Lazy Fridays #7

Lazy Fridays #7: LAX

What? LAX? What? Why would I include this? Well, LAX is what most people first see when they enter into Los Angeles. The Airport is the entry point for any planes landing in the area, unless you're in a small plane landing at Santa Monica or in Long Beach. So let's say, the entry point for commercial airlines.

Located in Westchester, the Airport is a great place for plane and people watching. There's an In-N-Out just by the runway in Westchester with a small patch of grass that's great to lie down on and watch the planes fly in. If you prefer being inside the airport, having lunch in the international terminal and then sitting by the windows to watch planes go in and out is fun too. This also gives you the chance to see the international travelers pass through on their way in and out.

If you're really looking for something unique to do, have dinner in LAX's Theme Building, which opened in 1961 and was styled with the Jetsons in mind. Just keep in mind that it is expensive to dine here.

Enjoy

Lazy Fridays #5

Lazy Friday's #5: Angel's Flight

Keeping with the Downtown L.A. theme this week, I wanted to introduce you to Angel's Flight.

Angels Flight was originally opened in 1901 by Colonel J.W. Eddy, and is known as the "Shortest Railway in the World." It connected Hill Street with Olive Street in the Bunker Hill neighborhood of Downtown L.A. The railway did not receive its name until 1912, when it was officially acknowledged as Angels Flight (a nod to the cities name Los Angeles, which translates from Spanish to The Angels, and as recognition to the name that hung over the Hill Street entrance).

The railway opened in 1901 and ran until 1969, when it was closed due to redevelopment in the area surrounding. The pieces of the railway were put into storage in hopes of a restoration and reopening. Angels Flight was reopened in 1996 half a block from the original site, but closed following a fatal accident in 2001. The Flight has now been opened for a third time as of March 2010, and has run safely since the reopening.

I remember taking the railway during a class field trip to Downtown in second grade about a year before it was closed. It's a cool ride to take and with the original 1901 tramcars being used, it feels a little like being a part of history. It certainly has a way of feeling like 1901, with the tram fare being twenty-five cents, probably making it the cheapest transportation you will ever take in Los Angeles.

So if you spend an afternoon in Downtown, take a time to see something that has seemingly made its way down the path of history: Angels Flight. Enjoy!

Transportation Websites

Simple Tip Supplement: Transportation Websites

Here are some websites if you want to find out more about L.A. transport:

L.A. Subway

Big Blue Bus

Metro System

Culver City Bus

Simple Tip #11

Simple Tip #11: Public Transportation

I know, I know. L.A's public transportation has never really had the best reputation. You want to avoid the buses and the subway doesn't run all over like in other cities (I'm looking at you, New York). But really, you shouldn't underestimate it. What happens when you have no way of getting somewhere? What if you don't have a car and your bike has a flat? Well, that's when the bus or subway becomes useful.

First off, the bus. I usually take the Big Blue Bus down into Santa Monica. It's not hard to find the right line and it only costs .50 cents a ride. That's a deal and certainly cheaper than paying 80 dollars a week for gas. The best tip when riding the bus is, of course, knowing your stop and sitting either in the back or the center of the bus. Why do I say this? Well, if you sit in the front, chances are there will be the irritating person in the wheelchair that decides to strap themselves in on the side everyone is sitting on instead of the other empty side of the bus. But if you sit in the back, you have to remember to move when you get to your spot.

The metro bus is also a great option if you really need to get somewhere. They make as few stops as possible, which is great. A bus from the Westside to Downtown only takes about 30 to 40 minutes depending on where you are. The only set back is, because its a lot faster, it costs a little more to ride. It's about 1.25 to ride, so its better to leave riding the metro if you're going somewhere far, not a couple stops over.

The subway system in Los Angeles isn't very extensive. It currently runs to major points starting in Downtown L.A. at Union Station to Long Beach, North Hollywood, East L.A, South Central, and the South Bay. A proposed Westside line is under construction. Fares are 1.50 per ticket to 75 dollars for a monthly pass.

Regardless of what's said about L.A's transportation, it is highly useful when it needs to be. So if you want to avoid a car, try the bus or subway!