5 Ways to Beat the Summer Heat in Eagle Rock

Although there’s a 20 percent chance of rain before 11 a.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service’s Weather Forecast Office in Los Angeles/Oxnard, highs are still expected to hover around 92 degrees Fahrenheit, making Friday one of the year’s hottest days.

Saturday's high—also with a 20 percent chance of rain—is forecast to be 90 degrees, and the high for Sunday is expected to be 93 degrees. In fact, the weather office has issued an "Excessive Heat Watch" warning from Friday through Sunday.

And to make matters worse, the 20 percent chance of showers is likely to ensure that humidity will remain relatively high. That, in turn, would render swimming somewhat unattractive, making it tougher to cool off without air conditioning.

So what can those of us do who don’t have air conditioning at home and don’t want to travel far—wisely—to be in an air conditioned environment? Here are five suggestions on how to cope with the heat wave:

• 1. Consider spending the hottest hours in a public facility, such as the , or a commercial place such as . (Quite a few people regularly nap on the comfortable couches that you can find at the Macy’s end of the plaza, in front of the .)

• 2. Grab a book and relax at any of the excellent, air conditioned coffee-house choices you have right here in Eagle Rock—whether it’s , or .

• 3. Walk or drive over to and spend some time in what we think is Eagle Rock's best-kept secret—the Oxy bookstore. Fully air-conditioned, it's a book-lovers' delight, not to mention one of L.A.’s very best places to browse or buy books.

• 4. Hop over the 2 freeway and duck into the Barnes & Noble bookstore at the Americana, on Brand Avenue in nearby Glendale. (Parking is free for two hours, with validation, which you can get by making any purchase at the Starbucks café on the bookstore’s third floor.)

• 5. Because the coolest places in Eagle Rock aren’t necessarily indoors—what a blessing for those who have a cold or an aversion to air conditioning—check out the many tree-shaded picnic spots at the . Winds from the north and northwest are forecast to blow at around 5 miles per hour, according to the weather office—and the park’s open spaces should get a fair share of the day’s air circulation.