A Test of Greater LA Mass Transit

The latest string of posts related to my upcoming bachelor party in Las Vegas has been a little Christopher-centric and a bit self-serving.  If you've ever had a face-to-face conversation with me, you know that I'm reaching my limit of personal sharing, so I'll direct the conversation the way I usually do: analytical.  That way, perhaps some information of value to someone else spews out onto the page!

So I leave from Bob Hope Airport at 10:55am on Thursday morning in order to ensure that I arrive in Vegas as soon as it's acceptable to drink (12:01pm).  I'll be gone for five days, so I'd really prefer not to spend $40 on parking my car just 7 miles from my own garage.  I've heard that in most big cities, people use....get this....public transit to get to and from the airport! (no way!)  Time to put LA to the test!

A quick review of the Metrolink website and the Glendale Beeline website, and I've got a gameplan situated.  Did you know there's a Union Station to Bob Hope Airport Metrolink line?  I didn't either.  LA is horrible at marketing its mass transit, in part because it is so fragmented.  Anyway, if I walk out my front door and 3 blocks west to Brand, I should supposedly be able to catch the Beeline at 9:30, be at the Glendale Transit Center at 9:51, on the Metrolink at 10:00, and at Bob Hope Airport at 10:11, ready to walk into the terminal and board.  If this works, it will be the first time I've been able to identify mass transit as a convenient transportation alternative around town.  Heck, the travel times aren't even a deterrant in this case!


P.S. - Upon return from Vegas, I'm going to be adventuring/exploring LA via mass transit and reporting back.  Traffic in LA is a bear, and traveling by trains is fun and efficient, so stay tuned to hear about how you might be able to take advantage of LA's evolving transit system as well!

Happy Easter, Go Lakers!

Happy Easter everyone!  To me, it always seems like Easter is the true beginning of Spring, the beginning of that great part of the year where it's warm but not hot, where the hills are still green, and it's inevitably time for Lakers Playoff Basketball!

The Show heads into game 4 tonight in New Orleans with a 2-1 lead in this first round series.  Pau actually showed up last game, and if he keeps up his intensity level, we should be watching another Showtime display of dominance beginning at 6:30 tonight, and headed back home to close out the series.

LA Mayor Villareigosa Visits the West LA Chamber

This past Wednesday, mayor Villareigosa visited the West LA Chamber's monthly networking breakfast.  Rather than giving a speech, the mayor took a Q & A session, and was pretty open and straightforward with all questions brought forth.  The mayor was emphatic about the 30/10 plan, and noted that while the Westside had previously been opposed to rail line expansion, the area has become a large advocate of the program.  He added his enthusiasm for the Expo line opening this Spring/Summer.
The mayor also addressed the issue of education and the struggles of budgetary constraints.  Education is another issue the mayor spoke passionately about, and recognized that the UTLA, and CTA as a while, is operating in a broken system and needs to recognize the need for prudent reform.
I really enjoyed the opportunity to interact with the mayor in this town-hall type venue.  Mayor Villareigosa will be touring the various Chambers in LA this spring.