Announcement Regarding Car-Freedom

Dear folks,

In the spirit of full disclosure, I must announce that I am actively seeking to end my car-freedom.

Since returning from my travels and relocating to Bellflower, the car-free life has become considerably more difficult. All of the things that I thought that I would be able to overcome-- the lack of transit service, the distance between places I need to go, the time issues-- have proven too much for me.

I got rid of my car because I felt that for car-free life to work in Los Angeles, there just had to be enough people who were willing to do it, to make the city change. LA's sprawl means that living outside of Downtown or Santa Monica is considerably more difficult to get where I need to go.

Of course, I plan to keep driving to a minimum and to favor cycling and public transit as my means of transportation.

To all the car-free folks: I am humbled by you.

Bike Summit at LA Trade Tech!

I am still traveling so I cannot attend, but you should go! 

http://bikesummitla.wetpaint.com

Great News! Nickel Diner Opens for Dinner!

I am currently traveling, but my friend in LA knew that I'd want to hear this wonderful news right away:

The Nickel Diner is now will be open for dinner from 6-11PM eventually!

(See comments for updated info.)

Perfect timing. I hope that business continue to boom and that by the time I get back, they'll be able to even stay open until late-night.

I am so happy for you lucky DTLA-ers. And for myself, because I can't wait to go back.

Hm, I wonder if they're hiring...

Seen: LAPD and Teens

As I biked down 30th tonight, I came across six teenage boys being detained by four police officers between Broadway and Main. The officers had them against the chain-link fence, some of them cuffed. One of the officers noticed me lingering and observing and asked me if I needed something in a less-than friendly tone, and asked "do you know them?" I guess it is natural for LAPD to be on the defensive, especially when approached by a small young woman on bicycle at 8PM.

I told her that I didn't know the kids and I was just curious as to what was going on, why they were being detained, and she seemed reluctant to tell me. The other officers came up to us and one of them asked "What, are you a reporter?" To which I honestly replied "No, I've lived in this area for a while and I'm just wondering what was happening." Finally, an officer told me that they had been caught drinking on the school campus, two of them didn't have identification, and one might have a warrant out, and the rest were okay. And he told me with a smile.

I know that underage drinking is a serious offense, and that it is probably procedure, but I can't help feeling like it was a bit excessive to have them up against the fence like that. In a different neighborhood, underage drinkers may have just been escorted home instead of being treated as criminals already.

It's a much more complicated issue than that, with many other circumstances and facts to consider. This is a part of living in an urban area in this era, I suppose: procedure and code preclude common sense and independent judgment, and this can work both ways. Maybe even with my preference for city life, I still have some small-town sensibilities.