Adventure No. 2: Silver Lake Meadow

Let’s face it, Silver Lake … you’re really nice. You’re the type of place that’s featured in Dwell or Sunset magazine. You’re the kind of neighborhood one can walk safely in, whether it’s to the store to pick up some kind of bougie organic treat—or down to the bar to watch the next band to be featured on a late night talk show. You’ve got your quaint little boutique shops and your slightly harder-edged Sunset Junction. You probably feel so cool, don’t you? Well, you just might just be entitled.

Sliver Lake is surrounded by Echo Park, East Hollywood, Los Feliz, Atwater Village, and Elysian Valley, aka Frogtown. Centrally located? Or the eye of the storm. No matter how you look at it, Silver Lake is in the thick of it.

According to the Silver Lake Wikipedia page, Silver Lake contains some of the most famous modernist architecture in North America. Take a Sunday drive through those hills and dream of fancy futures, I tell ya. Also, Beck lives there.

This adventure isn’t really about the Silver Lake District and its celebs as much as it’s about the Silver Lake Reservoir, and, specifically, the adjacent (and aptly titled) Silver Lake Meadow.

How it went:

It was definitely the golden hour in L.A., plus no traffic. Hejira was on. Smooth tune-age for smooth sailing. We took streets to the reservoir and parked on Silver Lake Boulevard across from the meadow.

No trouble finding parking, surprisingly—especially since it was the time of day when most folks are getting home from their nine to five.

I got Riv saddled up in the Baby Bjorn and we walked over to the meadow. Lots of people were there: beautiful soon-to-be stars running the 2.2 mile trail that circles the reservoir, and, out in the meadow, couples smooching, along with a few folks laying low reading or just kicking back and watching the sun sink behind the hill.

It had been a scorcher of a week, so it was nice to get that breeze off the water. River really loves the wind. Especially when we’re walking into it and it’s blowing against her face. We found a sweet annex in the corner of the meadow and made camp.

I took a look around. The reservoir is fenced off. This makes sense, because it provides water to 600,000 homes in downtown Los Angeles. You don’t want people acting a fool up in that. There are no bathrooms or benches. Just grass, and a path that cuts through for the walking.

I scoped further with my new journalistic eye. A lot of mommies with Starbucks and iPhones. I’m not trying to typecast anyone, and I’m totally unaware if this is a cliché, but there were many of them scattered about the meadow. If there was a Starbucks and iPhone giveaway around the corner, then I’m bummed I didn’t find it. My phone is from 2005 and it would be nice to take a picture, while sending an email, while watching a Rolling Stones video, while hanging out with my daughter, while sipping on Starbucks.

There were no dads to be found. At least not when we were there. I put a blanket on the grass and lay River down on it. She was very contented listening to kids laughing and playing, the patter of foot traffic on the trail, and the rush hour on Silver Lake Boulevard.

I gave River her dinner of mother’s milk and we watched a little boy fly a kite that was in the shape of an eagle. It was a beautiful sunset. Palm trees silhouetted on the hillside, a ghetto bird flying over East Hollywood. River finished her bottle as the sun finished its day. We packed up and went back to the car. It was getting dark, and time for bed.

Pros and Cons:

The Silver Lake Meadow is definitely a destination for parents who are looking to be out with the people. It’s a well-maintained green and grassy park: an open space for you and the kiddos. Bring a Frisbee, bring a picnic; blankets are a must, and if you can score the shady lane underneath the ONE tree, then you’re really in for a good/comfortable time.

Truth be told, though, if I were to have a scoring system of 1-10, I’d give the meadow a seven. It was fair. Silver Lake is a really neat hood with beautiful architecture and historical significance ... and that’s not quite captured here. This park was built in 2011, and has a 2011 vibe. Let me put it this way: imagine that San Francisco’s Dolores Park had a wonderful night with a park in Irvine and then … bam! This park is born.

Keep in mind: there are two other parks at the reservoir, making it a total of three. You might go hang at the meadow for a bit, get a little bored, and then head on down to the rec center or take your pooch to the dog park. Or, you might just enjoy the trail. River and I have, on a few occasions.

One of my favorite things about Los Angeles is there are little safe havens where one can discover the unpredictable … maybe it was the time of day, but I found it a challenge to tune out the predictable. We’ll definitely go back, but it’s not next on the list.

Peace and Good Luck.

Adventure No. 1: Elyria Canyon Park

Elyria Canyon Park. This preserve is 35-acres of native habitat
nestled between the neighborhoods of Mt. Washington and Glassell
Park. Apparently, from the signage, it’s taken care of by the Santa
Monica Mountains Conservancy.

Tania and I discovered it by happenstance just after we had moved
to L.A. by taking an exploratory drive. You really wouldn’t know it
was there unless you stumbled upon it or were told to look for it.

When you come from the suburbs to the city you must locate the
parks. It’s in your blood. I can’t speak for everyone from the burbs,
but parks to us are fair game for hanging out and getting your drink
on. Good times. Sorry, Mom.

But now that we are of the parental persuasion, things have
changed. Parks are sunshine and moonbeams.

That being said, I don’t have a problem if I get a waft of Otto’s
Jacket or stumble across some punker kids glugging down a sixer of
Natty Ice. It feels like home.

Before River was born, we put on a couple of secret shows at Elyria
and had a few sunrise sessions at the top of the hill, but since the
light of my life came into this world, Elyria has been nothing but a
fond memory. It was time to go back.

How it went:

The afternoon had that beautiful hazy glow, which seems like
only L.A. can produce, and River was in her cheery 3-month-old
disposition, i.e., napped, fed, and changed.

So off we went.

To my knowledge there are only few entrances to Elyria. We like to
enter on Wollam St. You can park on the street if there is parking,
or you can park in the dirt lot until sunset when the rangers come
and close the gate. We parked on the street.

Funnily enough, upon entry into the park there was a group of
ballers imbibing a swisher blunt, while up ahead floating above
the trail mouth was a red-tailed hawk. Was this a metaphor? Quite
possibly … so we continued.

There are many different trails in the park, all of the hiking variety.
Some were beaten, and some not so beaten. My suggestion would
be to take the gut instinct trail, which is basically the main trail,
most child-friendly, and takes you to the top of the hill. It’s about
a quarter mile at the most, but with a little baby and other gear
strapped to you it feels like half a mile. At the tippity top of the hill
there is a bluff with a lonely bench out in the open for the sitting,
and a pretty sweet view of: Glassell Park, Atwater, Los Feliz, a
little bit of Glendale, and maybe on a super clear day you’d catch a
view of Burbank. If you keep going up the trail about 25 feet and off
to the left there are two more benches in a little more of a shady
secluded area, but you won't have quite the same view.

We started to watch the sunset. Down below you could see the city
vibrate. Cars gliding up and down Eagle Rock Blvd where there used
to be a trolley. The 2 was clear! How I wished that was the case on
my way to work in the morning. Just taking in the good moments as
they come. That’s what type of place this is.

My little bean was getting tired and a bit fussy, so we made our
trek back to the car for homeward bounding. She started to laugh
and babble from the bouncing up and down in her Baby Bjorn. Her
smile and laugh can cure me of anything. We didn’t see any human
beings (except for the Laker fans upon arrival) going up or coming
down the trails, just some quail crossing the path and a few lizards
basking on rocks. Got back down to the car and “Summer Breeze”
was on. It was perfect.

Pro and Cons:

I really love this spot. It’s quiet, which is a plus for me, and it’s a
bit more on the natural side. It’s a great exercise for you and the
kiddo while taking in some classic California. I really recommend it.

For those of you who are looking to push a stroller or give the babe
a much-needed opportunity to burn off that extra energy with a
slide and a swing, then this might not be what you’re looking for.

Go prepared if you can. Baby carriers are awesome for this! You
might want to bring a diaper backpack instead of a diaper bag.
The trail is short, but as mentioned before it could turn out to be a
moderate hike, so dress light if it’s hot and think about what kind of
shoes you’re wearing.

Also noteworthy is that there are no bathrooms, though Mother
Nature can help you out if no one is looking.

This might not be the park of your wildest dreams, but it could be
the park of your fondest memories. Simple and sweet.

Good luck & peace.

Introduction

Hola! Welcome to our little corner of the Internet. This is, in part,

the story of me, my daughter River, and our adventures in Los

Angeles. It’s also (and mostly) a podium from which I can write

about (from a dad’s perspective) some of L.A.’s finer attributes and

fun spots for daddies, mommies, parents, and their kids.

There seems to be a ton of info out there for all the big kids livin’

the single life in the city: clubs, bars, shows, et cetera. Duh. (And

rightly so.)

I just thought it might be nice, for folks of a parental nature, to

share in all the radness that L.A. has to offer. Especially for those

whose nightlife has been limited.

Here’s just a little background information about myself. I’ll keep

it quick. If I was going to label myself, then first and foremost I’m a

husband and a dad. That is my calling. After that, I’m a family man,

a friend, a musician, a working stiff, and a M*A*S*H* fanatic among

many other things.

I’m also a 29-year-old Southern California native. Spent my early

childhood in Riverside and the rest of my formative years in

Ventura. My wife, daughter, and I now reside in northeast L.A. and

have lived here for the last two years.

BLOG OBJECTIVES:

1. I’m going into this knowing that one man’s trash is another

man’s treasure. Meaning, if Riv and I don’t dig it, that doesn’t

mean YOU won’t!

2. I’m always gonna keep it positive and try not complain

about any of our adventures’ shortcomings, but I will keep it

real. Which means I might complain from time to time …

3. We’re really gonna try to explore Los Angeles and L.A.

County, but we’ll be starting on the northeast side,
i.e. Glassell Park, Highland Park, Eagle Rock, and Mt.

Washington. Also their surrounding neighborhoods, including

Echo Park, Silver Lake, South Pasadena … You get the

picture. This isn’t because I don’t like the rest of it. It’s

because I have a little baby with me, and it’s good to stay

close to home.

4. Fourthly, we wanna let you know where the family fun can go

down (and hopefully for free) … Actually, most likely it will be

free, ‘cause we’re broke!

Some people really detest L.A. Go figure. Its smoggy skies,

its shallow Hollywood surface, its New Age trustafarian rich

kid population, and, of course, its notorious traffic. I’m really

going off what I’ve heard others say, and I kinda get it … but,

whatever. Every city has some crappy aspects. We’re gonna keep

it positive here though, and hopefully River and I can show you the

other side of what L.A. has to offer. The L.A. we love.

Peace.