A Day In LA

On Monday I went with my friend Corinne to UCLA which is in Westwood a suburb of Los Angeles.  I didn't hesitate at all to say yes when she asked me if I would go along for the ride.  Her husband was sick and she didn't want to drive for an hour or more by herself.   I hadn't been to this part of LA in years!   Her daughter Casondra attends UCLA and was unable to come home for the weekend and needed some things; which was the reason for our trip.   ~I love going 'back' home every chance I get~

We talked and laughed so much all the way, that we didn't notice how long the drive took for our next venture back!   Our topic of conversation was of course our husbands, kids, church and God lol.  Since we said it all during our drive down three different freeways (10, 5, 405) before getting to our destination; I wonder what we'll talk about now?  I love this lady she is so much fun to be with.  Who says just because we're seniors we can't have a day of fun?   We're as young as we feel not necessarily how we want to look anymore but OOOOOOOO well!

Leaving everything we brought in Casondra's dorm we then went to eat lunch at Chipoltes restaurant in Westwood.  While it wasn't authentic Mexican food it was pretty good.  We sat outside in the patio eating these huge burritos as we talked about everything in general and the time just flew by.  There were no classes since it was a holiday and students were everywhere, walking, jogging  while others were exercising.   Lucky rich kids!  lololol   We wanted to start our journey back home by 2:00pm so that hopefully we wouldn't get stuck in traffic.  We drove back to the dorm and dropped her off said good-bye and left.

Can you believe we did not see one famous person in Westwood?   Maybe next time lol.
  
Since moving to San Bernardino 21 yrs ago I rarely go to downtown LA any more.  It  was amazing  how different everything looked.   There are so many new high rise buildings there now..... WOW!.   I grew up in a suburb northeast of dwntwn LA (Cypress Park) and after graduating from school worked in the dwntwn and Wilshire areas.  I loved  the idea of working far from my house, and taking one or two buses to work (I didn't have a car).  Seeing the same people every day getting off at different bus stops along my daily route and wondering where they went.  Sometimes having  conversations with people I sat next to day after day.  Once  I noticed another girl got off at the same bus stop I did,  but went the opposite direction.  This went on for a long time lolol!     ~On break one day walking toward the elevators we met up (while we had never spoke except to say hi and smile at each other), we both cracked up laughing at the same time.~    There were two bldgs connected by a bridge.   We worked on the same floor I on the east wing & she on the west; reason why we went opposite directions every morning........how weird is that?    We became friends and for many years we kept in touch even after I moved on to another job.   Its so sad because I can't  remember her name, it must be a senior lapse in memory.   Some may find it a little weird but I even enjoyed being in the crowded streets among all those hundreds of people.   As with everything else and the passing of time the thrill of working so far from home faded and I looked and found jobs closer to where I lived.  

As I travel down Memory Lane I remember how exhilarating it was working and living  near all those theaters and restaurants; what a dilema having to choose where to go.   I musn't forget Grand Central Market where you could buy theee best shrimp ever mmm yummy.  Going to Little Joe's Restaurant right in the heart of China Town and passing Olvera Street everyday.   Little Tokyo with all its little shops and where I bought a lot of Hello Kitty things for my baby girl Tiffany.    Ohhhh Nostalgia!!!      Shopping!!   I shopped every week at   Broadway, Bullocks, May Co, Lerner's to name a few and which are no longer around. ~sigh~

I love LA and miss all the hoopla that goes on there, but my home is now in boring San Bernardino.   Hahahaha

Taking a different route back home which is much easier & quicker and it just happens that Tommy's Burgers is right on the path way! lolololol    Corinne was kind enough to stop so I could buy some burgers for our dinner that night.  My husband and I had a  'Tommy chile cheese burger feast!'   We had been craving these  burgers for a while, but the rainy weather stopped our plans for a trip into Eagle Rock twice this month.  

We also made a quick stop in Pasadena so I could see the house she sold to her brother and where she once lived.  The house looks like a cottage real unique in its style.  I loved it.

The freeway was crowded but it was moving and we were speeding along quite nicely.   Once again we talked and laughed so much we were crying.  Time went by much too soon and then.............we were back in boring San Bernardino ~sigh~ but we both agreed that we would have to make another trip to Los Angeles soon.