"Jerry says, "Tommy's" and indeed. The one on Rampart (@ Beverly or so?) is the OG one"

That one has huge lines - maybe Hollywood Blvd?

In 1975 there was one in La Canada on the way to the San Gabriel Mountains

You have to develop a taste for Tommy burgers - has to be chili burger - most people would probably consider it disgusting

I live in Los Angeles.

When are you planning to come out. Right now Mount Gorgonio and Mount San Jacinto all have snow and are about an hour drive from USC area. San Jacinto has tram that will take you up the first 8000 feet and then it's a short 5 miles to the top, well worth doing.
Lots of big trees and mountain air.

http://www.pstramway.com/

If you want to hike up to Mount Gorgonio (old greyback) then take the trail to dry lake, it's another 5 mile trip.

If you want to walk along the ocean there is a bike path from Santa Monica pier to
torrance 26 miles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Braude_Bike_Trail

The USC neighborhood is safe on campus, a stone's throw from the campus is a rougher neighberhood, not a place to get shot but car thieves and prostitues much like every big city in the country but generally Ca is a gentler place than most of the country.

Also a stone's throw from USC
is the Museum of Natural History and Science Center
http://www.nhm.org/site/
http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/

Thanks for the input, Anthony. I'm flying out this weekend but will just be there for a few days. And I need to spend some time looking at the colleges.

How'd the visits go?

The visit was great Erik. I didn't get out of the city really. We did visit the freak show at Venice Beach, though. I didn't realize how much they had planned for me while at USC. The USC campus was really impressive. I didn't think the area around there was that bad either. It's hard to feel intimidated after traveling some of the hollers of eastern Kentucky. They have way more guns than the gangstas of LA.
The bad news was that I wasn't really able to get out of the city. The good news is that I will have more chances. They gave him a scholarship for the School of Cinematic Arts at USC where he'll be a film and television production major. So I'll look back at this post again late this summer when I go back with him to move in.

"They gave him a scholarship for the School of Cinematic Arts at USC where he'll be a film and television production major."

--RIGHT ON!! Congratulations to all of you, especially your son. Outstanding.

Condolences, however: you're gonna have to start explaining about your son, "the Californian" in a year or two. Ha ha!

Congrats! You can get him in touch with Mr. Drysdale and he can swim in the cement pond out back :)

Erik, people already ask if we're worried about him spending so much time around weird people in California. Honest. I think he'll fit in just fine.
Dale, he's already preparing Ellie May for the dip.