Posts Tagged ‘meters’

As a resident of that little nook in between downtown Los Angeles and Hancock Park, Koreatown street parking is the bane of my existence.  To those with a designated parking spot or plentiful street parking, you may not know exactly what I am talking about, but probably have had a taste of the Mad Max-style driving if you ever need some K-Town barbecue.

I spend a lot of time thinking about parking, public space, and temporal ownership as I drive around my apartment in a half-mile radius every day.  Neighbors form coalitions to save spots for each other by parking several cars far enough apart so that an outsider’s car can’t squeeze in.  Everyone involved  makes room for their fellow members to park when needed.  People stake out spots for friends by running outside to stand in a spot until their friend can back in.  It gets dangerous, especially when you are in a Seinfeldian standoff.  It is all about helping each other out when possible, becoming absolutely frustrated when you have spent 45  minutes looking for parking, and knowing that there must be a spot with your name on it…somewhere. 

For those who think that there is something beautiful about making an empty parking spot yours can make their dreams come true in an entirely different way — without a car.  Park[ing] Day LA is a motion to reclaim public space by transforming the key to happiness (i.e. a parking spot) into a park (i.e. even more happiness).  Those who have participated in the past have laid down sod, busted out barbecues, and paddling pools to take advantage of Los Angeles’ best deal when it comes to real estate: the metered parking spot.  Although Park[ing] Day LA is September 18th, the Greensters will be hosting a workshop this Saturday on how to take on such a feat with a temporary park demonstration.

You needn’t lose your parking spot at home though, hop on the Metro and get off at the Vermont/Santa Monica station.  And, if you have time to spare, swing by Scoops, the ice-cream parlor of with one of a kind sweet and savory flavors, which is close by. Click here for more information about Park[ing] Day LA.