L.A. Story
yarn? check.
pattern? check.
stitch markers? check.
tape measure? check.
sock tote? check
needles? FUUUUUUCK!!
So I spent the four-hour flight reading trashy magazines and napping. I’d rather have been knitting, of course, but it could have been worse. On my last cross-country flight, for instance, they played Failure to Launch [shudder].
As soon as I got to the building where the conference was being held (Royce Hall at UCLA), I realized that it was the college home of both Buffy Summers AND Sydney Bristow (and also Rory Gilmore, if that’s your thing).
Don’t let my cool casual posture fool you — I am all aflutter. The TV nerd in me (which, if we’re being honest, is almost all of me) was really, really embarassingly excited. I mean, can’t you just picture Sydney sprinting out those doors after ditching her realistically depicted (snort) 19th-century American lit course, because her pager flashed a 911 from Spy Daddy?
I had a few hours on Sunday before my flight, and needed some needles for the trip home. The incredibly kind, funny, fascinating Jillian/Ms. Sknitty was good enough to meet up for some lunch and yarn shopping.
After a huge and tasty lunch at Jerry’s Famous Deli (where we noted that, in a city where no one seems to eat, there are some alarmingly big portions), we went to Compatto, where half the store was on sale and a cuddly chow/lab mixed named Gracie charmed our socks off.
See how Jillian is humoring poor Gracie with a belly rub, even as her eagle eye is on the sale shelf? She walked away with a heap of excellent yarn for an unbelievable price.
Then we headed over to A Mano, which may have been the friendliest, most welcoming big-city yarn shop I’ve ever visited. I bought my sock needles there, and a skein of Malabrigo for some more fingerless mitts (Dashing, perhaps?).
Finally, before I headed to the airport, Jillian took me and a friend to the beach near the Santa Monica Pier, where we saw the most beautiful fucking sunset, like, ever.
As it turns out, that lovely orange glow in the photos, which we initially took for smog, was the beginning of this week’s deadly wildfires. Thanks for a lovely afternoon Jillian — stay safe!
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October 23rd, 2007 at 11:10 pm
Sydney and Buffy occupied that very space? I would have been all aflutter too. Only slightly off topic, I always thought it was a shame that Sydney wasn’t a knitter, given how much time she spent on airplanes.
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:13 pm
Anytime, dahlink! And good googly-moogly, had I known I was running around in public with my hair like that. Where’s my brush? Ack!
October 24th, 2007 at 12:44 am
Glad you had a great trip despite not getting a lot of knitting done, but thank goodness for having a “good” excuse to go to the yarn shops! :oD
Beautiful sunset b/c despite what was brewing…
October 24th, 2007 at 1:04 am
OMG did you actually see the hellmouth under the school? Or did they build over that?
October 24th, 2007 at 1:24 am
Oh, I wish I knew you and Jillian were running around my neck of the woods! I’m glad you had a nice visit, and that you were able to miss the firey drama.
October 24th, 2007 at 1:38 am
Rory’s TV shooting college - dude. No back up book? ack! I am sure you have other thoughts - but I would give anything to go back to college for a term or two.
October 24th, 2007 at 1:40 am
And I say that after going to Kettering in Flint!
October 24th, 2007 at 2:13 am
Knitting pals and yarn sales are wonderful, but that is the cutest pup ever. We have a chow/lab (boxer/German shepherd/kitchen sink) mutt and she is the sweetest, most beautiful dog.
October 24th, 2007 at 2:48 am
Failure to Launch–that’s some harsh business. Our flight had the Nancy Drew movie and (how sad) I really enjoyed it!! Glad you had fun in L.A., I love that city so much!
October 24th, 2007 at 3:07 am
This totally cracked me up! I love Buffy and Sydney too. Glad it was a good time!
October 24th, 2007 at 4:09 am
I would have been devastated to have such a long flight and no needles! Glad you had some for the return trip.
How eerie that the lovely orange glow was the beginning of something so horrible.
October 24th, 2007 at 4:16 am
Goodness, that must’ve been a long flight. I’m glad you had a good trip, though!
October 24th, 2007 at 4:21 am
Looks like a lovely trip! Beautiful sunset, but those poor southern Californians…
I hadn’t realized that Rory’s Yale days were actually shot at UCLA.
October 24th, 2007 at 4:24 am
I think I recognize that bag strap!
Glad you had a great trip with her. She is just the sweetest!
October 24th, 2007 at 5:31 am
Whoa, Rory was hanging out at UCLA this whole time?
And fiery sunset - double whoa!
Looks like you had a great time despite the needle issues!
October 24th, 2007 at 6:03 am
Royce Hall *sniff sniff* That’s where I got hooded! The only Hollywood scene I ever saw there was part of the filming of Old School. But I never caught Sydney Bristow in the act while I was there and that was when Alias was at its best, season 1 and 2!
October 24th, 2007 at 7:58 am
Fantastic photos Pam - and even I know where UCLA is! So there!
October 24th, 2007 at 11:46 am
Gilmore Girls- Check. Alias- Check. Buffy- Hmm, i have only ever seen like one episode. I know. The shame. Oh how i wish my favourite two shows were still being made. Now you’ve gone and made me all sad. Though, i am thoroughly enjoying laughing at David Anders again, now in Heroes. His character kicked butt in Alias though. “My loyalties are flexible”- Oh, it’s priceless!!! [excuse me while i just do a little reminiscing]
No needles? Double F***. :0)
October 24th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
the fire certainly made for a beautiful sky. ah well.
sounds like a great trip.
October 24th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Forgetting your needles would be like forgetting your drivers license! Ack! Glad you were able to catch up on the trashy mags though, but Failure to Launch? Ewww.
October 24th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
argh! sucks to forget that one crucial thing!
October 24th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Oh hough I laaaaaaaaaughed at that 19th Century American lit class of Sydney’s. I believe she took that text from Spy Daddy when they were taking a “midterm,” yes?
But see, it all comes together with the Buffy and the missing needles. Obviously TPTB were afraid you were going to slay something–I always said Buffy should ave been a knitter, what with all the poky wooden things–so they ensured that your needles would “mysteriously” “disapear.”
October 24th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Bummer about the needles, but 4 hours with trashy mags isn’t too bad.
And I must say for the record, despite what it does for my street cred, Rory Gilmore is totally my thing.
October 24th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Arg about the needles! That just happened to me yesterday, too! I took my knitting out of my bag and realized that I had only one needle–the needle in the project. I left the other one at home. So. Frustrating!
Anyway, it sounds like you had a great time–what a terrific trip! (I had no idea that they shot the Alias university scenes at UCLA!) And I’m glad you got to pick up some new needles for the flight home.
October 24th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
How annoying!! At least you got the needles for the ride home. I would have been totally in awe also - Huge Alias fan!!!!
October 24th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
I would have been so upset about the needles! Of course, I get obsessive and pack extra ones just in case I lose my working ones, so I *hope* I’d be OK
I’m watching Buffy now– I’d never seen it before. I’m just into Season 4, so I haven’t gotten too used to the college campus yet. And I remember Sydney Brisow’s college as well!
I’m glad you had a great trip, and a good chance to get away for a few days.
October 24th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Buffy, Sydney, Rory…my heart started beating faster just reading their names!
Sooo sorry about the lack of needles. Glad it all turned out okay.
October 24th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
So tell me, Pam. Should I watch Buffy? I want someone to convince me that I should. I saw one episode once and I wasn’t hooked or anything, but I love Firefly in such a huge and overwhelming kind of way that I figure I ought to check out the rest of the Joss oeuvre, right?
October 25th, 2007 at 12:31 am
Good times. I would have been geeked to be at Buffy’s school too. I miss that show so much, TV sucks rigt now.
October 25th, 2007 at 12:43 am
oh, i would be so pissed if i forgot my needles. thank god there are yarn stores everywhere, so you didn’t have to suffer on the way back.
and those color choices? probably my favorite color pairing ever! you should see my kitchen, it’s overrun with red and aqua. i honestly can’t wait to see them combined in a sock!
October 25th, 2007 at 12:57 am
Glad you got needles for the trip back, and had a good time visiting L.A. I am not a huge TV fan, but people keep telling me I have to get Alias and watch it all. I do like the spy stuff.
October 25th, 2007 at 2:29 am
Aren’t blogger meet-ups the best?
I’m completely jealous that you got to hang out at Buffy’s alma mater!
October 25th, 2007 at 3:06 am
wow, ucla is purty. and i had no idea it was buffy’s alma mater, cool beans. oh boy, do i miss that show.
October 25th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
The TV nerd in me is excited just reading the post. I am glad you had a good trip, Pam.
October 25th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
You walked the same halls as sydney… and RORY (yes, i am into that type of thing)! So jealous.
October 26th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
is that pattern what i think it is? i am (admittedly) terrified. if so, you will be the first test knitter i think.
i hope it works out!
October 27th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Yay! Glad you had fun.
I always was irritated with Syd getting her degree AND being an awesome spy, lookin’ hot, kicking ass and getting the guys. I didn’t have time to do any of those things when I was in school (not that I didn’t try).
October 31st, 2007 at 4:18 am
GAHH the needles!! The horror! I would have been so sad. Loving the sunset (shame about its cause). Glad to see you got some R&R on your trip.
November 2nd, 2007 at 6:15 pm
Ohmygosh, I just clicked over on “Syndey Bristow”, being unknowing, and got a crash-course in the entire, confusing, they’re-not-really-dead plot of Alias.
And I love the sock in the prior post. Pattern please!!!!!