LA LA-Land

We pulled onto our friend Alvin's street in North Hollywood last Tuesday, April 8th. Since then, we've been ambling through old friendships and familiar streets reacquainting ourselves with the city we used to call home. While plenty has changed among those we know, it has been reassuringly easy to fall back into familiar chit-chat. Aside from a new baby (give Matthew a kiss for us, Adrine) and a smattering of new jobs, it is literally as if we never left! And thank God, too, because we've been terrible at picking up the phone over the last couple of years (sorry guys)...
Between catching up with everyone and seeing the sites, we've also managed to try a few new things. We attended an anti-war art installation in the warehouse district. It was a collection of pieces - graffiti, silk screen, painting, and film - from local artists. Interesting enough, but a lot of the same. A collection of painters were working simultaneously on a few canvases, making their individual contributions to each and rotating between them. We watched them work for a bit before deciding to catch a bite to eat. And that is when Alvin introduced us to Philippino fast food (Jollibee... the things that make you go hmmm...) - fried 'Chickenjoy,' hot dogs in spaghetti, and noodles in (shrimp?) gravy. Well, at least we can say we tried it...
We also celebrated Songkram - Thai New Year - with Alvin and his friend Polly. Hollywood Blvd was closed from Walker to Normandy yesterday to make way for the festivities. After touring the stalls, we got a bite to eat and headed for the beer garden overlooking the Muy Thai boxing ring. There we soaked in the sun over a cold beer and enjoyed the high caliber of people watching that only Hollywood can offer. In Thailand, the new year is brought in with a week-long water fight where anyone on the street is fair game. Security at the beer garden must not have been aware of this, or at least they didn't seem to appreciate Alvin's attempts at bringing the tradition to Thai Town. We decided to duck out after their not-so-subtle warning.
Tonight is our last night in town. Alvin is making dinner - Pig's Blood Soup with Liver. Now we'll see how Philippino fast food compares with the real thing! Later we will be heading to Venice Beach to sit in the sand and hang out like we used to. Hopefully we can rustle up some people to go with. Then tomorrow morning we are off to San Diego to meet Lindsey. We're getting close to the border, guys! Get Excited!