Paying Attention
By admin | November 9, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
For years, Ben was always the one of the two of us who knew how to get places. He could have been somewhere once fifteen years ago, and still navigate like he’d been there every day. I’ve come up to LA a number of times over the past decade, but never really felt like I could get to the same place twice. And I never really got the hang of directionality here. About a month ago, I came up to visit friends and decided to make an extra effort to notice where I was, what was around me, and how I got from one place to another. I also spent some time looking at a map, mostly of the area near Eric’s place in Hollywood.
So today, after Eric left for work, but it was still too early to go to Kate’s, I remembered a cafe I had seen on Sunset, two streets over from Eric’s. Trying to find a street with a light to easily turn left and troll down Sunset until I found it, I turned down Vista, and there was the place I was looking for on the corner! If that wasn’t fortuitous enough, they also had poppy seed pastries, which were very nearly my favorite thing in all of Czechoslovakia when I spent a semester there in college. If I’d known these pastries were so plentiful in LA, I might have made more of an effort to come up here!
After snacking and using their wifi, I decided to move on to the park my friend Taz had introduced me to on my last visit. Barnsdall Park, on Hollywood Blvd, has an art museum, a Frank Lloyd Wright house, a great lawn for yoga with a few big shade trees, and a fabulous view of downtown LA on one side and the Hollywood Hills on the other. When I got there, a farmer’s market was setting up, and Taz was there doing yoga to make sure he wasn’t parked on the street cleaning side of the street! I hadn’t called him, because I hadn’t thought I would have enough time for a visit, but there he was anyway.
A little focused attention to details and I now feel like a local in a sort of new place! I’m still going to need the GPS, which I’ve now managed to turn on, at least, to get to Kate’s in Pasadena, but today made me feel like this trip is off to an auspicious start! I may not have a plan about where I will ultimately end up, but I do have a plan to pay attention to where I am along the way.
5 Comments
Nicole Hickman on November 10, 2010 at 12:23 am.
One of my favorite things about travelling is finding my way around places where I’m unfamiliar. It’s a point of pride to me.
Short tale: The first time I went to New Orleans, I of course, had to get around via mass transit. I had some help, but I’m mass transit oriented. The bus lady even gave me props, commenting that “wow, you’ve only been here a couple of days, and you know how to get around on the bus system?!”
I like knowing where I am I guess. I commend you on understanding where you’re at, it’s fun to know where you are. Not to mention all the fun stuff you find because of your confidence.
Best of travels, Jenny.
Margy on November 10, 2010 at 11:13 pm.
Heading off to bed, but wanted to pop in and say hi and I love your story about leaving SD and finding your way around LA…and paying attention. I will miss you, sweet friend, and so happy we were able to really connect before you left. Will continue to watch your journey! xoxoxoxo M
michele on November 18, 2010 at 3:46 pm.
Jenny,
You know that I love you but you have ALWAYS been directionally challenged. This made me laugh, though I have no doubt you are heading the right direction. Just keep following your heart and enjoy every second of the journey!
admin on November 18, 2010 at 4:10 pm.
I know it’s true, Michele, but I really have been working on it lately!
Becca on November 20, 2010 at 5:44 pm.
When I was in France a friend once commented “All roads lead to where you want to go.” Literally and figuratively, it’s worth a ponder now and again.