Quyen's Reflections on Day 1

Despite a little hiccup (Angela's car battery dying 30 minutes into the trip off Fish Ranch), the rest of the drive was pretty chill. Minus the miles of agricultural landscape, the drive after Pismo through Avila Beach was spectacular spectacular. I imagined myself anchored in a houseboat off the pier, floating among the other fellow beach bums with my dog Boxer. I could be content living like that, squatting on the beach writing my next best seller. That's living.

Angela and I switched off and she drove the rest of the way to LA after Pismo. The plethora of country stations entertained us in between static. Not having listened to country in a while, Brooks & Dunns' Boot, Scoot, and Boogie just seemed like the best song in the world. Right before we got to Santa Barbara where the traffic nearly killed our patience, I realized my dependency on Starbucks was becoming a real problem. I had faded into poor company for Angela and needed a caffeine fix real bad. So while it was cool to watch Angela point out all her girl hood haunts, all I could think about was a tall coffee frap with no whip. Chant: tall coffee frap with no whip, tall coffee frap with no whip.

I don't know how I'm going to survive Utah with probably no Starbucks, much less a cafe, in the entire caffeine-free state. I don't know how Mormons do it. Really, they should write a book. Wait, they did. I forget.

On the way to the Hollywood Bowl, Angela drove us by Chinaman Theater which is right where the Stars walk of fame sits. We saw three Johnny Depp Pirates, two home made Star Wars robot thingies, and two Marilyn Monroe looksalikes. I hope they get paid to dress up like that because I cannot imagine wasting my time dressing up in costume outside Chinaman Theater for the heck of it. Hollywood is really Hollywierd.

Le Mis was the highlight of the day at the Hollywood Bowl (a far better version of CalShakes Theater) which is an experience everyone new to LA/Hollywood needs to have. No seat is a bad seat and they're cheap! Our seats where about $10 and they were at the very top nosebleed area but still pretty good view, great sound, and plenty of large screens to look to if the stage seems too far. Angela's quote of the day during the Hollywood Bowl picnic: I would give my left titty for a smore.