6.6.13 "Los Angeles. The City of Angels. And I...am one of those angels"
I know, I know. It's been awhile. Funny thing about reaching your first destination on a two-week trip, all the non-sleeping you have been doing the whole trip tends to catch up with you. So it goes.
But anyway, Los Angeles. I told you guys how pumped we were that we had finally gotten to California, singing along to cool things like Phantom Planet and just giving a general "FYeah!" to the situation. Well we still had 300 miles to go after crossing the border. I knew we were in LA the second the traffic just became simply terrible. I was only in that city for about 48 hours and that was the one thing that terrified me the most this entire trip. We had already been on the road for so many days, but LA took the cake with it's ridiculous drivers. People say hello by simply cutting you off and then stepping on their brakes. We saw our first wreck the second day while trying to get through Hollywood to the Hollywood sign. I told the guys to please, please, please be careful.
Los Angeles is full of some definite characters. I saw all kinds of style, couldn't really pinpoint one particular trend except go big or go home. You gel your hair? Spike it into some crazy tower of tresses. You want to wear a funky shirt? Cut the back out and add gorilla arms to the sides. It's a town full of people all trying to make a statement to the point you begin to wonder what exactly that statement was supposed to be. I had fun, don't get me wrong, but in a place where everyone wants to be the "next big thing", even your fifteen minutes of fame is going to get cut short.
When we got into town that night, we stopped in at Stephen's friends house for a party. It makes me smile that no matter where you go, East Coast/West Coast/other side of the world, the parties you go to will always be the same. People playing beer pong, roasting marshmallows, just connecting in general. We hung out with a few film kids, that was fun to catch bits and pieces of those conversations.
Stephen lives in Culver City, one of the many smaller neighborhoods that make up the bigger LA as a whole. Yes, it is the home of the studio where they film The Price is Right, I told the boys they had to try to get on. It was actually really nice, had a lot of little shops and bars along the way and even a pretty little park right in the middle. We of course had to stop into the local Trader Joe's, people live and breathe that place over here on the West Coast. Andrew made us a fine dinner from items we had bought there though, so it ain't bad.
Since I had limited time in LA, like I said I was only there for about 48 hours, we decided to just do a few things here and there. I told Stephen I wanted to dip my feet in the Pacific Ocean, so we moseyed on over to Manhattan Beach. I liked it. There was a nice pier where you can watch people try to surf or head to the end and walk through the small local aquarium.
They have volleyball nets set up, but watch out and don't stand between those and the lifeguard stand, those lifeguards don't mess around when it comes to driving their emergency vehicles down the sand. Oh and that Pacific water? Niiice and cold, we were only trying to dip our feet in and got soaked up to our waists.
There were large mounds of seaweed that washed ashore too, I felt like some creature was going to come crawling out of them.
The guys also took me to the Hollywood sign. Stephen had to work that day, but recommended we stop in at the Blu Jam Cafe for brunch. Holy goodness, we had to wait for a bit on a table but it was soooo worth the wait. I got French Toast, a plate I usually pass on, with blackberry jam and yogurt in the middle topped with strawberries and bananas. I'm drooling thinking about it now. Stephen said that place is usually packed and I can see why.
The hike up to the ol' Hollywood sign was an adventure. Driving through Hollywood and the "Hollywoodland" houses up to the sign had me gripping the edge of the seats with anxiety. It's basically one long narrow road with lots of curves that you aren't sure if another car is coming the other way or not. Oh and the residents of the homes in the area park on that road as well. Luckily, we only saw one other car, but that still was not fun. While we went to school in Boone, if anyone came to visit, you always try to take them up to Howard's Knob so they can see all of Boone in one spot. The Hollywood sign is LA's Howard's Knob.
It wasn't a bad hike, just different from what I'm used to. There's no humidity out here, it's all just dry heat mixed with whatever wind decides to blow through during the day. If going to see the sign is on your list of things to do, definitely pack a water bottle. You'll need it.
That was about as close to the sign we could get, but it was worth it just to hear Jan recording his videos on his phone. Jan is apparently a tour guide to Los Angeles, or at least would like to think he is one. He's off to my right, a portly older man standing there telling his camera phone that YOU TOO CAN BE A PART. OF. HOLLYWOOOOD. Remember the bit about characters?
After the hike up and back from the sign, it was about time for me to pack up and get ready to go. We were going to grab dinner with Stephen but on the limited time we had, there was only one obvious answer. No trip to California is complete without a stop to In-N-Out Burger. I had never been before, and it wasn't half bad. The guys got their fries "animal-style" and told me all about the secret menu, but I was fine and dandy with my little #2 combo. Then it was through the airport and on to Portland.
I got asked if I "fell in love with" LA. And honestly, love is a strong term. I enjoyed the time I was there, wouldn't hate going back to visit and get more of an experience, but overall it was just too much in my face for my liking. I'm glad I get to cross it off my list though, another sight I've seen.
Until next time,
L
