We had an awesome time at Glow! It was like all of L.A. had descended on Santa Monica. I don't think I've ever seen the beaches so full of people after dark, or the Santa Monica Pier that crowded. I thought at one point the pier might collapse on to itself from the weight of all the people. The crowds were so dense that you couldn't even move except as one big collective group. Traffic was a nightmare; the freeway was at a standstill; and driving in general was just chaotic. Not the event for you if you're an agoraphobic.
Wanda and I ended up parking far--and I mean almost in West L.A. far. It was a good 10 block plus hike to the center of the action, but the streets were teeming with people and it felt like a fun night festival. The 7pm to 7am setup was brilliant. I really have to give it up to the city of Santa Monica for putting on such a great event. I think the turnout topped what anyone was expecting, which just goes to show if you put it on, people will come.
I feel like the art scene in L.A. is underrated and they need events like this to spark excitement in people. The audience was very eclectic. It drew tourists and locals alike; families and party-goers, serious art-goers and people who were just curious.
Wanda and I got the chance to see most of the installations--some we enjoyed, and others just perplexed us. The coolest things was probably the amazing mental scope. It was fun getting to see your brain waves reflected in bright neon colors over the famous Santa Monica ferris wheel. The weirdest thing? That award goes to the Department of Nocturnal Affairs. We couldn't decide if those people were joking or serious--interesting nonetheless.
And it was fun being out there so late with everyone else. We enjoyed the nightlife. The temperature on the beach was perfect. We probably could have slept there for the night had we come better prepared. Next time we're bringing tents.
We cruised around Third St. for a bit, feeding our midnight snacking frenzy with whatever we could find. We ended up in Xooro, one of those fancy places that takes a simple food, dresses it up a bit, and then charges an exorbitant price tag i.e. Sprinkles Cupcakes (but at least those are good cupcakes). Xooro has done a new take on churros. Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a new take--it's just a fancy version of a churro covered in different toppings like chocolate or caramel, and the inside has a cream filling.
We thought, what the heck, we're here we might as well try it. We paid almost five dollars for a third of a churro! It was tiny! It wasn't terrible, but for almost five bucks you expect something sinfully delicious, and it was just okay...something I would only buy rarely for a dollar.
Whereas some would argue that Sprinkles is justified for charging three plus dollars for a fancy cupcake, I don't see how Xooro can get away with their less than spectacular churro. I predict that even in a place like Santa Monica, where people are willing to pay more for something trendy (we did it afterall), Xooro can't last in this tough economy. I don't see them as a mainstay like Pinkberry or Sprinkles.
So despite our experience at Xooro, we had a great evening and early morning. We wanted to stay until the end to watch the water dance, but around 5am the crowds started to dwindle and so did our energy. We called it a day, and headed home.
It was so much fun that we hope the City of Santa Monica will continue to sponsor this and make it an annual event. Maybe other cities will take notice and do something similar...one can only hope =)
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