Return from lala Land

I won't go on and on about my recent trip to Los Angeles, but instead I've opted to share some photos that show how much fun I had on said trip. These pictures are about 16 of 500 or so. I wanted to spare everyone the details. I had such an amazing time in L.A. even though after about 3 hours there I noticed that I was quite different from almost everyone around me. Let's just say that I screamed "Midwest". Plus I introduced myself to a guy from San Fran and when he found out where I was from he turned up his nose and said "Oh, Chicago? [cue disgusted face]. Do people there even know what sushi is?" Yeah, see what I mean?

Few quick highlights:
-Warm weather
-Santa Monica/Manhattan Beach time
-Friends with 4 million dollar houses on the beach with 2nd floor decks that face the ocean
-Friends with Brentwood Penthouses
-Friends that live down the street from Bel Air/Rodeo Drive/Beverly Hills
-Being VIPs
-Getty Museum
-Inn and Out Burger/PINKBERRY (my new love)
-My friend who works in Universal Studios got a membership to a posh gym and hired a personal trainer who was a really hot chick. She made him do a bunch of weights/equipment as to assess where he's at physically. This included him running on a treadmill at incline 15, speed 8.0 for 30 second intervals. Said friend feels death approaching after the 3rd interval, but doesn't want to appear like a wuss in front of model girl. Next thing he knows he passes out and comes to only to see said personal trainer girl slapping him in the face, screaming "ARE YOU OK?!?!!?". The gym's walls are made of glass, so all of Hollywood saw this as well. What do you do when you wipe out and become unconscious in a Hollywood gym? I would have gone home and cried.
-Mulholland drive
-"Flashing Lights" by Kanye West
-Late night beach activities
-early morning mimosas
-celebrity sightings (ate lunch next to Lucy Liu) -->sidenote: I hunted for Brody Jenner everywhere I went. Imagine my disappointment when I was at a party in Manhattan beach and heard someone screaming "BRODY! Where's my rum and coke?" only to find out that "Brody" was some guy from USC.
-Being wasted and surrounded by a bunch of USC frat guys, an ex-USC [massive] football player, and other recent USC grads and proclaiming "So guys, tell me - what was it like going to school in Compton?" You could have heard the crickets for miles.
-watching episodes of 90210 and feeling like it was acceptable
-all bartenders gave excessive amounts of alcohol in every drink. Never in my life have I experienced being wasted so early in the game. Every bar I went to poured an entire glass of booze, with a splash of mixer. Loves it.
-I left my coat in L.A. oops? Glad it was below zero in Chicago when I returned.

Now, bring on the pictures.

Chateau Marmont:


(I got a bit crazy here, see gold stiletto):


Inn and Out Burger:


Double cheeseburger with "animal style" fries:


New Years Eve @ V Lounge:


Bottle Service? Yes please:


I enjoyed myself a little too much, hence drunken photo shoot on the way to the beach:


Santa Monica beach:





That's Hollywood, baby:



Pinkberry, my love, someday I will come back for you:




Next up - Tales from my childhood: what happens when children and WWF wrestlers mix. Stay tuned.