Finding that place to just relax... (Fellows: home, live in, shops)

[Ghostgecko]

This may sound sort of dumb, being that I live in West-LA, but I've noticed here that it's harder to find that peaceful place to just relax. I thought I had found it one night, perched on my hood of my truck as I have done in many other places next to the ocean, or in the mountains, and just sitting and writing under a streetlight during late hours after work. I was wrong.

I was on the PCH, and it wasn't long before a state trooper pulled up and shone a light on me, (drinking a Arizona green tea and writing on the hood of my car must have looked extremely suspicious)...and instructed me to move on. I remember going to the beach and relaxing late in Hawaii and in Key West, both places, the police came by, but when they saw you doing NOTHING they moved on. Or just checked on you. Here, for some reason, writing is not cool.

I work on the Promenade, so no real desire to just relax out there, and everything is way closed except bars by the time I get off of work. Every try to sit and relax, read a book or write in a bar...not so easy. Coffee shops are closed. So I need to know from the people that live in the area, is it home or nowhere? Parks are closed, probably for a good reason, but are the people who work nights just out of luck? Other than Swingers, Denny's and Norms, I've yet to find a nice chill late night coffee place to drown into a book or write my own. I thought LA was all artsy...where is it?

[DowntownVentura]

You have two good options, go in the SM Mountains or get a kayak and go in the water. Either place you can find complete solitude for days and days.

PCH is a major thoroughfare.

[SoCal35]

If you want tranquility in the city you should try the Self-Realization Fellowship Shrine....a tranquil park like setting off Sunset Blvd in the Palisades.

Lake Shrine Temple

I am not a particularly religous person but this is a great place to walk and relax and meditate or even write.

It is only open during the day but it is FREE, open to the public, and parking is FREE.

You have to see it to believe it. The pictures on their webiste don't do it justice. It's like a hidden BEAUTIFUL park in the middle of LA.

[Snort]

You ran into a literate cop. These realize that the pen is mightier than the sword. It's no wonder that he asked you to move along.