not goin' far

Los Angeles is a big place and we haven't even scratched the surface after years for exploring close to home. Both mrs. a-go-go and I have a couple of generations of family roots right here in this Mediterranean climate. In fact we attended the same elementary school only two years apart. How did this town bring us back together through Bust magazine and an Internet date? Between the two of us we have more than seven decades of poking our way through Los Angeles, and we are still novices. It's love-hate like most people's feelings toward their local megalopolis. The variety of foods here is staggering, but so is the overwhelming number of people. From the mountains to the beach, the peculiar sights never stop, but so does the ever spreading ugly sprawl. With all this so close some of our best trips require the least packing.

Mass transit in Los Angeles has improved dramatically and it facilitates our day trips through the boiling mess of city. A favorite destination as part of any excursion downtown is the Bradbury Building at 3rd and Broadway. The restored central atrium with it's golden brown brick and tile, wild wrought iron, and glass ceiling steals some of the awe normally reserved for Gothic cathedral stained glass. Often our subway trips are driven by a food destination and the Grand Central Market next door to the Bradbury drags us back regularly for pupusas and tortas. The sawdust covered floor, the lunch time crush at the food counters, and the variety of produce and meats on display make it all feel like Los Angeles has outgrown a reputation for fluff.

Sometimes we stumble on bitchen stuff on our way somewhere mundane. With a keen eye mrs. a-go-go picks out the startling thing even at a dumpy Fosters Freeze. Her photo will stick in my head and I'll find it tacked to the icy slick taste of every vanilla malt to come.

Even trucking down Ripple St. next to the LA river to load up on stinky free mulch from the city green waste program can bring opportunity for surprise. The free mulch area is constantly stocked with new offerings; chairs, televisions, and cryptic messages on the wall.

Los Angeles, this big awful place and all the bits we've seen will take many more posts to cover. Stay tuned.