Nov 5, 2009 7:45 AM Posted by Vera_Jimenez Caltrans and Metro have announced the release of the State Route 710 Tunnel Technical Study DRAFT Geotechnical Summary Report. The report contains data on the geological conditions within the five geographic zones.
Data collection and field exploration work, as part of the Study’s Exploration Program, has been reviewed and evaluated. Descriptions of geology, faulting, seismicity, material properties, hazardous materials, groundwater conditions, and tunneling considerations are provided in depth in the SR-710 Tunnel Study DRAFT Geotechnical Summary Report. This report is now available in DVD format at public libraries within the Study area and can be downloaded from the Study website at www.710tunnelstudy.info.
They will be hosting Steering and Technical Advisory Committee meetings in November 2009, and a series of community meetings in early 2010. Please check their website for meeting updates and locations as they become available.
Please can contact their information office at (323) 222-1710 if you have any questions. Nov 4, 2009 7:56 AM Posted by Vera_Jimenez  Gold Lines Grows! The Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension from Union Station downtown to East Los Angeles will open to the public on Sunday, Nov. 15.
The six-mile Eastside Extension light rail segment will have eight new stations, two of them underground at Soto and Mariachi Plaza, and 1.7 miles of underground track. It will link the existing Metro Gold Line to Pasadena with Little Tokyo and the Arts District in downtown Los Angeles, before traveling east along 1st Street through Boyle Heights to East Los Angeles.
When it opens it will bring the Metro Rail system to a total of 79 miles of rail -- all built during the past 20 years.
Ridership on the extension is expected to grow steadily. Estimates say it'll reach an average of 13,000 passengers daily during the work week by the end of the first year of operation.
The Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension will be supported by a confluence of buses to extend its reach into the neighborhoods. More than 20 bus lines including those serving L.A.'s downtown Union Station -- will connect the Eastside Extension with greater Los Angeles County.
Free rides on the entire Metro Gold Line from Pasadena to East Los Angeles will be offered on opening day Sunday, Nov. 15. Nov 3, 2009 8:34 AM Posted by Vera_Jimenez  405 HOV LANES The carpool lanes on the 405 look like they're done. Beautiful and brand spanking new!
So what's the hold up?
I drive by expecting them to open any day, but they don't.
The asphalt is perfect and bright black compared to the worn lanes next to them. The white and yellow lines jump off the road and scream to be crossed.
But I don't; the orange attenuators prohibit it.
I sent Judy Gish who's Public Information Officer with Cal DOT an email asking her and she said they're not ready yet.
Several punch list items need to be completed before the lanes can be open. However, they do expect the southbound lanes to open this month and the northbound
lanes next month.
Thank you Judy! Nov 2, 2009 8:50 AM Posted by Vera_Jimenez  Yes! Really! It was amazingly beautiful along the coast, perfect for playing a few games of Backgammon on the beach.
There were several families and lots of people on the beach. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the last of the sunshine before the time change and the impending cold.
I just learned how to play Backgammon and really enjoy. My opponent is much more experienced than I am, so I end up missing a lot, although he does help me along.
What I don't get is how some days, or I should say most days the dice just seem to work purposely against me.
Yesterday, I was truly speechless when I rolled a 3 and a 1 three times in a row. How does that happen?
In the mean time, my challenger rolled double 6, double 4, and think a double one. Wait, how, why, I don't get it.
I was floored. He didn't say a word, poor thing. I think he really wanted to say something, but didn't.
It was so ridiculous to me that I had nothing to say, all I could do is laugh. I could see his relief as we sat in sand cracking up at my foul luck!
Some days that's just the way it is. Oct 30, 2009 8:57 AM Posted by Vera_Jimenez  Rana Cowgirl! I can't believe how excited I am about going to the Piece College Haunted Corn Maze. I really like haunted houses, but they're usually a disappointment.
I've been told this is the one to go to, so I'll let you know next week.
During the day, there's plenty for the little ones to do. At night, it turns macabre for the big kids, like us! Oct 29, 2009 9:03 AM Posted by Vera_Jimenez
In one of the wings of the downtown library, they'll have a photography exhibit of Richard Neutra's work. It'll include travel sketches, figure drawings and building renderings.
I have to admit, I wasn't familiar with him or his work, other than the building which house Reading For the Blind and Dyslexic in Hollywood, was designed by him.
Neutra worked for Frank Lloyd Wright before moving to California. He was appreciated by his clients because he really paid attention to their needs instead of imposing his vision. When he designed a home, he blended practical comfort, art, and landscape.
The building I'm familiar is very modern with huge windows that give a beautiful view of Griffith Park. Fortunately, that building has changed very little.
The exhibit will runs through this Sunday, November 1st at the Central Library in Downtown LA.
Oct 27, 2009 9:14 AM Posted by Vera_Jimenez  Baxter  top of baxter stairs ... I love stairs. They're great excersice, the views are always great at the top, and apparently they can also be a little adventure. Well, getting to them can be an adventure.
As you know, LA has tons of stairs throughout the area, especially, in the older parts of the city.
Yesterday I went on a little scavenger hunt and found the Baxter stairs in Echo Park, all 230 of them. While the stairs themselves were great, and the view is fantastic, the best part was actually getting to them.
They're on the east side of Glendale Avenue. Go northeast at Allesandro, following it around to Baxter then making a right onto Baxter.
Here's where the fun starts, or in my case the fright.
You have to climb these two crazy steep hills to get to the stairs. I literally felt like I was on a roller coaster. When my car got to the crest of the hill, I could not see over the hood at the ground beneath tires.
It felt exactly like when you're on the top of a roller coaster, and your about to free fall to the bottom. I started to panic, then realized that if I thought about it too long, I was going to freak and get stuck.
My friend was in her car behind me. I thought about going down the next hill, but couldn't. I pulled over and literally gave up.
I couldn't do it. I told my friend she could drive up the next one and I would have to walk it.
I don't give up, it's not something I do. But yesterday I did. I thought of going over the second hill in my car completely freaked my out. I'm not a fan of roller coasters, but I go on them. This was not officially a roller coaster, so I wasn't going to go over it.
I decided to walk up this road and get some added fitness, instead of driving over it.
But to my surprise, Amy was greatful I had pulled over, she had no interest in climbing another hill in her car. She was also freaked after the first one. The You Tube link isn't mine, but I think you'll enjoy it.
Oct 26, 2009 8:38 AM Posted by Vera_Jimenez  ... you do?  Machida vs. Shogun
For those of you who watched the UFC fight on Saturday night, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. But for those of you who didn't, I think the question is still relevant.
Saturday night's title fight was an awesome bout. Both Machida and Shogun are amazingly skilled contenders. But there was a clear champion, and Machida, the defending champ, was not the victor.
I should take that back, according to the judges, he won the match by decision, for the fans in attendance Shogun was, without question, the winner.
It wasn't even close; Shogun won every round. Between rounds when they went to the tape, every significant jab, kick, take down, or punch was executed by Shogun.
When the winner was announced, and it wasn't Shogun, the crowd unanimously BOOOED and yelled NO!
So here's the question, as a competitor, you know you've lost, the challenger know you lost, the fans know you lost, but for whatever reason, the judges decided you were the winner.
What do you you? Do you do the right thing and turn over the prize or do you keep it?
I know the defending champ gets the benefit of doubt, and it his prize to give up, and in this case he did. It wasn't by knock out, but it doesn't mean he didn't loose the match. It means there was poor judgement. Oct 22, 2009 9:02 AM Posted by Vera_Jimenez  ... it works! Yesterday, I went into Hollywood to have dinner and see a show.
I was meeting someone there who would be driving back to my neighborhood.
You know where I going with this, don't you?
GO METRO and Rideshare Wednesday!!!!!
What the heck, let's give it another try.
So I logged onto the website to plan a route, then called 1800COMMUTE to confirm that I had not made a mistake.
In order to make it to dinner by 6pm I had to take the 180 going west at 5:05pm.
I arrived to the bus stop about 10 minutes early to safe. I check my watch at 5:02, there were still three minutes before I could start complaining.
At 5:07 my bus had not arrived, but the 180 going east whizzed by, so I decided to practice patience.
My bus finally arrived at 5:09, and the world looked rosy again.
The estimated time of arrival was around 6pm. We arrived closer to 6:10, but that was okay. Other than a couple a spots of heavy traffic, it was a great way to get around.
The two areas that really slowed us down were Los Feliz near the intersection of Riverside Drive and Hollywood Blvd close to the 101, but that was expected. There's always line getting onto the 101 there.
I really couldn't have asked for a better evening out. Oct 21, 2009 8:49 AM Posted by Vera_Jimenez  I WANT THAT LINE!
The winter season it's not just the flu but also the swine flu that we have to worry about.
I don't know about you, but this sounds pretty serious, and since I'm not willing to spend this flu season in a bubble, I'm going to have to prepare.
This year, I missed the flu shot day here at work, so I'm going to have to go to a pharmacy to get it or go to a doctor.
Someone e-mailed great information about the flu from the County of Los Angeles Public Health Department.
What, who, when, where, phone numbers, addresses, and the basics of N1H1.
The addresses provided are for locations with free N1H1 shots. Not everyone will be able to get the free shots, but if you qualify you will.
Please be sure you call in advance to confirm times and locations.
To our health.
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