Ouch! Eric Spiegelman, in a review for “the Awl” of places he parks in greater Los Angeles, gave an A+ to the Arclight Hollywood’s roof level, an A to the Van Nuys Animal Medical Center and a D- to the Grove (during Christmas season). But Spiegelman said that West Hollywood’s parking situation is such that he never intends to visit our fair city again.
“I would advise you never to park in West Hollywood,” Spiegelman writes on the Awl, the popular website edited by Choire Sicha of Gawker fame. “But that’s a bit unnecessary because there are no parking spaces in West Hollywood for you to even consider. Every side street is permit-only now, and if you ever find an open metered spot on Sunset or Santa Monica you should put that up on Craigslist immediately as it will no doubt fetch you a pretty Bitcoin.”
Spiegelman does, however, share one tip — a parking lot where he says you’ll likely find parking on Sunset Boulevard (although, warning, it’s clearly marked for the use of customers of nearby stores and restaurants only). “… Just behind the strip mall on the south side of Sunset, the string of buildings with the Chin Chin and Le Petit Four, is a parking lot of such monumental proportions that you could live in an RV there for six months and nobody would notice,” Spiegelman writes. “The lot serves maybe a dozen storefronts and no guards are really keeping track, so just park there and walk to wherever you’re going. You won’t get towed and you won’t get a ticket. This is one of my favorite Los Angeles secrets, but I’m fine parting with it, because I never plan on going to West Hollywood ever again.”
West Hollywood’s difficult parking situation has been the focus of several city initiatives, including the construction of a new garage behind City Hall and extension of parking meter hours in an effort to force greater turnover of spaces. Our secret spot? The five-story garage next to the West Hollywood Library, where there frequently seem to be empty spaces.
I get parking ticket every time I go to WEHO because my Italian car does not have front plates. So I just avoid businesses, galleries, restaurants, shops in WEHO and to the same or other branches in Beverly Hills or other parts of L.A. Great way to drive business and tax dollars of the BH neighbors away.
There is no business worth going to unless it has valet. Your parking ticket girlfriend was probably the universe’s way of telling you to run. Weho is very walkable and you can uber for cheap!
PARKING IN WEHO SUCKS, I hate people who are trying to justify it, It Sucks PERIOD. The parking in weho is one reason why I am leaving my job in this city because the fact that coming to work costs me more than gas on a daily basis is ridiculous.
I don’t care if Mr Spiegelman ever comes back to weho. There are so many people coming here anyway he won’t be missed. I have partied, etc here in weho since 1978. God, I miss the old Boys Town. Crowded only on the weekends not every night. The Gen X’ers and Millennials have taken over.
From memories sake, if you get a permit parking ticket while visiting someone you can call and show the permit the next day and its dismissed. (call at night they are open) Also while parking and retrieving a guest pass if you put on your emergency blinkers they give you time to get it. (15 minutes) . Parking during the day on many side streets is okay north of SM but read the signs, it is a difficult city to park, yes but I do understand if you live in an apt without parking it is a pain, so I… Read more »
HOW DRAMATIC!
There is parking available all over the city and more on the way.
Also, what he said about the parking in Sunset Plaza is wrong. There are guards there all day to ensure that the parking there is being used for business within Sunset Plaza.
I had a girlfriend in West Hollywood over in the pink triangle. The first time I went over to her house I parked in front. I went to her apartment to get the guest parking permit, but during the 1 minute I was gone I got a ticket. The next time I came over I called her and she brought down the permit. The next morning I had a ticket because I did not curb my wheels even though the grade was negligible. Third time, I came out to my car with curbed wheels and a permit to find a… Read more »
West Hollywood parking enforecement is out of control. For such a liberal and “welcoming” city why do we terrorize those that try to visit?
Well he obviously did not read the permit parking signs…most are just at night for the purpose of the residents…but most are available during the day and there are plenty of valets and other places to park…it’s his loss…