But, Cabrillo Beach isn’t just about relaxing on the sand or swimming in the Pacific. It’s also about:

A leisurely stroll along the pier

“Going, Going Gone Fishing”

Windsurfing at Warp Speed

Bird Watching or Bird Watching you

With all the fun and relaxing activities to do at Cabrillo Beach, it’s hard to leave.

Although I had to leave and get back home, I’m going back. If you’d like to “Meet the Grunion,” come to Cabrillo Beach this upcoming Thursday evening. It’s sponsored by the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and will make for both a fun and educational evening.

By Travelin’ Local, Life’s a Beach!

Starting at the hilltop, I descended and ascended almost 500 feet over the course of almost 3 miles.

Along the way, I stopped numerous times not only due to the magnificent views, but also to catch my breath. Although the trail descends rather quickly, there are several flat spots to break your down slope, too.

Because, bike and horse riders use this trail, be sure to keep aware of your surroundings to avoid crashing into anything or anyone.

Getting to the Rancho Palos Verdes Hills is easy. It’s right at the point where Crenshaw Boulevard ends. The Burma Road Trail used to be a fire road, and literally starts within a few feet from the entrance and parking lot to the park adjacent to the hills–Del Cerro Park.

I’ll let the map and pictures show you the rest of my hike:

Rancho Palos Verde

Although I’m going to save the actual hike for another story, today, I just want to share one of the best locations for watching the sun set over the ocean:

Del Cerro Park

Located where Crenshaw Boulevard ends, Del Cerro Park overlooks the glorious Pacific Ocean-here’s a few views I was able to enjoy I’d like to share:

Now, I have another “favorite” place to watch the sunset. Where’s yours?

Well, that’s it for put-downs about my hometown because I really love living here. You’ve got the sunshine, a great community of historical residences, things to do and, well, I don’t know if bringing back waves would make a difference, except for maybe living up to its name—Long Beach’s beach used to be nine miles long.

All in all, the reason why there are no waves all stems back to the city once being home to a naval base back in the 1930s. A long band of rocks called a breakwater was built on the outside of the harbor during World War II as part of the base, and also to protect the marina from flooding with heavy swells after a storm took out several homes. Today the fleet is gone, but the breakwater still remains and still owned by the Federal Army Corps of Engineers.

The only problem is that today the rocky belt acts not only as a barrier to create calm waters for sailboats and cargo ships that come into the port, but also as a net, catching all of the junk that flows down the Los Angeles River, making the water a bit unpleasant to even swim in let alone surf in. The breakwater also prevents any sets from entering the Long Beach cove, except during storms like El Nino.

Here is a video I picked up in January showing a few breaks that made their way in during a swell we had earlier this year:

As of late, there’s been some talk about the city and the Army Corps–which historically has sidestepped any notion of altering the breakwater as it now stands–conducting a full study on reducing parts of the wall to allow for a more natural outflow of water that acts as Mother Nature’s own cleansing process.

However, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is scheduled to present results from their own reconnaissance study during the Long Beach city council meeting next Tuesday. The council will then vote on coming up with a feasibility study of reconfiguring the breakwater.

This would also potentially allow for waves to break again, along with the erosion concerns that residents in the Naples peninsula fear would threaten to flood their homes. So there are always two sides to any story, or should I say, breakwall.

To get the skinny on Long Beach’s surfing history and present day conundrum, the Long Beach Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation had a film festival, last Saturday, entitled “Sink The Breakwater Film Contest” at the Art Theatre on 4^th Street.

Here’s a link to the Surfrider’s breakwater blog.

In the meantime, on the other side of the country on the East Coast in Long Beach, New York, surf is apparently up, according to this story in the New York post. So here we have a city in sunny Southern California where waves are nil, but in a city where you wouldn’t expect there to be breaks, it’s smashing. Go figure…………………

Nonetheless, there’s one thing you can bet on, wherever there’s a beach and waves, you’ll have no shortage of surf and ocean aficionados nearby.

In California, as part of the surf world’s evolution, innovation, celebration, and culture, we can dig it.

I checked out the pictures on the pub’s wall–some were of family, some of patrons, lots with a smiling George in them during lulls in conversation and action in the game.

The deco at K.C. Branaghan is standard Irish pub, with low ceilings, and all the servers were friendly. The walls touted the upcoming events, for instance, Tuesday night is pint night, and whatever beer you order comes with a signature glass that you get to keep (as in, take home with you to impress your friends), and all refills in theses aforementioned glass are $1 off.

George Sabbagh is the Publican of K.C. Branaghan’s, which is located on 2nd Street in the Long Beach community of Naples. KC Branaghan’s is an Irish pub with a full kitchen and a big menu with breakfast (including a traditional Irish breakfast), lunch and dinner.  On Saturdays and Sundays they offer "bottomless mimosas" and not bottomless but great Bloody Mary’s. There’s a good chance you’ll see George as he pours your drinks and stops to chat with you for a moment.

It so happens that my first trip to K.C. Branaghan’s was during the world cup (Germany vs. Australia), but there wasn’t an overbearing amount of people in to watch the game (although there were some great screens to watch it on). There was a fair amount of people in on Sunday for dining and bottomless mimosas, and an equal amount of game watchers settled in at the bar with a pint (20oz Imperial pints, 15 different brews).

The food includes traditional Irish Fayre and boxty dishes, as well as burgers, sandwiches, ribs and steak.  My french fries came scattered over a paprika sprinkled plate making for quite a nice presentation and a tasty seasoning to rub on. I had George’s favorite BTLA (delish) and fries.

Unfortunately, I forgot to flip the menu over, otherwise I would have ordered breakfast, which includes a traditional Irish breakfast.  But I figure it gives me a reason to come back.

If you find that you’re a little tipsy after one too many mimosas, then you’re in the perfect place to take an afternoon walk: check out the coastal community of Naples in Long Beach, by walking up to the canals and seeing kayakers make their way through.

The houses in the neighborhood all have private docks, and the views can be impressive, humorous, or both. Look for Captain Morgan, an alligator, and other spectacles on the boats as you’re walking by. Maybe even a friendly sheep dog in a yard will give you a moment’s attention as you meander by, and if it’s evening already, 2nd street offers multiple shops and bars with which to entertain yourself.

Definitely an enjoyable way to spend the day.

Billed as Long Beach’s "homegrown, sustainable concert series, providing an entire summer of free music to the public," S.A.M. will feature 13 free concerts, starting on June 12th, 2010, all held at the Rainbow Harbor, the East Village Arts District, and along Pine Avenue in Long Beach.  The types of music played will span the genres of folk, jazz, pop, rock, funk and beyond, bringing together artists and art enthusiasts of all kinds.

This year, S.A.M. is partnering with Sustainable Waves, an Austin-based all-solar staging, lighting and sound company offering 100% pollution-free concerts, so all of the concerts will be held on self-contained solar-powered stages.

Started by two Long Beach residents, S.A.M. is co-sponsored by the Downtown Long Beach Associates and the Redevelopment Agency. The series has proven to be a must go-to summer event.

Here’s a small taste of what you’ll find at the Summer and Music 2010:

To always keep up-to-date on the latest free movies and concerts in the LA area, this is Travelin’ Local’s 2010 Free Summer Concerts and Movie Calendar, which is also located at the bottom of our homepage:

The bygone years of yesterday can be found right here in Long Beach on a section of 4^th Street, notoriously called Retro Row.

This quaint corridor of boutiques, diners, coffee shops and an old-time movie theatre, once famous for showing silent films, remains a throwback to eras ranging from the 20s to the 90s and just about every age in between.

Long Beach is steeped in historical sites, so sometimes with a quick drive you’re caught up in all of its diversity. But if retro is what you’re looking for, it surely can be found here. From Walnut to Junipero Avenue, the strip touts a hodgepodge of eclectic shops that sells artsy passé furniture, vintage clothing, antique collectibles, and authentic roller skates made popular during the disco days of the late 70s and early 80s.

Its kitschy row of small businesses has also found ways to keep “retro” active, so-to-speak, by staying fresh by putting together clubs and events.

So the following is some information, and a few pointers if you come down to Retro Row for both the old and new.

The Art Theatre: a flashback of movie history

Built in 1924, the Art Theatre has lasted the test of time as one of the very last remaining old-time movie theaters, spanning from the silent era to the Golden Age of Hollywood.

In fact, according to Sunset Magazine, it’s the “longest-running single-screen theater in Southern California.” Back when it was first built, the theater was a prominent place to showcase silent films. The theater was originally known as The Carter Theatre with 636 seats, a pipe organ, a vaudeville stage and orchestra pit. It had a design akin to the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood with its modest ‘oriental’ construction. In 1934, the theater was remodeled, after a Long Beach earthquake hit, and was redesigned with an “art deco streamline moderne style,” complete with terrazzo paved floors and a new marquee.

Today, the theater continues to evolve with fashionable color and fanfare, showing a wide-range of films, from indie and documentaries to animation and foreign language films. You also might be able to catch a few mainstream showings and musical performances if you’re lucky. For the cult classic film buffs or just regular moviegoers, the Art Theatre is jam-packed every week with many events, catering to the thought provoking, the somewhat sophisticated, and just about anyone looking for a break from the norm.

Now known simply as “The Art”, the theater boasts a new wine bar and a coffee bar after the new owner, Jan Van Dijs, invested $1 million into restoring this historical icon in 2008. The theater celebrated its grand reopening after renovating the interior and exterior while still keeping the structure’s original art deco theme intact.

For the latest happenings, lists or showings and events, follow The Art on Facebook.

Roller Derby: Putting the Hip in your Wheels

When roller-skating was the thing to do, most people remember whizzing along the sidewalk or at your local rink with a feeling of exuberance, listening to headphones or just “grooving” to your own style.

For the most part, those days are long gone, but if a cadre of roller skaters has anything to do with it, roller-skating is still alive and well. Women in particular have been jumping at the chance to strap on a pair of old-fashioned skates and take to the streets, ever since Moxi Roller Skate Shop opened on 4^th Street, in Long Beach. The retro shop offers all sorts of wheels, fashionable skates and even free roller skate lessons every Saturday.

The roller-skating buzz has taken on a life of its own and has gotten so much traction that, in fact, just last year an all-female competitive roller derby league, called the Long Beach Roller Derby, was formed.

The league consists of 120 skaters and volunteers and is readying for its first season which opens this year. The first event is dubbed “Total Dome-ination,” at the Spruce Goose Dome near the Queen Mary this Friday, April 9.

The league will be battling it out in bi-monthly roller derby events that include a roster of teams such as the Terminal Island Tootsies, 4th Street Retro Rollers, and the Bixby Rollerettes. So far, the league has been nationally recognized.

4^th Street bike festival to keep cycling ‘In Motion’

Next to roller-skating, bicycling seems to be the entire craze now as well. And coincidentally, local eateries and retro shops on 4^th Street make for a hip hangout spot on your local bike route.

Long Beach has already started its own bike-friendly efforts by increasing bike lanes, and promoting their awareness throughout the city.

Retro Row is doing its part this year by putting on the first ever “4^th Street in Motion” bike festival May 9, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will occur alongside the citywide Long Beach Bike Festival, set for May 7-9. The 4^th Street cycling event is scheduled to feature a long list of alternative transportation and bicycle-related activities for all ages.

A few other notable activities during the festival include: a bike-themed film festival, an Independent Film competition hosted by the Art Theatre, the Long Beach Roller Derby Retro Rollers team, a music stage featuring bands and deejays, performing artists, a wine and beer garden, and a group of vintage bike enthusiasts called The Cyclone Coasters who’ll be displaying classic bikes.

As Travelin’ Local’s South Bay writer and contributor, I can proudly say that it’s tres chic down here, so come on down for all the fun and activities.

Most people want teachers and instructors who are experienced in practicing, and being able to teach yoga effectively.

As well, the teacher should be able to offer various classes which meet different student’s skill levels, experience, and be able to have the classes both enjoyable and comfortable.

Yoga World, has two locations in Long Beach and has a cool vibe, and a large variety of yoga classes in the Hatha style.

Gabriel Hall and his wife, Michelle Hall, are the owners of Yoga World Studios. They started in 1996, and as they added more classes and attracted more and more students, they then opened their own studio. 

Yoga World first opened in Los Altos, and afterward, opened their second location in Long Beach (often referred to as the "downtown studio").

For those unfamiliar with Hatha yoga, it’s the category of yoga practice, that most people think of when they think of yoga. 
It’s a series of postures and breathing exercises when completed, help its adherents achieve a balance between both the mental and the physical inner and outer selves.

Yoga World’s classes all fall into the genre of Hatha, but span the complete spectrum of what Hatha entails–from slow and gentle therapeutic yoga, flow yoga, and intense and strong yoga. Each class offers something specifically different.

[Full disclosure] I’m a regular to Gabriel Hall’s intermediate classes, and here’s why:

Hall’s style of yoga is an evolution of influences, which has become a hybrid of Hatha, and mixes various forms of Iyengar Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, and Viniyoga Yoga. It also delves into strength training.

For Yoga World’s founder, Hall, he’s found a way to make the breathing and sweating inherent in the Yoga experience–original and evolutionary for each individual class. This allows for students to enjoy and remain in the classes, even through sometimes impossible chaturangas (think push-ups), or confusing descriptions that sound incredible (he will break it down for you). 

Expect the class to laugh sometimes, which is in a way, encouraging and uniting, when you feel alone in your challenge.

Another hip element to Hall’s classes is his use of contemporary music to compliment the movements.  In one class, students might hear The Beatles, Radiohead, or the Velvet Underground.  The music accompanying these classes is another evolution to Hall’s style. In many other classes, more new age type music is used, but Hall found it was getting a little stale and borrowed a note from Yogi Steve Ross. Thus, he took inspiration and meditation from music that many people can relate to.

Some of the tunes were familiar to people, and offered a cross generational appeal. (For instance) the lyrics in the Beatles music is very yogic, written under the influence of yoga, (and helps people) get deeper into the experience.

Yoga World has since grown, and now offers approximately 75 classes every week between the two studios, and has a staff of over 15 different teachers.  Pilate’s classes are also offered, as well as a free meditation class one Sunday every month. 

Some upcoming events include:

"Integrating Meditation with the Healing Process" on March 6th (with Suzanne Toro Schafer), "Finding Joy through Movement with Live Music" on March 13th (with Michelle Libeu and musician Marti Walker), and "Yoga: The Essentials" with Gabriel Hall on March 27th (these events are purchased separately and must be pre-registered). 

Hall also offers Thai Yoga Therapy, which he learned from his own teacher and mentor, Saul David Ray. Thai Yoga Therapy includes twisting and stretching your body’s routine. Its ethos and roots lie in yoga in order to heal your body, while releasing tension.

Don’t have a yoga mat? Not a problem. If it’s your first yoga class, just show up wearing loose clothes with an open attitude, as there’s no need to preregister. Mats are available to borrow in the back of the room, as well as straps, blocks, blankets, foam rollers, tennis and medicine balls, and anything else that you’ll need to stretch, meditate, or relax into yoga. 

Show up 15 minutes before each class starts to ensure a spot for your mat, and if you must bring your cell phone into the studio, make sure it’s turned off.  I can only recall one time that a cell phone rang during a class–needless to say it was startling and stressful, and not at all yogic.

Yoga World offers a list of Student Tips, if you’re unsure of what to expect during a yoga class, such as:

"Please inform your teacher of any injury of special conditions you may have prior to class" and "Accept where you are. Avoid over stretching or straining. No experience or flexibility is needed. Always honor your own needs and limitations."

For the complete list of Yoga World’s classes, skill levels, and times, click here

Most classes end with a savasana, or a meditation period that may start–guided or unguided– to allow your body to relax from the stress of the class and the day. Generally silent, it’s usually completed in the "corpse pose," (this words are are pretty self explanatory), as a way to transition back into the outside world.

I firmly believe that Yoga is an accessible form of bringing inner peace into your daily life. 

Whether you’re a novice or an expert cyclist, you’re sure to get a few jeers or honks from motorists on the road—or worse.

Without a doubt, vehicles and bicycles must coexist—and adapt to coexist–in this diverse concrete urban landscape of Los Angeles County, or else we won’t get anywhere, or get anything accomplished–literally, figuratively, environmentally, economically, and physically to accommodate the new reality of city planning. There’s no doubt that being “bike-friendly” is good for communities and neighborhoods.

Long Beach, for instance, is taking progressive steps toward converting itself into a more accessible and safer city for biking generations to come. The city’s eventual goal is to someday become ranked amongst the top tier of “bike-friendly” cities in the country.

For now, that vision is more wishful thinking than anything else, but Long Beach has been hard at work for the past few years, developing modern bike lanes, hosting international bike races and installing more bike stations to match the city’s transit system.

Harboring one of the country’s largest ports that produce high amounts of emissions and pollution from trucks and ships, Long Beach has followed suit with the rest of the state in implementing clean air initiatives. With gas prices rising and more traffic and smog produced by cars on the highways and streets, it’s cleaner and cheaper travel alternatives like biking or taking the bus that seem to be catching more attention these days.

As a plan for the future, the city has secured more than $10 million in federal and state grants for proposed city improvements through the year 2020. The city hopes to increase bicycle use from 1% to 5% in that time.

Working with the community, the city has planned new projects, including “bike boulevards,” proposed bike facilities complete with shower changing stations, bike share locations at schools, parks and transit stations, bike signage, and more bike racks.

Whether to create more tourism, a "greener" environment, or good ole’ fashioned quality of living, Long Beach is definitely on the “right path” toward becoming recognized for its “Bike-Friendly” efforts.

Trails and bikeways of Long Beach

Riding a bike is not only healthier for you and cleaner for the environment, it’s also a great way to view your surroundings. Some of the best bike paths in Long Beach are situated along the many rivers and channels that wrap around parks and wetlands, rife with nature. There are about nine different bike trails in a 10-mile radius in Long Beach.

The San Gabriel River Bike Path is a common route that continues for quite a few miles. It connects to the Coyote Creek Bike Path, which then extends further into El Dorado Park, a common pit-stop to see flourishing trees and wildlife. One of the more scenic bike paths is the Shoreline Pedestrian Bikeway, a five-mile route, starting downtown. If you want to get a good view of the Queen Mary or the sunset over the beach, this path is definitely a must.

What are "Sharrows" and "Bike Boxes"?

As a way to add more bicyclists on the road, Long Beach has started introducing progressive bike lanes. Just last year the city introduced “Sharrows” in Belmont Shore on 2^nd Street, where there exists a common shopping hub of storefronts, restaurants and pubs. The green-striped lanes with bicycle imagery paved on the street were created so both vehicles and bikes can share the space. Long Beach is the second city in the country to use the Sharrows aside from Salt Lake City, Utah.

To complement the Sharrows, the city more recently has paved “Bike Boxes,”–an intersection improvement design to prevent bicycle and car collisions, especially between drivers turning right and bicyclists going straight, on city streets. They are striped boxes on the end of the road with a white bicycle symbol inside, where cyclists can stop to be more visible while they wait for the signal. The benefits of these improvements are to increase bike safety by increased visibility and awareness.

Long Beach’s commitment to Bike Racing and Special Events

Amidst the city skyscrapers and waterfront homes, Long Beach is a picturesque destination where some of the world’s premier cycling events have been held.

In 2007, the city was host to 120 of the world’s top professional cyclists to compete for the finishing race of the Amgen Tour of California. The cyclists, many who compete in the Tour de France, concluded the 650-mile tour through California with a 7 to 10 lap circuit race.

This year, the city will hold its annual Long Beach Bicycle Grand Prix through the streets of Downtown. It will be a three-day event on May 7, 8 and 9, along with hosting relevant vendors, fashion shows, fixed gear contests, bicycle polo, BMX competitions and high-speed bicycle races during the Long Beach Bicycle Grand Prix. Bicycle advocates like Tony Cruz, a Long Beach resident, and a Tour de France and Olympic cyclist, has taken the lead in promoting the city’s bike-friendly initiatives and approach.

Riding the “Green” Trend

Albeit riding a bike is a cleaner alternative to driving and cuts down on pollution and carbon emissions, there still debate about how far this “green” initiative should go, and whether it actually cuts down on commerce and business prosperity.

One of the plans for Long Beach, as well as in other cities, is to install more space for bike racks, where cars would otherwise be parked. State Senator Alan Lowenthal, whose 27^th district serves Long Beach, has even suggested for counties and cities to work with businesses to cut down on “free parking,” and has proposed new legislation to limit parking spaces on business property, with the hope of deterring people from riding automobiles entirely.

This proposal has been criticized by some residents, who feel that in these difficult economic times that cutting down on parking would actually decrease the amount of consumers and customers for local commerce. After all, if the state’s unemployment rate doesn’t improve in the next few years, not many people will have a job to ride a bike to.

But regardless, when Travelin’ Local, biking is certainly a fun way to get from point A to point B, where the air is fresh, and you really don’t miss a thing.

]]> http://www.travelinlocal.com/long-beach-on-the-path-to-becoming-a-top-bike-friendly%e2%80%9d-city/feed/ 0 http://www.travelinlocal.com/how-the-la-metro-is-part-of-the-%e2%80%9cgreen%e2%80%9d-mass-transportation-movement/ http://www.travelinlocal.com/how-the-la-metro-is-part-of-the-%e2%80%9cgreen%e2%80%9d-mass-transportation-movement/#comments Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:44:29 +0000 Sean Belk http://www.travelinlocal.com/?p=8205 It’s no mystery that Los Angeles has some of the worst air quality in the nation. Doubly worse is the heavy traffic that clogs up the freeways on a daily basis. And if you decide to go anywhere, well good luck finding or paying for parking.

Like many people living in highly congested cities, I’ve become so fed up with traffic, that I decided to set out on a one day mission to see what public transportation is really like. What better way to do my part in creating a cleaner environment than to travel by bus and train, thereby cutting down on the air pollution and Green House Gas emissions that my car produces.

Mass transit ridership seems to be inching up, ever so slightly, with more and more people looking for eco-friendlier solutions for transportation, while still staying economical at the same time.

During the entirety of my trip, I spent only $3.25 to travel 11 miles to Downtown Los Angeles, and then back to my house in Long Beach, taking the bus and the Blue Line rail system.

My goal, however, was not to view the snowy mountaintops and vast landscape–which was an added bonus–but to discover the green advantages to riding on the LA Metro bus and rail systems.

And I have to say, it sure beats carpooling, especially when you’re riding along with dozens of other people, as opposed to just a couple friends. That means hundreds of gas-guzzling cars were off the roads that day, including mine.

My first question was just how “Green” is the local Mass Transit System?

In general, riding the Metro rail and Metrolink systems greatly reduces Green House Gas emissions and air pollution, in addition to cutting down the amount of cars on the road. But thorny problems still remain to be solved, because powering light rails and railroads requires high voltages of energy, from either fully electric systems or diesel locomotives. Under both scenarios, we still end up burning large amounts of fossil fuels, depending on the weight and type of rail system used.

LA Metro Rail

Light Rail Transit trains are currently used for the Blue, Green, and Gold Lines. They all are fuel powered, via electrically wired system overheads, much like the Pacific Electric Red Car system that ended in 1961.

Heavy rail electrically-powered trains are currently used on the LA Metro Red and Purple Line underground subway system.

Self-Propelled Railcars are similar to Light Rail Transit, but are powered by on-board, clean-burning engines instead of overhead electrical wires. Fuel sources often include clean diesel, natural gas, hybrid technology, or other non-electric sources.

Metrolink

Commuter Rail is part of the service currently provided by Metrolink in Southern California, with locomotives pulling passenger rail coaches on longer-distance routes. The heavy trains that run through Antelope Valley, Riverside, Orange County, San Bernardino, and Ventura are fueled by low sulfur diesel engines.

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Buses

Los Angeles County currently has one of the largest fleet of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered buses in the nation, with a total of 2,506 busses according to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Also, the agency just recently secured another order of 41 new CNG buses in 2009; and they are expected to be up and running by the end of this year.

“Buses fueled by CNG are up to 97 percent cleaner than diesel buses, because they emit little cancer-causing particulate matter.” With their most recent plans, the agency hopes to reduce annual air pollution by an estimated 14 tons by 2030.

More Green aspects of Mass Transit

Our mass transit system has definitely come a long way in improving the energy efficiency of its bus and rail units. As well, the stations and bus stops that blanket the county have dramatically improved their energy efficiency also. For instance, by installing solar panels on connecting facilities, the system here has "the most solar power generated facilities for mass transit. Solar energy produced 850 kilowatts in 2007 and an additional 1,000 kilowatts in 2008, increasing to 32,000 kilowatts of capacity currently,” according to the MTA . Solar panels on rail stations are expected by 2011.

The stations are also becoming LEED Certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) using a green building standards rating system (certified silver, gold and platinum) developed by the US Green Building Council. The MTA has also implemented the use of recycled materials and low Green House Gas components in the construction of new projects.

The future for Mass Transit Rail Transportation

Although it isn’t mainstream yet, the future of railway is a hybrid model that would lessen energy consumption across the board. For instance, Hitachi has developed a hybrid propulsion rail system, that combines engine, generator, traction, motors and storage battery usages that save both energy and emissions, according to the California Rail News. And last year, a new hydrogen fuel cell railway system was unveiled in Topeka, Kansas.

Funding to expand Rail Systems

For being one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the nation, public transportation in Los Angeles, isn’t even on the radar when compared to New York or San Francisco, where there really is no reason to own a car. This begs the question, why aren’t more Southern Californians taking advantage of mass transit?

From my experience described in this article, I’m deducing that one of the main reasons why people here shy from riding the bus or train in general, is the extra time factor involved, and the need to schedule your trip in advance.

There are so many connections and times to adhere to, it can get a little confusing. Also with the Metro information being at times overwhelming and obtuse, people can easily become confused about how to properly travel on the Metro. And with so many stops along the way, if you miss your ride, well, that could mean an extra hour of waiting time, and an additional cost–both in money and productivity. With the rush of today’s fast paced society, most people aren’t willing to wait around.

That’s probably why the MTA works every year to expand the rail systems to include more destinations. According to their 2008 draft plan, the agency is slated to spend $152 billion over the next two decades toward upgrading our mass transit system from state and federal government funding. 

My suggestion would be to make mass transit more practical for the everyday passenger, instead of gearing the system toward tourists and lessen quick straight rides in favor of more stops and destinations.

Well, one step at a time.

Interesting facts about LA Metro mass transit

The single most effective action a household can take to reduce their carbon emissions footprint (up to 30 percent) is replacing one car in a two-car family with transit and bicycling.  The 73-mile Metro Rail system moves nearly 260,000 passengers each weekday.   The Metro Rapid program has expanded to operate along 20 corridors and carry 185,000 passengers daily.  Metrolink has expanded its service to six counties and 512 route miles, and carries an average of 43,500 passenger trips daily.   Source: MTA

Sean Belk maintains his own news blog “Eye On Ecology” at www.eyeonecology.net.

]]> http://www.travelinlocal.com/how-the-la-metro-is-part-of-the-%e2%80%9cgreen%e2%80%9d-mass-transportation-movement/feed/ 9 http://www.travelinlocal.com/bikestations-safe-secure-and-commuter-friendly/ http://www.travelinlocal.com/bikestations-safe-secure-and-commuter-friendly/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:29:21 +0000 Lisa Newton http://www.travelinlocal.com/?p=5227 Both Los Angeles (scroll down to page 129) and Santa Monica City Zoning laws require additional space for bike parking for every new commercial building, signaling the beginning of a newly emerging trend both here and around the nation. That is, the development of more bike-friendly communities.

BikeStation’s name is eponymous with its mission– a safe and secure place to park your bike, go to work, and then return to find your bike in exactly the same condition you left it—safe and secure. Depending on the type of storage facility built, they also provide bike maintenance for your bicycle from their staff on-site.

The idea is simple. Place a Bikestation close to major commuter, working, or tourist clusters. People can then either purchase a very reasonably priced, annual membership, which gives them 24/7 access to bike parking spot, or use the daily parking valet services.

One reason I don’t ride my bike more often is because I don’t want it to get stolen. Or almost as bad, have parts of it stolen. I own a mid-range folding bike, so my u-lock will protect the bike, but not the seat or the handle bars, which can be easily taken off. If I had a secure parking spot for my bike, I’d be much more inclined to use my bicycle to go to the beach, shop, or watch a movie. As it now stands, I either drive or more often than not, take the Metro to get to my destinations.

 

Currently there’s only one local Bikestation facility, which is located in Long Beach. The current facility has space for about 75 bikes– but a new facility, already in the works, is planned to open in the spring of 2010. This facility will include over 100 parking spots, a repair facility, plus showers and changing rooms.

Recently considered as pie-in-the-sky thinking, is now very much real and part of Bikestation’s forward planning and thinking. Once you purchase an annual membership, you can use your entry card at any Bikestation around the country. In fact, a brand new facility just opened at Union Station in Washington DC. Within two weeks of its opening, over 100 of the available 125 annual memberships had already been sold.

 

Even though DC is across the country, it’s great to have the ability to take your bike with you on a trip. Besides the Bikestations in Long Beach and Washington DC, there are also facilities in Berkeley, Palo Alto, Santa Barbara, Seattle, and three more slated to open soon in Salt Lake City, UT, Claremont, CA., and Tempe, AZ.

According to studies performed with CALSTART formulas, in 2008, the then six Bikestation

Facilities and their members:

• Served their communities by securely parking 66,820 bicycles
• Lessened congestion by 133,640 car trips
• Improved air quality by keeping 400,000 pounds of pollutants out of the air
• Saved energy and increased energy independence by saving over 1,000 barrels of oil

Source: Press Release

In a recent interview with Andrea White-Kjoss, the CEO of Bikestation, at least two parking garages in Santa Monica will soon include new Bikestation’s. She thinks the trend is for cities to build more of these bike friendly facilities.

Ms. White-Koss, ardent in her business mission, states that her company “Helps to create a vibrant and active space for the areas who want these types of bike facilities.” She further concludes that “With our turn-key features and design, our intent is to be a part of these exciting opportunities, and to lead the way for more green and healthy communities.”

 

With the ongoing problem of bike theft being just one of the thoughts on most biker’s minds, the Federal, State, and local governments need to take a closer look at bicycle parking, and to provide the needed resources to increase both the availability, and accessibility of bike parking facilities, as well as providing for bike security.

]]> http://www.travelinlocal.com/bikestations-safe-secure-and-commuter-friendly/feed/ 7 http://www.travelinlocal.com/healthy-menus-fresh-herbs-and-sunshine-thai/ http://www.travelinlocal.com/healthy-menus-fresh-herbs-and-sunshine-thai/#comments Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:55:12 +0000 Lisa Newton http://www.travelinlocal.com/?p=5210 When you’re in Long Beach, and want to have a quick, affordable, and tasty meal, check out Sunshine Thai Cuisine, located on Pacific Avenue. Its broad menu, clean surroundings, and cheap eats without usurping on quality, make it worthwhile.

The Sunshine Thai Cuisine restaurant, which specializes in fresh daily prepared vegetable broth and healthy homemade meals, is unassuming from the outside, but once inside, the cleanliness of the small dining room, the smell of its Thai-Asian cuisine, and the pictures of its different dishes on the wall begin the time-honored tradition of getting your mouth savoring and your appetite ready for a delicious meal.

 

After perusing the extensive menu, which by the way contains no msg, I chose the lunch special, which includes a small salad, eggroll, and main course for only $5.99. The salad, with homemade dressing, was light and the perfect start to whet my taste buds.

 

As soon as I finished my salad, the plate was whisked away and replaced with the main course. Along with the dishes served on modern white dinner plates with perfectly sized portions, the waitress also brought a small tray of condiments familiar with Thai restaurants. The friend who accompanied me for lunch ordered the Chicken Noodle dish, which was melt-in-my-mouth delicious. I started my meal with the crispy eggroll, and then began to thoroughly enjoy the spicy yet familiar dish of vegetables, fried rice and chicken in my Pak Ka Prow.

After we finished, I talked to the owner, In, for a few minutes. She talked about her desire to grow, create, and serve the best and freshest ingredients for her customer’s meals. To that end, she has a small garden in the back of the restaurant where she grows lemon grass, basil, and mint which she uses in her soups and salads.

 

To top it off, she uses recycled material to grow her basil, as exemplified it growing in an old plastic container. I immediately loved the idea of both sustainability and recycling combined to flavor a meal with herbs and essences naturally grown.

With only the plant and water, nature takes over and the end product is a fresher, more flavorful meal, which is just what you’ll find at:

Sunshine Thai Cuisine

2233 Pacific Ave.

Long Beach CA 90806

866-749-2294

562-426-2677

www.sunshinethaicuisine.com

When you eat there, be sure to bring your appetite as well as mentioning to In, that you found out about the restaurant from Travelin’ Local.

]]> http://www.travelinlocal.com/healthy-menus-fresh-herbs-and-sunshine-thai/feed/ 1 http://www.travelinlocal.com/happy-4th-of-july-from-san-pedro-and-point-fermin-park/ http://www.travelinlocal.com/happy-4th-of-july-from-san-pedro-and-point-fermin-park/#comments Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:17:33 +0000 Lisa Newton http://www.travelinlocal.com/?p=2789 San Pedro sits literally at the southernmost tip of Los Angeles and is located at the southern end of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

As you can see from this vantage point shot, San Pedro is a mixture of international shipping, a massive breakwater and harbor, beaches, commerce, housing, and much more. San Pedro, Wilmington, and Terminal Island are the locations of the Port of Los Angeles—one of the nation’s busiest ports and around the world.

If “Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma,” than San Pedro certainly qualifies as a distant cousin–It’s definitely a colorful, playful, and inscrutability different blend of Southern California’s past, current and future—where world’s literally cascade and collide, and the culture and surroundings are amazing, quite startling at times, and inexorably peaceful as well. Its history well runs deep–it was originally used by the Spanish starting in the 1540s.

San Pedro has many marvelous places to check out, including fabulous beaches bordering the Pacific Ocean, the Port of Los Angeles, parks, historical monuments, museums, aquariums, restaurants, shopping, and the historical downtown area.

The culture is eclectic; many working class families live here along with a vibrant youth crowd mixed with the zest and zeal of being one of Southern California’s iconic and ubiquitous beach towns, replete with its own swagger and atmosphere. It’s also a culturally rich area featuring artists’ galleries and theatrical venues.

The vantage point atop the rugged bluffs affords some of the most breathtaking views of the coast toward Santa Catalina Island. This scenic hilltop–Point Fermin Park–was given its name by the British explorer George Vancouver, who visited here in 1793 and decided to thank Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen for his hospitality at the mission in Carmel. Source: SanPedro.com

From high atop the hills, Point Fermin Park provides spectacular views of the coast and the nearby Channel Islands.  It has everything—picnic tables, a playground, stage events, tropical and bountiful plants and shady trees for a hot day.

Looking south, the blue hues of the ocean are because of the deeper ocean depths; and the contours in the water are from the offshore winds howling from the opposite directions. Its cliffs are massive and awe inspiring. The tide pools and beaches below are full of sea life, shells, and quite a few rocks strewn about.

Looking below there are two trails west of the area which lead to the beach and tide pools from the Park. However, do not, I repeat do not attempt to climb down to the beach and tide pools from the park’s cliffs–as the cliff’s are unstable, and many deaths have occurred from people attempting to do so.

The Point Fermin Lighthouse—on the 4^th of July, 2009. Historical Information courtesy of United States Coast Guard include:

• Point Fermin Light was built in 1874 with lumber from California redwoods.
• In 1941 the light was extinguished due to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. There was fear that the light would serve as a beacon for enemy planes and ships. Later, the lantern room and gallery were removed. They were replaced by a lookout shack that remained for the next 30 years, and was referred to as "the chicken coop" by locals.
• In 1972 the light was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
• The light fell into disuse and disrepair. A new lantern room and gallery were built in 1974.
• The building has now been restored to its original beauty and is open to the public as the Point Fermin Lighthouse Historic Site and Museum.

The park consists of 37 landscaped acres of tree-shaded lawns, sheltered pergolas, colorful gardens and an esplanade along the edge of the palisade.

The view through the decorative walls that surround the Point Fermin Park.

What better way to celebrate this Holiday then by Travelin’ Local at the beach. What did you do for the 4^th of July? If you took any pictures you’d like to share, choose your favorite, email it to Travelin’ Local, and ’we’ll feature them in an upcoming story.

]]> http://www.travelinlocal.com/happy-4th-of-july-from-san-pedro-and-point-fermin-park/feed/ 4 http://www.travelinlocal.com/long-beach-the-other-great-city-of-southern-california/ http://www.travelinlocal.com/long-beach-the-other-great-city-of-southern-california/#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:15:29 +0000 Lisa Newton http://www.travelinlocal.com/?p=2745 Although known to many, and not known to quite more, Long Beach ranks among one of the most important cities in all of California. I’ll get to that part in another story. For this story I wanted to see for myself what Long Beach is all about. I must confess that I’m still in the second category of not really knowing Long Beach but I’m being coy.

Long Beach is probably the biggest most important and least written about major ports, cosmopolitan centers, and locations for education, shopping, commerce, finance, and all things Southern California that I’m still in a state of shock.

Back to the beginning:

After getting off the train at W. 1^st and Pacific Ave., I nonchalantly just started walking toward the ocean. I wanted to go here without any prior research about the city because I wanted to be able to cover and shoot my story as a traveling correspondent.

It didn’t take long for me to discover that in Long Beach, there is literally so much to see and do.

But that’s grist for another set of stories. The plain fact is that to truly know the great city of Long Beach, one needs weeks, months, probably years to fully see and capture all that it has and offers.

Pushing forward I used the two hours I had to its fullest potential. What did I see in my short visit there? What can you do? Where can you visit?

Of course, there’s the Long Beach Convention Center

I found a low key place to stay

No shortage of water sports to have fun in the sun with

A lifetime of our nation’s history to discover

The Aquarium of the Pacific

Bike Trails alongside the beaches

A majestic and poignant lighthouse

World Class Restaurants

Did I mention large yachts?

And what self-respecting Los Angelino goes anywhere without plenty of shops and stores?

That was just the teaser introduction to Long Beach.

When I return, I’ll report on the never ending amount of events, stories, sights, sounds, and history of the city because when Travelin’ Local in Southern California, that’s what we do.

Just sit back, look, listen, and discover what we have so when it’s your time to visit you’ll be in the know as much as the Travelin’ Local’s are.

View Walking in Long Beach in a larger map

Check out a few of the places that I visited during my walk. By the way, be sure to email and share this story with all of your friends and family because, the City of Long Beach is one of our national treasures.

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