(Attended 07/20/19 SA @ 4:45pm and many times before): I ate... I saw... I heard!…read more
Eat See Hear descended upon L.A. State Historic Park in Chinatown for a screening of "Romy And Michele's High School Reunion" https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=J_opIRYcD5NywArq6Yy5wg&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw. Dubbed "LA's premier outdoor movie, food truck, and live music event series", this annual summer-long traveling entertainment circus (since 2012) made its way across various iconic venues throughout Los Angeles with its unmistakeable 3 1/2-story tall inflatable high-definition screen deemed the "biggest of its kind on the West Coast". A self-contained event, you were allowed to bring your own chairs, food, etc.. Pet-friendly with water bowls and treats throughout the venue, they tied themselves to the non-profit organization Best Friends Animal Society Los Angeles and No Kill Los Angeles (NKLA) to help with pet adoption. Would this nostalgic return and revamped idea of the drive-in movie pull at my sentimental strings to return for more!?
PURCHASE
General Admission Ticket/Seat ($14.00 + fees) - Purchased online (priced higher at the door the day of the event), this was open seating, so first come-first served. Armed with a low chair (ABSOLUTELY NO TALL CHAIRS), blanket, cushion, and pillow to sit on just in case, I claimed an unobstructed spot center screen at the very top of the seating area. Tickets also gained access to food trucks and live pre-movie music performance. Below were other ticketing options (things brought were the same):
1. Fashionably Late Tickets ($21.00 + fees - online purchase only) offered a limited quantity of guaranteed open seating tickets in a reserved area at the front of the house that allowed you to arrive at any time (hopefully before the movie started!).
2. Kids 12 & Under Tickets (approx. $8.00 + fees) offered the same as "General Admission".
3. Groups of 10 or more had group rates available.
Live Music - A four-piece female-led L.A.-based band named "Lucy & La Mer" played melodic pop music that reminded me of The Asteroids Galaxy Tour and 10,000 Maniacs both I'm fans of. Their breezy chill music was perfect for a relaxing hot Saturday evening https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=agiSXIbbbsEISNq6gguTiA&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw.
Food Trucks - Chanco's Tacos, Baby Badass Burgers, L.A. Donut, Pinch Of Flavor (see separate review), and more. All accepted credit cards https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=TIXwuenAbchDX1DAMGCw3A&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw.
Vendors - Tillamook Ice Cream, Radio.com, and title sponsor Showtime (who gave away chairs!) were supporting partners who had giveaways https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=aLwm8nibpidofk48V5tf3Q&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw.
SERVICE
The online purchase was a breeze. There was excellent pedestrian and street directional signage to the main entrance. Marked signs once inside led you where to set up camp, restroom area, etc.. Both audio and visual systems were surprisingly clean and clear. There were the customary long food truck lines akin to L.A. traffic without the bad drivers. There were no onsite ATM machines. Generally-speaking, everything was fine and ran smoothly.
PARKING (Varied; FREE this instance)
Plenty of parking on the woodchips along the sidewalk. Otherwise, there was an abundance of timed parking along the main drag of Spring St. and all surrounding streets (FREE after 6pm) and $10 onsite parking. The Chinatown Gold Line Station and a bustop were about a 7-minute walk. Another option was to hire a driving service like a taxi, Lyft, or Uber.
ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE
A large open-air grass field https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=P9gObCbeS5F9zUF89oj3Fw&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw, it was everyone for themselves as the gates opened and throngs of guests flooded in! Designated smoking areas were in the parking lot. Upon entering, you passed the sponsors area and porta-potties, then the lawn, and finally the food trucks all the way across. The music stage was at the foot of the screen, but wished they had a camera that projected the performance onto the screen. Exposed to the elements, you heard random sounds from conversations, dogs barking, and vehicle traffic, etc.. The aforementioned gigantic movie screen was your TV while DJ Howly and the live band provided the music.
ATTIRE
Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops.
OVERALL
Eat See Hear at Chinatown's L.A. State Historic Park was my second favorite location because it was close to home, easy Metro train access, beautiful surroundings, and a ton of free parking. This concept was popular enough for others to imitate. The onsite staff were very charming and helpful. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $16.00; no tip required). And, they accepted my credit card of choice...AMEX! 5.0 STARS
