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Being ‘Country Strong’ with ‘True Grit’While Paying for Parking?


L BY ASTRID AMBROZIAK


AST WEEKEND I ventured out to see some movies. After not going to the cine- ma


for several


months, seeing three movies in three days was a treat. “True Grit,” “Country Strong” and “Biutiful” all left a lasting impression on me. I loved spending time with my friends and then having lengthy dis- cussions about the films we saw.


I enjoyed “Country Strong” and “Biu-


tiful,” but one friend found both too long. I am aware that the studios “audience-test” their movies, but my friend’s comments mademe think about other tests that ought to be performed. And those would be tests of parking


meters and pay stations. Some of themare quite complicated, to say the least. Do the manufacturers realize that? These days, every major city in our


country is looking to parking to cover their deficits. They want our money since it is our money that pays for parking. So why notmake it easy for us to give it to them?


I had a choice to lower the


time and the fee with a simple pointer arrow. One didn’t need to posses any “true grit” to oper- ate the meter. It was a smooth transaction, and I didn’t have to worry about searching my car for coins. After the brunch we drove


home, parked my car in my garage andwalked to the theater. I wish all parking were as easy as the one near the restaurant. Usually this particular street is packed with cars. But because it was early morning on New Year’s Day, most likely people were still nursing their hang- overs fromthe night before. Second day, second movie.


This time it was on a rainy Sun- day at theArcLight Hollywood to see “Country Strong.” Stadi- umseating. Numbered and reserved seats. A great little restaurant in the lobby of the theater, as well as another one in the same complex.Also, a wonderful gift shop with an awesome selection of art books. ArcLight is always the first in LA to


We should be able to part with our money in the easiest manner, without spending eons reading very complex (pay station) instructions.


I am fortunate to live near The Grove


shopping center, which has one of the nicest movie theaters in LA. “True Grit” was among the films showing there. We drove to a nearby restaurant for


brunch, where we parked on the street, at one of the newly installed parking meters. We found onewith a two-hour limit.Using it was a piece of cake. Easy and smooth. Themeter accepted coins, including dollar bills and credit cards. I ran my Visa through a clearly marked slit and, boom, paid $2 for two-hour parking.


18


They take credit cards at parkingmeters in front of the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills.


Not bills but only coins. Both pay stations had long lines. I chose to pay at the cash- only station since the line seemed shorter. However, I didn’t realize that dollar


show more substantial, thinking-person type of pictures. Subsequently, the audience seems to be more sophisti- cated and refined. Also, with deeper pockets since the ticket prices here are among the most expensive in the city. Even for the matinee, it was $32 for two seats.


Another expense was the parking.


ArcLight validates, and the validation boxes are ubiquitous. So, for a two hour- plus movie, instead of paying $7, we had to fork over only $2. Yet, paying those two dollars was a challenge, deep pock- ets or not. The signs clearly said to pay at the


walk-up stations because paying on exit wasn’t available. Nevertheless, on the main floor there were only two such pay stations.And only one of them took cash.


FEBRUARY 2011 • PARKING TODAY • www.parkingtoday.com


bills didn’t work at this pay station. I felt anxious blocking the flowof the line.With other people waiting behind me, I tried to figure out where to slide in dollar bills. Instructions were non-existent. It took a while for me to realize that it was a coins- onlymachine.After an extremely long five minutes, I finally gave up as did the other theater patrons. I chose to pay on exit, sign or no sign. Here again, the instructions were not


clear, but at least an attendant was at the booth. Nowhere did it say that cash was accepted. A credit card transaction was lengthy because it did require an old-fash- ioned signature. I felt I had to be truly “country strong” not to get overwhelmed by slowing down the flow of the exit traf- fic. Even at aWhole Foods grocery, I nev- er have to sign for a purchase under $20. Heremy autograph was a necessity. On the third day, a clearMonday, my


friend and I saw the Spanish-language film“Biutiful.” This time at theAMC the- ater atWestfield Century City shopping mall. I hadn’t been there for a couple years.Themall has been completely trans-


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