August 1 - August 3, 2005 Los Angeles

And here I am driving into Los Angeles near downtown. What's weird is, I took this picture in 2005 not knowing that in 2007 I would be able to see these very same buildings from the balcony of my apartment complex. Ironic, no? No? Well fuck you, then!
I've always been strangely fascinated by cults. That's why I have to take photographs of the Scientology centers I drive past. I have a dream of going into one for a free stress test, just so I can write about the experience, but I'm also slightly afraid that I will be abducted and/or brainwashed.
This place is called Amoeba. They have a lot of CDs and LPs for sale, or so I hear. Frankly, by the looks of it, it's probably really small and has a terrible selection. Just kidding. I probably spend about $100 a month there. That's like 20% of my rent!
You could tell I was new to L.A. because I was struck by everything I encountered. I don't even think I could tell you where Kings Road is today, but it probably sucks a whole lot more than I thought it did at the time.
I don't know where this is, but there sure is a nasty glare coming off my car window. I think this is somewhere on Sunset.
The Whisky. I've never been there and can't imagine ever going there. For some reason, I was compelled to take a picture of it.
The first of two pictures of the Hustler store. You could tell I was really excited to visit that place.
You can also tell this is taken near the Hustler store because it's blurry, and I was probably in a rush to get inside and look at all the artificial vaginas that they sell.
Still driving along Sunset, getting closer to (if not already deep inside) Beverly Hills. Cue classical music here.
Rodeo Drive. Jesus, I was such a tourist!
More Rodeo Drive
I think this photograph was taken in my side mirror, because it looks like crap and things are backwards.
This one was taken driving through Beverly Hills on my return to West Hollywood, which is where I was staying during my brief tenure in L.A.
The sign is self-explanatory
Look, they have palm trees in California...How WEIRD!
Look at the dead bug on my windsheild! Oh, and also, some houses in the hills.
I'm not so sure what that sign means. HAHA!
When I was young, I gave an extra pillowcase to a girl I knew who was going on a cross-country teen tour. When she returned, she had brought me a t-shirt that said, "Mel's Diner" on it. On the back was the quote, "Didn't We Meet At Mel's?" It was by far the worst and gayest shirt I had ever owned, and I never wore it, I just referenced it in jokes. When I drove past Mel's Diner my eyes lit up like a child in a candy store. Needless to say, it validated the entire trip.
Look at that awesome blue sky. HA HA!
Hey! That's the lotus bed in Echo Park! I live about 100 yards from there now! It doesn't look anything like that anymore. Everything in that lake looks dead. I sure caught the lotus flowers at the right time...
Jesus, would you look at how bountiful the flowers are? I think this year there are maybe 1/10th as many flowers in the bed. And most of those are brown and wilted.
There they are. The flowers.
There he is. Howard the duck.
What on earth could that lady be staring at?
Oh. Ohhhhhh.
That's about the best description of Echo Park imaginable. It's both beautiful and awful at the same time.
Yes, I am a nerd. I went to the Elliott Smith wall when I was in town. I was writing a book about music, after all... Or, at least, that's how I'm rationalizing it now.
This was taken on the beach in Santa Monica. It wasn't really beach weather on that day.
I made it to the pacific. I felt like I had crossed the entire globe. The moment my feet touched the sea, it was like I was the love child of Christopher Columbus and Magellan.
Then this little fucker came along and ruined a perfectly peaceful moment alone.
They call these things rocks.
The pier is like every shitty carnival you've ever had come to town rolled into one. Why I decided to hang out there for an afternoon is beyond me. Although, there is a hilarious photobooth series of pictures where I am seen growing increasingly irate over the fact that I can't tell when the pictures are going to be taken.
Look at that beautiful beach scene. If that doesn't scream "West Coast Rules!" I don't know what does.
My never-ending quest to find something I can buy with my name on it continues. Eugenio and Evangelina are here, but no Evan!
On my first night in town, I was supposed to meet a female friend that I had grown close with, but she cancelled on me at the last minute. Instead, I played a boardgame and drank jack and coke until everyone else was ready to call it a night and I was slightly inebriated. I think I drank because I was disappointed the girl would rather go to Kirsten Dunst's mom's birthday party than hang out with me.	Nevertheless, my next night in town became my opportunity to hang out with the girl. She took me to In-N-Out and then we spent a few hours at her place talking and playing with her cat. It's all there in a vignette I wrote. Then she had to go to some other party and we left on a slightly awkward note. I haven't seen her since then, but I sure do miss talking to her!
This is what I looked like moments before I drove to her apartment. If that cold stare doesn't look like it belongs to a murderous psychopath, I don't know what does.
No pictures exist of the night out with the girl. You're just going to have to take my word for it. I enjoyed In-N-Out so much on the first night, I went there again the next morning for breakfast, just before I left L.A. en route for San Francisco.
And that's what I ate. And it was fucking amazing. Goodbye, L.A. I think I teared up as I drove away. I think it was because I had a lot of heavy issues plaguing me at the time.