BURBANK

After my two night stay in Long Beach, NY I was on my way out to the West Coast. It was a very long day as I flew from JFK - San Francisco - Long Beach, CA - and then took a limo to Burbank where I started my 27 hour layover at the Holiday Inn.

Stepping out into the cool brisk air of Long Beach, CA made me happy that I was in Southern California. I walked towards the pick up spot for the vans to look for the driver who was going to take me to Burbank. My scheduled pick up time was 5:00pm so I had 10 minutes to stroll past the taxis and hotel vans lined up in front of the airport awaiting customers to be taken to their destinations. I finally came up to the white van that I was meeting and this old short asian man stepped out and started yelling at me, "Howidy Inn? Howidy Inn?" I walked around the van to the back, "Yes sir. I am going to the Holiday Inn in Burbank." 

He became irritated with me and started rambling, "No uniform. You in no uniform. Me don't know you in no uniform. How is this? You no uniform. How I know?" He grabbed my bags and tossed them in the back of the van and slammed the doors shut. I stood there kinda shocked but then walked to the side door and opened the van door and stepped inside.

Mr. Miyagi must have thought I was Ralph Macchio because the way he was yelling and tossing my shit around I thought I was going to be waxing on and waxing off the entire drive to Burbank. Once we left the airport he said something to me that I didn't even understand and after I shrugged him off he didn't say another word for the rest of the ride. He weaved in and out of traffic so fast I swore he was trying to make the sliding door open and toss me out onto I-5. 

When Mr. Miyagi put the van in park, he hopped out, pulled my bags out without saying one word, and dropped them to the ground.  I handed him his tip, $1, and I left him and walked into the lobby of the hotel. I stepped up to this over sized Mexican guy behind the counter and gave him my name and told him I had a reservation. I was so hungry that all I wanted to do what get to my room, change, and make my way to get food. I hadn't eaten since somewhere over West Virginia and it was time to get something inside me.

"There is no reservation with that name,"  he said with a smile. He had dimples which were cute but I wasn't falling for it. I seem to go through this often when I am traveling for work and I have become numb to it. In the past I would get upset and my blood pressure would erupt like a volcano but now I just dial a few numbers and get the issue resolved. If more people handled stressful situations like this we wouldn't have so many of them dropping dead of heart attacks.

He gave me my room key and directed me to the elevators so I could get to my room. I was just thrilled to be in my final destination for the night and away from that angry driver. I still don't know what he was so upset about. Maybe it's a cultural thing because I have had run ins with Asians before and they seem to always be very abrupt with me. If they want to be like that at home or in their own restaurants I can't stop them but when someone is paying him to drive my friendly ass around Southern California I expect him grinning so hard that his eyes are closed shut.

It was difficult spending two nights in complete luxury at the Allegria and then have to step into my room at the Holiday Inn. I felt like Prince Charles downgrading from Princess Diana to Camilla Parker Bowles. I stood in room 1607 at the Holiday Inn with my eyes closed imagining the Allegria with its cool decor, fabulous linens, and outstanding hotel bar but unfortunately that didn't help my situation. With the stale crusty smell seeping from the air conditioner vent it made me feel more like Charles when he sleeps next to his bushy haired Duchess.

After I shook the smell of the room out of my head I bounced on each bed to see which one I would occupy when I was ready to sleep. It's a tradition that I have whenever I stay in a room with two beds. Once my sleeping arrangements were established I quickly changed into jeans and a polo shirt and made my way out to walk the streets of Downtown Burbank. I walked San Fernando Blvd from the Holiday Inn until the end where I was face to face with the Burbank Town Center Mall. I turned around and stopped at the Burbank Bar & Grill for some dinner. 

My legs were aching so badly from my dancing extravaganza the night before at the Allegria. I travelled across the country and I was still thinking of the fun I had the night before. Once I finished my Blue Moon and my dinner I stopped for a soda to bring back to my room and I then limped back to the Holiday Inn so I could settle in for the night.

I was going to go on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in the morning and I wanted to make sure I was well rested.