Bits Of My Weekend
I will start by telling you briefly that the weekend consisted of nothing too terribly interesting between all the hospital back and forth driving besides the above that was worth photographing, so it’s misleading to call this Bits Of My Weekend when this is really Bits Of My Epic Walk, or Urban Hike, which is most fitting for what I did. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve been really into walking lately. I just take a peep at Google Maps and pick a place to walk to, double check to make sure I’m not getting myself into any insane hills that might destroy me or streets with no sidewalks that may kill me (this is LA, afterall), and put my sneakers (yes, I own some) and headphones (my new key ingredient) on and hit the road. But I haven’t been able to go for a walk in almost a week because long infusion weeks are nuts and there is no time for a walk unless I want to get nothing else done. Well, not taking on any more projects lately has paid off in the sanity department (the bank account department is another story…) and Sunday I finally had time for a walk. But since it had been a while I was getting bored of my usual northern route, I decided to take on a much longer walk than usual. I decided I would pick a destination to reward myself with, which I decided would be Trader Joe’s because snacks were calling my name. When I looked at the map, I found a cool way I could walk through the Franklin Hills that didn’t require much of a hill at all, but what looked like an amazing little bridge (Shakespeare Bridge). When I finally made it to the bridge and up and over to Trader Joe’s, I was hungry for more awesomeness and surprisingly not snacks, so I turned around (also Sunday at TJ’s sounded so unappealing after a peaceful walk where I barely saw another human being). I double checked the map on my phone and decided to hike. Literally. I climbed this massive hill on a winding street in the Franklin Hills and when I got to the top I could see the Griffith Observatory and all of Los Feliz and beyond. I kept going and came across one of those secret staircases I always hear about from LA walking legend (ok, my LA walking legend) Alissa. I didn’t go down it but the view of downtown from above it was pretty spectacular. Now I really want to buy the Secret Stairs book. And speaking of spectacular, the houses up there only get more amazing the higher you go and the quieter the street, but I decided against being a stalker and taking photos. I finally started winding down the other side of the hill, saw the little baby Jesus, and then right when I was back to my boring neighborhood was rewarded with a hummingbird.
I am so ridiculously sore even my arms hurt (why??), but it was pretty amazing. After I picked Will up I felt a little guilty telling him about how amazing it was, but he said he couldn’t wait for me to go again and take him with me when he was better. And I will. Here’s my route if you’re interested. It looks wacky due to my turning around. I edited my address to conceal my secret lair, of course. I actually live farther into the beautiful, trash-free, polite and quiet neighborhood of East Hollywood, thankyouverymuch.
In other news, I am hoping that there will be a shop update tomorrow evening that I unfortunately have to announce a bit last minute. Our apartment building hasn’t received mail in three (!) days for some reason (Santa Ana winds damage?) and I was supposed to get some important supplies for jewelry. So, fingers crossed, it comes today and we can make this happen. Stay tuned!
Holy cow, did you read this whole post? Well if you’re still here I would like you all to join me in high-fiving Will for completing his last long infusion on Sunday. Just two more short visits in the next two weeks. The home mothereffing stretch.
December 5th, 2011 at 8:06 am
HIGH FIVE, WILL!
i can’t stop laughing at that first picture.
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December 5th, 2011 at 8:11 am
*HIGH FIVE* Will! These walks sound so liberating, Kate. :)
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December 5th, 2011 at 8:28 am
YEAH WILL!
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December 5th, 2011 at 8:32 am
HIVE FIVE WILL! That’s a huge typo but I’m going to leave it because I think it’s funny.
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December 5th, 2011 at 8:36 am
Yay, Will!! Home stretch!
LA looks so gorgeous. It’s surreal for me seeing the xmas decorations in such a summer place, it reminds me of my xmas in Mexico (sigh). Great shot of the hummingbird!
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December 5th, 2011 at 8:42 am
Erica – that’s so funny because recently someone said to me, “people put lights on their house for Christmas in LA??” and I was like, “uh yeah, we have Christmas here, too.”
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December 5th, 2011 at 8:43 am
HIGH FIVE! I love hearing about your walks and seeing pictures. Keep ‘em coming!
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December 5th, 2011 at 9:05 am
so glad you posted this. so many people never associate hiking with l.a.! it’s one of my favorite places to hike :)
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December 5th, 2011 at 9:12 am
Great news Will-roll on post-treatment life :)
Kate, just curious-are you missing NY Dec weather at all-I can only imagine how glorious it is to wake up to endless sunshine but I’m sure part of me would yearn for scarves, boots and a little bit of snow.
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December 5th, 2011 at 9:18 am
HIGH FIVES all around! you are awesome for finding some really amazing ways to keep your sanity and will is obviously awesome for being so strong and making it through the hell that is treatment.
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December 5th, 2011 at 9:24 am
walks are such a good way to relax and get outside! I try to take as many as I can even if it is around the parking lot at work. Be safe. And I’m so happy Will is on the home stretch!
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December 5th, 2011 at 9:56 am
Big, mid-air, 80s-style high five to Will!
And lol at the “secret stairs.” They look intense.
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December 5th, 2011 at 10:20 am
HI !5! Will and to you Kate!
Seeing the end to something you want to be over is such a nice feeling!
Also, your walk looks amazing and surprisingly a lot like some of the walks I take in Oakland in some of the pictures. Which I think is pretty cool!
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December 5th, 2011 at 10:25 am
Wool high five to Will!! Also it’s really inspiring to this basically sedentary Angeleno that you WALK and find such beauty in your neighborhood. You’re all kinds of fab, Kate. Xoxox
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December 5th, 2011 at 11:22 am
*HIGH FIVE*!!!!
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December 5th, 2011 at 11:28 am
Dayyyyyum you covered some ground! Now I’m inspired to try something a little different…dusty canyon hiking can get old, despite all the amazing people watching :) I only know of the not-so-secret Santa Monica stairs – the ones you discovered look lovely!
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December 5th, 2011 at 11:58 am
Hi,
Loved seeing your route, it reminds me of the many hilly walks I used to take when I lived in Los Feliz, often when I was dealing with my mother’s cancer treatments.
You seem to be pretty close to Fern Dell Park, which juts out south from Griffith Park. (around Western & Los Feliz) May be a nice destination to walk to some day. It was one of my favorite quiet places when I lived in LA.
Also, if you haven’t checked it out yet, the LA library system is one of the best! If you’d prefer to check out the staircase book, you can go online and request it to your local branch – and they’ll email you when it’s ready for pickup. Totally rad.
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December 5th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
highfive will!! i think the end of the treatment is perfect timing, no? (best xmas gift EVER?!)
yowzah is that ever a crazy walk – i’m trying to make it to LA for the first time ever (i know…) and i think i’ll probably do the secret-stairs version of a vacation, now that i know about it. i’m always up for exploring the non-touristy side of things, and from what i’ve heard from my LA-loving boyfriend, touristy stuff kinda rules LA. :)
i hope your mail arrives soon. i hate waiting for things to show up in my mailbox! i feel like it takes forever…
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December 5th, 2011 at 1:14 pm
High Five!!
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December 5th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Major high fives to Will! Kick that cancer’s ass!
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December 5th, 2011 at 7:27 pm
High Five Will! :)
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December 5th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
High 5 to Will, and kudos to you for walking it out. xox
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December 5th, 2011 at 9:36 pm
***High Five***
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December 5th, 2011 at 9:47 pm
High five to Will! And high five to you on your epic walk, you’re giving me itchy feet :)
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December 5th, 2011 at 10:03 pm
GO WILL, GO!
GO KATE, GO!
I know that hood like the back of my hand. miss kate sulli lives right around yonder corner, ya know?
big hugs, kittens!
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December 6th, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Whoo hoo! Big High Five to Will and to you! Good Luck on the next bit of treatment.
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December 7th, 2011 at 5:06 am
high five!
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December 7th, 2011 at 3:38 pm
Super DUPER high five, to both of you!! Woo!
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January 2nd, 2012 at 9:23 pm
aaaaaand apparently i’m behind on your posts because i just commented about the secret stairs book and yet you already know of it! get it, get it! free at the library ;)
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