Family Feud and the LA Dodgers

What a day! I will forever remember Friday, August 21, 2009 as one of the busiest but most fun days in a while. Myself and a bunch of friends from the ICLA program all went to a taping of Family Feud at the Sunset Bronson Studios. I always loved watching the show when I was younger, so it was fantastic to finally see the show live.

If your hands ever hurt from clapping a lot, it couldn't be anywhere near as bad as all of our hands were after today. You see three shows at the taping, and the show is ALL ABOUT APPLAUSE!! You clap for EVERYTHING! If a person gets a question right, you applaud. If they get it wrong, there's an elongated "Awww" followed by clapping. Cheering and applauding were non-stop during the show. However, it was certainly a fun experience and something I advise anyone to do if they are in Los Angeles. The best part? The tickets are free!



After the show, we ventured over to Dodger Stadium for the Dodgers-Cubs game. It was the first time I had ever been to a game at the ballpark, and it became the 8th different MLB Stadium I've seen a game at (10 if you include the Old Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium). The place is very unique and one of the oldest parks around. We had seats in the Top Deck which are high up, but provide a very nice view of the whole field and the scenic mountains behind.

The game was a bit boring, a 2-1 Dodgers win where the Cubs had only 1 hit, and the fans in the Top Deck were a little too focused on bouncing around Beach Balls and doing the wave (a personal pet peeve of mine). However, they were passionate at points, especially when Jonathan Broxton came on to close the game. I feel if the game was better, the atmosphere would've been much more enjoyable. I couldn't believe that you don't get a pencil with your scorecard. I had to buy one separate which was ridiculous! I also was upset with the lack of various sizes for T-Shirts in the stores. That could use work.

After the game, we were allowed to go onto the field to watch a very nice fireworks show. It was relatively short, but very cool to watch in the middle of a stadium with all the lights turned off. Being on the field was pretty fun too! As for getting out of the Stadium parking lot, it was a nightmare. It took forever just to go about 20 feet from our parking spot to the exit lanes. However, once we got in those, it took us about 15 minutes to get back, which wasn't bad. Overall, about 40 minutes from the time we got in the car.



Today was a very fun day and one of many that I know I will have here in LA. On Saturday, we'll all be going on a hike to the famous Hollywood sign, and on Sunday, we're taking a trip to Venice Beach. Certainly should be a fun time for everyone!

Thanks for continuing to read! I hope you're enjoying my posts. Feel free to give me any comments or suggestions or ask questions. You can comment on the post or email me at mhpbroadcaster@gmail.com

Musings from LA

Ok, I've been in Los Angeles for over a week now and am starting to get a feel for where everything is in the city and the lifestyle here. So, these are some of the things I noticed:

1) Traffic is EVERYWHERE and it SUCKS!!

Every highway you go on, you will likely find traffic in and around the city. During rush hour, it is the worst. If you think getting off the highway and going through the city is better, think again! Lights make it even worse and there are just as many cars driving.

2) The weather is GORGEOUS!

No, not Gorges like Ithaca, you won't find many of those here. However, aside from the morning cloud cover that comes in off the Pacific Ocean, there is bountiful sunshine and warm temperatures every day. The best part: ZERO HUMIDITY! You never feel very sweaty or tired from being outside. It's the polar opposite of the East Coast.

3) "It's not smog, It's fog!"

Or so the people from LA believe. From everyone I've talked to here, the people of LA do not like to think that it's smog that prohibits people from enjoying the skyline and mountains. Instead, they claim it is a "marine layer" that comes in off the water. Sorry LA, with the amount of cars driving around, it's most definitely smog!

4) People here are much friendlier than in New York City

The polar opposite factor comes into effect here again. In New York City, everyone is in a hurry and very often unpleasant. While there are definitely some of that kind in LA, most people I've run into are much nicer. One lady let us stay parked in a lot after 6:00 without having to pay an extra $10. If you see that in NYC, go out and buy a lottery ticket because you definitely have some major luck!

5) Everything is so spread out

To get anywhere worthwhile in LA, you will have to drive a decent distance. From where we I am in the Oakwoods, the only things you can really walk to are Warner Brothers Studios, NBC Studios, and part of Universal Studios. Everything else is a drive, and a decent one at that. For every minute of normal driving time, you can add another 3-5 here at best. Basically, when looking from above, Hollywood is North, Downtown LA (Dodger Stadium, Staples Center, Big Skyscrapers) is East, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica is West, and Los Angeles International Airport is South.

Will get some pictures up from my apartment soon! Check back soon as well for my final decision on the two internships I will be doing in LA!

Favorites from My California Vacation

Now that I'm all settled into my new apartment, I thought I'd do a little recap from my trip and tell you some of my favorite things that I did. So, here we go:

Favorite Place: Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39
This is really the premiere place to go in San Francisco and featured so many great things to do. From walking through the shops to the great restaurants to the California Sea Lions; Everything in this area was unique to San Francisco for the most part. The seafood was really great, and the sourdough bread from Boudin was also tasty. Overall, I had the most fun in this area.

Runner-Up: AT&T Park for the Giants-Reds Game

Favorite Meal: Shabu-Shabu dinner at the Kodak Theatre
I was looking to pick something that was both very tasty and a great experience. This place qualified for both. Having never had this type of cuisine, I truly enjoyed getting to try something new, and it was fun getting to basically make your dinner even though you were at a restaurant. While the food was already prepared, you put the final cooking touches on it which was cool. Then, there was the food itself, which was delicious. Flavorful, filling, and definitely worth the cost.

Runner-Up: Ribs and Onion Loaf at Tony Roma's in Universal Citywalk

Favorite Dessert: Hot Fudge Sundae at Ghirardelli Square
We didn't have a ton of places that we went to for dessert, but this would've been the winner anywhere. The sundae is famous and definitely the epitome of hot fudge sundaes. The chocolate at Ghirardelli is so good that it makes the ice cream infinitely better. The shoppe was a cool place too and showed how the chocolate was made. There was a gift shop too with insane amounts of chocolate. Overall, a great dessert.

Runner-Up: Hot Fudge Cheesecake at Cavalier Restaurant in San Simeon

Favorite Hotel: San Francisco Marriott Fisherman's Wharf
I've never slept so well in every hotel I went to during this vacation. However, this one was far above the rest. First of all, the beds in this hotel were phenomenal. The second you lie down, you sink into the bed because of how comfortable it was. The place was clean, big enough, and easy to access. Then, there's Pablo. He was the main concierge there, and he helped my mom and I get the best experience in San Francisco. He told us about the city bus tour, the House of Nanking, and what buses to take everywhere. Without him, this trip would not have been as fun. Overall, just a great place today, especially since it's a few blocks from Fisherman's Wharf.

Sightseeing in LA

After our two-day drive down the Pacific Coast Highway, we arrived in Los Angeles and spent a few days getting acquainted to the city. Aside from driving around and getting a feel for the streets and freeways (which are often loaded with traffic), we visited many of the sites around the city. Here's a recap of them:

Tuesday Night:
Went to Hollywood Boulevard to check out the Grauman's Chinese Theatre, the Kodak Theatre, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. These landmarks were must-sees in LA and the concrete hand and footprints were neat to look at and compare sizes with. The Kodak Theatre had a bunch of restaurants in it, including this awesome Japanese place that serves a great dish called Shabu Shabu. I definitely recommend it. Here are some pics:

Grauman's Theatre


Adam Sandler's Concrete Block


Shabu Shabu Dinner


On Wednesday, we went to the Farmer's Market. This was a nice little area that featured many food vendors as well as gift shops and even department stores. I even got some quality Bubble Tea there. Next, we traveled down to the USC Campus to check out the LA Memorial Coliseum. This was the site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympics and is the current home for USC Football. The place is massive and absolutely breathtaking when you walk inside it. I can only imagine it with 100,000+ people inside. On the way back to the hotel, we drove on Mulholland Drive, which goes up through the mountains in North Hollywood and provides awesome scenic views of all of LA. Finally, we went up to the Griffith Observatory at night. This is like a science museum which provides night-time lighted views of the city and allows you to see the stars much better. Unfortunately, it was foggy when we went, so the views weren't great. Some more pics...

Farmer's Market:


LA Memorial Coliseum


View of LA from Mulholland Drive


On Thursday, our big event was taking a tour of Dodger Stadium. This ballpark is one of the most historic in all of baseball and will be the third oldest in the majors next season. The views around the park were tremendous. We got to go in the Top Deck seats, the Vin Scully Press Box, a Suite, the Dugout, and the Field. You can see the mountains beyond the outfield and downtown LA from behind home plate. It's certainly something I would recommend doing if you can't see a game (the Dodgers were in Arizona when we went). The other big part of the day was going to Universal Studios City Walk at night. This place is vibrant with lights, restaurants, shops, and people and every restaurant we looked at had great food. We chose Tony Roma's, which is famous for it's fantastic ribs. Among the others were Hard Rock Cafe, Jillian's, Bubba Gump's, and many other varieties from Italian to Oriental to American. And more pictures...

Dodger Stadium from Top Deck


Stadium from Press Box


On the Field


In the Dugout


With Rudy Law, a Former Dodger


City Walk


On Friday, the only big stop we made was for dinner at the ESPN Zone down at LA Live, which is the name for that area of town. Also there is the Staples Center and the Nokia Theater. The Lakers were holding a 3 on 3 basketball tournament at the time. Here are some more pics:

Staples Center


Nokia Plaza


ESPN Studios


Finally, we spent Saturday at Malibu and Santa Monica. The beaches around Malibu were nice and the sand on the West Coast is much softer and warmer than the East Coast. Santa Monica is famous for its pier, which features a small amusement park, many places to eat, an aquarium, and great views of the ocean as well as fishing. The beach was gorgeous as well. And...more pics...

Malibu Beach


Santa Monica Pier


Santa Monica Beach


Ocean from Santa Monica


Back with pictures from my new apartment soon!

Drive Down the Coast Photos

Stanford University Football Stadium

Pacific Ocean from 17 Mile Drive

Crazy Tree on Monterey Peninsula

Sea Lions on an Island (seen through a telescope)

Another View of the Pacific Ocean

18th Green at Pebble Beach

Entering the Drive Through Big Sur

Fog Rolling In from the Water

Pacific Coast Highway

Down the Mountains to the Water

Looking Out into Oblivion

Interesting Design at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo

Surfers at Pismo Beach

Gorgeous Mountains and Lakes

Pacific Ocean from Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA

Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara

Drive Down the Pacific Coast Highway

After my stay in San Francisco, it was time to take the drive down to Los Angeles. Rather than just taking a quicker route on the interstate, we knew the only way to get down there was driving the Pacific Coast Highway. And so our journey began.

The beginning of the scenic route of Route 1 doesn't happen until around Monterey, so we took 101 South first. We made a pit stop in Palo Alto to check out the campus of Stanford. We couldn't see much because of construction, but it certainly looked like a very nice campus overall.

After getting down to Route 1, we took the 17 Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula. This is a big tourist attraction and rightfully so. The drive offers some amazing views of the Pacific Ocean along with beautiful homes and golf courses. Most notably, Pebble Beach Golf Links is located on the peninsula and provides a scenic place to play a round of golf. The historic site was definitely a pleasure to see, even for someone like myself who isn't a big golf fan.

Once we got back on the highway, we hit the best part of the trip, which was the drive through Big Sur. This mountain range is a tremendous site to look at with a variety of colors and peaks. On the drive, you have the mountains on one side with the ocean on the other. The road features a ton of places where you can pull over to stop the car, get out, and take some pictures. The views down from the high points on the road are absolutely breathtaking and very unique to the road. A personal favorite point was looking out into the ocean and hearing sea lions off in the distance.

We stayed overnight in San Luis Obispo, a cute little town about midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. In the town is a funny place called the Madonna Inn. Inside, there are crazy designs in the restaurant, lobby, and bathrooms that make it a unique tourist stop. It was an interesting site to say the least.

On the rest of the drive, we made stops at Pismo Beach, a nice area just south of San Luis Obispo that featured a lot of surfers, as well as Santa Barbara, another fun town that features Stearns Wharf, a long pier with some good food, shops, and great views of the ocean. If you go to California, I highly highly recommend taking this drive. It is well worth it and something I extremely underrated!

Day 3 in California Photos

Union Square

San Francisco City Hall

San Francisco Ferry Building

San Francisco Bay Bridge from Ferry Building

View Up Nob Hill from San Francisco Cable Car

San Francisco Cable Car

View from the Bottom of Lombard Street

View of San Francisco from the top of Lombard Street

Coit Tower with Christopher Columbus' Statue

Downtown San Francisco from Coit Tower

Fisherman's Wharf and the Bay from Coit Tower

Oyster with Pearl at Pier 39

Hot Fudge Sundae @ Ghiradelli Square