Parks & Recreation - The fallout of not winning Mega Millions

**soundtrack to this post: Tales of Coming News - The Avett Bros  -- right click & open in new tab **

Ever since not winning $319 million in the lottery last Friday despite feeling "really positive" I have been in a slump.  Even my amazing trip to the Getty Villa on Saturday (one of my 11 things to do in 2011!) was overshadowed with thoughts that "if I had won mega millions, I too would buy acres and acres of land in Malibu to build a Roman-style house and fill it with my vast collection of Greek and Roman artifacts."

It didn't help that then on my way back from the Getty I accidentally found myself in a puppy store.  It was like those scenes in movies where the person is all focused on driving home and zones out and when they come to - they're surrounded by puppies! ....exactly like that, actually.  And this wasn't just any  dog store - there were ST.BERNARD puppies in the window.  That's right - two of them.  Absurd.  What is my life turning into? A Beethoven sequel? *REFERENCE!!* - up top!

Note:  I would be remiss if I did not take a moment here to say that my dream dog is a rottweiler named Caleb.  Rottweilers are perfect.  Not to mention that Caleb would be a girl (yes, like me my dog would have a boy's name that started with a C) and her name comes from the Hebrew word Kelev which means dog/loyal.  Not that I've thought about it much.

 Also note: If I didn't get a rottweiler I'd most likely get a teacup pomeranian named Fatty that looked like a little bear.

THIS POST HAS A POINT! 

All this thinking about dogs got me wondering about the park right by my apartment - Plummer Park - so when I got back home I walked over and finally checked it out!  

According to Wikipedia, the east side of West Hollywood (aka the classy place I live...let the stalking begin...) is dominated by Russian immigrants, and the park is a popular gathering place for Russians. In 2005, a controversial monument to Soviet Army dead in World War II was built in the park. While supported by many local residents, it was criticized as being inappropriate given that some might interpret it as honoring the USSR under Joseph Stalin. .....also, there's a farmer's market every Monday.  

Most importantly - there have been rumors of the City of West Hollywood turning Plummer Park into the city's second dog-friendly park!  According to Curbed LA, the long-planned Plummer Park improvements will now include an off-leash dog park.  The Fiesta Hall will be renovated and expanded and a new childcare center will be built. Outside, a pedestrian promenade at Lexington Avenue will stretch across the park, and an interactive water feature, a playground, and gardens will be added. The park will also get a new 179-space underground parking structure to replace one of its existing surface lots. Phase I will include Fiesta Hall, the childcare center, the Great Hall/Long Hall demo, and the parking structure are expected to kick off in June 2011. Those will be open during Phase II, which includes the promenade and outdoor amenities, and which is expected to wrap up in January 2013.

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What're my thoughts?  Well from the Fountain Ave entrance you have to walk through 8 sets of tennis courts to get to any sort of park area.  It's kind of sketch but also...kind of amazing.  All the courts are in use on the weekend!  There are old Russian men playing chess by the basketball court and the Fiesta Hall is HUGE and the smell of something delicious was in the air from some sort of private event being hosted there.  It's definitely in need of a renovation and is a bit run down but what great history - and right by my apartment! Leave it to me to find the prime-est real estate in WeHo after ignoring everyone's warnings that there had been a triple homicide in the area months prior to my moving.  Take THAT everyone!

CTOWN OUT!