Officially Los Angeleno

I didn't even own a cell phone before moving to L.A., yet today I purchased a "hands-free cell phone kit for vehicle headrests." I feel like I need to take advantage of all the time spent in my car!

More Driving

On Saturday night I drove up to Sherman Oaks again to eat dinner at a jazz restaurant with a date. I took Beverly Glen as opposed to Laurel Canyon, but it was dark so I wasn't able to get much of an impression of the drive. If I hadn't gotten lost at one point, the drive would have taken around 40 minutes.

Drove out Venice Boulevard yesterday to play paddle tennis in Mar Vista. It was around 90 degrees (a record, I hear). The drive took approximately 30 minutes. On the way home, I took Washington Boulevard, which took me past Sony Studios and through the shopping district in Culver City. I had previously only been to Culver City to go to The Museum of Jurassic Technology (www.mjt.org) and, although that museum is definitely worth a trip, I did not have a good impression of the area. Yesterday I realize that it is actually yet another very nice, self-contained area with it's own pleasant, walkable central district and scene going on.

Friends or Scattered Acquaintances, Part II

I drove to Pasadena Saturday night for a birthday party. It took 45 minutes. Long winding drive up Laurel Canyon, then a trip east on the 101. There's a swing dance event in Pasadena every Thursday night called Lindy Groove, but there's no way I can drive out there on a weeknight.

Pasadena has it's own (crowded) main street (Colorado), as does Sherman Oaks (Ventura Blvd.). So it's true; there's no center here, just a bunch of different areas with their own central districts.

Today I drove to Studio City to hike Fryman Canyon with a friend. Another beautiful hiking spot.