I (still) <3 LA!
As you may have figured out, this weekend I got to go see ASU beat UCLA at the Rose Bowl with Chris, Luke and Barnaby. And we also did some driving around LA, hitting about half of my favorite places in the process, like...
• the stretch of the 110 with the crazy 5-mph exits
• Hollywood Boulevard
• the IHOP on La Cienega and Santa Monica (highly recommended by WeHo cops)
• the site of my parallel parking story a bit farther down Santa Monica Boulevard
• Beverly Hills
• the Mormon temple (which, some Flinns might recall, is not UCLA)
• the intersection of Arizona and Ocean
• and the beach/pier in Santa Monica.
All that was missing was a stop by Diddy Riese (Hey, in my defense, it was crazy cold at night... which makes ice cream a harder sell.) and seeing the sights of South LA.
Anyway, this was quite the weekend because it really reminded me of just how much I love LA... and how much I missed it. Plus, we got to go to a game at the Rose Bowl, and who could forget that Patriot High football game?
But, as usual, most of the things that will be recorded in the annals of time / Brian.Indrelunas.com about this weekend, need little or no context:
The silent look the Jack in the Box lady gave Barnaby to let him know his food was ready and also to avoid trying to say his name
"I suck at sucking." –me
Luke's reaction when Barnaby asked if he had the tickets
the preteen stampede in Blythe
"My brother's the band director." –how Barnaby could get anything he wanted
Chris' fascination with the drum line
my superb choice of a parking spot at the high school
my superb backing-up-and-almost-hitting-a-Jeep skills
Barnaby, when asked by a high school girl what his name was: I'm just gonna make up a name... Barnaby.
high school girl: If that's your real name, then that's really sad.
"One time, Jeremy— I mean, Mr. Fletcher..." –Barnaby
Applebee's 0, Denny's 50
the Italian "restaurant" with blaring music, bouncers and a cover charge
the Mediterranean "restaurant" that was really just a hookah bar
"Bill, cum to my office on Monday..." –"John"
*67 at its finest
Jeremy's breakfast... and Chris counting every bite
"MacGyver's Women"
UCLA fans' odd fascination with counting:
1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... U... C... L... A...
1... 2... 3... movthchns!
"Do you wanna play some basketball?" –Chris' new friend
parking on the golf course
"Welcome to LA." –Barnaby's and/or my response every time we got onto a new freeway and Chris was surprised to find that traffic was at a standstill there too
flip a bitch
"Oh fuck!" (translation: "Chris, the exit for the 110 is right there, and you need to veer off to the right like five yards ago, but maybe you can still make it.") –me
making good use of the oh-shit handles
"That's what she said."
guy on the pier: My name Kevin, and this my amazing balancing show. If you see my show, donation one dollar, OK?
Chris: Someone should just take the bucket: "This is my amazing running show."
the Japanese Beatle
my new life goal / career plan: to be the next Japanese Beatle
Yum Yum Donuts
"Let's count the Denny's." –Luke
"Brian, did you know you have to wake up in ___ hours?" –Barnaby
Chris: You could sleep facing the other way on the couch.
Luke: I shouldn't have to do that; this is America.