Category Archives: Go Metro

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Go Metro to live music: honeyhoney

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honeyhoney - ”Little Toy Gun”

With a half-dozen stages set up for Make Music Pasadena 2012 within walking distance of the the Del Mar and Memorial Park Gold Line stations, it doesn’t get any easier to Go Metro this weekend to enjoy a piece of what summer is all about: outdoor shows. Though there are a host of artists and stages worth visiting throughout the day Saturday, when the clock strikes 6 p.m., make sure you’re in front of the Levitt Pavilion to check out honeyhoney.

Their sound is often described as a mix of soul, rock, folk, jazz and country, among others, but since I’m not one to split hairs, I’ll just define their sound as “great tunes” and call it a day. The band was formed in 2006 by Suzanne Santo, an actress and solo performer at the time, and Ben Jaffe, who was recording music for TV and film. After meeting through a mutual friend, the duo cultivated their creative chemistry for a few years and then released “Loose Boots EP” in 2008, which was followed by their first full-length album entitled “First Rodeo” that same year. After three years of performing and writing, they most recently released their second full-length studio effort “Billy Jack” just last fall.

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Culver City bus connections with the Expo Line

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Click above for a larger image.

With the Expo Line’s Culver City station opening at noon on Wednesday, June 20, Culver City bus has issued the above map showing bus connections from the station.

Two Culver City buses stop near the Expo Line station:

Culver City Line 1 runs along Washington Boulevard from Venice Beach in the west to Washington and Fairfax in the east.

Culver City Line 7 runs east/west from Venice & Culver to Marina del Rey primarily along Culver Blvd.

In addition, Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus has service changes going into effect June 17 in part to help with connections to the Expo Line. This includes the 12 and Super 12 line running between the Culver City station and UCLA. The entire Big Blue Bus system map is here.

Also stopping near the Culver City station are Metro’s 33 and 733 — the local and rapid bus that run along Venice Boulevard — and the 220, which runs between Culver City and the Beverly Center in Los Angeles. In addition, the 534 line stops on Venice Boulevard; the 534 runs between the Washington/Fairfax transit hub and Santa Monica and the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu.

Kings victory parade! Good day for transit?

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Kings winger Justin Williams, at right, enjoying the victory parade on Thursday. Photo: Steve Hymon/Metro.

Everyone get to and from the parade and rally in speedy fashion?

It was definitely the most Kings jerseys I’ve ever seen in Union Station. Everything seemed to be working smoothly on the Red/Purple Line. How about the Blue Line and Expo Line for those who used them?

Comment please and feel free to tweet a photo to Metro’s Twitter account.

Go Metro to Los Angeles Kings Stanley Cup victory parade!

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Photo: Los Angeles Kings' Instagram feed.

The Los Angeles Kings not only won their first Stanley Cup, but they made history in the process. Their playoff run over the past couple of months was among the best ever in professional hockey — –check out their accomplishments here — and now it’s time to properly celebrate the team’s hard work with a parade Thursday in downtown Los Angeles.

The parade will begin at noon Thursday at 5th and Figueroa and travel south along Figueroa to L.A. Live. With downtown street closures in place and some inevitable bus detours, the best way to travel to the parade is to take Metro Rail or Metrolink into downtown. There will be extra mid-day trains added on the Red/Purple Line subway, Expo Line, Blue Line and Gold Line. All subway trains will have six-cars in order to handle the crowds.

Need to plan your transit trip? Try Metro’s Trip Planner or Google Transit. Here’s our rail map:

Click above to view a larger version of the map.

Some specifics on individual lines:

•The new Expo Line runs from the La Cienega/Jefferson station to 7th/Metro Center at the intersection of Figueroa and 7th streets, with a stop at Pico — two short blocks from L.A. Live and Staples Center. There is free parking available at the Metro garage at La Cienega/Jefferson, as well as many paid parking options at Exposition Park. Timetable and parking info

•The Red Line subway runs from North Hollywood to Union Station and the Purple Line subway from Western Avenue in Koreatown to Union Station. Two stations are near the parade route — Pershing Square is near the beginning of the route and 7th/Metro Center is near the mid-way point. There is free parking at the North Hollywood station, Universal City station and numerous paid parking lots around stations in Hollywood. There is also paid parking at Union Station — it’s $6 for the day. Timetable and parking info.

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Bus detours Thursday for L.A. Kings victory parade

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Here’s the news release from Metro and here is more information about taking Metro Rail into downtown Los Angeles for the parade:

The Los Angeles Kings Parade planned for Thursday, June 14 at 12 p.m., in downtown Los Angeles will create street closures along Figueroa Street and around the Staples Center. Metro is the best option for fans to get to the parade celebration and to Staples Center for the rally.

Metro’s Red, Purple, Blue and Expo lines serve two strategic stations along the parade route; 7th St./Metro Center (at the parade route) and Pico Stations (at Staples Center).

The Metro Red and Purple Lines will operate six cars trains and the Metro Blue, Expo and Gold Lines will be adding trains and service depending on demand.

In addition, for those fans coming form the South Bay area, the Metro Silver Line traveling along the Harbor Transitway will be a good option with stops along Olive Street. For those coming from San Gabriel Valley, the Silver Line operates out of the El Monte Station with stops along Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles.

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Take Metrolink trains to the L.A. Kings parade and rally

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Here is the news release from Metrolink, the commuter rail agency, and here is our post on taking Metro Rail to the parade:

LOS ANGELES – Don’t miss the parade and/or rally for the LA Kings’ historic Stanley Cup win waiting in traffic or searching for a parking spot. Metrolink offers safe, reliable, cost-effective train service to and from L.A. Union Station from across the region. From Union Station, connect to the Metro Red Line and get off at the 7th Street/Metro Center stop to watch the parade from a prime location.

The parade will begin at noon at 5th and Figueroa streets and end at the STAPLES Center. There will also be a rally at the STAPLES’ Center at 2:30 p.m.

Please visit www.metrolinktrains.com for more information on schedules and ticketing options.Tickets are not sold onboard the train. Ticket vending machines and ticket validators are located on Metrolink train platforms. Please purchase a ticket before you board the train and present your ticket to the fare inspector on request. Passengers without a valid ticket are subject to citation and fine.

Directions from L.A. Union Station:

From L.A. Union Station, take the Metro Red or Purple Line to 7th Street /Metro Center Station. Follow the signs to the Figueroa Street exit and go upstairs to the street level. Walk a few blocks south on Figueroa Street to arrive at the parade start at Figueroa and Fifth streets.

If you want to go to the STAPLES Center, take the Metro Red or Purple Line to 7th Street/Metro Center Station. Then go upstairs to the Metro Blue Line and ride free to the Pico/Chick Hearn Station located directly across the street from the STAPLES Center.

ABOUT METROLINK (www.metrolinktrains.com)

Metrolink is Southern California’s regional commuter rail service in its 19th year of operation. The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), a joint powers authority made up of an 11-member board representing the transportation commissions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, governs the service. Metrolink operates over seven routes through a six-county, 512 route-mile network. Metrolink is the third largest commuter rail agency in the United States based on directional route miles and the seventh largest based on annual ridership.

 

Metro riders can get free food and prizes at Langer's 65th anniversary celebration

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Photo Credit: Langer's Deli/Scrise.com

Langer’s Deli, a local landmark of Los Angeles, is celebrating their 65th anniversary by giving away tons of free food and, exclusive to Metro riders, the chance to win a $100 Langer’s gift certificate.

Go Metro to Langer’s on Saturday, June 16, to get entered in the hourly drawings. Just find a seat inside the restaurant, and while you’re enjoying your free #19 hot pastrami sandwich, show your valid Metro Pass or Metro Rail ticket. Drawings start at 9 a.m. and continue every hour until 9 p.m. for 13 winners total.

Photo courtesy of Langer's Deli

Free #19s are also being offered on Friday, June 15. Again, all you have to do is show up and grab a seat to get served.

Make sure to get there early as the line is sure to go around the block! Langer’s Deli will be open on Friday, June 15 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday, June 16 from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Langer’s Deli is conveniently located next to the Westlake/MacArthur Park Station, which is served by both the Red Line and Purple Line.

Take the Expo Line to Culver City for food, shopping and Tuesday farmers market!

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A Google Map view of downtown Culver City.

Grab your trendy fabric shopping bag and leave those stilettos behind. It’s time to visit Culver City for great food — in restaurants, shops and at the Tuesday farmers’ market. Metro will soon take you there aboard Expo — the first passenger rail to the Westside in more than 50 years.

The Culver City Station will open to the public on June 20 and, as good luck would have it, that coincides with downtown Culver City’s Third Wednesday “Summer Solstice” Happy Hour, featuring special offers, entertainment, activities and free stuff from more than 25 participating businesses throughout the downtown area. (For details on this and other Third Wednesdays, which run monthly, visit downtownculvercity.com.)

There’s plenty of food at Third Wednesdays but, frankly, there’s plenty of food all over Culver City. Within a 5- to 15-minute stroll of the new Culver City station — with maybe an assist from a Metro bus down Venice Boulevard — Metro can carry you to delicious burgers, crunchy fried chicken, weird and wonderful ice cream, creative salads, hearty Cuban food and yeasty baked bread hot from the oven. And then there are those amazing imported cheeses that just might be worth the price and wait staff dressed as upstairs maids serving spicy milk tea. All of this is within a few blocks of the Culver City Station.

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Go Metro to Game 6 between L.A. Kings and New Jersey Devils

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The scene at Game 4 of the ongoing series against the Devils. Photo: L.A. Kings Instagram feed.

There’s really no reason to even say those two words and jinx anything, so let’s just say “Go Metro to the L.A. Kings final home game of the season.” That is an absolutely true statement.

Because it’s the final home game until September – yes, the NHL does have an off-season — there will probably be large crowds at Staples Center and L.A. Live ready to celebrate what could be the Kings final win of the season.

Which is all a long way of saying: Take Metro Rail to the big game tonight. The Blue Line and Expo Line both stop two blocks from Staples Center (the Pico Station) and the Red/Purple Line subway at 7th and Figueroa, where you can transfer to the Blue or Expo lines or enjoy an easy stroll to Staples.

For those new to the Metro Rail system, here’s the skinny:

Need to plan your transit trip? Try Metro’s Trip Planner or Google Transit.

•The new Expo Line runs from the La Cienega/Jefferson station to 7th/Metro Center at the intersection of Figueroa and 7th streets, with a stop at Pico — two short blocks from L.A. Live and Staples Center. There is free parking available at the Metro garage at La Cienega/Jefferson, as well as many paid parking options at Exposition Park. Timetable and parking info

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Metrolink service additions, schedule adjustments and new fares go into effect first week of July

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A Metrolink train in San Clemente. Photo by wuji9981, via Flickr creative commons.

Here’s the news release from Metrolink, the commuter rail agency funded in part by Metro:

LOS ANGELES – On Monday July 2, Metrolink will add an additional round-trip from Riverside to Laguna Niguel and back on the Inland Empire-Orange County line. There will also be an additional train between Laguna Niguel and Fullerton on the Orange County Line. Minor schedule adjustments will be made as well.

Starting the weekend of July 7, Metrolink will add four round-trip trains on its Orange County Line between Los Angeles Union Station and Oceanside on the weekends. This allows riders from across Southern California to take advantage of the $10 Weekend Pass to visit destinations in Orange County such as Disneyland and the many beautiful beaches.

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