kylesdrunk.com

full time single father, part time internet addiction.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Los Angeles 2010

So Saturday we left for Los Angeles We got here on the 19th and are leaving the 28th. It was Atticus' first time on a plane and I was super nervous to be the cliche 'baby on the plane' people. To my surprise things went really well. Though we planned to have him sit on my lap the flight attendant got Atticus his own seat right next to me that was a window seat. He sat just like a big person in the seat with a belt and everything. He was good, we came prepared with snacks, bottles and toys and activities and we had no major melt downs or anything. He got to stand and look out the window a few times and he seemed to not be fazed by the take off or landing.
He warmed up to my Grandparents really quickly, which is who we are staying with. My sister and her boyfriend Chad came along and they are staying in an RV our front while Atticus and my parents both have their own rooms. I am sleeping on the couch in the living room. My Grandparents have a great outdoor patio that is covered and all blocked in where we have been eating all our meals. Atticus just loves this because he is an outside baby. Eating outside then being able to finish eating, get down and playing right there outside is the greatest thing ever to him.
Our first night here we went and visited my moms brother Daryl and his family. My cousins were there and it was their first time ever seeing Atticus outside of Facebook pictures. Atticus did great over there too but the day was wearing down on him, obviously since it was a hectic day, small nap, and at this point it was nine at night. Yesterday we all went down to Venice Beach and saw all the crazys and the weird shirt stores, medicinal marijuana stores, and everything else down there. Street preformers everywhere. Then walked down to the ocean and let Atticus see the ocean and walk on the beach for the first time. I wear a lot of stuff that I purchase online that is from small boutiques from such places here in LA. I was wearing this really nice underground name brand hat that is normally really expensive but I found it for fairly cheap. As we were walking down Venice Beach a guy ran up to me and said 'I love you hat man, nice hat.' I told him thanks and he offered me his mixtape. I took it, said thanks and walked away. He said, 'yo yo hey man can I have a few bucks for it?' I told him that I did not have any cash and he grabbed it back out of my hands all pissed, then all disgruntled looked down at Atticus, looked away and told me; 'Happy Fathers Day."
My friend Francis from Boise who moved down here picked me up last night and took me out to Hollywood on the walk of stars. We ate over there and explored then drove around LA at night which was fun. Also terrifying driving with him on the LA freeways.
On Monday my parents, sister, her boyfriend, Atticus and I all went to two shopping malls pretty close to my grandparents. The first one was three stories, and had two large play areas for Atticus. He was able to get to run around and play, which he much needed after being tied down in a stroller all day. The second mall was all outside. Later after we got home I headed down to Whole Foods again to do some homework as this is the only place I am able to get online.
Tuesday Courtney and Chad went with my two cousins to Magic Mountain, but since I am not interested in rollercoasters I stayed home. My cousin, her husband Greg, and her two children stopped my on their way from Boise up through San Deigo. Atticus got a chance to play with his second cousin Caleb which was nice for him to have that interaction. When he went to sleep I took off alone down to Melrose Avenue to check out some stores that we would never have in Boise. I went to Kidrobot, Johnny Cupcakes, Bathing Ape, The Hundreds, HUF, Supreme, Flight Club and two really cool huge thrift stores. I got to talking to a few of the guys at the shops about where I was from, what shops we have in Boise and what I was looking for. They were all really cool and recommended some book stores, shoe shops, and art places to check out. They also threw in stickers, magazines, buttons and candy in with my purchases which I thought was cool. I got stopped on the street by someone because he dug my style and wanted to know where I got my hat and shirt. Representing Boise to the fullest when LA street hipsters are digging your style asking where you got your shit. Once I got back home and ate with the family, I walked Atticus up the street to a local park and let him run around on the play ground, and climb this large tower.
Wednesday we went to the Le Brea Tar pits and I got some great pictures of Atticus. We then drove around through Hollywood and I was able to get a picture of Gregory Pecks star, he is the actor that played Atticus Finch in the movie To Kill a Mocking Bird which is based on the book where Aubrey and I got Atticus' name. We then went to an In-N-Out Burger, and went to the Santa Monica Pier where Atticus, my mom and I rode a ferris wheel.
Thursday my uncle took Courtney, Chad and I out on his boat on the ocean with my cousin Jake. We saw a huge oil tanker, seals, and Steven Speilbergs beach house. We then went back to my cousins and everyone swam.
Friday Courtney woke up with a horrible sunburn, and mixed with her morning sickness she was just not up to doing anything. She slept most of the day so Chad and I went down to the beach alone and he hung out while I jogged a good two miles right up along the shore and walked back the two miles to where Chad was. It was an awesome experience, though jogging barefoot in the sand made my one foot really sore, and I have since been limping everywhere feeling like I have a huge knot in the middle bottom of my foot. When we got back I went out with my cousin-in-law Greg to go thrift store shopping and I got an awesome 70's button up while Greg got a $50 parking ticket. Greg and I then wondered the beach with a volley ball and ended up getting to know some really cool Hispanic kids that let us play with them. We had an awesome time, it was nice getting to know some friendly local people.
Saturday morning I got up early and went with my two cousins to go ride beach cruisers along the beach, and took some fun pictures and so on. Later my family drove down to Long Beach and met up with my dads side of the family, which some of them we had not seen for 13 years. That was great, they all got to meet Atticus while he ran around the arcade at the pizza place we ate at. We then did a lot of driving around Long Beach, floated our car on a ferry to Balboa Island and headed back home to see the rest of the family that had come in from out of town to my Grandparents house.
Sunday was my mom parents, my grandparents, party for their 65th anniversary. Most of my family lives down here in California and a lot of the ones that no longer do also came to town for the party, which is the real reason our family came down here. The party was hosted at a Mexican restaurant that my grandparents frequent called El Toritos. They had a huge banquet room reserved for us which ended up hosting the 50 or so of us that made it. The food was served in a buffet fashion, and it was great food. Atticus wore Noahs old tuxedo from my ex-wifes and I's wedding. Atticus was the most dressed up person there as it was a formal event. Not long into eating Atticus had red juice spilled down his white tux shirt, and was wiping his mouth on the sleeves. After four juices he wet through his pants and ended up leaving the party in just a diaper and his stained dress shirt. Most of the party went down the street to my grandparents house and we all ended up visiting there. It was a lot of fun and I got a chance to meet a lot of family I have not met, or did meet when I was just a child. Atticus was in a great mood playing with his cousins, yelling, blowing kisses, and running around like crazy. Us cousins ended the night by throwing frisbees down the street, and Atticus crashed out.
Today is our last day here which will consist of packing and getting ready to leave. Our plane does not leave till later in the day so it will be a nice relaxing day of getting ready to go home, which all of us are very ready to do.











1 comment:

  1. Loved seeing you and Atticus! I loved seeing EVERYONE!! Enjoyed your blog and pictures! Love, Aunt Cindy

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