Until the Sun (Goes Down) Over Santa Monica Boulevard: The Great LA Walk
By ALYSIA GRAY PAINTER
Updated 11:07 AM PST, Fri, Nov 21, 2008
The Great Los Angeles Walk 2008, a giant, messy, wet kiss to this teeming megalopolis, was thunk up a few years back by Franklin Avenue blogger Michael Schneider (who also happens to be the TV Editor at Variety). Past outings have gamely covered miles of Wilshire and Pico; the 2008 excursion takes on that lengthy stretch of asphalt, restaurants and shops known as Santa Monica Boulevard.
Has this see-the-city's-secrets strut grown in popularity? Most definitely. Is it one of those organic, gets-bigger-each-year events that draws urbanites looking for connection to each other and the city? Yes. Do we need to figure out how in the hell we're going to get back to Union Station after we walk the 18 miles to the beach? Sure, but Mike has got suggestions aplenty, so everyone chill.
Here are some of the things tempting us to rise and shine for it:
1. Eyeing, up-close, the blocks between Vine and La Brea, which we're always speeding by.
2. Seeing if we'll count more tattoo parlors, tiny theaters, paint stores or frou-frou coffeehouses along the way (we're voting theaters).
3. A quick, frosting-laden cookie from Clementine's near Century City.
4. Meeting other people who thrill to the idea of leaving their car for a day and peeking in all the places that are nothing but blurs through the windshield.
5. We'll get to say "strutting on The SMB" liberally throughout the day with all our new friends, who are sure to love our cool lingo.
Great Los Angeles Walk 2008
Starting point: Union Station, 800 N. Alameda Street, Los Angeles
Leaves Union Station at 9AM on Saturday, November 22 (site has further details)
Free
Copyright NBC Local Media
First Published: Nov 21, 2008 10:36 AM PST
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