Hollywood & Wester

Incidentally, if you drive a red Mitsubishi Galant and you parked in front of the apartment complex next to the Coral Sands Motel, your car's been towed.

Have a great day, LA.

Hollywood & Garfield

The building is starting to take shape... and boy is it ugly!

Tourist migration

Anyone walking west on Hollywood Boulevard in the morning with a bag is a tourist.

Few are as easy to spot as this one.

De plane! De plane!

This tattoo parlor is a tattoo parlor no more.

The new tenants better not get rid of the RETNA/El Mac mural on the side of the building, is all I know.

Tokey the Bear

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this might have some vague reference to drugs...

This is why we can't have nice things...

There used to be a great mural here.

They took it out and put in this lackluster mural.

I hate you 'Dixie of Hollywood.'

PS You're not in Hollywood.

Good Perch

A toe-on-the-ground Angel's Perch.  Raising the bar.

Pillow

This. This is practical and clever.

Ready For Launch

Where do you get a balloon like this, besides at a Toyota dealership?

Do you have to return it? If yes when? If no where do you store it in the meantime?

Bumblebee

Stunt Crew

I don't care what anyone says. This car is boss.

Sidewalk

I really love decorative sidewalks.

Socks

Images like this always confuse me. How do you lose a pair of socks on a sidewalk?

Spontaneous Storytelling

Traffic got tied up while waiting for this man to cross the Boulevard while dragging all of his belongings behind him - very slowly - against a red light.

As cars zoomed and swerved past him, one man came to his rescue. Zoom in and you can see the hero of this story, who stopped his car, got out, and helped the man get safely across the street.

When the homeless man yelled at him, he put his arm around him and spoke soothingly.

It set out to be one story and quickly became another one - one much more heartfelt. And it made me think...

Sure, it might suck to work a long day and then be put off during hyour commute home by some Guy slowly dragging his life's belongings behind him through the street, across your right of way.

But wouldn't it suck a lot more to be the Guy dragging all of his worldly possessions - alone - across Hollywood Boulevard?

A single act of compassion can change a story, even if only for a while.

LADOT

Of all the difficult jobs LADOT has to do, laying on the ground with your feet in the street is not one of them.

Hey, at least I'm not in the red, right?

Bears!

In the Hollywood/Western train station!

Hollywood/Western

Is it just me, or is this intersection always under construction?

Like... ALWAYS.

Ginseng

Sometimes I wonder things like: Why do the Dodgers have an official ginseng drink?

Lunchus Interruptus

I always get concerned at tableaux like this.

It's as if aliens beamed someone up before he could finish his hash browns.

Parking

For real.

101 South onramp

Someone spent some time and energy on this, and I would hate to not give them an official "Thank you."

The New Firehouse

All dolled up and ready to shine.

Hockey 101

Something tells me the New Jersey papers didn't have to do this.

Graffiti is one thing...

...but that's just rude.

Ralph's

I'd like to remind everyone that the Ralph's at Western and Hollywood has AN ENTIRE CITY BLOCK of parking below it.

Everyone frantically looking for parking topside, relax.

Road Work Ahead

Except by road, they mean sidewalk. And by ahead, they mean right here.

The Boulevard will be closed on Sunday

Adjust your travel plans.

Once you're aware of the angel's perch...

...you will see it everywhere in LA.

The Earth without art is just eh

The scaffolding goes up...

... what is behind it when it comes down, nobody knows.

Well not NOBODY. Just not me.

Saturday June 2

Where you gonna be?

New fire station, that's where. See you there.

Reverse Angels Perch

Worse than the Angels Perch is the REVERSE Angels Perch, where it's absolutely certain that the percher is completely unaware of their surroundings.

The Angel's Perch

Both heels on the edge of the curb. Toes hovering over the street.

I call it The Angel's Perch, both because it seems to be a move limited to the City of Angels, and because it seems like a good way to BECOME an angel.

It usually starts with a pedestrian walking full speed to a curb and then abruptly stopping, just as motorists are preparing for said pedestrian to jump the curb and run into traffic.

What do you gain from this? You make drivers jumpy, since they can't be sure you're not going to walk in front of their cars, and the pedestrians usually don't even gain an advantage when the light turns, since so few actually pay enough attention from this position to know when it's their turn to go.

It just seems like an ingrained, regional action. A subset of the LA mentality of fighting for every available inch - every available resource - whether it's actually beneficial to you or not, simply so the next Guy can't get it, even if he desperately needs it.

Two cents helps a lot

I think he meant a literal two cents. Not just an opinion.

Hollywood and Western

Did I somehow miss the signs telling us they were going to shut down this intersection today?

On the plus side, I've never SEEN so much parking at Ralph's.

The REAL Hollywood Sign

Hollywood/Western Metro Station

Okay so the 5000s aren't incredible.

Did you have to make our train station look like a giant bathroom?

Western Again

Escalation - Western closed below Hollywood.

Graffiti

Well that's just rude...

Kony 2012

The search for common ground begins in the 5000s.

Western

If your travel plans include Western, plan an alternate route or expect to sit in traffic today.

Rodded

I don't know what "Rodded" means in Thai, but in English, it's not exactly what I want to think about when I think of food.

Drug Store Indian

Farmers in the 5000s

And they said it couldn't be done...

Thai Massage

Finally! At long last!

Thai massage has come to Hollywood Boulevard.

Hydroponics

Things they don't tell you at Lowe's...

Adventist Church

I wish I knew more about this building. Has it always been a church? Has it always been lavender? Why is it lavender? And why is it shaped like an ocean liner?

Giant Hot Dog

I miss you.

Gentrification Doesn't Come Easily

Custom countertops, a spa, a vegan restaurant, and an upscale Japanese restaurant clash with a head shop, a tattoo parlor, and a liquor store...

With Albert Pujols looking down on all of them.

Lobster John Smith is in town...

...and not everybody is happy about it.