A night at Pantages and Red Line experiences.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go see Fiddle on the Roof at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. I had a great time. It was my second time going to that venue, first time I went, I saw Les Misérables about 4 years ago.

The play started at 7:30 and since I did not want to deal with the traffic and the parking issues that plagued a well concurred place as Hollywood, decided as I often, if not always do, to Go Metro. I wasn't sure how exactly to do it, should I take Metro all the way from Compton or should I use one of the Park and Rides facilities at one of the stations and go from there. For safety and time reason, decided to go for the latter one, I knew by the time it finished it would be rather late and did not want to risk it, so I drove to the Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park Station right off the 110 and 5 FWYs. Parked the car and waited for the nex train. I had just missed one as I was parking.


My train arrives within 10 to 15 minutes. In the mean time I take out my Ipod and just listen to some music. As soon as I get to Union Station, the train is about to depart but realize on time is the Purple Line heading towards Western and Wilshire, so I have to wait for the next NoHo bound train. As I enter the train I realized that my car is mostly empty, so I take a nap.

As we arrived at Hollywood and Vine, I realize that my car no longer resembles the one I got on in Union Station. This one is bustling and hustling with so many people that there are many having to stand for the lack of room. I get off and head towards the exit. As I am ascending the escalator, many memories are evoked in my mind, as I remember when at one point this station was the terminus for the Red Line therefore I used it quite a lot.


As I exit the station, the first thing I noticed is they haven't yet finished the construction above the station. I snap a picture of the Pantages across the street and head towards the traffic light cross. Upon arriving, there's already great multitudes of people around. Some are just waiting around, while others are in line to purchase or pick up tickets. I go in right away. I mentioned this to a friend, and now I post it here. In my opinion the inside of the theater, in the lobby area is too dark.


I get there well ahead of everyone else within my party. Got there between 30 to 45 minutes before they opened the doors. Once they did opened them, I go straight to my seat and just wait until little by little familiar faces start to appear and we all greet each other and exchange thoughts about what we expect to see, about how things are going, etc.

The show starts. I am very pleased. I enjoyed quite a bit. A lot actually. I was not disappointed, and since this is Topol's farewell tour, it makes it even more special. I think I like Fiddler better than Les Miserables. Perhaps I say so in a biased way due to the fact I have just seen it. The fact is I have really enjoyed both very much.

As the show ends, I bid adieu to all my friends and cross street to fetch the Subway. Again, I take a nap for at this moment I am really sleepy. As the train rolls along I am awakened to two different things going on at the same time. One, there's a man that starts playing his guitar, and I guess he's some what good. All I know is he has a hat on the floor and once he finished playing, people are clapping and throwing money at his hat on the floor.

The second thing I am awakened to is a foul smell. At first I can't pin point what it is but soon am able to realized is coming from a homeless man. Why am I sharing this you may ask? Well. This is why. Most people when things like this happen, they get so offended by the smell they make it known publicly, they start covering their nose and if they have a can of deodorizer, they have no qualms about using it to freshen up the place right in front of the offender. Me, though I am offended by the smell, realize that he is a human being and I do not know the reason why he ended up in such a state. I know he is a human and has feelings. And one thing I do not do, at least not on purpose is hurt some one's feelings. Who or what gives me that right. That's why even if the stench is so strong, I will not do any of those things. You, what do you think? What would you do?

Rogelio Gómez Hernández

Next departing train

Today, as I was heading home from work. I happened to see an addition to the usual Red Line screen. Aside from the next train to Union Station in the NoHo Station, there was a "This train departs next sign," just like the one that shows when a train is approaching.

205 Approaching

This footage was taken on my cell phone camera as my 205 was approaching for my last leg of my daily ride home in Artesia Station

MTA Blue Line by night

The other night, as I was walking home from the Compton Blue Line Station, I took a few seconds video footage of a northbound train. I don't know, but to me, there's a beautiful thing I can't describe about a train picture/video by night.

The good, the bad and the ugly, in the Valley

First of all I start of by saying I should have posted this yesterday I found myself to be too tired and lazy to do it what with the Olympics and all the night before as I saw an impressive Spanish team play the US a tete a tete game unlike the previous blow outs.

Ok. Apology taken care of I now go into depth about the unusual title to this particular post. Basically I had three different experiences with people's personalities and reactions. On my way to church as I got out of the NoHo station and was debating whether I should take Orange Line to Van Nuys or not, I saw a huge crown of people waiting for the next Metro Liner (as always) so I decided instead to take on the very much less heavy and traveled 156 (at least since the Orange Line opened). Oh, I guess I should have started by stating the fact that I took my bike with me yesterday. As I was saying I decided instead to take the 156. As it was approaching and I was getting ready to go to the front of the bus and open up the rack so I could put my bike in there I was told by the very nice, friendly and may I add extremely beautiful young lady that the rack was broken but then she proceeded to tell me to bring my bike on board. This is the first time (wait, I'm lying, when the Orange Line first opened, you could bring your bikes on board, but then again at that time buses where not equipped with racks). The good.




Next. At the end of the service I decided against riding Van Nuys and instead opted to ride Woodman down to the bike path and unto the Noho Station where subsequently I would take the subway to Wilshire and Vermont and then take the 51 home. As I was nearing Vanowen and there was a light change, I decided to take the whole lane to cover myself instead of do what most people do and hug the curb. I do this so no car will get ahead of me and try to overtake me while attempting to make a right turn. So, as I was there, sitting on my bike waiting for the light to change to green so I could continue, this car got behind me and honked. I, being a peaceful, cool person most of the time would have just ignored them but for some reason this time, I decided to turn around and made eye contact and put on my most menacing (lol) serious look and scream "yes?" as in "yes may I help you." I could not hear what they responded from inside the car due to the windows being all closed but by the look on their faces and the gestures they were making, I kind of figured they wanted me to get out of the middle of the street. At this moment however, I put my hand to my ear and yell at them, "I can't hear you." I expected them to honk again as the light changed but that did not happen, so I just rode of unto the sunset, I mean unto the bike path. The bad.


I don't know exactly what the temperature was like yesterday in the Valley but it did feel extremely hot and humid. Add to that the fact I did not have breakfast, the result was I was getting very tired, fatigued and even dizzy by the minute, so I decided to stop at the Shakey's Pizza across from the Laurel Canyon Station to take advantage of their all you can eat buffet. Upon finishing eating I was going to take the 156 instead of riding the last leg to NoHo. As the bus approached, I was told by the male driver that the rack was not working. Did he offer me to bring the bike inside? NO. So I just decided to ride. And that is the ugly.

All of this happened yesterday, in the Valley.

Daily Exodus

Everyday in the NoHo Red Line Station early in the morning as I make my way out of the entrails of the underground unto the street to continue my Daily Ride towards work, without fail, I can see an exodus of people going about their everyday routine. Sometimes it is very heavy and it leaves you in awe, of course I can imagine it's not as bad as in other major transit oriented cities around the world, but this being Los Angeles, I must admit, I am impressed. This phenomenon is fairly new to my eyes for I have been riding Metro for almost a decade and I must admit I have never seen it as packed as of late. I have a feeling the masses will eventually die down if the fuel prices were to drop back down again. Now is the time for MTA to make a sales pitch and try to make new converts to public transit before the window is closed.

Mr Bean on Bus Stop