7/08/09 Wed
Arriving in beautiful LAUS/detrain and follow the throngs to the Lobby,WOW!!!!The pictures dont do it justice!
Leaving the luggage checked and checking our other stuff(I blame it on Stacy :lol: )we explore this memorial to
by gone days of movie stars/fast trains and different times!Since were 1 hr. early and cant check in our hotel till
3PM, we go exploring, the first sight of LAX/China Town(looks real based on the people and the unknown menus
and signs posted everywhere,of course its not the original since LAUS is there Check out the Union Plaza,
the computer had them booked since MJs funeral was the day before!Friendly desk clerk,looks good for the price,
next time will stay there!(more later on this!)Time for lunch.join the throngs @ Phillipes,meet a guy in line from
San Pedro(where is this locals?)who says he picks up chow once a week for his crew, thats dedication in the LA
traffic!!!The posts are all correct,its so delicious Im forced to have another dip!After looking @ the train and sport
displays we walk over to the old City Hall of Dragnet fame but the observation level is closed(who knows why?
security?movie shoot?themayor has a girl friend/lots of that going around! :lol: )Back to the station/grab our bags,
hop in a cab with a destruction derby driver and zoom through the streets of downtown LA noticing the most diverse
group of people and places Ive ever seen!Arrive @ the hotel/its called STAY.booked on line after reading the blurbs/
looking @ pics etc.Its part of an old Hotel called "The Cecil" which looks grand/faded and now a flop house to judge
from the people hanging out on the street!Check in/friendkly young desk clerk/no problems!Given a room on the
3rd floor/wheres the elevator?Next door in the beautiful lobby of the Cecil!No services so we lug our stuff next
door,catch the slow and old fashoned elevator(the other is "out of serice" :lol: )sharing it with a guy who looks like hes had
hard times most of his life,of course he asks for $1 "for coffee" :lol: ?His side opoens and it IS a flop house,verygrim!
Our side opens and its very chic and beautiful decorated in a minimalist moderrn way!The room is small but clean and has
all the basics including cable/flat screen TV and hot water!!A great view out the shuttered window of high rises
undergoing rennovation and conversion to condos and flats!A window that actually opens too!!!We shower/catch a nap
and generally repack the tons of stuff that somehow got into our luggage! :lol:
A tour of downtown LA later, its rush hour, were blown away by the old movie palaces on Broadway/most are closed or
used for churches etc. but surprised to see the daytime Emmies are going to be held there!The Staples Center
is impressive,lots of MJ hysteria still.signs,videos/music etc. for sale, lots of "fans" hanging out and the street
people working them too! We head over to Coles for an early dinner/I order the best Pastrami and Potato
Salad since NYC/Stacy has the beef dip/its true Phillipes is better but its Ok if somewhat pricey!!The Pickles are
truely atomic as is the mustard/iron stomach alert! :lol: We return around the corner to our hotel, the night people are coming out(a different crowd,more like the old NYC night crowd)we watch a little TV and settle in for a Summer night in LA
sleep after a long and interesting day!Tomorrow its the CS to MTZ/dreaming of the days to come as the song says!
Arriving in beautiful LAUS/detrain and follow the throngs to the Lobby,WOW!!!!The pictures dont do it justice!
Leaving the luggage checked and checking our other stuff(I blame it on Stacy :lol: )we explore this memorial to
by gone days of movie stars/fast trains and different times!Since were 1 hr. early and cant check in our hotel till
3PM, we go exploring, the first sight of LAX/China Town(looks real based on the people and the unknown menus
and signs posted everywhere,of course its not the original since LAUS is there
Check out the Union Plaza,the computer had them booked since MJs funeral was the day before!Friendly desk clerk,looks good for the price,
next time will stay there!(more later on this!)Time for lunch.join the throngs @ Phillipes,meet a guy in line from
San Pedro(where is this locals?)who says he picks up chow once a week for his crew, thats dedication in the LA
traffic!!!The posts are all correct,its so delicious Im forced to have another dip!After looking @ the train and sport
displays we walk over to the old City Hall of Dragnet fame but the observation level is closed(who knows why?
security?movie shoot?themayor has a girl friend/lots of that going around! :lol: )Back to the station/grab our bags,
hop in a cab with a destruction derby driver and zoom through the streets of downtown LA noticing the most diverse
group of people and places Ive ever seen!Arrive @ the hotel/its called STAY.booked on line after reading the blurbs/
looking @ pics etc.Its part of an old Hotel called "The Cecil" which looks grand/faded and now a flop house to judge
from the people hanging out on the street!Check in/friendkly young desk clerk/no problems!Given a room on the
3rd floor/wheres the elevator?Next door in the beautiful lobby of the Cecil!No services so we lug our stuff next
door,catch the slow and old fashoned elevator(the other is "out of serice" :lol: )sharing it with a guy who looks like hes had
hard times most of his life,of course he asks for $1 "for coffee" :lol: ?His side opoens and it IS a flop house,verygrim!
Our side opens and its very chic and beautiful decorated in a minimalist moderrn way!The room is small but clean and has
all the basics including cable/flat screen TV and hot water!!A great view out the shuttered window of high rises
undergoing rennovation and conversion to condos and flats!A window that actually opens too!!!We shower/catch a nap
and generally repack the tons of stuff that somehow got into our luggage! :lol:
A tour of downtown LA later, its rush hour, were blown away by the old movie palaces on Broadway/most are closed or
used for churches etc. but surprised to see the daytime Emmies are going to be held there!The Staples Center
is impressive,lots of MJ hysteria still.signs,videos/music etc. for sale, lots of "fans" hanging out and the street
people working them too!
We head over to Coles for an early dinner/I order the best Pastrami and PotatoSalad since NYC/Stacy has the beef dip/its true Phillipes is better but its Ok if somewhat pricey!!The Pickles are
truely atomic as is the mustard/iron stomach alert! :lol: We return around the corner to our hotel, the night people are coming out(a different crowd,more like the old NYC night crowd)we watch a little TV and settle in for a Summer night in LA
sleep after a long and interesting day!Tomorrow its the CS to MTZ/dreaming of the days to come as the song says!
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