"Los Angeles" Los Angeles by Agraichen

Definitely a page in progress.....WOW, its been almost 10 years since graduation and my daughter continues to blaze her way in Hollywood. With the writers strike last year and the threat of a SAG strike this year, she decided to go back to school and change professions. (She still keeps fingers in "the business" and has been asked to help with the writing of an NBC Pilot for next season).

So, she applied to USC "post back" to get into Med School. Guess I'll need to really go back to work now for a few more years. Currently in the final stages she's preparing for the MCAT ordeal but still finds time to work in LA's "free clinics" and spend "Spring Break" in the jungles of Honduras with the Medical Brigade providing medical and dental care to the naitives that otherwise would have no modern care at all.

One thing you can count on in LA is traffic. This is a shot from the Kodak theater area looking toward Griffith Park and the "famous" Hollywood sign. When asking directions you don't get the "distance" in miles, you get directions in the amount of time it will take you to get from one place to another. After all at "rush hour" on the 405, only 2 miles could be an hour.

Sometimes you're better off on the city streets, even though they might look just as bad.

AND if you're driving and have never driven in LA before, just because the light turns green doesn't mean you should blindly proceed. Most streets have no turn lanes or signals, so the "rule" is 1-2 cars will make a left turn after the light turns red for them. This can be a costly error if you just pull out when your light turns green.

The "mall" next to the Kodak Theater has many upscale shops and restaurants. It does however still try to cater to everyone with places like Hot Topic with more reasonable clothing prices to go with Sephora and their stratospheric make-up prices.

The two restaurants featured will be in the restaurant tips. Both are great, a bit pricey, but normal for the quality in this part of town.

• Pros:BLING BLING BLING...
• Cons:BLING BLING BLING...
• In a nutshell:head to the "neighborhoods" and get out of the tourist areas