LA is enormous

Obama slept here.  That's what they told Karen when she was checking in at the RSA conference here in LA.  

It's been about a decade since we've gone anywhere by ourselves for more than a night.  It's been a great trip so far, and this is the first time Karen's been to Cali, other than an overnight at LAX many years ago.  

We rented a car and headed north up the PCH.  Stopped in Ventura for lunch, bought some strawberries and oranges in Oxnard at a roadside stand.  I began my quest for the perfect fish taco in Ventura, where, while not perfect, it was outstanding.  Tried to get back to west LA via Mulholland Drive, but were turned around at the top as a big yellow gate after a few miles on the unimproved road told us we weren't going any further.  Beautiful views, though.

Spent yesterday at the Getty and driving around LA (Hollywood, the Sunset Strip, etc) and hit Long Beach to meet my cousin and her boyfriend.  Dinner and drinks at Shoreline Drive, catching up with family news--always a great time with great people.

So now I've got a free day as Karen presents her paper and sits on the panel.   Now I'll continue where we left off, explore a bunch of places that I've always wanted to see but are off the beaten path.  The thing I most love about cities is not the cultural landmarks as much as the way the city's grid (or lack thereof) is affected by the topography and demographics.  And fish taco stands.

Chronic Tacos here I come.