Livin' Large in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is much like I left it almost seven years ago. The Westsiders won't set foot on the Eastside (Zach!) and the Eastsiders still don't like to go west of Doheny. My friends all live out by the beach, but I'm partial to the Eastside, so I went ahead and got a room at The Standard Downtown for the beginning of the trip. It was one of the coolest rooms I've ever stayed in. That's it, up at the top of the page.

As always, there was a musical component to the trip. An early-week Joanna Newsom show at Malibu Performing Arts Center was surprisingly good, and the weekend art opening for Cold War Kids bassist Matt Maust was chock full of beautiful young hipsters. I felt like a creepy old college professor, but at least there was free beer and some pretty good blues covers sung by Cold War Kids frontman Nathan Willett. I had to leave early as the previously mentioned Hunter S. Thompson photography opening was taking place across town.

The rest of the week saw me criss-crossing the city in search of good food, drink, art, music and, as the Irish term it, craic. Had a very tasty Southern Style Pan Fried Chicken with Sauteed Spinach at Engine Co. No. 28, richly flavored Eggs Hussarde at Pacific Dining Car, didn't eat the reportedly great sushi at R23, but had fascinating Speck/Rugula and Lardo pizzas at Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton's Pizzeria Mozza. Revisited the killer Bloody Mary at The Ivy, had some truly great BBQ pork ribs at JnJ Burger Shack. I also found time to hit up my old standby Fatburger and the truly creepy downtown Clifton's Cafeteria.

Ended my trip with a great Egg Nog and Spice cupcake at Sprinkles in Beverly Hills, at which point, I had a singularly Los Angeles experience. While pulling through a light in West Hollywood, I looked back to see a huge Hummer pulling through the intersection behind me. A young guy who looked like a rapper who had just signed his first contract was behind the wheel. When he turned left, I saw for the first time that not only was he driving a giant Hummer, the Hummer was also towing a brand new 40-foot boat. Talk about Big Pimpin'.

Despite all my efforts, including spending a night at the Ritz in Marina del Rey courtesy of my good friend Boris, and waking up to play tennis, hit up room service and lie in the hot tub the next day, this guy had me beat hands-down. That's just the way it is in Los Angeles, where living big is the utmost form of expression.