One of the things I always love to do when I visit a city is ride the subway and get off at a random stop to explore. Granted, it may not be the smartest thing to do in the world, especially not here in LA. But that is exactly what I did one weekend just to prove it’s still possible to forget about your car in the City of Angels for an entire day.

For all you Metro virgins out there, our subway runs on the honor system, which means there are no turnstiles or attendants to take your cards. But don’t think you can save a little cash and cheat. If you get caught without a Metro pass, fines are pretty steep. And, compared to what you’re saving on gas, you can’t really beat the $5 day pass that will take you anywhere.

With my trusty neighbors, Roger and Brian, I set out to explore the city via the Metro during the Fiesta Broadway festival, a day I normally dread — not only because the event shuts down my entire downtown neighborhood, but also because it’s so loud I’m forced to flee the city.

Our first stop was the Mission stop off the Gold Line in Pasadena. There is a restaurant right there the moment you step off the platform, but walk a little farther up El Centro Street and you’ll find Kaldi Coffee, a really great corner café where you can grab a cappuccino before checking out a few of the galleries dotting the neighborhood.

Other places to try include Heirloom Bakery on the corner of Mission and Meridian and, my favorite, Firefly Bistro. This beautiful restaurant is the perfect place to spend a summer evening with a cocktail, as its tented outdoor space is lush and secluded.

Next, we checked out the Memorial Park stop off the Gold Line. I had no idea there was a stop so close to all the shopping in Old Town Pasadena. But there’s oh so much more than just shopping. The Vertical Wine Bistro is a dark, ridiculously cool wine bar up a narrow staircase off of Raymond. They have a huge selection of wine and tapas at the bar, or you can get something more substantial in their restaurant. If you’re in the mood for a little pampering, try Dashing Diva, an über-hip nail salon straight from New York that not only offers mani-pedis, but cocktails, too! I was told Girls Night Out on Thursdays and Fridays are the most popular because patrons get to drink for free, but I had come with a couple of guys, so that will have to happen for me next time.

From the Gold Line, we linked up with the Red Line running through downtown. If you get off at Pershing Civic Center Square, you’ll be smack dab in the middle of the jewelry district. Why drop a fortune on oodles of gold bangles at the Beverly Center when you can take something home from the wholesale stalls at St. Vincent Jewelry Center for a fraction of the price? Shop around for the best bargains, and if you can’t find something, just ask. You’re bound to find it at another vendor. When night falls, head over to The Edison, arguably the most unique bar in LA. Their Incandescence night is held every other Wednesday and features special Absinthe cocktails, sexy aerialists and Lucent Dossier, a group of surreal circus performers.

Our final stop was Seventh Street Metro Center. This stop is directly underneath the new Roosevelt Lofts on Seventh Street, which is being transformed into the restaurant row of downtown. Although a newly opened Wokcano restaurant sits across the street, if you walk a few more blocks, you’ll find Tranquility Base, one of the best outdoor patio spots downtown. If you stop in, be sure to say hello to the owners, David and his sister, Kelly. If you can’t make it for drinks or dinner, Tranquility Base recently launched a brunch — an excellent way to recover from a weekend night of debauchery. Then there’s my old standard, Seven Grand. Cedd Moses’ shrine to whiskey is the best bet for any night, and now that summer’s here, try their Mint Julep. It comes in a beautiful vintage-looking silver cup.

From sophisticated wine bars to bargain basement jewelry deals, Roger, Brian and I saw it all — and in one day! After our super long journey, we dragged our tired feet home to recover. Not only did we succeed in having some “car-free” fun for a whole day, we also successfully avoided yet another year’s loud and annoying Fiesta Broadway.

Forget about your car at www.metro.net