Monday, October 04, 2004

Stop on the way Part 1

Wrote this entry on 10/01/04 @ 11:56PM

Next Day after Anaheim Angels Stadium and Disneyland, we planned to leave early and drive back to San Francisco. So we can still have time to rest at home and get ready for Monday. But we changed our mind.. we just planned to stop at the Citadel Outlet for a little bit. When arrived there too early. Only Starbucks is opened and the other regular outlet stores were still closed. So we changed our plan.. We planned to go to Beverly Center instead. The drive across town will give us enough time until the stores open for the day. I knew there are other shopping malls nearby. But since I used to live in LA and near Beverly Center, I am familiar w/ the area. So that's why we decide to go there.. We exited highway 5 near LA downtown and drove on 3rd Street. I know we could use Highway 10..but the reason why I want to go thru 3rd Street because I wanted to see my old apartment which is called Park La Brea.

When I worked in LA, I lived here

I liked this apartment a lot.. I used to live on the 11th floor in one of the La Brea Towers and it has a nice view from that floor. The apartment itself is like a park. They have jogging courses and golf pat area.. and so many tennis courts. That's how I always remember this place by .. We kept driving on 3rd Street and I navigated while my wife drove..Then as we passed La Brea, I was really shocked and somewhat felt a sense of loss on the big change that it went through... What's happened here??? Where were the tennis courts?? where is the park just across Park La Brea??? Instead both sides of the streets were now flanked with new apartments and condos.. It totally destroyed the nice memory I had of this place.. I just didn't feel good going through this street anymore. Extraordinarily I felt that this good part of my past was taken away from me somehow. What was once pride was replaced by a deep sense of loss, it was definitely a sad thing for me to see.

After we drove past Park La Brea area, on our right side, we also saw a new shopping center just before Farmer's Market. Another big change.. After we saw Apple Computer Store, we changed our mind again. We need to go to Apple Store and also we were curious about this new shopping area. So, instead of going to Beverly Center, we went there.. When we were looking for parking at the Farmer's Market, I was still shocked.. What's happened to my favorite Park La Brea??? Why is the Farmer's Market Parking so busy and why are they now collecting a parking fee?? It used to be free to park here... I think they are trying to revive this area into a modern and hip area that will compete with the likes of Rodeo drive, Beverly and Melrose. So I thought I wouldn't feel comfortable at all.. until I got into Farmer's Market.. Even if they changed the outside, inside was still the same..what a relief.. before almost every weekend, I used to hang out at the Farmer's Market. I don't know why..I just like this place. We ended up buying fruits and vegetables here.. almost 3 big bags of groceries from The Fruit Company.