Being back in the states is always a pleasure and a pain. A pleasure because it’s always good to see my friends and family again. Particularly the kids, who seem to be growing faster and faster each year. Also because I get to enjoy all the things I really like about the good ol’ USA, like certain foods (read SUSHI), beverages (read JAMBA JUICE), and other vices… (read In-n-Out Burgers).
But it’s also a bit of a pain because I have to deal with the stuff I don’t like to see. Like certain people’s inability to move forward and progress with their lives in at least some way. Or the rising tide of mindless consumerism that seems to basically hold the USA hostage. Believe me, when you’re not around it day in and day out, you really do see it, and it ain’t pretty. Oh, and, believe it or not, those goddamn pharmaceutical commercials that just continues to take over all media! Have you seen the “Viva Viagra” one??? What the hell is going on? It just amazes me how there is no way you can get away from it.
Anyway after a couple of days in Florida, I jetted off to LA, where I met up with my sister Judy and her kids. She was preparing to head to Italy for a 3-week vacation with the kids in tow. And I was going to hold down the fort. Which mainly consisted of keeping her 2 dogs and cats alive. I arrived the night before they left, so we couldn’t spend too much time together, but it was ok, and the kids were really excited about the trip.
Getting settled into LA life for the next few weeks seemed really easy. I had plenty of friends to meet up with. One friend, Becky, who lives in LA, but we met in Belize, met up with me at a great hotel restaurant on Sunset and the 405 called “West”. It was on the top floor with a great view of the westside. We had a nice dinner and drinks there, and got caught up. Becky had just gotten back from 3 weeks in Africa, and she told me all about it. Now I really want to go to Africa too. ;P
Interestingly, Eveline, my dutch chica pal from Bocas was in town visiting a friend of hers who works for KLM. So a couple of days after I arrived, she called me. Her friend had already left and she had checked out.
She had a few days left in LA, so I went and got her in Manhattan Beach. The we started in earnest a “food tour” we had discussed doing when we were still in Bocas. This meant covering all kinds of cuisine we both like that’s everywhere in LA, but not quite so in Central America.
So the first night, we met up with my now ex-brother-in-law Craig for some great Thai food in the valley. Over the next few days, we had great Italian, Sushi, more sushi, late-night grub in Hollywood, and more. We also headed down to Long Beach and San Diego to visit friends of hers, which was fun, if not alot of late night driving.
I also got a call from a really cool chica named Tria. I met her in Bocas a good week before I left for this trip. And alas, another small world moment came to be when we discussed how I used to live in LA, and she still does. Turns out that not only did she live in the valley, but she lived EXACTLY two blocks from my sister Judy’s house. So that was too bizarre, and we made plans to meet up for dinner and drinks in LA when she got back from her vacation. I told her I’d leave my info at her hotel before leaving if I didn’t run into her again. I did so but wasn’t sure if she’d ever get it. Well, she did, and she called me and we met up a few times considering she was literally down the street. Love it when that happens! 
Eveline left a few days into the first week, and I was left to fend for myself again. Well, not really, since Chris was due to fly in from Florida a couple of days later.
Week 2 digest coming up…