Angelinos

Amanda and I flew to Los Angeles to surprise her dad for his 50th birthday. Here is what we did in 2.5 days. All my photos here.

Friday:
11:30a: Land at LAX.
1-ish: Lunch at Cowbows and Turbans, amazing Mexican/Indian street food

3:30p: Visit overwhelmingly large and awesome Amoeba Record store. By crappy discount cds.
5:30-7p: Happy Hour with Liz and Jeff "I'm a paralegal" at cool Edison Bar. I weigh the pros and cons of binge drinking in front of Amanda's boring friends.

8:00p: Dinner with Amanda's blunt but really cool friend in "the Gayborhood."

10:30p: Go to PopStarz nightclub.

11:30p: Go to Fiesta Bar. Meet small gay friend and large woman with recent boob job.

1:00a: Back to PopStarz. "Meet me at the Hotel" now permanently stuck in my head.

2:00a: Grudgingly drive 20 minutes to a taco truck, eat yummy tacos. Avoid food meltdown.

2:45: Drive to Jenn's house. So happy to sleep.

Sat:
Awkward breakfast w/Jenn and "I'm too sexy for my job" waiter. I contemplate LA and exploitation of would be actors.


Drive to Murrieta, surprise family. Prepare for birthday party.

I meet Amanda's large and diverse family. Highlights include bonding with Amanda's brother over UFC fight, taking tequila shots with Dad, learning of the existence of "Doggles," and most importantly, getting to meet all of the people who helped raise Amanda and influence the awesome person she is today.

9:30p: Escape party. Drinks/dessert in Temecula

11:30p: Work on school project.
Sleep in Murrieta

Sun:
Drive back to LA

11:30 Lunch with fun, dorky academic couple at Porto's a busy Cuban bakery.

From City of Angels

2:30: Getty Museum. We stretch.

5:00p: Drive to 3rd St. Promenade and Santa Monica Pier

From City of Angels

6:30p:Walk to Venice Beach. Play on the rings. Fall off said rings. Stumble upon crazy bohemian drum circle.

10:00p: Ice cream cookie sandwiches at Diddy Riese in Westwood.

11:00p: Drive to Aunt Margie's. Watch Weeds. Sleep.

If this trip were a poetry slam the words great, exhausting, diverse, and caloric would fit in there somewhere. :)