32 hours Part Five: Wilshire Blvd vs. Wilshire Pl

This entry is one of many detailing what occurred in a few short hours.  Get your popcorn ready.

We made it back to the hotel about 4:30pm, decided to take a nap, get ready at 5pm and leave at 5:30pm.  The ceremony was set to start at 6pm.  According to Google Maps we were within walking distance, getting there in about 10 minutes.

The alarm screamed at 5pm.  We were groggy and grumpy.  We quickly got dressed, directions in hand, walking shoes on, dress pumps in the bag and began our search for 680 Wilshire Blvd.  Heading east on 7^th Street we hustled into the heart of downtown.  We made a left on Figueroa then a right on Wilshire Blvd.  We breeze by buildings numbered 900, 800, 700 directly on the corner~~it must be across the street!  We get across the street and the next building is 655.   What??!! 

If we were in movies this would be the scene where the camera pans around quickly then pans in on our faces, zooming in on beads of sweat and obvious confusion.

We rushed into the 700 building and asked the security guard where 680 was.  He asked, “What is the name of the building?”  “Korean Education Center.”  “I don’t know where that is.”  Ugh!

I happened to have KECLA’s number saved in my phone.  Luckily someone answered the phone.  I told her where we were and she said, “ohhhh, you are on the wrong street.  You are supposed to be at Wilshire PLACE, not Wilshire BLVD.  But it’s okay, just head west on 7^th street about 3 or 4 miles and we’ll be at Wilshire Place on the right.”  My heart sank.  At this point it’s 5:50pm, and we are on foot. 

I told her our predicament, and especially how upset I was because we were going to be late.  Her response was, “Its okay, we never start on time anyway.” 

We speed walked across streets and made it back to the hotel to get the car.  I felt a little foolish.  We had passed this very building on our way to Koreatown earlier in the day.  It’s about 6:10pm and we can’t find parking.  The nearby parking garages were specifically for apartment tenants and building employees.  There was street parking close, but occupied.  I did not want her to miss another minute of the ceremony.  She was dropped off at the door while I hunted for a spot.  I told her to go in and that I’d be in shortly.

Naysia waiting for momma

All those nights at the Reid Park track paid off in that moment. I parked about 3/4 mile away and ran.   I rounded the corner of the Korean American Education Foundation at 680 Wilshire Place and found my baby still standing outside.  She didn’t want to miss a minute without her Mom.