Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica - Part I

Hey, time for a smog check! Where else to go but Lincoln Blvd?

Earlier this year I had some time to kill in Santa Monica while my car was getting a smog check.

Figured I could take an hour to walk up and down a mile or so of Lincoln Blvd.

Across the street a block or so down was something called "Lincoln Pipe."

Looked like a small converted garage.

"Kitchen & Bath Showroom"? Really? Have to catch it on the way back.

Lincoln is a (or the) major north-south commercial boulevard through Santa Monica. It starts in a high end residential neighborhood "north of Montana" - in north Santa Monica, and continues on into the Los Angeles community of Venice.

"Whole Foods" = "whole paycheck". Nice place, a really pricey grocery store. I remember when this was a "Pic & Save" (seriously).

'Naylor Paint" across the street.

Los Angeles County consists of 88 separate, independent cities - many of which are up against one another. Santa Monica ends at Rose Avenue, and the Los Angeles community of Venice starts. Here's a link to Lincoln Blvd in Venice.

At Rose Avenue I crossed Lincoln and headed back north.

Lincoln Blvd through Santa Monica and Venice also "California Highway 1" - the Pacific Coast Highway. Um . . . where's the coast? Where's the highway?

"Naylor Paint" closer up. I really like the mural.

The huge power lines that are up and down Lincoln Blvd in Venice (in the City of Los Angeles) -- are conveniently placed underground in the City of Santa Monica. Makes a huge difference in the look and feel of the street.

"Pancho's Tacos."

Mmmm, tacos.

Ah, "Lincoln Pipe."

Hey, it really is a "showroom" after all - right on the street.

Tired of those "big box" stores? Then Lincoln Pipe (and pretty much the rest of Santa Monica) is for you.

McDonald's on Lincoln.

They have a play place - so (guess what?) I've been here with my kids. Many, many times.

Yeah, and there's some homeless guy's stuff in a shopping cart out front. You get both in Santa Monica.

More on Lincoln Blvd in Part II.

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Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica - Part II

Palm trees, jacaranda trees - welcome to Part II of Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica (here's Part I). This is at the intersection of Lincoln and Ocean Park in the Ocean Park neighborhood.

Albertson's supermarket. One of the few commercial areas in Santa Monica that could be pretty much anywhere in Southern California.


Across the street is a mural of the Sierra Nevadas (think Yosemite National Park). I've driven by here hundreds of times - I have no idea what this building is.


Looking for a Hummer? Here's one for "only" $40K.


Next door is something called Livity. Probably not my kind of store.


"Earth Day Every Day" (or "Dia Tierra Todos Los Dias").

OK. Well, there we are. Definitely Santa Monica (or Topanga Canyon).


And across the street - my barber shop - "Lincoln Barbers." Been there forever, and at $13 is the cheapest haircut I've found anywhere on the westside. And they do a great job.


"Golden West Meats" (another Santa Monica institution) and relative newcomer "Misofishy (get it?) Japanese Cuisine".


Corner of Lincoln and Pico Blvd. Could be anywhere in Southern California. Take out the palm tree on the left corner and could be almost anywhere in America.



Looking east up Pico Blvd. Here's a link to a walk up Pico.


Looking down Pico Blvd - the beach is just 8 blocks west. This is where I crossed and headed back south to where my car was getting smogged.

By the way, if you're looking for a burger in Southern California, don't waste your time with "In & Out" - "Tommy's Burgers" is where it's at. There's one here on the corner of Pico and Lincoln.

There's also an L&L Hawaiian BBQ - a Hawaiian-based chain with several locations here in Southern California.

What's AMAZING is what's located behind L&L.

That's in Part III.

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Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica - Part III

Here's a link to Part I and Part II of a walk down Lincoln Blvd.

L&L BBQ is located on the corner of Lincoln & Pico Blvds. Not too healthy, but very tasty.

But what was amazing was behind L&L.


West Coast Classics - specializing in high end and exotic sportcars.

Notice the metal stove pipes? Literally, right behind L&L.


Small dealership. According to their website, specializing in "only extraordinary" cars.


Rolls Royce, Bentleys, and other extraordinaries.


I've driven by here hundreds of times - never knew this was here.


High-end cars, colorful mural, and the stove pipes from L&L Hawaiian BBQ = the perfect combination.

Another mural. Very creative. This one is at Olympic High School, the continuation High School at the corner of Lincoln and Ocean Park.

The campus security guard came up to me and I had to explain to him that I was taking pictures for my blog. When I told him the name was "ExperiencingLA.com" he smiled and said "that's cool." Nice.

The mural (above) at the corner of Lincoln & Ocean Park is for Olympic High School. Driven by here hundreds of times. Had no idea. I guess that's the advantage of walking in L.A.


Lincoln & Pacific Street. My barbershop - "Lincoln Barbershop" - is located a few doors down from here.

Back at the smog check station. I passed, paid my bill and was on my way.

It was interesting seeing things on foot. Things that I totally missed from my car.

To drive or to walk?

Rather than either/or, I prefer both/and.

Especially in Los Angeles.

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Clear Day: View from Temescal Ridge, Topanga State Park

The upper Temescal Canyon ridge trail offers some of the most striking views of the Santa Monica Bay as well as the entire westside of Los Angeles.

It's an easy hike, with the trailhead starting at the top of the Palisades Highlands in Pacific Palisades. Click here for directions and a map.

Another view with the pier and buildings of Santa Monica are clearly visible. These photos were taken in October - with some great visibility.

Walking a bit further up the trail, the entire westside suddenly appeared from behind the peak to the right. Starting from the left, you can see the Getty Center, the entire UCLA campus, Century City, and Westwood Village. Wilshire Blvd continues on all the way to downtown Los Angeles, which is visible in distance. Click on any of these photos for a larger image.

Here's a close up. The southernmost buildings of UCLA, the theaters of Westwood Village, and the office and residential towers along Wilshire and in Century City are all clearly visible.

Here's the same trail on an early morning in April, with thick coastal fog obscuring everything but the sunrise and mountain peaks. Another study in contrasts - another L.A. experience.

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