Although it’s a little off the beaten path–it’s high up in the Brentwood Hills–it’s worth spending a little extra time to get there.

There’s a playground for younger members of the family

A baseball diamond, which, as you can see by in this picture, has multiple uses

Two basketball courts set in the cool shade, among the statuesque tall pines

And a picnic area, complete with barbeque grills

A few of the park’s neighbors even have steps leading from their property directly to the park. Although not the largest park I’ve seen in LA, it’s definitely high on my list of shady spots, to spend a warm sunny afternoon at.

Just the smell of its gorgeous pine trees would bring me back to Crestwood Hills Park. If you’d like more information about the various programs and classes available here, just head on up the hill during the facility’s hours of operations:

Monday – Friday: 10:00am to 5:00pm 

Saturday: 12:00am to 4:00pm 

Sunday:   12:00am to 4:00pm

Parks and Travelin’ Local are synonymous, because Southern California’s physical beauty is what keeps many of us here, and what beckons others to come here every single day.

First opened in 1944, Dolores Restaurant and Bakery has provided traditional American cuisine for the Santa Monica-West Los Angeles area. Many Los Angelenos have eaten and dined here more than once. Dolores’ menu is wide ranging and continental including omelets, Italian fare, fried chicken, fish, corned beef, pastrami sandwiches, sirloin steak, and much.

This morning, I felt like having a hearty breakfast of eggs over easy:

And a large helping of pancakes:

My girlfriend wanted an early lunch of a luscious Hamburger and Fries:

Dolores Early History

Dolores was founded by Amanda and Ralph Stevens, who after owning various restaurants in different states moved to Los Angeles in 1944 and opened the Dolores drive-in restaurant in Hollywood.

There were many drive-in restaurants in Los Angeles during the mid 1940’s and Dolores fit right in. Then, in 1956 the Stevens’ son Robert and his wife Lucille moved to Los Angeles to help manage the newly leased Dolores Restaurant on Wilshire Blvd. and La Cienega in Beverly Hills. The restaurant was a hit with the local teenagers in the 40’s and 50’s with its carhops, Suzie Q’s and JJ Burgers became a staple in the community for the next thirty years.

These "good times" would soon end when in 1981 Dolores drive-in was forced to close down to make room for a high rise office building. The last of the remaining Dolores Restaurants is the one you see today located at 11407 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Los Angeles where the food and service are like they have never been before. Source: Dolores

If you want to enjoy your meal with free wifi, Dolores provides that also.

Travelin’ Local is as much about the old as the new, and having a meal of comfort food at Dolores is just what the doctor ordered.

As of 2002, two-thirds of children, 18 and under, who live in Los Angeles do not live within walking distance (which is defined as ¼ mile) of a public park, according to the study, No Place to Play, by the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit conservation organization.

"From a public health perspective, the benefits of parks are clear," added Dr. Linda Rosenstock, Dean of the UCLA School of Public Health. "Children who live near parks are more likely to exercise, and kids who exercise are less likely to develop a wide range of preventable diseases. More parks help create healthier kids and a healthier community." Source: California, Report Highlights LA Park Needs (CA)

Prop 40, a Bond Issuance which passed in 2002, was enacted to build new parks, and to enhance our current park system through improvements, rehabilitation and services.

Proposition 40 raised $1.3 billion for state and local parks and historical/cultural resources, including $70 million for the City of Los Angeles, of which, $5 million is allocated for the Hansen Dam and Sepulveda Basin recreation areas in the San Fernando Valley, with the remaining funds to be distributed for parks throughout the city on a per-capita basis.

One particular beneficiary of the government’s funding is a park close to my home:

Stoner Recreation Center

I have passed by this park many times, and had seen the recent construction. However, until today, I hadn’t seen the new playground. And what a playground it is:

Put in the category of “Universal Access Playground,” Stoner Recreation Center ’s playground was designed with all children in mind.

I wish I had a local park like this when my kids were toddlers:

With nice wide elevated walkways and extremely stable railings, children of all ages, and physical challenges, can access the recreation areas and equipment. There’s even a wheelchair ramp at the other end of the playground.

Access to this cool digging shovel was from the sidewalk, so even the youngest toddlers can play and fill their truck with sand.

This little boy spent a long time first digging up the sand with the shovel on the left, raising it up the pole, dumping it on the surface, and then watched his truck being filled via the sand slide.

These three children were enjoying the shade while digging in the sand.

If you have children, it’s easy to picture them enjoying every minute of their time sliding down the slide or jumping on this sea horse.

Sand and sidewalk aren’t the only types of surfaces that surround the playground—they also use a soft, cushiony material designed to keep bumps and bruises to a minimum.

I was surprised—and very happy–to see the improvements at the Stoner Recreation Center; but even before, it was pretty good.

More on that in an upcoming blog post…………………..:)

I had a great time watching the kids, talking to a few of them and their parents; and enjoying a day at the park.

Will you be heading to the park with your kids? Or maybe your kids are grown like mine, and you just enjoy the park without the worries of watching your kids. Maybe you don’t have any but dig the outdoors.

Either way, Travelin’ Local continues to amaze and surprise me.

On Saturday, I spent the morning learning how to grow tomatoes at Ocean View Farms (OVF).

What is Ocean View Farms?

It is among the largest of more than 70 community gardens in Los Angeles County, with over 300 gardeners, ranging in age from 18 to 90.

Working in 500 garden plots, OVF is a vibrant community spanning all races and income levels.

During the morning conference, I heard a discussion about DWP’s new watering restriction hours and in another, I listened intently about which current crops are now being grown.

What originally began as an open field which once only grew soy beans; today Ocean View Farms is the preeminent authority and haven for growing tomatoes in Los Angeles.

The 5^th Annual Tomato-bration

Presented by the esteemed tomato grower, Barbara Spencer, from the Windrose Farm in Paso Robles, it was an exciting class about tomato growing. She provided valuable tips, and how-to’s on her expertise. After giving a background on the various tomato plants she brought–both seedlings and plugs–she opened the floor for questions.

With an audience of over 50 aficionados, there was no shortage of questions–from how to deal with limited water access, how best to feed tomato plants, and the best ways to prune them.

Before the program started, I had a chance to walk through the various paths that intertwined through the garden plots.

Everyone has their own individual style for growing:

Mailboxes, scarecrows, flowers, vegetables, fruits, a chair to relax in, and various gardening paraphernalia decorated each plot.

Here are some examples:

If you didn’t guess, this last picture is a rhubarb plant. When I was a kid, we grew rhubarb in our backyard. And to this day I think that Strawberry Rhubarb is the best pie ever. After seeing this and several other rhubarb plants brought an incredible stream of memories for me.

The Ocean View Farms composting program

OVF also has a very active composting program.

In 2003, 180 tons of shredded soft green waste, 900 cubic yards of woody material and 80 tons of stable waste were combined by Ocean View Farms to produce a virtually unlimited supply of compost for their 300 members who tend about 500 garden plots.

The Ocean View Farms composting program has saved its garden approximately $10,000 per year in disposal fees for the last seven years.

In fact, OVF’s composting program is so successful; it’s won the Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) eleven years straight. WRAP provides an opportunity for California businesses to gain public recognition for their outstanding waste reduction efforts, and helps the business community to take waste reduction seriously.

Do you plant a garden? Have you ever thought about joining a community garden? What plants bring back memories for you?

I continue to be amazed at all the great places I find by Travelin’ Local.