Rancho Park Archery Range

What are you doing next Saturday morning? Mmm-hmm, mmm-hmm. I see. Well let me tell you what you should be doing next Saturday morning. Shooting things with a bow and arrow. One of my absolute favorite “insider tips” for a great way to experience L.A. is the Rancho Park Archery Range in Cheviot Hills. What makes it so great? Because it combines enjoying the outdoors, being a part of Los Angeles history, the low low price of free, and its a lot of fun.

The Rancho Park Archery was initially founded to accommodate the 1984 Olympic Games held in L.A. Los Angeles won the opportunity to host the 1984 Olympics basically by default, which interestingly is also how I plan to someday win an Olympic event. At the time the only other city interested in hosting was Tehran but they had a lot going on at the time and backed out. Despite the fact that much of Eastern Europe was boycotting that year, the Olympics set a record at the time for most nations participating, and the archery course itself was the site of the first ever paraplegic olympian to compete when New Zealander Neroli Fairhall was the first paraplegic Olympian at any Olympic Games, coming 35th in the Women's individual event.

Now you too can become the greatest archer that you or your friends knows. Every Saturday morning at 11AM there are free introductory archery classes which include free use of the equipment. The class is basically a safety class with some actual shooting instruction. Once you have completed the class you are able to come back to the range and shoot during any of their open shooting times. According to the website they happen on Saturdays from 9:30am to noon, Sundays from noon to 3:30pm, and for the more experienced, Wednesdays from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.

There is no rental fee, which is great. However they do take donations which go towards the upkeep of the course. I recommend bringing a couple of bucks to alleviate any guilt or peer pressure you may feel when faced with 12 year olds who are not only better shots than you but who also put $5 in the donation box.

The archery course is located in the back of the park next to the bocce court (yet another reason for visiting). The mandatory introduction class starts at 11am on Saturday mornings, however, it fills up rapidly. The first time that I went, it was already full. I actually recommend getting there about an hour before the class starts and putting your name on the sheet. Once you’re on the list you can go play bocce, have a picnic brunch, or hang out at the park until the class starts.

You can find all of the information including, times, directions, and more at the LA archery blog.

Sony Studios: A Blast from the Past

Back in 1996, a friend working at Sony Studios gave a group of us an after hours tour of the studio lot. 

What can I say? It was amazing.

Sony Studios occupies the former MGM studio in Culver City. 

There is a vast amount of film history here, especially in what is often referred to as Hollywood's "Golden Age." 

Sony spent $100 million on some needed and actually very beautiful remodeling and updating after purchasing the studio in the late 1980's.

Friends and I next to a poster for the 1937 film "The Awful Truth" staring Irene Dunn and Cary Grant. 

I know, I had never heard of it either - but it won an Academy Award in 1938. 

Sony is very much a working studio lot, with the majority of space taken up by twenty-two massive sound studios, the largest one occupying 43,000 square feet (almost an entire acre).

In some cases, the narrow streets between buildings double for streets and alleys that can be used for filming. 

While we were able to take a few photos outside the various sound stages, photography was ABSOLUTELY forbidden on any of the sets. This was outside the set for Jerry Maguire.

Inside was the set featuring the interior and exterior of the house (and backyard) featured in the movie. 

The Sony Studios water tower outside the same sound stage. 

Another highlight - but, again, NO photography allowed, was stepping onto the set for Men in Black. The crew was going late that evening, and so we were able to see a working set in action. And, obviously, we had to be very quiet. 

Another view of one of the streets in between sound stages. This one I believe is called Main Street. 

A younger me next to some props outside one of the sound stages. 

The one sound stage where we were allowed to take a few photographs was on the Jeopardy! set. 

Behind the magical bank of TV screens. This was fifteen years ago - I'm pretty sure they've updated them to flat panel monitors. 

Getting to play the role of Alex Trebek, who has been the host of Jeopardy! since 1984. 

Alex Trebek (or someone) had left a little post-it note at the podium: "What is Life?"

Great question, one few people seriously consider. 

These photos were all pre-digital, I just recently scanned them. Good times and good memories from our private, after hours tour. 

Since that time, the good people at Sony have started offering daily tours for $33, as well as an evening tour on Thursdays for $28. 

If they're anything like what we got to see, it's definitely worth experiencing. 

© 2011 www.experiencingla.com


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