LaLa Land...

Last Sunday night was my first taste of L.A. life. While I had arrived here on Thursday, May 28^th, most of my first several days in southern California were spent helping prepare for and experiencing one of my best friend's wedding... The Latino culture out here is far more prominent than back east. As you might expect, the Mexican and Mexican-American presence is everywhere. What I find interesting is how different it is from the Puerto Rican/Dominican presence in New York. Mariachi, tamales and tacos, and a ridiculously large wedding party ruled the day. Tequila and Sangria ruled the night. What a grand adventure!

Sunday evening was a pleasure. I had a nice BBQ/dinner with a bunch of New York friends. My home-girl Tam finally made her move from New York to L.A. a couple months ago, leaving a small two bedroom apartment on the border of Little Italy/China Town for an amazing two bedroom near the Beverly Center. When it comes to renting an apartment out here, your dollar gets you far more. Then we went to see Terminator Salvation... a bad movie is bad no matter what state you see it in!

On Monday I went to pick up my new car... no, I didn't buy it, but to get around in L.A. without losing my friend's goodwill I needed to rent one. It never ceases to amaze me that people can live and flourish in a town where walking is as rare as a new job opportunity. Driving around with others I have tried my best to orient myself, looking for any landmarks that could help me when I finally got behind the wheel... to no avail! This city is far too spread out to figure out on the street level. It's the freeways that will guide me as a beginner in this strange city... Glad I brought a G.P.S system with me...

Monday night was also my first experience with In and Out burger, a popular chain out here in Cali. My California friends dragged me, insisting that it wasn't really fast food. They must have some really bad fast food joints out here to make that statement! While I can't say that it was the worst burger experience of my life (in elementary school we called them “snot-burgers”), my fast food fast of 8 years was officially ended, and my stomach hated me for it. Ahh, what I wouldn't give for a Momouns' Falafel right now...