Cali Post Four: In LA The Second

When we rolled back into LA after passing the world's tallest thermometer in Baker, we had some time to kill. We headed into the funky-arty neighborhood of Los Feliz, and checked out some cool stores, the best being Y Que, which has an amazing selection of t-shirts. Los Feliz was great.

Next, we headed to Wacko/The Soap Factory. When I walked in, I thought, "I could lose myself for hours in here," and that's pretty much what happened. The place has a ton of books, gifts, and curiosities.

We were trying to find a short route to the highway back to Sherman Oaks when we ended up driving past the premier for The Aviator. Not a block away from this glamorous Hollywood debut, we stopped at a Burger King on Highland drive to use the bathroom, and it felt like we had been dropped in the middle of a third-world country. All I gotta say is, I don't want to live in a world where you gotta pay to use the bathroom.

The next day was our last in LA. We headed for Santa Monica, and checked out the Third Street Promenade, which is basically an outdoor mall. If you're going to a mall, an outdoor mall is the way to go. We also went to the pier and spent more time rummaging through thrift shops. After that, we drove through Malibu and all the canyon roads.

Dinner was at Vitello's in Studio City. This restaurant should be known for just great Italian food and service, but that's not what it's now best-known for.

We spent the last night of a busy week winding down and watching Lovely and Amazing.