OT: Need input on traffic, American Girl Store, DLR

[usschmidt]

We're going to be driving from NorCal to DLR Feb 16th and staying until Friday. My odd has been saving her money and now has enough for an AG doll. I told her we could go into LA and get one while we were at DLR. How would you go about doing this so that you're not spending freakin' hours in traffic? Would you try to do it on Monday on your way to DLR? mid-week? one early evening while most people are trying to get out of LA? on your way home on Friday?

Here's the AG info for those who are interested: http://www.americangirl.com/stores/location_la.php

TIA!

 

[Sherry E]

We're going to be driving from NorCal to DLR Feb 16th and staying until Friday. My odd has been saving her money and now has enough for an AG doll. I told her we could go into LA and get one while we were at DLR. How would you go about doing this so that you're not spending freakin' hours in traffic? Would you try to do it on Monday on your way to DLR? mid-week? one early evening while most people are trying to get out of LA? on your way home on Friday?

Here's the AG info for those who are interested: http://www.americangirl.com/stores/location_la.php

TIA!

If I were you, I would just stop at The Grove and go to the American Girls store on your way to DLR, and get it out of the way. I live right down the street from the Grove - literally, I could throw a rock at it and hit it - and from where I live, it takes about 45 minutes to get to Anaheim on a GOOD day, with NO traffic. I have had the best success at avoiding traffic en route to Anaheim if we leave super early in the morning (like 5:45 a.m.), but the last two times we were not able to leave super early. One trip, on a Thursday, we left for DLR at around 4:00 p.m. and din't get to DLR until 5:40 p.m. Another trip, on a Friday, we headed for DLR at around 2:30 p.m. and didn't get to DLR until 4:15 p.m. or so. And the traffic on any given day of the week coming from Anaheim TO my area of L.A. can be equally as daunting, especially if it is anytime in the afternoon, from like 1:00 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays are especially bad going both ways, to and form Anaehim. It even gets trafficky in my neck of the woods and around The Grove just on the surface streets after a certain time of day. It is a very crowded little area.

So rather than driving back and forth from L.A. to Anaheim and vice versa and getting stuck in traffic, unless you already have a trip into L.A. planned for another reason, I would just hit The Grove on your way to DLR and be all done with it!

 

[usschmidt]

Thanks, Sherry. That's what we were thinking, but wanted to ask the experts. Plus I want to get the purchase out of the way so I don't have to hear about it anymore kwim. This money has been burning a hole in her pocket for 3 months.

Our plan is to leave San Jose at 5am, getting us there approx 12pm depending on traffic and pit stops. I've already told her that we cannot afford to eat at AG. Do you have any rec's for food nearby? It sounds like we need to get out of there by 2pm, right?

Also, this is President's Day - will traffic be very different since it's a federal holiday?

TIA again!!!

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks, Sherry. That's what we were thinking, but wanted to ask the experts. Plus I want to get the purchase out of the way so I don't have to hear about it anymore kwim. This money has been burning a hole in her pocket for 3 months.

Our plan is to leave San Jose at 5am, getting us there approx 12pm depending on traffic and pit stops. I've already told her that we cannot afford to eat at AG. Do you have any rec's for food nearby? It sounds like we need to get out of there by 2pm, right?

Also, this is President's Day - will traffic be very different since it's a federal holiday?

TIA again!!!

Oh, well, since you will be at The Grove/Farmers Market, look no further for food! There is lots of good food to be found. The Grove (a beautiful outdoor mall) has a Greek restaurant called Ulysses, a really nice little place called the Marmalade Cafe (good for people watching, and lots of celebrities shop at The Grove), a couple of Italian places, Maggiano's, some Chinese food, The Cheesecake Factory, a place called The Farm, and others I am forgetting. Lots of choices. If you stroll through The Grove and into the Farmers Market, there are all kinds of food stands (counter service) but the food is usually excellent. FM has DuPars, Johnny Rockets and Starbucks, but Farmers Market is also known for having all kinds of small family-owned businesses inside it, and the food - no matter what type of food you are looking for - is great. Made by families with love! Now, Farmers Market and the Grove will both be very crowded (they usually are) because it is a holiday and lots of people are off work. But it shouldn't be TOO daunting for you. Just make sure that when you have your parking validated, it is a little confusing to know whether a place like the Marmalade Cafe is part of The Grove or Farmers Market. It looks like it is in The Grove, but it is considered part of FM. So to have your parking validated when you park in FM, youd have to eat at one of the places that is part of FM, and if you park in The Grove side, you have to eat at one of those places for validation. But it all looks like it's part of the same thing!!

Otherwise, if you don't want to eat at The Grove or FM, I can give you some other ideas for places right around this area. I think you will be fine there, but there are other places around here that are good!

For some reason, the streets in this part of town are just always busy (like Fairfax, for example, is always trafficky). So unless it is a BIG holiday where lots of people are out of town, you will usually run into traffic on any given day between here and the freeway. But it will be okay. As long as you get the American Girls out of the way before you head to DLR, then you won't have to worry about driving back and forth. It COULD take you 45 minutes to get from The Grove to DLR - if you are lucky - or it COULD take 90 minutes if you hit traffic. I tend to think that the freeway will not be AS bad that day because a lot of people will be home and off the road. But just be mentally prepared!! It will probably be closer to 45 minutes than to 90! Leaving The Grove at 2:00 to head for DLR should be fine.

 

[usschmidt]

so much for all your helpful information

 

[*Susan*]

I would second the suggestion to eat the Farmers Market - there's SO much to choose from! We got a sandwich & salad from one vendor and then a slice of cake from another. They have tables set up throughout the area so you can just get your meal and sit wherever you happen to be. You may need to take something to the hotel with you for later - there's THAT many choices. It's a fun area.

 

[AmericanItGirl]

I too suggest stopping at the Grove on the way down. It'll be a nice place to stretch your legs and that way you can spend as much time as you want looking around the AG store as you want (even as a young adult who still has her Kirsten doll I could easily spend an hour drooling over all the stuff they have in there). The food at the stands in the Farmer's Market is cheaper than going to the restaurant and, as previously mentioned, there's a wide variety to choose from.

 

[dreamingdisney]

I agree with the previous posters about going to AG before DLR. I know if it were my DD, she would really want to purchase her AG asap!! That way, everyone could enjoy their stay at DLR.

BTW, we were at GC two weeks ago and saw a couple of girls walking around with their AG dolls - too cute!!