Behind the Orange Curtain...

[irvinehomeowner]

... I went... and survived... barely.

Went to The Grove... can a mall be any farther from major freeways? And the streets are two-laners with barely any protected left turn lights!

I think the last time I went there was 10 years ago or something. Watched some amateur singing contest at the Farmer's Market.

This time... we had a mission. To find the most expensive doll in the world... well... at least to me. I still don't know how American Girl gets away with their prices. And you would think they would be some locally hand crafted doll (American right?)... but noooo.... "Made in China. Exclusively for American Girl". Sheesh... no wonder the FCBs can afford Irvine home prices.

I like the trolley thing (although it travels only like 15 feet... round trip!). They should do something like that at the Spectrum, a little trolley service from the theatre's to Target. Their tree was tall... but not as tall as their parking structure. I can't believe how many people were packed in that small mall area... but that's LA for you.

Say what you want about our small lots in Irvine... it still feels less crowded than LA.

 

[traceimage]

You're so daring! Have you *seen* LA's crime statistics??? We all know it is unsafe to leave the city of Irvine, but venturing totally outside the Orange bubble is just madness. MADNESS!

Although I've been known to flirt with danger myself, and I went up to the Great Northern County myself last week. I enjoyed a sorta pretentious yet delicious lunch, some shopping and cupcakes, and lived to tell the tale.

But seriously. I like going to The Grove. I'm always convinced I'm going to see a celebrity when I go there...but I never do.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

The traffic was horrible... on a Sunday. Took almost 2 hours to get there and on the way back we just went the long way because the 5 is such a mess going through Norwalk.

Saw a packed Yogurtland on La Brea Ave waiting to turn on 3rd Street (took us 4 light cycles)... but was wondering where everyone parks because it looked like there were only 8 spaces to service them, a dry cleaner, a Subway and a dance studio... maybe it's like NY where everyone walks or takes public transportation.

We wanted to go to Versailles for dinner but the kids wanted to go home after walking around The Grove. I'm not sure if it's better or worse than the Americana at Brand... although Americana has a kid's playground.

 

[IrvinePilot]

maybe it's like NY where everyone walks or takes public transportation.

Public transport in LA, not a good idea:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/11/woman-86-dies-after-push-off-little-tokyo-metro-platform-officials-say.html

Woman, 84, dies after being pushed off Little Tokyo Metro platform, officials say

Authorities are saying that a push sent an 84-year-old woman to her death after she fell onto the tracks at the Metro station in Little Tokyo.

[Corrected at 1:33 p.m.: Coroner's officials initially reported that the woman was 86. She was 84.]

Betty Sugiyama was standing on the platform at the Gold Line station on Sunday morning when another woman pushed her off, police said. Detectives said witnesses reported that Sugiyama did not provoke the attack.

Jackkqueline Pogue, 44, was arrested on the platform soon after, and is expected to be charged with murder, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

A motive was unclear Monday afternoon, as homicide detectives continued their investigation.

After the incident, Sugiyama was taken to a nearby hospital, where she died Sunday night. Assistant chief coroner Ed Winter said it appeared she was not struck by a train.

 

[IrvinePilot]

But seriously. I like going to The Grove. I'm always convinced I'm going to see a celebrity when I go there...but I never do.

Soon, you may be able to enjoy a "Grove-like" experience safely behind the Irvine Facade once BK completes his Great Park project.  As BK posted back at IHB in 2009:

"I will be involved with the Great Park since Lennar is dormant for the time being helping the City of Irvine to conceptualize an ?old downtown? mixed use developments that appeal to Irvine?s ethnic population. I am exploring historic styles that really create a sense of Main Street utilizing timeless vernaculars of the Deco era of 1930?s like Old Town Pasadena but different from the Ranch?s Mediterranean themes that worked well for residential but not for pedestrian Main Street."


http://www.irvinehousingblog.com/forums/viewthread/5712/