LA Lady

Some people hate LA, but I happen to love it. I love the energy, the entertainment, the beautiful homes, the beaches, the shopping, and the overall vibe of Los Angeles. My cousin just started his second year at UCLA so two weeks ago I met up with my mom and aunt Cathy for a tour of Westwood, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, downtown, Santa Monica, and all over creation. My mom grew up around LA and spent most of her youth wandering around the various neighborhoods getting into trouble. They showed me pictures of the houses they grew up in and the cemetery where my grandma lives. We attempted a trip to Oliveria Street, a place where my mom and aunt would go to get the best taquitos around. Apparently, they must be good because we couldn't even get to them - the $13 parking and hoards of people thwarted our chance at tasting this nostalgic treat.

I asked to take a tour of the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood where all of the celebrities get their stars. I was pretty disapointed. We walked about 10 blocks down a mucky sidewalk filled with lingerie shops, cheesy souvenier stores, and lots of gross looking people. I figured the front of the Chinese Theatre would be immaculate and stunning. But, the sidewalks were cracked and dirty, there were too many people, vendors trying to get you to take a tour, and stars I've never even heard of. We spent about 5 minutes in front of the theatre before heading back to the car.

We went from greasy to gorgeous in a matter of miles when we toured Rodeo Drive. I've only seen it on tv and wanted to experience it for myself. We shopped one block away from Rodeo Drive, where the stores are a little bit more affordable (Crate & Barrell!!), but strolled down Rodeo Drive just to peek into the fancy stores and gawk at the million dollar cars. The sidewalks were clean, the people smelled nice, and the stores were radiant! This was my kind of place.

I think it's pretty cool that my mom and aunt grew up in such a wild place. It's hard to picture them roaming around the city trying to hang out with boys, going to concerts, and doing who-knows-what, but it's neat to think that my mom was pretty damn cool back in the day and lived life to the fullest.  Mom, you are still super cool, but better than that, you're a loving, responsible mom, and you and Cathy are the most fun and hilarious women I've ever been around. Thanks for the wonderful weekend. Let's do it again! And this time, we'll avoid the ghetto.