week in photos

So for the last week, i was in Los Angeles where it was a pleasant 65 degrees most of the time. This was a business trip, and i attended two days of this conference. The flight out on monday was pretty much horrible. 5+ hours in a middle seat next to a gigantic man (who put the armrest up because he didn't fit that well) and some guy with the weirdest contraption on his hand (some medical thing). The guy in front of me also decided to recline his seat back all the way and i had a lousy viewing angle at the tv screen where i watched "The Guardian." Movie was actually ok. Anyways, after i got off the plane, i checked into a airport hotel and saw this sign i found amusing. Only in California do they make you put that up.
For dinner, i went to one of those places you hear tons about but have never gone to:

The burger and fries were pretty good, i still think Five Guys here in VA is better. This actually was the first in a string of west coast fast food chains. i also ate at Rubios, and Carl's Jr while out there. The next morning i stopped by the federal building in Westwood, where i took this photo. that big building on top of the hill in the distance is the Getty Museum.
After the brief stopover there, i proceeded to my hotel (the hilton) in Universal City, which is the hotel that accompanies Universal Studios. here's a bad photo of the most famous image there:
Now, i'm not a fancy guy and not used to five star hotels, so i took a picture of my room because it impressed me so much. much nicer than the airport hotel, and no big warning sign.
This photo was taken from my window in the hotel room looking towards the universal studios theme park. you will notice a blue and white truck in the middle right of this photo. that is the FBI mobile command post. the level of security was very high, all the other hotel guests must've been wondering with all the uniformed cops and guys in suits with earpieces walking around all week. This is my celebrity photo taken at the news conference where the LA times dudes linked above were at. that is the Mayor and Police Chief Bratton. i met the two ladies from npr who covered the event, i should've got some info for jed but i didn't.This is the Universal Studios "city walk"which is basically a collection of stores, restaurants, and clubs located outside of the theme park. i've never been to vegas, but i imagine that's the only place you find all these bright neon lights like this.
And this is one of the stores, it's advertised as having the most pez dispensers available in the world. no joke.More or less, that was the sounds and sights of the trip. weather was great, and while i got some runs in they were shorter than i had hoped due to general wimpiness on my part and darn high number of hills. (they call it beverly hills for a reason). i didn't trek down to the valley, because that's where all the gangs are.

the flight home was much much much better. not only is it faster, i got an aisle seat, and of the three empty seat on the flight, the middle seat next to me was one of them. tv was at a perfect angle to watch "Man of the Year" and nobody reclined. that was even better than flying first class.

how's that for longest post ever for me.