A Worthy Distraction

(A brief look into a bright section of my evening that has something to do with being car-less in Los Angeles, if not entirely. Phrases/words have been bolded for purposes of relevance.)

On the Orange Line this evening, while on the way home from a free concert at Pershing Square, I met an adorable 26-year-old Ecuadorian doctor. He plays guitar, which is what sparked our conversation. I asked if he's tried playing piano. He said, no, it's far too difficult. My observation is that those who play guitar find it difficult to play piano, and those who play piano find it difficult to play guitar. I mentioned that I've played piano since I was three years old and can't imagine playing guitar. Cute. Glasses. Scruff. Nice hands.

I told him I take the bus and ride my bicycle nearly everywhere. We empathized on the idea that getting from one place to another is challenging without a car, but it's nice travelling by bicycle. Good for the legs. He doesn't mind taking public transportation, but at times minds the wait and the over-planning. I told him that it's likely that I'll have a car in six to eight months or so, but even then I won't see the need to drive it every day. Why every day, when you live in Los Angeles? (Talking more weather than actual commute, to be honest. Of course it all depends.)

He's so darned cute. He'll be leaving in two months. Still, the idea of two months is a decent enough distraction. Of course we exchanged numbers. There will either be coffee in the future, or I may never see him again. Who knows? Who cares? All that matters is that I walked home from my stop at Balboa Station with a lighter step than I have in months.

Getting Around Town in a Pair of Heels

(A brief shout-out to all the women out there who ride their bicycles in high heels and skirts. I am not brave enough to do so. It sounds like it'd be fun and endearingly cute, what with the right pair of plum-colored tights. But be it a gust of wind or an odd general angle, I am not willing to give up a shot of the goods so easily. That and I can't imagine a pair of pumps fitting well within the cages on my pedals. I'll give it a whirl one of these days, though, and will report back to you.)

Every now and then something requires my getting somewhere in more formal dress than jeans and a sweater. Whether covering the opening of a dance academy in Hollywood or just heading out to wherever the bass is pumping, at times I'm inclined to wear high heels and a nice dress - and in such cases I make friendly with my TAP card and take the bus. Metro.net is my usual source for bus routes and corresponding times to get where I need to go, and while it's generally reliable, its lack of direction and non-user-friendly map makes travel a bit sketchy.

This Thursday and Friday I'll be heading to Beverly Hills for a press screening and conference, and while I won't necessarily be wearing heels, I'll not want to be a sweaty mess. In preparation, I GoogleMapped the addresses, just to make sure I knew where I was going, then noticed the Get Directions drop-down menu, which, among other options, included public transit. Not only did it tell me what buses to take and at what time, but exactly where to walk when transferring. Way to make my life easier. Absolutely brilliant; beyond sexy. I want to write someone a love letter. Metro, you need to play Catch Up, and quickly... and that's all I have to say about that.