Hey now! This must be the place: Friday is a happy day to stay up
late for a once in a lifetime event with David Byrne! Byrne is pretty
well-known recording artist, one-fourth of the Talking Heads and the
founder of the heavenly Luaka Bop world music label. Byrne is also many
other things seen and not seen, including an artist, a bicyclist. He's
created artistic bike racks, including one shaped as an electric guitar.
He has written a new book called Bicycle Diaries. The book, I read, is
about his true stories of travels by bike in various cities.
The event is called Cities, Bicycles and the Future of Getting Around.
Its hosted by the L.A. Public Library's ALOUD speakers series, and
takes place Friday October 2nd at 8pm at the Aratani/Japan America
Theater at 244 South San Pedro Street in Little Tokyo. Click here to purchase $25 tickets.
The good thing is that Byrne shares the stage with a panel of people
like us: local bicycle luminaries. In the academic corner, UCLA professor Don Shoup is a bicyclist and the leading mind on parking issues.
In Shoup's perfect world drivers would actually pay the full market
cost of parking. Parking is one of those things that we cyclists don't
worry about. The government corner is represented by Michelle Mowery.
She's the city of Los Angeles' senior bike coordinator, and she was a
bike racer and bike activist. In the non-profit corner, it's Jimmy
Lizama who's a bike messenger and one the party animals who founded the
Bicycle Kitchen.
Don't be blind to puzzlin' evidence and warning signs on the road to
nowhere! Don't just sit read the paper or listen to radio! Head out and
hear Lizama, Mowery, Shoup and Byrne making sense on building a city of
dreams!
(A contest: How many unique Talking Heads song titles can you find
in the above paragraphs? First one to post a complete list in the
comments here wins a copy of the guide book to bicycling and walking
Down by the Los Angeles River by Joe Linton.)
