CompuServe Messages

>>Oh! AND, <this is really to all those who attended, esp those living in the area>, WHAT was the deal around the campus? When we got to the Shrine Auditorium on Monday for the ET, we wanted to eat first. So, we parked in a lot adjacent to the SA, and walked around the edge of the nearby campus, etc. There were NO eating places except a few fast food joints. We found ONE bar/restaurant, except it was closed and boarded up! I know cars are de riguer (sp?) in CA, but come on! A university w/o an adjacent food/alcohol support complex? Sheesh!<< Hi Dave, here's a note from your friendly California Blonde. (Don't get worked up, I'm a guy….) Here's a brief description of the 2 main areas around the Shrine that have restaurants. To us in LA, the BEST restaurants serve food in styrofoam containers and you sit on moulded plastic seats! <BG> Because of our 'automobile culture' LA did much to popularize the fast-food genre. (Please don't hit me!) If you were to walk East from the Shrine (towards the elevated freeway) there is a major street (Figueroa Ave.). It is covered with about 8-10 fast-food joints and one coffee-shop at the "Vagabond Inn" that serves beer and wine. If you were to head West of the Shrine, you would run into an outdoor mall-sey type thang. It has a movie theater complex, some shopping and a couple of eateries. It used to have a sports/pizza bar, but I think the last time I went by it was closed. One thing you'll have to remember, USC (University of Southern California) is populated by spoiled rich-kids (no offense to the spoiled rich-kids that are reading this! <G>) who all drive to their apartments in their Mercedes after class. They're not foolish enough to actually LIVE in that neighborhood! (Even though I lived for 3 years in a rougher area close by . . . on the other side of the freeway.) As a resident of the Los Angeles area, I want to say I'm sorry that you left with such a bad impression of LA. Don't give up hope, though; if you would like to give us another chance, I'll be happy to do what I can to make LA a better place for you. Like, sincerly, dude! Sean Platter