Today launches, for the holiday season, at least, something I didn’t know dontown LA didn’t have.  Taxis that stop when you hail them:

This seems to fit right in with the late night Metro I wrote about earlier which I believe also starts today.

As a kick-off to the program, L.A. Live will be hosting a “Taxi Driver Appreciation” event on its plaza at 11am on December 8th to thank the drivers in advance for helping turn Downtown LA into a “real downtown” where you can hail a taxi.

So what makes a real downtown is being able to hail a taxi?

Interestingly enough, although signs up in downtown LA hail this hailing a taxi as new for the holiday, the LA Times announced a 6 month trial plan, um, six months ago:

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a six-month test program Wednesday that will allow taxicabs to pick up fares at more places in downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood. Here’s how downtown Councilwoman Jan Perry put it after the momentous vote: “Common sense has prevailed. Now we can hail a cab like they do in other cities.”

Yes, she was being sarcastic. Like others, she thought this was something the city should have done a long time ago.

The new rules allow taxis to stop for or drop off customers in red zones and curb lanes that the city has designated as anti-gridlock zones – as in, no parking there during rush hour. Cabs are also now allowed to double-park to pick up or drop off a client. The one place they’re not allowed to go is bus stops – something that has been a sticking point between the city and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the last few months.

..

“The old rules that applied to taxis were the same ones that applied to private vehicles,” Rouse said, pointing to the fact that those rules pretty much prevent taxis from doing what taxis do best – pick up people looking for a ride.

So whatever happened to the trial program? Or is it beginning… now? Right… now? and… now?

The Los Angeles Metro system is rearing for the holidays!

Late night subway connections until 3 AM from Union Station to North Hollywood and all points in between, plus DASH bus connections downtown.  So going to the Staples Center or the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion or LA Opera or downtown music and theatre just got that much easier for the holidays.

Red Line Late Night.

The last star on the north east corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea. Picture and details below the jump.

It’s for The Dead End Kids — a group of actors in a play on Broadway in 1935.

Photo via Punchy & Nana’s Tribute to Bogart.

The Broadway play, written by Sidney Kingsley, transferred to Hollywood film with its original Broadway cast. Various groups of kids under the same name made 89 films and three serials for four different studios during their 21 year long film career.

The Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles brought the original cast together at a performance featuring descendants of the original show.

If you’d like to see the neighborhood or plan a visit to Los Angeles, check the map:

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