I love summer. Although it can get hot in the San Fernando Valley, it's a great time of the year. Not only is school out, but the days are longer and everything seems a bit more relaxed. Families go to parks, pools, ballgames and picnics. People venture out into their communities to try new shops and restaurants.
Nowhere is that more true than on busy Ventura Boulevard, a corridor teeming with trendy boutiques and an ever-increasing draw for foodies from across the LA area. Getting around Ventura just got a lot easier this summer. Last weekend, I had the pleasure taking the first ride on the Studio City Free Summer Shuttle bus, a great new bus service that goes along Ventura Boulevard from Radford Avenue to Coldwater Canyon. Sponsored by the Studio City Business District and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the shuttle gives residents, shoppers and tourists free rides on air-conditioned LADOT DASH buses each weekend this summer. If you want to take a ride - and I encourage you to do so - the shuttle operates from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday now through September 4. For more information about the Studio City Free Summer Shuttle, visit www.thescbd.com.
From casual caf's to fine dining, there are so many eateries to check out along the shuttle route. I recently stopped by one of them, Salt and Straw, a new ice cream shop that just joined our Valley community. The Portland, Oregon based ice creamery's delightful handmade batches of seasonal flavors use fresh ingredients from local sources to deliver a unique taste that's a scoop above the rest.
Located at 12180 1/2 Ventura Boulevard, Salt and Straw is the perfect place to go to beat the summer heat.