So...
Today was my last day of getting to leave work early while still getting paid full time (don't worry, it's all legal) and I decided to take advantage of that fact by doing something extra special with my time off, something I've been wanting to do for a few months now but have been letting the almost certain hastle and frustration of doing such thing stand in my way.
Let me just warn you and say that, this thing I did, if you're like most people, probably won't sound too exciting - in fact, it might sound downright nerdy (or nerdish?), but I'm hoping at some point to change your mind through the wonder of word and picture.
That's right, I took pictures, and assuming I can figure out this blog thing enough to post them, you too may enjoy this super-special locale I went to almost as much as I did.
Normally, this is where I would tell you where it was I went to, but before I actually tell you the name of this place I ventured to, let's have a little fun. A guessing game if you will.
How to play? I give you a few clues, you see if you can figure it out. Simple, right? Okay, let's begin.
First clue: it's one the five largest of it's kind in America...
Second clue: it's located in the heart of downtown LA...
Third clue: has a crew of over 100, yet is still grossly understaffed...
Fourth clue: lies in the shadow of a California landmark (think Independence Day)...
Fifth clue: looks more like an Egyptian Temple than it's real purpose...
And finally: it makes Borders Booksellers look like the Taco Bell express to it's El Torito!
Still haven't figured it out yet...
It's the Los Angeles Central library!
Now if you don't think that's awesome that's simply because you've never been. Seriously, this place rocks. They have a DVD section that would make my local Blockbuster jealous; eight flights of books, including a rare book section that requires an appointment to view (my reason for actually going there) and a whole wing of graphic novels; as well as such non-traditional library features as an art gallery, a cafe, and one of the nicest gardens in all of So Cal.
Well worth the visit, which I plan to detail much more in my next post (pictures included, hopefully). My reason for going there, as mentioned above, was simple: I was on a quest to locate a rare and treasured book, which this particular library claimed to have a copy of. Of course, every journey has a beginning... and mine started on the 5 freeway just north of Griffith Park.
Now if you think that 1 o'clock in the afternoon is a pretty safe time to hit the highways, you obviously have never lived in LA. Ahhh, LA... the place where for no reason at all a freeway can get gridlocked on a Sunday night at 2 AM.
Such was the case as I was approaching the 110 freeway heading southbound on the 5 (I'm lucky, this trip only required one freeway change), when the 5 became jam-packed and I decided to get off on Stadium Way (my first mistake), and loop around to get past the traffic holdup.
But, sure enough, there was an accident right at the on-ramp I needed. A single car, brand new, had decided to take a left turn into the wall under the freeway overpass, causing the police to shut down the entrance I needed. In addition, there were 2 ambulances and, I kid you not, 4 firetrucks blocking off most of the lanes. Really, Los Angeles, 4 firetrucks? Is even 1 truck neccessary for this situation? Aren't you having some kind of huge budget crisis from over-spending. But I digress...
The real problem is that the police didn't even bother to put up a detour sign, they just forced drivers out into the surrounding neighborhoods to fend for themselves. Which is exactly where I headed, logically thinking that if I made a right turn and then another right at the next major street ahead it would have some kind of entrance onto the freeway. That would make sense right? Instead, I veered past a Church's Chicken and found myself on an access road running parallel to the freeway that, of course, had no access to the freeway itself!
Cut to: 20 minutes later and I'm in the middle of Eagle Rock (a few towns over) with no sign of the freeway. Sigh... Now, I'm not an idiot, but you almost have to be to drive in LA since it seems to require sheer blind luck to find the road you want. Finally, when I basically gave up and said, "F this I'll just enjoy the drive and see where it leads" I found an on-ramp! Located nestled between two heavily graffitied, but otherwise perfectly normal looking suburban houses!! Why do you taunt me so much LA freeway system? Did I ever throw a cigarette out the car window onto your cold, concrete surface? * No!
Five years in LA and I can tell you this is typical for traveling here, hence my hesitation in going to the Downtown Library in the first place. Luckily, the destination was worth the journey ($9 dollar parking included).
But more to come on that later. Right now, I need to lay down. Just thinking about the LA freeway system has made me exhausted again.
* I actually don't smoke, but you get my point.
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