Best Let Me Try to Tell You About LA, pt. 2

And then there was this day where I went sailing with the Mapps and their family and friends.  I think it was a Saturday.  A not very macho thing about me is I'm afraid of sailboats. Well, maybe not afraid.  I just really dislike going on them, I don't know if I'd rather go on a sailboat or to a karaoke party.  BUT this sailboat ride was fun and easy!  We even saw a sunfish, but boy did we wish it were a shark.

Looking at those last four photographs, maybe I need to switch up how I frame my photos?

After the sailing adventure we went to a birthday party for a guy that draws backgrounds for Bob's Burgers.  Russell was there!

He made me a burger, Russel Style!

And you know what else they had there?  Dorito-flavored taco flavored Doritos.  I now wait in anticipation for the Dorito-flavored taco flavored Dorito flavored taco.

We then found ourselves in Beverly Hills for a minute where everyone was freaking out about this Bugatti.  What?  You've never seen a $2 million sportscar before?

Checked to make sure Uncle Frank's portrait was still on display at the Ralph Lauren store.  It was. 

Visited a comic book store that I give an A for curb appeal but a serious C for organization and offerings.

Back to Grandma's once more.

Had shockingly good burgers at Coco's thanks to a coupon from the day's paper.  I was totally surprised.  I still crave this mushroom swiss prime rib cheeseburger.

At church on Sunday there were pictures up from the Activities Girls activity Grandma had helped with earlier that week.

Sunday afternoon, before calling it a trip, I walked to see the turtles at Caltech.  They were out in droves!  They were even up on the sidewalk there were so many.

And that was basically my Los Angeles trip.  Next: Utah!

Best Let Me Try to Tell You About LA, pt. 1

Okay, even though I've shown you some LA stuff, let's pretend you're just finding out that I went there?

After a day and a half of a lot of driving, I found myself in California on a sunny Tuesday morning.  Grandma lives in San Marino, by Pasadena.  And Pasadena town hall is what they use for Pawnee town hall.  On Parks and Rec.

Grandma saw Jackie Robinson run a 96 yard return in a Pasadena College football game.

When I see an Aston Martin parked at the Del Taco I just get a feeling that everything's going to turn out ok for me.

Tuesday night I went and saw a taping of Doug Loves Movies at the LA UCB.  His surprise guests that night were Zach Galifianakis, Sarah Silverman, and Rory Scovel.  Crowd went a little nuts for the first two.  Zach picked my neighbor's nametag for the Leonard Maltin Game (I realize that might not make any sense to you) and had an extended conversation with her about her former job working the Universal Studio's Transformers ride.

I'm feeling all mixed-up about dates.  But I think it was Wednesday night that I met up with the Mapps at a little Mexican place in Hollywood that had caught my eye on a previous trip.

You might ask why I might be interested in this particular taco stand.  But you'd have to be asking sarcastically.

Very nice tacos, even better tortas.

And real Mexican Fanta in the heavy glass bottles my muscle memory recognized from 17 years ago.

Then there was this one day, maybe Thursday? when Collin and I went to Yang Chow with Grandma. We dared to try a few new dishes (sichuan noodles and spicy asparagus and green beans) and we were rewarded for our adventuring.

Then we headed over to the Huntington Library for a spell.

The Huntington Library has gone from a place I resented visiting as a child to a spot I'm happy to show off as an adult.

Most of the library is being renovated so you can only see tech and science stuff in that building right now.

But in the Huntington home you can still see all the art and stuff.

After nearly dying in the heat as we explored the gardens we headed to 7-11 for refreshment.  I tried an Orange Bang! and a lime-cucumber Gatorade.  Because I love learning!

And if I remember correctly, it was that night that I met Collin at Chego's new location in Chinatown for a late dinner.

So much ooey gooey goodness, so much 90's rap playing on the speakers, total food heaven.

The famous and generous Steak Through Your Heart sandwich.

An Asian-Mexican riff of a dessert of some sort.  Was it a tres leches variation or something?  Can't remember.

Goodnight, LA.

Best Breaking Down the Backlog

Basically, this is where I've been the last month and this is why I haven't been blogging.  But this is also what I need to blog and what I have blogged and what I will be blogging.  

• Nearly two year project ended, suddenly find myself free
• Go to cousin's wedding in SF that I had been planning on going to
• Instead of flying home from SF drive down to LA with my Grandma, Aunt Louise, and Emily via Yosemite and Sequoia 
• Spend a bit of time in LA, mostly with Collin and Grandma
• Spend more than a week in Utah, almost entirely in my sister's basement in Highland. Have a great time.
• The night before I leave I buy a ticket to Berlin at 3:30 am.
• Fly home to NY on a redeye, arrive 6'ish AM.  By 1PM I'm back at the airport again to fly to Berlin.
• Just barely got home from 5 awesome days in Berlin.
• Tomorrow morning I'm going to Gettysburg for the 150th Anniversary
• Next weekend?  Probably Nashville.

Just imagine all these posts!