Los Angeles
Los Angeles
February 17, 2007
I'm back in the LA area, this time Long Beach. The first time I was here was
in 1994 for the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. Christmas 1993 Santa didn't
do well in the present giving and my brothers and I were each left with only a couple
cheap gifts. My parents, however made up for the elves' laziness and gave us a trip
to LA and the 1994 Rose Bowl. It was funny how my parents usually didn't give
us any presents for Christmas, only Santa did, until 1993. Perhaps my parents knew
Santa was going to go cheap on us so they decided to make up for him.
That first trip to LA had everything from Santa Monica, to Malibu, Long Beach, Hollywood,
the Chinese Theater, Rodeo Drive, and of course the Rose Bowl parade and the game
itself. Wisconsin fortunately won, all but putting it away with a drive near the
end of the game, on which Darrell Bevell scrambled to his left for the longest run
of his career, a 21 yarder for the game winner. Nothing in LA can compare to that,
however each time I've been back since I seem to see something new and interesting.
Los Angeles, California
My second trip was again for the Rose Bowl, this time the 2000 Rose Bowl. I went
with my friend Tim and we stayed with his uncle and partner. They were incredible
hosts and spoiled us rotten. Upon our arrival they gave Tim the keys to their BMW
Z3 to have for the week and each night would order dinner in for us and sneak out
to fill the car with gas each night so we would have no expenses.
We occupied our time everywhere, but mostly in trying to navigate the city. One
day we helped the city of South Pasadena make their float for the parade and on
New Year's eve we went to Santa Monica to meet up with some friends... and it
seems the rest of the Wisconsin fans in the city. Wisconsin again won the Rose Bowl
and I again claimed the trip a success.
2000 Rose Bowl
2000 Rose Bowl
2000 Rose Bowl
Back to today. There was a reggae festival in our hotel yesterday and I've never
seen so many burned-out, barefoot, marijuana-smoking hippies in one place since
reviewing footage of Woodstock. This morning the headline in the paper was that
the police busted one of the biggest marijuana finds in recent memory. This is not
a surprise considering the entire hotel reeked of marijuana and people were giving
out "marijuana-flavored" lolli-pops to anyone who was willing to take
one.
Long Beach
On the way out of town we went to John Wayne Airport and I felt like it was built
in the 1960's and never renovated since, which added to the appeal. We ate at
the restaurant there, which overlooks the landing strip. I felt like I was in an
old movie waiting for my plane and soon I would be walking out on the runway to
climb up the steps as we took off as our loved ones stood near the building waving
to us as we left them behind. After going through security and entering the plane
my fantasy disappeared.
May 3, 2008
I had a meeting at an airport hotel at LAX. I'm amazed at how quiet a hotel
can be that is so close to the airport; why don't they make all buildings this
sound-proof? I met up with my old roommate, Pete and his wife Anne in Santa Monica,
which was a great escape from the expressway chaos of the city and airport.
Chinese Theater
Los Angeles