It's hard out there for a consulate...

If anyone ever says "Hey, let's spend the day in Fairfax," go for it. It's one of my favorite areas, with The Farmer's Market, The Grove, and even The Price is Right, which is filmed in Fairfax!


If anyone ever says "Hey, let's spend the day in Westwood," go for it. Visit UCLA, catch a flick at the Fox Theater, and indulge in a mouth watering Diddy Reese cookie/ice cream sandwich.



If anyone ever says "Hey, let's spend the day in Hollywood," go for it. Everyone should visit "Tinseltown" at least once. But watch out for the Elmo in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater. He's a bit of a militant activist.



If anyone ever says "Hey, let's spend the day in Beverly Hills," go for it. There is nothing like strolling down Rodeo Drive and spitting out your gum on the sidewalk.



If anyone ever says "Hey, let's spend the day in Koreatown," RUN!

I only have three rules in life:

1. Never wear white after Labor Day.
2. Never ask someone if they are pregnant.
3. NEVER go to an area of LA's Rampart Division unless you are packing, and I don't mean for a vacation.

In order to have have my Korean work visa in the palm of my hands, however, I had to brave K-Town with my bodyguard, Darcie, who totally let me down by not wearing her Kevin Costner costume. But all is forgiven because she had to turn around the very next day and drive me back into the depths of the asianic ghetto.

Now, it's widely known that we Orange County residents do not travel farther north than Santa Ana, and we only go there because it has a Popeye's, so Darcie and I were already dreading the journey into LA county. After reaching our fabulously graffiti-decorated destination, I received the Korean Embassy's royal treatment, including my very own celebrity mug shot.


While at the embassy, I learned that an interview involving a person with a very strong Korean accent plus a person with a very strong Southern accent equals the fall of Babel all over again. Then, after all is said and done, I am told that I can pick up my actual visa tomorrow.

"WHAT?????"

I felt like I had arrived at the Gates of Oz.
"What do you mean 'Come back tomorrow?' I just traveled in bumper to bumper flying monkeys down the yellow-brick 5 freeway, and you are telling me I have to come back tomorrow?!?"

Well, I put on my big girl panties and ruby slippers, got over it, returned to K-town the next day, and I am now qualified to work in Korea for the next year.

Oh, and here is a little plagerism for your pleasure. Enjoy...

Koreatown (often abbreviated K-town) is a neighborhood in the Mid-Wilshire district of the city of Los Angeles, California. Home to a population of 340,000 and covering just under 5-square-mile (13 km²), it has the highest population density of all neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Only Midtown Manhattan, downtown Manhattan, and Chicago's North Side neighborhoods rank higher in density in the United States." (stolen from Wikipedia)


Now, if that's not a DEAL, I don't know what is.

Fun for the whole family.