Monday, July 10, 2006

Carmel Mountain ≠ Candy Mountain, But It's Still Got Something Worth Losing Your Kidney Over:

My sister-, bother-, cousins-in-law, and I are all packed into a rented mini-van that Matt is driving, and we're looking for In-N-Out Burger.

There had been a slightly drunken expedition there the night before, but it had been in the dark, and the driver hadn't been with them. We're on Twin Peaks Road, and we're getting conflicting information.

"Jake said that when you leave his house, you go to the main road and turn right!"

"No! We should take this road until we get to the dead end and then we take a left!"

3 U-turns later, we're stuck in after-work traffic. The girls keep "remembering" more directions that they'd been given, more landmarks that they'd seen. "That Outback looks familiar!" "Yes, that's because we pass that on the way to the hotel."

After more memories from the night before that sound more like prophecies from Nostradamus than an actual directions ("after the light, we will pass a plaza with palm trees. We should turn into the next one."), Matt exclaims, "Enough with the repressed memories! You girls are worse than altar boys from the '70's!"

An entire light passes, and we're still next to the same Mobile station. "Alexandra!" we all say, "Jump out and go ask the people at that station where In-N-Out is!" Surprisingly, she agrees. Well, not so surprising since she was one of the instigators of the trip. Five minutes and one disturbing toothless man hitting on her later, she's back in the car, and we're finally truly on our way to In-N-Out.

A half hour later we're successful, filled with Animal Style fries, and happy to be in California. And I finally understand what all the fuss is about.

11 comments:

Jay said...

I had some God forsaken chili-cheese-jalapeno burger from one of those places in Florida, on a lunch break from riding rollercoasters. That afternoon was very bad for me and those sitting behind me on the Rock N Rollercoaster at MGM studios.

Lizzle said...

"Enough with the repressed memories! You girls are worse than altar boys from the '70's!" Matt had a zinger with that one! Way to go Mr. Pink Shoe Esq.

Bobealia... said...

If he thought that one up on the spot, it's no wonder he's an Esquire!
Go Matt!
I've never been, was it worth it?

Anonymous said...

I heart In-and-Out Burger.

v said...

And if any of you In-N-Out lovers are health conscious, you can always replace the special sauce with ketchup or mustard or both.

Marse! You and your hubster and your family are high-larious!

PS - Hope things are well or as well as can be expected.

Lena said...

What the heck? You're here in CA???

And animal style does rule - I'll give ya that.

Anonymous said...

California! WHAT?! If you are anywhere near LA, we are going shoe shopping.

Kelly said...

Ah... the fuss about In N Out.
Glad to see that it didn't elude you.
Becuase then you would be the only one!

Hope CA treated you well!

Jen said...

Yeah! You are in my state. Glad to hear you enjoyed yourself some In-N-Out. It is totally divine.

Mighty Dyckerson said...

Tell Alexandra I have a new set of false teeth, and I'll be at the Mobile station tonight if she wants to hook up.

Marcia said...

BlogPDX - Florida In-N-Out is a completely different thing from California In-N-Out. Cali in and out only has Hamburgers, Cheeseburgers, Fries, and Milkshakes. Very old fashioned, very awesome. And you can customize them - asking for more patties or more cheese (a double double), or animal or protien style. And you can watch them slice your french fries. It's pretty cool.

Liz and B - yeah, he's f'ing funny. I laughed my ass off at that comment. I even wrote it down on a reciept I had in my purse. I'm such a dork.

Lena - if it had been for more than 2 days and not for a funeral, you would have gotten frantic emails. We would have had lunch, with martinis, and lots of gossip. Also possibly Virenda. Maybe we could have talked Kelly into it.

Vaguely Urban - Next time. The stores won't know what hit them!!

Jen - what's not to love about CA? I keep trying to convince Matt to become a big shot lawyer there, not in NYC.

M.D. - Maybe next time.