Validate Me

Or just my parking voucher.

In LA, one must be prepared to park the car. Because it's a major production. You have two choices; meters (check out all the different models) or validation. That's it. Actually, it's not really a choice, it's an either or. Having come from suburbia central, it took me about a month to get used to having quarters in my car at all times. At first I thought, eh, who's gonna notice that flashing red "expired" sign if I'm only running into the store for three minutes? I quickly learned that the meter maid running up and down the street all day noticed. Time and time again.

Now with validation it's a little different. Parking garages are the best LA has to offer and parking in one is always a nice treat. Because most "parking structures", as they're officially named, are free parking with validation. The key is remembering to actually get it validated. I can't tell you how many additional calories I've burned just from walking all the way back to my original destination just to get the damn thing stamped.

Sometimes when I'm far out in the valley, and I drive by say...a Bed, Bath & Beyond...with an actual parking lot, I just want to go park the car for nostalgia. I miss parking lots. And all of you are taking them for granted. So...next time you go to Target and you park your happy little butt in the parking lot, think of me. Because here it's all about the validation. Even at Target.