I've come such a long way, there's no turning back.
As soon as I was done with the Annenberg Beach House piano, it was a mad rush on my bike back to urban Santa Monica. Once I had cleared the pier, I was on a hurried search for the Metro Rapid Line 733 bus, stop which would take me through Venice Boulevard. I saw a few Santa Monica-bound 733 buses but couldn't find the Downtown-bound ones.
After huffing it down the upscale storefronts of Main Street, I finally found a 733 stop (right after I was nearly hit by some fat dude making a right turn in an SUV who wasn't looking). I was also praying for a non-full bus bike rack, as that would throw a monkey wrench in my plans. There was space for one more bike. Yesss.
I asked the bus driver how long it would take to get from there to La Brea Avenue.
"Half an hour?" I asked
"More than that," she replied.
"Around 45 minutes?" I asked back.
"Yeah, around that much," she affirmed.
From there on, all I could do was listen to music on my iPod and rest.
The bus passed by the Metro Expo Line Culver City station, still under construction, opening next month. If this was already done, my trip would have gone a lot faster...
There were scores of disappointed cyclists hoping to board the bus along the way whose own prayers weren't answered in terms of bike rack space, except for one man in Culver City who was disappointed until the other cyclist on the bus decided to get off early and ride the rest of the way. That was nice of him.
So why La Brea when my last piano is in Chinatown?
My #23 piano at Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, that's why. Although I played it last Sunday, my video file accidentally got erased, so while I had the time, and since it was on the way, I might as well pay a visit back there to re-record my performance. This was my last chance on the last day. So after getting off at La Brea, I got on my bike through some of the sides streets to Washington Blvd and reached it.
It was all good anyway, since I think I did a better job playing the song the second time around.
From Washington, I bid my old friend goodbye (this was my 3rd time visiting the piano, though I didn't get to actually play it the first time I saw it late at night (aside from striking some keys - didn't count). Then it was on the bike down La Brea to the Metro Expo Line station, where I rode back to Downtown.
On the train I chatted with a mother who was toting around her toddler son. She was telling me about an incident this morning where she had to take the taxi to LA City College to attend her class because the train broke down.
I told her about the pianos. Whenever I do that, I'm always crossing my fingers hoping they had at least heard about it, because if not, I'd have to explain the whole concept to them all over again (as much as I love talking about "Play Me, I'm Yours," the introduction to the uninitiated gets tiring after a while).
But then her son started running down the car and almost left the train at one point. When we arrived at 7th St/Metro Center, he was having a loud tantrum over not wanting to leave the train.
Yow.
On to the subway to Union Station and on to my final destination...
No comments:
Post a Comment