"Eyes on the road" is an important piece of advice for drivers, though the stretch of the 5 Freeway in Commerce can make any ride-along passenger look up from their phone or the stereo in slack-jawed wonder.
Colorful billboards (many, many billboards). That amazing view of downtown Los Angeles (well, when heading north). And the World's Largest Bow, a sparkly red behemoth of a bauble that sits atop the Citadel Outlets.
"Dang it," though, you say. "You can only see that bow in December." Au contraire to that. Be prepared to be cheered, bow buffs of the 5, for the seasonal roadside curiosity is back as of mid-October.
Make that Oct. 14, to be exact. Commuters might have spied a team unloading the mondo topper, which is 21 feet tall, 36 feet wide, and boasts two tails that are each 75 feet in length. "Over 4,000 cans of paint and primer" prepped the American Christmas Inc. creation, and a half ton of glitter.
But the big bow won't be alone for long. The World's Tallest Live Cut Christmas tree is making its way to Southern California now, for a pre-Halloween installation. The 115 footer is straight from the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and it "(s)tands twice the size of the famous Hollywood Sign."
The tree arrival is scheduled Monday, Oct. 19, should you see the tippy-top of a fir from the freeway and wonder to yourself "what the ho, ho, ho is going on?"
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Halloween fans, be placated, though: The official lighting is set for after the haunting holiday, on Saturday, Nov. 7. Mario Lopez is due to host.
A few more lovely tree tidbits: A dozen young trees were "planted in its place" in the forest. The 2015 tree that was selected was also "near the end of its lifespan." And is it taller than the one due for Rockefeller Center?
The Citadel Outlets says by 40 feet.
The ginormous tree, and its ginormous neighboring bow, definitely add to the busy corridor come the end of the year. Drivers, keep your eyes fastened to the road, but passengers, you are free to look to the historic building and ponder how the big bow and what's billed as the World's Tallest Live Cut Christmas Tree.
