40 Things about My Trip to L.A.

Back from L.A. and trying to recover from the red eye.

I thought I’d try something new since I tend to ramble on in these recaps. And plus I’m just plain tired. So, putting a spin on the hundreds list, here are 40 things about my trip to L.A.

  1. It’s better to take a whole day off from work on the day you’re leaving for a trip rather than trying to book early.
  2. Walking very fast gives you shin splints.
  3. Taxi drivers are less aggressive when the fare is a flat fee.
  4. Wireless hot spots make waiting at the airport much more bearable
  5. I need a new laptop.
  6. Jet Blue rocks.
  7. My feet swell to twice their size on flights.
  8. Burbank airport is nice and small, but you have to wait forever for your bags.
  9. A McDonald’s fish filet is delicious after a cross-country flight at 11 o’clock at night.

  10. L.A. can be freezing cold.
  11. Despite the freezing cold, a guy will be crazy enough to go swimming in the ocean at Venice Beach.


  12. The best cup of organic mocha joe in the world is at The Cow’s End.
  13. Through a Scanner Darkly is a trippy movie to watch while you’re falling asleep from jet lag.
  14. Texting a message at the beginning of a car ride will make you car sick for the rest of the trip.
  15. It’s better to get the 30 GB iPod than the 8 GB Nano. They’re the same price.
  16. It’s possible to get a bag from Tumi for under $100, if a style is being discontinued.
  17. The car wash my brother goes to uses different-colored soaps.
  18. The blueberry smoothie with almond milk and dates at a place called Leaf Cuisine in Culver City is amazing.
  19. L.A. has a lot of traffic.
  20. If there is a baby present at a family gathering, most of the attention will be focused on said baby.
  21. A tiny baby can snore very loudly.
  22. Through a Scanner Darkly is still a trippy movie to watch while you fall unconscious from jet lag.
  23. The second best cup of organic mocha joe in the world is at Hugo’s.
  24. The omelets at Hugo’s are good too.
  25. You might be able to see a celebrity there, like D.B. Sweeney.
  26. The eclair cream puff at Beard Papa is delicious.
  27. There are some weirdos on Hollywood Boulevard.

  28. Cold weather + dry air + strong sun = my fucked up skin
  29. It’s a rip-off when a Japanese restaurant will only allow you to share your brother’s pot of green tea by charging you per cup.
  30. Children of Men is a good movie though the ending is sort of abrupt.
  31. A family gathering with fewer people and not in a restaurant is far more time efficient and relaxed.

  32. The Grove is a nice though Disney-esque outdoor mall.
  33. You might see a celebrity there, like Julia Campbell.
  34. The crepes and coffee there are very nice.
  35. The Fish Shack in Malibu has excellent ahi tuna burgers and mind-blowingly good fries.
  36. Walking barefoot on the beach in cold weather is fun.

  37. Walking barefoot on the beach in cold weather is fun till the wind blows and you’re pelted with thousands of grains of sand.
  38. Award shows are a very big deal.
  39. The red eye is a killer.
  40. Even after a whole day of sitting around in your pajamas, you won’t want to go to work the next day.

I am, however, glad to be back in my own apartment and in a city where I can walk almost everywhere and not have to
ride in a car.

Thank God I have a short week.

12 comments

  1. welcome back. Great review.

  2. That’s a nice summary, and #7 is really fascinating.

  3. I LOVE that picture of your feet on the beach.

    As for family gatherings, they’re always much nicer when fewer people are present.

  4. Hey, I also loved your review (and the pic of your feet) and I also liked Children of Men (though I didn’t mind the ending). Your posting made me want to go to LA and sample the coffee.

  5. jet blue DOES rock, but they fucked with their schedules this year so i am not flying them. burbank also rocks, i love getting off the back of the plane.

  6. #7 happens to me, too! Often, I’m wearing runners because I don’t want to squish them and they take up the most room and it’s agony to get them back on after a 3+ hours flight. It is essential on those longer-haul flights to wear flip-flops (summer) or flats or something that doesn’t constrict when you put them back on.

    Your post makes me want get ahi tuna burger and amazing fries.

    I thought The Grove was really pretty – it’s SO L.A. – flaunting that you can shop outdoors all year long and decorated with palm trees!

  7. i agree with ya on children of men…

  8. zydeco fish: i think it has something to do with 1) the air pressure on the plane, 2) the fact that i’m sitting with my feet pointing downward for hours, and 3) that i usually fly at the end of the day when everyone’s feet are most swollen.

    wyn: good idea to wear flipflops or something equally as loose from the plane. it’s tough to get those shoes back on!

    as for the grove, it was indeed very pretty – but freezing cold on the day i went! i’m sure on normal weather days it’s just lovely.

  9. Definitely felt the same about “Children of Men.” It’s a great movie to watch in the theatre because of the extended, one-camera scenes.

    It seems Beard Papa is springing up everywhere these days.

  10. I told ya it was going to be cold! Glad to hear you had a nice time. That baby is the cutest!

  11. chloe: you were so right! the baby is my cousin’s newborn. i can’t get enough of her cheeks!

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