The Move Towards Skidrow Continues- Change Is Great
I’ve been rather quiet the past month as I’ve been trying to figure out what to do as my lease is up at end of July, and I wanted to “play my cards close to my chest”. I was trying to negotiate a deal with my landlord but all my offers fell on deaf ears so I went searching for new place, and I found one.
I will be moving to the 6th and Spring neighborhood, about 3 blocks closer to Skidrow than at the Higgins. It is about a 4 block move for me, but the neighborhood and building is VERY different than 2nd and Main St. Many more street people (homeless), much narrower sidewalks with no grass like the City Hall environs offered (tougher dog walks), and a “rental” building that has tenants of a much different mentality than owners (and much younger).
But the move is like a shot of adrenaline- I am SO EXCITED for the new envirnoment and the changes it brings. In retrospect, my life has always been about change, whether it is envirnoment or careers/jobs (or sadly, girlfriends). I get bored easily and need stimulation of the senses.
My life screams CHANGES-
I couldn’t stand life in Indiana/Michigan after high school so I went to college in Colorado on a whim;
When finished with college Colorado bored me and I had to move, and SoCal it was- my girlfriend at the the time was from Tarzana so why not?;
I’ve had 10 different cars in 20 years in Los Angeles- trading a new one as soon as 2 months after I bought it new;
Relationships- I will not even do the math- I had a great girlfriend for 8 years but there were many “lapses” and we never technically “lived together”- but now I am mature and ready to settle down 
I moved from a beautiful house with 180-degree view of Catalina-to-Malibu and swimming pool with ocean view, to a near-century old apartment 5 blocks from Skidrow in downtown LA.
Change is good- stressful yes, but good. Sometimes I envy my friends who have been at same job since college, lived in same town since college, driven same car for 8+ years, but then I get a call from a close friend who’s been married for 25 years and getting divorced (I can tell it’s killing him- he did not want it), and it reminds me how lucky I’ve been.
I hope this move continues to bring me luck… it’s a damn tough, unforgiving world nowadays.
We wondered aloud on Friday night where you have been and what’s been going on with you … now we know!
Congratulations on the move! I know your experience at Higgins has been both good and bad and I hope your new place lives up to expectations.
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:10 pmum.. 6th & Spring is NOT closer to SkidRow.. Los Angeles St. is the Western Border.. so Main St. is CLOSER than Spring. ;P
While there’s panhandlers and vagrants at times on Broadway, they aren’t there on Spring so much.. most of the homeless are right around the corner on Los Angeles Street.. and toward the East.. not the West. 6th & Spring is a pretty good area actually. Lots more going on there. More to do.. bars & restaurants & cafes..
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:21 pmWelcome to the neighborhood!
Axl from GNR says:
Guess I needed
Sometime to get away
I needed some peace of mind
Some peace of mind that’ll stay
So I thumbed it
Down to Sixth and Spring
(the above lyrics are from One in a Million)
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:36 pmCDC- One-in-a-Million is one of my fav songs- on my MP3 for workouts- it sounds so raw. But’s it’s “6th and L.A.” - close enough
“Guess I needed
Sometime to get away
I needed some peace of mind
Some peace of mind that’ll stay
So I thumbed it
Down to sixth and L.A.
Maybe your greyhound
Could be my way
Police and niggers
That’s right
Get out of my way
Don’t need to buy none of your
Goldchains today
I don’t need no bracelets
Clamped in front of my back
Just need my ticket till then
Won’t you cut me some slack”…
Did you ever meet Axl? (I know you did lot’s of work with others…)
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:51 pmMeeko- I’m at 2nd and Main- not as close to Skidrow as 6th and Spring- no way. Why so defensive?
You are right about Spring- it is a cool corridor between the homeless/drugs on Main and the Little-Tiajuana on Broadway- but still way different street then up around City Hall/Little Tokyo.
And having a dog around there makes it even tougher, truet me, I’ve been walking thre for a couple of weeks and it is definitely more “street” people than the crowd around Higgins.
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:59 pmHey B- you’ve seen my presence on your blog- and I typed a long response to your “My Name Is Raymond…” post then thought better and deleted it before your relatives read my nastiness… but I would have given him a good dose of STFU as I’ve been doing lately to that type. You can tell sincere beggars, and he was not.
Other things we’ve had in common lately- I just had dryer repairman here (very good experience unlike yours), and isn’t your lease up, or did you extend? My landlord would not go month-to-month after 2 1/2 years… and rental inventory is crazy-large now.
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:11 pmSkids,
No, I have never met Axl, the Howard Hughes of rock. I did get a chance to party with Slash backstage at one of his shows though.
Axl is our generation’s Mick Jagger. Smart, aloof and distant. Slash on the other hand is a down to earth mofo, ala Keith. I wish GNR would get back together.
They made some awesome tunes.
Axl did take it on the nose with One in a Million. I can’t imagine a tune like that being on an LP nowadays. Wow!
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:21 pmHey, you’ll be moving to my neck of the woods…I think I even saw you walking out of my building with some paperwork the other week. I was across the street with bags of groceries, otherwise I would’ve stopped you to say “hello”.
I assume 6th and Spring means one of the SB Buildings, since the only other one is Hayward Hotel.
I can’t speak for others, but I like(d) living in the SB Lofts. Maintenance requests are quick to respond, no issues with noise/neighbors, management is cool. Rent fairly reasonable per square foot. Walking the pooches at night not so bad either.
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:25 pmCDC- I knew you’d have a GNR personal experience- and I liked the Vin Diesel story you shared. Let’s get some old scotch flowing and hear some more!
I KNOW I’ll take a beating, but I still have some of the new GNR on my MP3 too… definitely not classic but makes me want to throw around the iron.
Welcome (back) to the Jungle!!!
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:29 pmThe new location will probably throw a spark into your fire too SRD.
Good eats and drinks around there.
Plus, the police station is 3 blocks away, heh heh!
Watch out for the zombies/cluckheads after dark:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JntHSwjgSTg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws-QQC8D3dU
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:35 pmI just don’t think of that area as Skidrow.. not tents no emcampments.. and the night life is picking up around there.. When I think of SkidRow I think of the tents and box cities that start up along the Los Angeles St corridor.. even at the corner of Los Angeles & Winston..
You’re moving to a great area! I’ve heard it both ways regarding the SB buildings (mainly complains of noisy neighbors). Historic Core is where it’s at! =)
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:36 pmCDC- is the last comment really youu- it came through with different IP address… just curious, but good comment- I’m referring to your post:
The new location will probably throw a spark into your fire too SRD.
Good eats and drinks around there.
Plus, the police station is 3 blocks away, heh heh!
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:42 pmMeeko- I’m “skidrowdude” and dont’ technically live in skid row, but if you ask any of my friends from the South Bay I might as well live there… all downtown is skidrow to them. And yes, there are tents (don’t last long) and people sleeping on street within a blcok of me always- it doesn’t need to be at 7th and Los Angeles for that.
As for noisy seighbors, it can be a win-win; when I want to crank up my GNR, who’s to complain? And the FIDM women are smokin’- I want to ask for their MOTHER’s phone number
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:46 pmWell, then, there are a-plenty o’ FIDM ladies in these buildings, so enjoy! (I like how you’ve already forgotten the “settle down” part of your post, heh heh)
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:51 pmLA Lola- Great to see you around here! I am still waiting to meet the pooches (as is Isis- it may be “rocky” at first but she needs to get used to meeting dogs on a leash).
I told myself I’d never live in a Shy loft again, but I think he learned a lot after Higgins. I am blown away by quality of entire building.
I really love the neighborhood, it’s just my dog that I need to adapt. She has to bark at everything on 4 legs that moves.
I can’t wait to be in my new ‘hood, with cool folks like you Lola- downtown really ROCKS!
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:54 pmSettle down?
Joe Pesci from Goodfellas says:
“Sure, mom, I settle down with a nice girl every night, then I’m free the next morning”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO2f5A1GTxc
Watch it at the 5:08 mark.
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:59 pmEric - You can always leave a comment on our blog, who cares what other people write or thing?
That’s the beauty of blogs I think.
Our lease was for two years so we are still in our currently place until April 1st of 2010.
Repair people are just a pain in the ass here in LA - that part I’ve come to figure out.
July 23rd, 2009 at 2:12 pmCDC- I love that movie but forgot how classic Joe Pesci is- didn’t you go to meet the writer of that movie?
Kind of reminds me of Charlie Sheens’ quote:
When Charlie Sheen was being sentenced for using a prostitute, the judge asked him why a man like him would have to pay for sex. And Sheen reportedly replied: “I don’t pay them for sex. I pay them to leave.”
July 23rd, 2009 at 2:15 pmSRD,
I think you may be confused with Michael Mann. He recently wrote and directed Public Enemies.
Hey, wanna see a great clip of the real Henry Hill, who was portrayed in Goodfellas by Liotta:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DENU6g778wk&feature=PlayList&p=5C5260F6D7CF6CCE&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=29
A former partner of mine wrote Hill a drinking in public ticket for similar behavior at the beach.
July 23rd, 2009 at 2:24 pmDamn I am happy to be back on my blog- it’s so good to hear from the downtowner’s I’ve missed.
And you have to realize what a great resource we have in Central Division Cop- he is anonymous so he can tell us the TRUTH about the crap that goes on down here. You and I may not agree with him or what he does, but RESPECT HIM. He is doing his job. I am honored that CDC will post here, and tell it like it is on the streets of Central Division.
July 23rd, 2009 at 2:46 pmHey E! Good to see you writing, too.
My dogs are the same way: on a leash, they go crazy around another animal. That’s why we haven’t been to any of the dog walk gatherings. I’ve REALLY got to work on that, get them into obedience school one of these days when I have the money.
Speaking of which, we probably won’t be neighbors for too long, since I’m moving in a couple weeks to Los Feliz (cheaper rent). Working for the govt, I’ve seen some huge paycuts in my salary that almost equal my rent, so I have to downsize and budget carefully like everyone else. I’m sad to be moving, and will miss my 5 minute commute to work and living in DTLA, but you gotta do whatcha gotta do!
July 23rd, 2009 at 3:18 pmLA Lola- I hope we meet before you make the move- Isis is fine with dogs on leash when we spend a little time, it’s just walking down the steet or in ELEVATORS she is not polite.
I feel for you- when I was moving I considered all angles, with economy so bad and I change jobs all the time. Loz Feliz is cool- will you take Red Line to work?
And don’t count on dog obedience helping- I have spent tons on Isis and previous JRT and I get a lot of “it’s the owner’s fault” about behavior but that does not solve my $60/session hope that my dog will behave better.
You are a good dog owner and don’t worry, people like me will never be upset if your dog barks at mine- we will return the acknowledgement
July 23rd, 2009 at 3:31 pmHey!!!
I think i saw you and white dog walking down spring the other day. I was hopping into my car so I didn’t get a chance to say hi in person. See ya around!!!
July 23rd, 2009 at 8:07 pmHey Alexis! I forgot that you work in my new ‘hood. Please say ‘hi’ if we cross paths again- maybe we can walk Captain and Isis sometime- I know Isis would behave in a one-on-one walk- she really is a (strong) lady.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:20 pmI wondered where you went off to……Glad to hear you’re just on the move. I often thought it would be great to have you back in the midwest, but then the realization hits me like a 2X4 to the forehead! You’d get bored in two seconds! I’ll be interested to follow your adventures in the new ‘hood.
Good luck with the move!
July 24th, 2009 at 10:13 amBob R DUDE!!! What a great surprise to read your post! And you are absolutely right- I’ve thought about living in Midwest- buying a place on Eagle Lake was an idea for awhile, but I would go crazy with the silence at night
I hope all is well with you, L, and the boys- I can’t believe they are playing football now!
And yes, you were in my thoughts when I wrote about the folks that I am envious of that can stay at same job and excel for decades- keep up the great work- I am jealous in many ways.
July 24th, 2009 at 11:07 amBob R- I was just thinking about my comment about “not living with anyone” and I remembered Shawn- she officially lived with me, if only for a month. I’ve heard she’s married with kids and happy in Michigan now- LA was not good for her. If you see her around tell her she is still in my thoughts- she is an amazing lady, even if LA/ER were not a good match.
July 24th, 2009 at 12:19 pmEverybody’s doing great…Saw Don last weekend at the HS Reunion! Haven’t seen any of those folks for at least a decade (most over 20 yrs!). It was interesting, though…Party like it’s 1979! Only problem was most were unable to drag #sses out of bed the next day! Was glad to get back home to cocktails in the woods!
I’ll plan to shoot you a more in depth email next week or so, after you’ve had a chance to figure out which box your computer is in!
July 24th, 2009 at 12:28 pmThe Riley HS reunioun- you went to South Bend??? I’d love to hear stories- remember I went there for a short time and knew many of your friends, even though I was only there for a half year- remember Gary Del Toro? What a great guy…
Should I post our old-school skidrow pics? No one would believe our Colfax avenue digs, where white boys did not live… at 17 I think our combined rent was $350 or close to that… those were some killer times. And remember your parents were on vacation so I moved out of my house and slept in your basement for a week before we moved- we bought a “pony-keg” and I think it broke your Mom’s washing sink- Julie and Eileen came over too if I am correct… what a smile I get when remembering…
The gold Chevelle SS and the white Camaro Z28- the NAPTOWN RIDERS (black motorcycle gang) knew to leave us alone on Colfax St. (right by corner of CHAPIN St.- what a ‘hood- honestly scarier than downtown Los Angeles in many ways
July 24th, 2009 at 1:12 pm