I wanted people to know just a little bit about why I'm doing this.
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| Why Cynthia? Why are you doing this? |
It's twofold really. Here's the primary reason:
Currently I'm unemployed and if I don't have a motive to get out of the house other than work out I'm going to completely lose my mind (see: this morning).
The second reason, and the one that hopefully will outlive the first, is I love small business and do whatever I can to support it. I respect small business owners. I see how hard they work. I find them to be some of the most creative, interesting and inspiring people out here in LA. I also truly appreciate how so many of them provide such high quality service and care so much about what they do. This town can seem so big and if you do some of the typical touristy things, you'll end up at The Grove or whatever Gap or American Apparel happens to be closest. I get that. And I don't mean to put those places down exactly - it's just that there's so much going on here and to me, it's through local businesses not chains that help you really get to know a place and the people.
In fact with so many people doing such exceptional work, I sometimes forget I'm in an industry town. I even think in terms of "This is my neighborhood, this is why it's so great. There's so much culture. Such artisanship. It's so freakin cool." Nothing seems based on film and television. It's just about what tastes good, looks good, feels good, is good.
In my humble opine.
I want people -- whether the ones who are living here or the ones who are visiting -- to have the chance of really loving what LA has to offer and perhaps appreciate it as much as I do.
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| Mural in Los Feliz |
But trust me, I get it. When I first came to LA I could not get over seeing famous names in the sidewalk on Hollywood Boulevard. There's Bob Hope oh my God! It's the same when I go away. I make sure I do what's in the tour books. I see the... what I call "the essentials." Like when we were in Paris we went to The Louvre. When we were in Prague, we crossed the Charles Bridge about 100 times. But it was from the local blogs where I feel I really got the kind of direction I craved once the essentials were checked off. That's where I found inside scoops about cool small stores to check out and off-the-radar restaurants to eat at. And I believe it was in those moments I got a glimpse at what it was like to be a local. Not only did I get it, I got inspired. Why not do that for LA? Help people get more of a glimpse of LA than just a place to find a photo opportunity of The Hollywood Sign -- which, by the way, I plan to do a post about.
Ergo, this blog. So you can get a glimpse into the fun stuff after you're done with your essentials.
I believe no glimpse would be complete if it didn't try to cover all your senses. Which brings to mind the other thing I like to talk about in this blog...
MUSIC.
I love music. I love music that would embarrass anyone on the planet to admit they loved, and I love the super cool shit that I believe helps redeem me. Car culture and the music that is played in your car as you ride around this city does -- as cliche as it sounds -- provide a soundtrack to your Los Angeles experience. I like to share what music floored me while I was in the car so maybe you can have it floor you, too. The right tunes can make my day or better put, make the traffic jam I find myself in sometimes seem a little bit more like a concert performance and less like a futile test of my patience.
SPEAKING OF:
I know The Stones are playing tonight at The Staple Center. And no, I'm not seeing them. Money, access, you name it - not going to The Stones. And it's fine. I saw them back in New York or maybe it was New Jersey? It was a long time ago. That being said, The Stones + Your Car + LA= A Very Good Time.
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| Graffiti on Cherry Pick's building |
I just think you don't have to be at the concert to appreciate Mick. Some of my best Stones experiences have taken place in my car with them on the radio turned up loud. For free you can be Mick while driving up Sunset in Silverlake, singing your lungs out. Most likely if anyone notices you, they'll just think you're talking on the phone. Albeit very expressively.
What a great way to pass the time in this kick-ass city.
To that end...
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