Front-paged at the request of estimable & indefatigable commentor LAMH:
I’ve made it safely to Los Angeles. tomorrow will be my first full day. It gonna be a day of sight seeing, followed by dinner/hanging with a former friend from work who lives in L.A. now.
Then on Sunday, I’ve got my LA GOPass all set, and I plan to check out places on the tour that also have private showings along with some other sights, hopefully to include Santa Monica pier.
After that my evening will be free. My hotel isn’t in a “dodgy” area, but I’d rather err on the side of caution, and try not to come into motel too late.
Then on Monday, I have a show taping (hoping for 2 if I get my Will & Grace ticket) and if no W&G…I’ll be heading to hang outside the Black Panther premiere and celebrity watch.
I know folks have expressed a meet up if possible, and I am def down for Sunday evening if folks can…if not, no worries, I’ll be back to LA again.
just let me know where and what times so I can figure out if I need to Uber anywhere.
My Motel is Coral Sands Motel on Western Ave, 1 block form Hollywood/Western METRO station.
Roger Moore
Maybe we could meet at Grand Central Market. It’s right between Civic Center and Pershing Square stations on the Red/Purple lines, so it’s easy to get to by public transportation, and it has a huge selection of foods to suit any budget and dietary restriction.
Nicole
I initially misunderstood “GOPass” and thought, “What Republican thing could lamh possibly be planning on doing? ;)
Have fun! Take pictures!
Ruckus
@Roger Moore:
On Hill St.?
Because that’s just up the street from the Pershing Square station. Or at least one entrance is. Just looked, it runs from Broadway to Hill, so the Pershing Square station would be the easiest. 2 blocks north on Hill and you are at the back entrance.
ETA When I walked by the other day (Women’s March) it was rather noisy, but I’ve never been by there in the evening.
Roger Moore
@Ruckus:
That’s the one. It’s also pretty close to the south entrance to Civic Center station. Either way, it’s easy to get to from Wilshire and Western.
Ruckus
@Roger Moore:
True.
MisterForkbeard
Hope the LA contingent has a good meetup. Looks like the SF one didn’t happen. :(
Major Major Major Major
@MisterForkbeard: i thought we were aiming for tomorrow afternoon. Perhaps somebody could make a post about it ?
Sister Golden Bear
@MisterForkbeard: For the SF meet-up, I think we got agreement on a location — Thirsty Bear — but never settled on a specific time.
Major Major Major Major
@Sister Golden Bear: tomorrow afternoon, 2:30, thirsty twink. Anybody?
Sister Golden Bear
Might not be able to get there quite that early (have something to do down in Sunnyvale that may go to 1-1:30), but I’m game.
WaterGirl
Not that I’m in CA, but what’s the difference between thirsty bear and thirsty twink?
MisterForkbeard
@WaterGirl: It was a joke about Bears and Twinks. It’s… I’m not going to get into it. :)
I can try and make a 2:30 at Thirsty Bear in SF. We should get AL to make a post about it. And then we should all wear special hats or something so we can identify each other. I’ll be the guy in the stormtrooper helmet.
WaterGirl
@MisterForkbeard: Okay, just checking. I was once supposed to meet a friend FOR margaritas at the Fiesta Cafe. At the he’s 30 minutes late mark, I phoned. He was at a restaurant all the way across town, and the restaurant was called Margaritas.
Anyway, now I read the fine print. :-)
Major Major Major Major
@MisterForkbeard: Maybe somebody should email AL about it. (I’m scared!)
If you fill out the contact form at my nym link I can put you in touch with Steve who has also emailed me.
@Sister Golden Bear: Picked 2:30 as my earliest acceptable time :) you may also go the contact form route if you would like! Obviously this results in us all knowing each others’ emails, if this is unacceptable then don’t.
Eljai
If there’s a meet-up in SF tomorrow afternoon, I can make it. I’d love to meet fellow juicers. Even though I mostly lurk around here, I promise not to just show up, sit several tables away and not say anything ;)
Feebog
Would love to go to the LA meet up, but I am 17 days post op from my knee replacement. So next time jackels.
Geoff Hughes
Have you stayed at the Coral Sands before?
Origuy
If Thirsty Bear is at 2:30, I won’t be able to make it.
Major Major Major Major
@Origuy: When would you be able to make it? I emailed AL and included a suggestion of 3:30.
Sister Golden Bear
@WaterGirl: The more you know: http://www.homorazzi.com/article/gay-labels-guide-top-bottom-twink-twunk-bear-phrases/
FWIW the movie “Inside Out” had a joke about bears in SF that greatly amused the locals.
Fair Economist
This was kind of hijacked by the SF crowd, but I like the idea of a Grand Central Market meeting. Does anybody know a particular place to meet within the Market? I haven’t been there for more years than I care to admit. Also, when? 5 PM?
Origuy
@Major Major Major Major: @Major Major Major Major: Probably not before 4. If you start at 3:30, I would still come up, but don’t schedule around me. It’s a long way from San Jose and anything could happen.
Ruckus
@Fair Economist:
Maybe we should highjack their thread?
I can’t recall ever having been inside Grand Central in my life but I was told once that I’ve been there when I was a young child. So it’s changed some since then which wouldn’t make a bit of difference. I don’t remember any more than what I saw last weekend when I walked by.
Mnemosyne
@Roger Moore:
What’s the parking like? I’m still on the verdammt crutches for balance, so public transit would be too much of a pain in the ass. I would also be willing to take lamh36 back to her hotel afterwards since the Red Line can get a little dicey after nighttime rush hour is over.
I haven’t been there before, either, so someone who has should probably pick a rendezvous point.
Ruckus
@Mnemosyne:
There is parking in the Metro garage about 2 blocks from the market, on Hill St. And there are lots of parking lots that were fenced off for the Women’s March last Sunday. I haven’t been in the area much at all and never in the evening since the late 80s. And even then I was in the industrial area east of there. That was not for the faint of anything after dark then although I only had an issue one time in a couple of decades. It sure does look a lot different, haven’t got a clue how much better or worse it is but it looks a lot better. A lot.
If I had an idea when you were arriving I could be there to walk with you to the market.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Mnemosyne: There’s a parking structure next door to the market.
something fabulous
I can be in this time! Yippee! Would love to see you all again, and welcome, LAHM! Won’t be able to get there til 6 or so, and don’t know the Market either, so do let us know if there are more specific details shaping and I will come find y’all!
Mnemosyne
@Ruckus:
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
I just checked the website and they have their own parking structure. Now we just need a rendezvous point.
@something fabulous:
Yay! We haven’t seen you in forever.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Mnemosyne: I’ve got a shoot at the park above the Stadium from 4pm to 7pm but the end time is flexible(I mainly want to get pics of the sunset), so it depends on what time y’all decide to gather.
lamh36
Hey guys…anyone still here?
i’m on this tour and just stopped a bit for lunch…then back out.
Just let me know when/where/what time and best way to get there via Public Transportation!
Mnemosyne
@lamh36:
If you start from your hotel, it should be super easy — Red Line towards Union Station, get off at Pershing Square:
http://www.grandcentralmarket.com/visit/train
I think we still need to decide on a time and rendezvous location, though.
something fabulous
if we could move it up to say, 6, that would be better for me, but if earlier is better for everyone of course do what works! Thanks, Mnem! Looking forward to catching up.
@Mnemosyne:
Steve V
You’re three blocks from Griffith Park. You should squeeze in a stroll up to Fern Dell, it’s nice. (It’s also two blocks from my house. I walk my dogs in Fern Dell every day.)
?BillinGlendaleCA
@lamh36: I’m not sure where your friend is located but if it’s near Downtown you might want to head over to Broadway. They’re doing “On Broadway” from 3pm to midnight today. A bunch of the old theaters will be open and all of them will have their marquee lights on, should be quite a sight.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Steve V: …also the Observatory, the view is incredible(should be really nice with the offshore winds blowing the marine layer out to sea) and there’s a DASH bus from the Vermont/Sunset Metro station. I shoot my sunset shots just below the Observatory.
VFX Lurker
I’m working overtime tomorrow and may not be able to make it. I wish lamh36 and everyone here an awesome time and an awesome meetup!
M. Bouffant
@Steve V: lamh, I’d second a stroll up Western to Fern Dell, if you had a chance/like that sort of thing, shouldn’t take more than a couple of hrs. to & from the Coral Sands. Which by the way, is “no longer suitable for cruising”.
I know Hollywood & Western well (shop at the Ralphs market in the mall next to the motel occasionally); 35 to 25 yrs. ago before the Red Line stop brought urban renewal it was far beyond “dodgy”.
Fair Economist
Sounds like the meetup would be more fabulous at 6, so how about that?
Somebody else still needs to suggest a location within the market though.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Fair Economist: 7 would work better for me.
Mnemosyne
@Fair Economist:
Looking at the map, it seems theres a large seating area on the Hill side of the building. That’s probably the best spot:
http://www.grandcentralmarket.com/vendors
We’ll need lamh36 to chime in on the time. As I said, since I have to drive anyway, I’m willing to take her back to her hotel. Something Fabulous can vouch for me as a chauffeur. ?
Ruckus
@Mnemosyne:
As can I.
something fabulous
@?BillinGlendaleCA: 7 would be even better for me too! Lamh36, what would be good for you?
@Mnemosyne:
True that! Safe and everything! :)
(A first! Two replies in same post! Getting all fancy now.)
Mnemosyne
I feel like 7 might be a little late for a start time, especially since people usually show up in waves. I vote for 6.
lamh36
Sorry I’m so late guys but just got back 30 mins ago from hanging with my friend….I’m not really sure if anyone is still reading it, so I’ll just post it here and in the last open thread from tonight
My understanding:
Meetup Place: Grand Central Market (exact spot TBD?). I can just hop on the METRO.
Time: I’d prefer 6 instead of 7, afterwards, I can always UBER back to the Motel.
I’ll check back in the morning here at BJ before heading out to do more touristy stuff (and maybe Anne Laurie can email me, if anything changes
Ruckus
@lamh36:
Six sounds better to me as well and several others like that. And as you are the guest in town, six it is. As you will be coming into downtown get off the train at the Pershing Square stop. You will be on Hill St at 5th, Grand Central is between 4th and 3rd, across from the Angels Flight tram, which should be obvious, there is a largish orange archway sort of entrance to that. There is a large seating area there, right now don’t have any better place to meet. Most of the LA folks have met before so that should help us, once we meet the rest should be easy. Mems is on crutches and I’m an old white baldish dude with a full, mostly white beard. That combo should be hard to miss.