Exploring Our City

Every time I take a trip to a new city, I think about what, where, and how I am going to explore this new city. With that thought process comes anticipation, and even exhilaration of all the places I am going to explore.

Recently, I’ve tried applying that same logic – though less methodically – to my own city of Los Angeles.

Why don’t I treat my own city with the same sense of curiosity as I do places I’ve never been to? Does everyone eventually become complacent in their knowledge of their own environment that they forget that their city is a living, breathing, and changing experience?

This thought led to some unplanned exploration of Los Angeles. Armed with nothing but a Metro Tap card I began taking trips down the length of the red line. I found myself most commonly wanting to stop around 7th st or Pershing Square stations and allowed the city itself to push/pull me in the direction it saw fit.

Following the crowds – I found that I was always being pulled, as if by gravity, towards Broadway. Broadway is in the middle of a complete metamorphosis. Both explicitly and implicitly expressed through the road diets, the wider pedestrian friendly paths, the cafe tables/chairs, and the people occupying the newly available spaces. The transformation is not yet complete, the “Bringing Back Broadway” masterplan led by council member Jose Huizar has recently completed the Phase I dress rehearsal; setting the stage for permanent implementation in the near future. Add in all the high-end boutique stores and eateries moving in, along with the newly opened Ace hotel and you have a very clear and intentional direction for Broadway and Downtown L.A.