCal Metro's Trip Planner. it's like Mapquest, only accurate.

you just pop in the starting locale, where ya wanna go, date, time, yadda yadda ... and bing, bam, you've got a trip planned.

race ya to downtown!

Trip Planner link

Loco-motion

2006-08-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

When we let folks know that our primary form of transportation around town is the bus, they consistently pause and then say “Aren’t there, like, crazy people on the bus?”

And, yes, you do witness the occasional turrets breakdown or hear discussions with invisible friends on the bus. Once there was a man in his late fifties who sounded like he might have been the inspiration for Beavis with a continuous loop of Buck, Buck Man, Flash Gordon, Buck, Buck, OK Buck, take over Buck, Buck Wheat, yeh, yeh, yeh, Buck, you’re in for it now Buck, Buck, Flash Gordon, Buck, OK Buck, yeh, yeh, yeh …

However, look around while you’re driving. Think about that slack jawed person, staring off into space, next to you on the freeway. Or the guy with veins popping out of his forehead as he wheels his monster truck in a fury through traffic, whizzing past yellow lights and tailgating. Or the woman, on her cell phone, gesticulating wildly with lipstick in the free hand, looking as if she’s been hungry for most of her life, driving (is that really the word?) a super-sized SUV on a neighborhood side street at a ridiculous rate of speed.

Our final analysis of crazy on the bus: Not enough.

Looking for the coolest clime in H’wood?

2006-08-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

As west-siders, we know we are blessed with a cooling breeze and very temperate days. And while our in-town pals have better proximity to hip stores, splendid eateries and other urban delights, they do get the hot hots over there.

There’s an easy way to refresh: head to Barnsdall Art Park on Hollywood Blvd for an evening performance of Shakespeare. And while no jacket is required, you’ll still wanna bring one ‘cuz Hamlet and the gang perform under the stars and among the sweet breezes. You’ll also get spectacular city views, especially at dusk as twinkly lights peep on across the hills. Bring a picnic and settle in for a great evening.

Of course, another option is to take a little stroll north on Vermont and tuck in to Figaro Bistrot (as we did last night … the cooling Kir Caraffe and Parmentier Vegan are highly recommended, mmmmmmmm). If you’ve still got some time to kill there are a plethora of swell shops. Our personal fave is Skylight Books (our wanderlust mingling over tomes made us a bit late for good Will).

Coincidentally, those civic-minded folks at Flexcar are sponsors of this summer’s Shakespeare. They’ve got a promotion running called the Hollywood 100; the first 100 Hollywoodians signing up for a Flexcar membership get a special deal. The promo isn’t on their web site but we got the DL from Margaret, Flexcar’s LA rep.

Yes, we took the bus … the 333 to the 206 works quite nicely!

Link it up and get going!
Independent Shakespeare

Barnsdall Art Park
Art Classes

Flexcar LA Specials!

Skylight Books
Figaro Bistrot

2006-07-31T10:53:00.000-07:00

So far, riding the bus has been an interesting – albeit unforeseen – experiment in collective psychology. The result? Amusement with or bemusement at our fellow travelers and a shocking degree of civility and hygiene, despite the record humidity outside. Yes. Believe it or not, there are upsides to riding the bus here and (regardless if what downsides come hand-in-hand) an inarguable sense of WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER (cue Ben Lee, please).

Not to say that altruism is bubbling over in Busworld but five minutes into reintroducing ourselves into the petrol Petri dish of automobile driving, we realized just how selfish and myopic THAT form of transport is. Ohhhhh. Right. THIS is what we didn’t miss about driving. There, immediately after taking the road in our Flexcar-of-the-day, was evidence of just how selfish the average driver is. And there again. And there. And there. In fact, the average driver is, well, below average when it comes to vehicular skill AND civility. (we’ll give them an edge on the hygiene.)

Flexcar to the rescue!!

2006-07-26T21:09:00.000-07:00

Wow. In a metropolis like LA, it’s still a bit shocking that there are some spots between two points one simply cannot get to via bus, light rail or train. For the inventive Angeleno, there are other options (not many, but a few).

One of the easiest routes to four-wheeled freedom is signing up for Flexcar. We had used Flexcar’s convenient car-when-you-need-it program last year when we had our own vehicle. The yearly fee is reasonable; most cars are fuel efficient and all are beautifully maintained. And, perk of perks, they carry their own automobile insurance. Suhweeeet.

It gets better … the car we’ve reserved for tomorrow’s meeting in Burbank, is a Freedom 5. That means from midnight to midnight on the same day, we’ll pay for no more than 5 hours! On our Flexcar rate plan, that’s right around 50 buckaroos. Plus, we’ll have the car for the entire day, allowing for a quick trip to the garden store and any other errands we’ve been saving. The mind reels!

take action and get your jollies, too

2006-07-24T22:03:00.000-07:00

But first, a quote from today’s bus trip, an enthusiastic “It’s cooler in here than it is outside!”
Ya gotta love cruising on SaMo’s Big Blue and Double C's Green Machine … natural gas and air conditioned too!

The folks at the NRDC have asked that we take a pledge, so we did. Their goal is to urge Congress toward a national commitment to save at least 2.5 million barrels per day by 2015 and set enforceable limits on global warming pollution

Speak on up by clicking here. It’s an efficient way to voice your concerns in the midst of your hectic day. Got other ideas for a nationwide intervention? Hug it out virtually by sharing in the comments section (click on Comments below … you don’t even have to be a Blogger member).

And now for the fun stuff.
All the way from the UK, check out the new promo piece from Greenpeace. Watch it closely; watch it all the way through. Count the many reasons why it would never be shown on traditional media outlets in the US.

Some scoop from the Greenpeace release:
“The advert satirises the aspirational images and glossy marketing used by motor manufacturers to encourage car drivers to purchase an urban 4x4. In the film a city employee encounters distain from his fellow employees, but only at the end of the film does the viewer learn why – he owns a city gas guzzler. The ad ends with the line, ‘What does your car say about you?’”

Download the flick with a click!

Not to be a spoiler on the mini-film, but c’mon … you knooooow you’ve called your SUV cruising neighbor something similar (at least in your mind) as they wedged their hulk into 1.5 spots on your crowded, LA street.

just-in-time sustenance

2006-07-23T22:52:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh. One of the adjustments to maneuvering your life on foot or bus is grocery shopping. Well, the shopping doesn’t change, but the hauling home of the groceries is a new verse. CostCo is long ago fairy tale.

Living in a metropolitan area does provide the convenience of a major supermarket and relatively close Trader Joes. And, once a week we revel in Culver City’s year-round farmer’s market.

Even with these divine logistics, planning is required. It’s about buying all the ingredients for the next few meals versus stocking up. And striking a balance of heavy objects and lighter fare. On the upside, fruits and vegetables are actually eaten while fresh instead of withering away while waiting for the jars and cans to be diminished.

All of this recent toting has taken a toll on our inventory of cotton market bags, each received as gifts and branded with some event or logo. The last of the batch suffered a ripped handle Friday. We have yet to give in to the temptation of the granny cart; an ambulatory life can still be one of style. So, now we’re on the market for new bags to hold our bounty. Heading to Santa Monica for errands and this will be one of them. Some pre-shopping research online provided some dazzling styles, all in various shades of enviro-mindfulness. Who knew there were so many options!

http://www.reusablebags.com
http://www.earthwisebags.com
http://www.alternativeoutfitters.com
http://www.clothbag.com

power to the peacemakers

2006-07-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

Took a busline pilgrimage (by way of Venice and Fairfax) to see musician Michael Franti’s first film, I KNOW I’M NOT ALONE. The human-sized, home-movie focuses on our global family dysfunction – or more directly – a chance to see how our brothers and sisters in Baghdad and beyond are dealing daily with this stupid, selfish brutal war bred in Washington.

Topical Heat
A brave and amazing thing to do for a conspicuous 6’ 5” American with dreadlocks – walk down sniper alley in Iraq armed with nothing but an acoustic guitar and a question or two. This is no naïve hippie minstrel here; this is a man on a mission and vis-à-vis, we all take the trip with him …get to see the other side of a television war, the other side of “terrorists” and Muslims. Get to see ourselves reflected back at us. Get to see in a passing flash of the camera the truth caught in a gap-toothed smile, a tear. The fear of an eye. Watching these faces of civilians and soldiers, absolutely light up to the simplest of music in a war-torn world or cracking under the chaos of blackouts and bombs.

After the film, Michael took the stage for a thought-full Q + A, the art of listening on full display as every time we asked a question, he took a full and conscious pause before answering. Not a reflexive, defensive utterance to be heard – maybe the White House press secretary should take note. Or take up a guitar.

Speaking of which, Michael eventually segued from the film festival Q + A format into an hour-long acoustic celebration of the moment at hand, sharing old songs and new anthems and hearing us echo some simple, heartfelt, choruses back.

The new songs, perhaps from the about-to-be-released YELL FIRE, were pure Franti: born of simplicity, heart-sprung and giving us all a Here Hear Ear Now Wow goodie.

Or giving us (as he likes to ask/shout, arms open wide, smile mega-watted on maximum) a chance to answer “How you feelin’?!”

Babylon By Bus
Despite the invites from friends we ran into at the screening, we wanted to let the night sink in in private, so it was onto public transportation where the irony increased. After a pony-tailed Filipino American helped us find our bus stop (note to MTA: How the hell do you expect us to see out of these blacked-in, scratched-up windows?), we got off the 217 together and he recognized an old acquaintance of his, a wound-up ex-actress with old plastic surgery and barettes in her pushing 50, dyed-blonde hair. Somehow they get into a loooong War & Peace debate, triggered by his offhand declaration that the war in Iraq was wrong. I, a not so innocent bystander, admit I enjoyed watching her throw up her ludicrous defenses, her “I-on-the-other-hand-have-an-open-mind” posturing quickly killing all of his good intentions to have an honest dialogue. Single-handedly she stalled all negotiations of civility between them and the film came back to me again. Here were another bunch of strangers, on different trips but the same eventual ride and all of us just waiting….waiting…waiting for connections

Mucho thanks to KCRW and Laemmle for creating the opportunity to experience the magic of the film and the music. May habibi become our national anthem!

Shalom.

alternative energy all night long

2006-07-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

Should Kimmie and Gadget ever invite you to one of their parties, you should say yes immediately and thankfully, rest up and go with gusto. At the house of bliss, it’s dance, dance, dance ‘til the rising sun.

Domo arigato!

we are all in this together ...

2006-07-15T08:44:00.000-07:00

Ever notice that once you start focusing on a subject, you see it everywhere? Though it may have more to do with one’s brain simply recognizing like-items, I prefer to think that it’s the universe stepping up to meet you as you mindfully choose a path. Serendiposynchrinicity, if you will.

In last week’s New York Times, there was an article on car buying lessons. This week’s LA Weekly is dedicated to electric and alternative fuel vehicles. The movie “Who Killed the Electric Car” is out; you can view a snippet of the movie on treehugger.com’s video podcast (is that a vodcast?). And, TreeHugger TV recently covered Lovecraft Biofuels, also part of the LA Weekly article.

Obviously most of us are looking for ways to be "less fuelish." What are some of the ways you’re making changes in your life? C’mon … share by adding a comment. Inspire us!

PS: Tonight we’re headed to Gadget’s geisha soirée. It’s within walking distance. Kismet, indeed!

More wine? Sure, I'm not driving ...

2006-07-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

Had a very good pal in town for a visit. She was a brave soul and took to being carless quite well despite hailing from a city that relies on personal transportation almost exclusively.

Our plan was to take a train up to Santa Barbara for some scrumptious wine tasting. We missed the first Metro 33 from the Westside to Union Station (this is where we would’ve previously given up on public transportation and hopped in the car!) but made it downtown in time for the Starlight Express.

The Starlight is a sleeper train that cruises up to Seattle. It’s clean and spacious; seems a bit newer than most of the Surfliners I’ve taken.

St B was lovely (of course)…both Giessinger and the Wine Cask indulged us in some delish vino. I purchased the ’98 Lodi Zin and the ’98 Viognier at Giessinger (the Zin was not long for this world and accompanied dinner last night).

Some tips for the newbie public transporter:

Amtrak has an easy to use site, but some of the times are slightly off (our trip to San Diego left 20 minutes earlier than we were confirmed for on our reservation; all Santa Barbara times were spot on).
Wear layers! The sun shines beautifully into the train during day trips and keeps the cabins toasty. However, the air conditioner stays on high at night. We were all a little stiff from the chilled air on the return, evening trip.
Pack cards! Stay tuned for complete instructions on our favorite train game, Hate Thy Neighbor. It’s a combination of Crazy 8 and Uno; always gets everyone in an uproar (the ensuing noise works well for scaring pesky kids away from your seats, too).
Be early; prepare to wait (I have a feeling this will be a recurring theme). An on-time bus is sweet, but an early bus can take you by surprise … and, possibly cause you to miss a train. The best option is to get to the bus stop early and have a book handy to bide your time.

A thankful shoutout to the bus driver of the Metro 33 that handled our stop at 8:01am … your helpful, cheery attitude set the tone for the day and was greatly appreciated!

ttyl,
Kenya

memento mori

2006-07-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

So I had just done the post-mortem final examination of the auto body…conducted the silent (and private!) last rites over our old four-wheeled friend and proceeded to pick over the glove compartment, the trunk, the front and back seats, of everything “important.” I threw it all into a Hefty bag, grabbed the big, 4-armed tire iron and walked out of our mechanic’s auto graveyard into the high noon heat and concrete of Sepulveda Blvd. There. I had joined the walking few. The Untouchables. A caste system refugee on some slow Pilgrim’s Progress back home, dusted by all the cars hurtling by me, spitting up road grime, spewing Styrofoam cups, cigarette butts and assorted trash in their hurry-by wake. A few wide eyes stared at me as they turned the corner past me. I realized the sight of me must have frightened them, with my big X of a trunk tool held aloft, pushing the WALK button. Me in white – a neon reminder that they too, one day, would be dead, I mean, they too would be (gasp!) without a car. Yes, no matter how briefly, the thing they were driving – right now, right by me – would die. So I came home and scratched this poem out (literally, a few times) and realized that old-fashioned feeling I was carrying was guilt. And now the unperfect poem was my punishment. Oh well.
Mea Culpa Mitsubishi…

NDA

walking down the boulevard
with a tire iron in my hand
the sign of the crossed
the unlucky
breakdown
of a pent-up penitente
paying for the sin
of being carless in L.A.

A new kind of independence ...

2006-07-04T20:04:00.000-07:00

Did you hear the one about the couple who’s car died and they decided to live without one, just for a while, to see what it was like?

We hadn’t either ‘til we decided to try it for ourselves.

RIP
Our beloved ’94 Mistubishi Mirage Coupe said so long suckers on June 18, 2006. We grieved; we cried. Then, we woke up to reality. We had no car. We live in Los Angeles … without a car!

Ambulation Locomotion … or just Loco?
But we had just moved into a new house, walking distance to our new jobs. We work a lot. And when we’re not working, we like to be home or near by. Within walking distance are a large grocery, mid-sized grocery and weekly market…also, yoga, a pharmacy, post office, two movie houses, a fab theater company and a handful of bars. Plus, very near by are bus stops for both the local and the metro cross-town buses.

How bad can it be, to be without a car?
It’s been two weeks and we’ve adjusted nicely. We’ve celebrated a birthday in fine style and have been to San Diego’s Sea World via bus, train and taxi (in less time than it took us to drive last visit!). But as the novelty wears off, will we crack? How long can we do this?

Get on board!
Check in with us as we report from the field about life in the city of angels, sans auto. We’ll take buses, trains, and taxis as well as utilize car sharing programs like FlexCar. Wish us luck, we’re gonna need it…enjoy the ride!