A few weeks ago I promised an in-depth series on traversing LA without having to spend a lot of precious hard-earned money. I wrote the following at work today, so I thought I would share it with you…

Get out of the driver’s seat and let LA’s public transportation take you for a ride from one attraction to the next. For just $3, the Metro Day Pass allows you to explore the city’s cultural, sports and entertainment venues spread across this 467-square-mile metropolis.

As soon as your feet land above ground at the Red Line Hollywood & Highland exit you will be graced by the Hollywood Walk of Fame’s 2,000 star-studded terrazzos. This station is also your gateway to stars that are out of this world. The iconic Griffith Observatory picks up some of its guests here.

The next stop on the Red Line is where you will find the city’s most revered entertainment attraction, Universal Studios Hollywood. Featuring such unique and groundbreaking attractions as “Revenge of the Mummy—The Ride” and the world-renowned behind-the-scenes Studio Tour, Universal Studios Hollywood has matured into a full day, movie-based theme park.

From the Blue Line in South LA to the Gold Line in Pasadena, such cultural landmarks as the Watts Towers and Chinatown can also be reached via the Metro’s rail system. Moving west through the San Fernando Valley along the Orange Line, a Japanese Garden experience awaits you at the Suiho En. Private meditation, bird watching and nature tours draw visitors of all ages.

Four different Metro lines reach all corners of the city and provide commuters with easy access to major transportation hubs. Those flying into LAX can access the Metro’s Green Line at the LAX/Aviation station. And individuals arriving at Burbank Airport can board the Red Line at the North Hollywood station.

All lines lead to Downtown and its array of hotels, restaurants and shopping options. Home to the Lakes, Clippers, Kings and Sparks, the STAPLES Center is just another stop off the Metro in Downtown at Chick Hearn Station.

The Metro Day Pass includes such local transportation options as the DASH and Rapid transit. Unlike your everyday bus, Rapid busses make fewer stops and are equipped with transponders that cause traffic signals to favor the bus.

LA’s subway system is continually branching out to various regions throughout the city. Coupled with the city’s other public transportation options, you will enjoy practically door-to-door service on a daily basis.

For more information about LA’s award-winning and nationally-acclaimed public transit system, visit www.mta.net.

Although it might not be the powder I experienced in Patagonia, the day approaches when I will be flying down the snow-blown trails of Big Bear - less than a tank of gas from Downtown LA.

Just when you think you ran out of things to do in the city, the winter arrives and the entertainment/creative capital of the world delivers with fake snow.

The real stuff is supposed to fall soon, but I can’t wait to experience manmade slush.

Who says you can’t hitchhike in the United States anymore? Although you might make the conscious/sober decision to walk, run, or taxi to your destination. Under the influence of alcohol in SD I decided to hail a ride.

This wasn’t your ordinary yellow cab, this was a ferrari.

Although the male driver was more interested in my date, and that was the reason we got the lift, I still ended up where I had to be and she was more than imressed by my persistence to keep her from walking.

So the next time you hear hitchhiking in the US will only lead to your demise, think about how cool it would be to find yourself getting from a to b in a sports car you have only dreamed of riding in since childhood.

Next time, I will be the one supplying the ride - once the $1 million check arrives in the mail.

Although it wasn’t Block Party weekend in PB (Pacific Beach, San Diego), the bars were packed last night after T-day. I’m not one to forget memorable moments, but alcohol seems to rid us of everything worthy of a story. (Un)Fortunately, you always have friends around to remind you of the night that was.

I’m not sure I can share the stories, nor know how to die them down to PG-rating. Nonetheless, it can be said that SD once again lived up to expectations. As a less than hour and a half diversion from LA, make sure to visit this clean, safe and vibrant city when heading down to SoCal. Just lay off the sauce once you reach nirvana.

Expecting a four-hour drive on Thanksgiving down south to San Diego, the commute actually only took a couple of hours. That will save me some time and allow for the pre-gaming to last a bit longer and make the night out a whole lot cheaper.

The AMA’s (American Music Awards) took place last night at the Shrine Auditorium across from USC on 32nd and Figueroa. And yours truly was in attendance.

Everything went smoothly from the entrance to the exit. Especially for a lesser-known celeb like myself. In fact, the night started off at the end of a long line to enter when a Security guard saw my pass and said: “Oh, you got that ticket, you don’t have to hang out with the riff-raff.”

I actually didn’t mind hearing all the gossip being spread about the red carpet celebs. But, when it was my turn to head down that famed walkway I could hear people in my head wonder what I was doing there. Nonetheless, I was.

Truth be told, I should have read People magazine before going, just to be able to place the faces that walked by. But, my aisle seat was ideal as such noticeable celebs walked by me as Jamie Foxx, Nelly Furtado, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kate Moss, and the list goes on…

I even got invited to the after party.

I’m not one to pay attention to who was wearing what or who could eat the most ribs, but I did notice Wierd Al Yankovic mowing in the buffet line and flaunting LYNWOOD digs that made him look like a bad seed planted by Snoop.

After such an event, you kind of realize how much energy goes into the Entertainment industry here in LA and how the system of putting together Award shows is nailed down like clockwork. Celebs turn into commoners and the show must go on despite what your credit reads.

So you might be wondering what could be so great about this place. Well, if you have a good time on a Monday night, you could only imagine what the weekend scene will bring.

Although a few stray cats walked in from the street last night as well as a 70-year-old man with A.D.D., Blu Monkey Lounge in Hollywood was a legitimate option for an evening out after a Blue Monday at work.

The music never lets up and only gets better as the hours wear thin. Not to mention the fact that their Moroccan theme bodes well with belly dancing aficionados. The show is not that long, but the hip-shaking dancer is on point and conscious of capturing everyone’s attention. If she had a tip jar in her skirt, she would have easily raked in a “g.”

Fill this pic with people and a DJ spinning an eclectic mix and you have one of LA’s hottest nightclubs. Located at the corner of Crescent Heights and the Sunset Strip, Privilege may not look like much from the outside - a white-tented building - but the inside is as cozy you can make an LA club.

Set up like a massive lounge, the dance floor seen in the pic is never empty and the crowd is usually as diverse as the city.

Drink prices are not outrageous.

Joe Peep’s on Magnolia and Whitsett is a pizza joint that might go under your radar when driving through the Valley, but many celebs live by the slice.

Elijah Wood is a regular and that is because he has lived nearby his entire life. I remember a 10 year-old schoolmate telling me the kid from Wizard lived across the street from our Elementary School. Whether or not that was the case, it is a known fact he likes his crust thin (or so the peep’s workers say).

Prices are inexpensive and the environment is one-of-a-kind. Be sure to pick up a marker and sign the wall.

In the spirit of Belgian Painter, Rene Magritte, I present to you a blog about the artist whose work is now on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

Magritte’s most notable piece is seen here. The English translation of the French axiom at the bottom is: “This is not a pipe.”

When asked what exactly is being shown on the canvas at a Press Preview yesterday, co-curator, Stephanie Barron, explained with ease, “it is a painting, not a pipe.”

As the inspiration to numerous modern artists, Magritte’s exhibit at LACMA is not a retrospective or tribute, but rather a rekindling of surrealism through their work and his own.

Magritte and Contemporary Art: The Treachery of Images, will be on display until March 4.