The ‘New’ Santa Monica Boulevard - What a joke.

(top) the new Santa Monica Boulevard,
(bottom) the drive-thru line at McDonald's on
Santa Monica Boulevard

If you have lived in Los Angeles for a while, then you might remember Santa Monica Boulevard – the part from the 405 east to Wilshire Boulevard – before the Westwood and Century City turned it into a freeway with stop lights. It was always heavy with traffic, but there was easy access to the businesses on the way.

Typically, I avoid driving in L.A. as much as possible – driving in L.A. daily can cause mental meltdowns – but I was driving home from Santa Monica the other Friday and I thought I should at least try the new Santa Monica Boulevard. It was a nice day and it seemed early enough in the day to possibly avoid traffic. And, I am a local.

Bad idea. As much as I hate driving on the freeways, they are still the fastest and easiest way to get around if you have to drive. Parts of Santa Monica Boulevard are quick, too, but not many. The reconstruction on Santa Monica Boulevard has helped in that section, but once you hit Wilshire Boulevard the brakes are on.

I was hungry so I remembered there was a McDonald’s on Santa Monica near Beverly Glen. It was still there, too. But, because Santa Monica is now a thru-way with a one-way ‘little’ Santa Monica (which didn’t work in the first place), as the only access to the stores and shops along the way, if McDonald’s drive-thru is full of customers, they now spill out onto ‘little’ Santa Monica and you’re stuck. I sat in the line for almost ten minutes without moving before I decided to skirt the line, go around through the back alley and...McDonald’s parking lot if completely full and the drive-thru line that I was once sitting in was longer than anticipated and not moving.

So, I decided to forget McDonald’s on Santa Monica Boulevard forever, but then there was the issue of making a U-turn. I had to back track my way on Santa Monica Boulevard quite a ways before I could make a left or U-turn. Who’s the brain behind this project?

There are things about Los Angeles that are fantastic, but no matter what, you almost always end up driving somewhere and that is where the experience turns bad. Driving in L.A. is a joke these days and I don’t see things getting better, only getting worse.

But, don’t take my word for it. Read what David Yoon of Narrow Streets blog, Los Angeles had to say about it back in 2010. He gives a much more thorough description of the new highway and if his prediction is correct, I would advise you to stay off Santa Monica Boulevard between Wilshire and the 405. Don't say I didn't warn you.

CityWalk Hollywood – All grown up

(L) Mark having fun at the Curious George sign (R) the famous
Universal Studios globe

I remember as a kid going to the movies with my cousins at Universal CityWalk before it was CityWalk – it was only theaters and a huge parking structure. My aunt and uncle would drop us kids off and we would spend the afternoon at the movies, sneaking from one theater to another until our parents came to pick us up. I guess we weren't kids as much as we were teenagers, but it was still fun.

Last night, my friend Mark and I went to CityWalk Hollywood for dinner and a movie – and it made me think of my childhood and my time at the theaters as a teen. Boy, has it changed.

We ate at the 'Hard Rock Cafe' at CityWalk Hollywood

The CityWalk Hollywood of today is all grown up and rivals Downtown Disney with nothing but choices of things to do and buy. From the 19-theater complex and IMAX theater with an 8-story screen to the restaurants, shops and things to try, CityWalk Hollywood can be an all day experience, if you're up for it.

Dinner

There are tons of places to eat for all types of appetites. With places like Tony Romas, Camacho's Cantina, Jon Lovitz Comedy Club, Wolfgang Puck and Wasabi to tempt your taste buds, it's hard to choose. We chose Hard Rock Cafe because we knew that the food would be good and that it would only add to our night – and it did.

There's nothing like a good-'ole hamburger and fries to fill you up along with good music and great service. The desserts at Hard Rock looked amazing, but we did not indulge. We wanted to  not be stuffed for the movie.

After dinner, we walked the length of CityWalk to the famous Universal Studios globe, then back to the theater. I wanted to take photos for this blog and my buddy Mark was nice enough to play along.

We walked around, looking at stores and the different people before we decided to stop for a small cafe mocha at Starbucks for a little boost before our movie. The weather was incredible.

Movie

Our game plan from the beginning was to see 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2' in IMAX-3D and we did. It was FANTASTIC! What a ride. I won't give any of the film away, for those of you who haven't seen it, but I will say that it did not disappoint.

If you've never seen a film at an IMAX theater, you don't know what you are missing. If you have, then you know how lucky we are to have an IMAX theater in our back yards and just up the hill. It's more expensive for an IMAX experience, but well worth it, especially in 3D!

The All-New '5 Towers'

If you haven’t been to CityWalk Hollywood recently, then you don’t know about the all new ‘5 Towers’ – an outdoor, FREE live concert staging area, including five 42-foot high steel towers of lights and amazing sound – located in the center of the plaza, just outside of the cinemas and Hard Rock Cafe. The 31-by-24 foot stage is permanent and there is a 26-by14 foot LED monitor mounted above the stage, facing the audience.

CityWalk Hollywood has always had music and videos playing for your enjoyment, but the new ‘5 Towers’ takes the experience to another level. For example, there are underground weight sensors that enable guests to control the volume of the lights on the towers.

This is the view from the theaters as soon as you
walk outside...it was beautiful.

By the time the movie was over, it was dark and it appeared they were setting up for the '5 Towers' experience to begin, but who knows? It was getting late and we were ready to call it quits.

We had a great time at CityWalk Hollywood and I know you would, too. It was nice to go with an old friend on a perfect summer evening to a perfect movie at a killer theater. I can't think of anything more gratifying.

To read what the LA Daily News had to say about the new '5 Towers,' please click here.

For more information on CityWalk Hollywood regarding parking, movies, restaurants and shops, please visit their web site at www.CityWalkHollywood.com.

Another Day at the Beach

(L) Myself, Robert in back and Jeff (R) Robert and Jeff setting
up at the beach. 

One of the great things about living in Los Angeles, especially during the summer, is the option to go to the beach. I've blogged about this before, but it is definitely one of the luxuries we have that I do not take for granted. I love the beach and the ocean. Whenever I go, I feel a sense of 'cleansing.'

This year, on 4th of July weekend, my two buddies and I headed for the beach complete with umbrellas, a big sheet for all three towels and a cooler, packed full of sandwiches, fruit salad, potato salad, sodas and water. Oh, and one chair for whoever wanted to sit in it.

This was the view from our spot on the beach.

The weather could not have been more gorgeous. There was a nice breeze and people were flying kites. We got there early and dropped Robert off at the stairs that lead to the beach, then we drove around, found parking and met Robert on the beach. We were there by 11:00am and we got a terrific spot.

There is something about sitting on the beach with the Pacific Ocean in front of you, the warm sun on your skin and a light breeze to keep you cool under an umbrella – something peaceful and relaxing.

Around 1pm, we started to get hungry and we ate lunch – I was grouchy about Robert bringing such a big cooler than ended up being sort of heavy, but I was glad we had it in the long run. So much food to munch on and it was all delicious. By 3pm, I was starting to feel the burn, so I jumped in the vacant chair that was sitting under an umbrella, in the shade. Robert and Jeff continued to sun. Needless to say, Robert burned to a crisp and peeled. Jeff was fine because he and I already had a base tan, but I know when to get out of the sun.

We had a great day in the sun, just the three of us – did I say we've known each other for 23 years? We finally arrived home by 5pm and the drive home was pleasant with no traffic. I am grateful for my friends and for days like this and I can't wait to hit the beach again before the end of summer. It's days like this that makes living in L.A. worth all the trouble.

Polyamory: Untapped possibilities or a way to get everything we want?

Gay or straight, is polyamory a way to strengthen our 
current relationship by observing it from a different perspective?

In an age of some of the best technology ever, it's hard not to know what is going on in our country and around the world – climate change, floods, record deficits, job losses, budget cuts, less for the already poor – life seems to be getting harder for us all, instead of easier.

So, when it comes to relationships, is now the time to reach out to your friends and neighbors who are also feeling the pinch for emotional and sexual support? Gay or straight, is it a way to strengthen our current relationship by observing it from a different perspective? Or, is polyamory just a way to get everything we want?

Polyamorous relationships go virtually unnoticed in films like the Twilight series – Bella was torn between Edward and Jacob, and for a while, had them both.

I recently had this conversation with a friend of mine who brought up the subject of a polyamorous lifestyle and it made me think of some of my past relationships and whether or not they would have survived if both of us had someone else to focus some of our attention on? Does having someone else around for emotional and sexual support help break up the tension between two people or does it create more tension in the long run? And, how many partners can one person have? Is there a minimum and/or maximum? What are the rules?

While sitting around one afternoon watching 'Twilight: Eclipse' (it was on Showtime's OnDemand), it dawned on me that polyamorous relationships are already taking place in movies and on television but they go virtually unnoticed. In Eclipse, in case you haven't seen it, Jacob wants Bella to choose him over Edward and Bella is obviously torn. In this installment, Bella continues to need some of the things Jacob can provide that Edward can not – and vice versa – and struggles with the thought of having to choose one over the other.

What about shows like 'The Bachelor' or 'Vampire Diaries?' The message seems to be 'why have one when you can have more than one.' 

In the 1950s, couples married early, sometimes starting families before they were twenty. By the 70s, the divorce rate had skyrocketed and people were free to explore their sexualities. Today, there are people in public office with families who lie about their affairs, as if 'don't ask, don't tell' applies directly to them. Maybe it's time we all admit that one person can not fulfill all of our needs? Or, can they?

Are polyamorous relationships the wave of the future? Or, are we just hungry for more? Does having more than one person in life to turn to in an intimate way help us with all the drama in life or does it create more drama in the long run?

There are tons of books on the subject, including but not limited to; Ethical Slut: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships & Other Adventures, Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining  Open Relationships and Sex at Dawn: How We Mate, Why We Stray, and What It Means for Modern Relationships, to name only a few. If you are interested, you'll have to do the research yourself.

Who knows? Maybe this is part of the way humans will evolve in the next 50-100 years? Only time will tell but I thought it was worth mentioning.

What do you think?

Weekend Movie Reviews: X-Men First Class and Source Code

X-MEN FIRST CLASS

If you're a fan of the existing X-Men series, then 'X-Men: First Class' is a must-see for you if you haven't seen it, yet.

It's the story of how the X-Men came to be, beginning in Auschwitz where a very young Erik sees his mother gunned down and displays his 'magnetic' powers. Then, we meet Charles and Raven, as kids, who exhibit powers of their own and soon you're off on a global adventure where you are introduced to all the infamous X-Men characters before they were part of the X-Men clan.

As a fan of the X-Men series, this installment does not disappoint and is packed with as much storyline, special effects and good writing and acting as one film can get. So much, in fact, that it could almost have been too much for one film, but that's just my humble opinion.

I won't give any of the storyline away because half the fun is in the discovery, but I will say again that it's worth the watch.  It's cool, fun and full of adventure!

Look for it on DVD later this year.

SOURCE CODE

The soon-to-be-released on DVD 'Source Code' is a fun ride with an interesting twist that is worth taking with star Jake Gyllenhaal as a decorated soldier who finds himself inside the body of an unknown man, on a train headed for Chicago with a bomb somewhere on board. The soldiers mission is to find the bomb and the bomber before it explodes.

Director Duncan Jones does a good job telling the story and keeping the viewer riveted to their seat as they watch the young captain discover his mission and ride with him on his attempts to save the passengers on the train.

What he doesn't know is how he got into the body of the unknown man on the train or how he is going to get out and, as the viewer, you learn what he learns as he learns it.

'Source Code' is a fun-filled suspense-thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you are transported to a realm of  mind over matter.

WHAT IS SOURCE CODE?

In computer science, source code is text written in a computer programming language. This language is specially designed to facilitate the work of computer programmers who specify the actions to be performed by a computer mostly by writing 'source code.'

I highly recommend 'Source Code' if you want something fun with a twist.

Ultimate Paintball for ultimate summer fun!

How many times have you sat around with your friends trying to think of something fun to do that is completely different than what you normally do? Something fun you can do together, as a team, building teamwork, leadership and comradery?

What about paintball? I use to work with these dudes who were crazy about paintball. In fact, they made it a point to get together as a team and play at least once a month. There are tons of indoor and outdoor parks in L.A. for play.

One thing is for sure, if you play, you’ve got to have the right gear and the best place to get your gear online is at UltimatePaintball.com. Ultimate Paintball offers the best prices with FREE shipping on brands like Tippman, VForce, Empire, Spyder, Proto and more!

Ultimate Paintball offers the best in apparel, equipment and custom camo dipping to customize your gear.

paintball gear

It's The Little Things

The Joy of Little Things 
by Robert William Service

Flowers on our cactus
just before they bloom in spring.

It's good the great green earth to roam,
Where sights of awe the soul inspire;
But oh, it's best, the coming home,
The crackle of one's own hearth-fire!
You've hob-nobbed with the solemn Past;
You've seen the pageantry of kings;
Yet oh, how sweet to gain at last
The peace and rest of Little Things!

Perhaps you're counted with the Great;
You strain and strive with mighty men;
Your hand is on the helm of State;
Colossus-like you stride . . . and then
There comes a pause, a shining hour,
A dog that leaps, a hand that clings:
O Titan, turn from pomp and power;
Give all your heart to Little Things.

Go couch you childwise in the grass,
Believing it's some jungle strange,
Where mighty monsters peer and pass,
Where beetles roam and spiders range.
'Mid gloom and gleam of leaf and blade,
What dragons rasp their painted wings!
O magic world of shine and shade!
O beauty land of Little Things!

I sometimes wonder, after all,
Amid this tangled web of fate,
If what is great may not be small,
And what is small may not be great.
So wondering I go my way,
Yet in my heart contentment sings . . .
O may I ever see, I pray,
God's grace and love in Little Things.

So give to me, I only beg,
A little roof to call my own,
A little cider in the keg,
A little meat upon the bone;
A little garden by the sea,
A little boat that dips and swings . . .
Take wealth, take fame, but leave to me,
O Lord of Life, just Little Things.

cheap auto insurance Los Angeles

Did you know there are resources on the internet to help you find the cheapest auto insurance rates where you live? At a time when you can sit at your leisure and get information you need off the internet, it makes sense to shop around.

Cheap-autoInsurance.com is a FREE online referral service to the cheapest auto insurances rates in your area, by zip code. It's easy and it's FREE.

When I logged on, Cheap-autoInsurance.com gave me a list of different insurance companies in my area that offer the lowest rates on insurance. My choices were Travelers (the red umbrella), Geico, Nationwide and Progressive. And, I realized, that all of these insurance companies are online companies. Of course! Take out the middle man, save more money.

It’s easy to get a quote. You simply go to Cheap-autoInsurance.com, enter your zip code, and a page will pop up with the cheapest insurance in your area. I’ll bet you’ll have some of the same choices I had, but maybe there is something to this online insurance thing? You enter some basic information about your automobile and you’re done!

There is other useful information on Cheap-autoInsurance.com, such as ‘Auto Insurance Terms Defined,’ ‘State by State Resources’ and ‘Credit Ratings of Major Insurance Companies.’ According to their site, they offer information and research material to help you learn more about auto insurance and influencing factors where you live. State and even local information is provided for your convenience and use. Regardless of where you live, Cheap-autoInsurance.com can help you find and buy the car insurance coverage you need.

If you’re like me and trying to save a buck whenever you can, especially when it comes to your car, check out their site, key in your zip code and find out if you can save a few bucks on your auto insurance.

After all, a few bucks is a few bucks.