LA - all the food

So weird question: I've googled but I also want input. What grocery stores are near LAX/Embassy Suites and have a very wide selection of fruit? Like, little as I like it, when I can't get to Central Market I have to resort to Whole Foods for my cotton candy grapes and peach and apricot and berry needs and Whole Foods is like an hour by bus from the hotel unless I can kidnap someone with a car which isn't out of the question but I'm pretty sure that would make a terrible impression on congoers.

IF you don't know what cotton candy grapes are, I am so excited to show you: The Grapery - I've also glutted on the Moon Drops, Tear Drops, and--I think--Gum Drops (not sure) and they're all like how you fantasize grapes are in Narnia or Fillory or something. I'm not kidding; I've been dealing...uh, giving them to people for like ten years now and they never believe me and their expressions at the first bite...and then it's super high grocery bills and no grape regret.

(Cotton Candy Grapes taste like Cotton Candy; Moon Drops are a somewhat like condensed Welch's Grape Juice (I mean when its' still a frozen concentrate) but a little less strong, Tear Drops are lightly sweet and just cool looking, I don't remember Gum Drops which is why I'm not entirely sure I tried those.)

To assure me and aerialiste don't blow our budget on restaurant food, to facilitate convenient snacking, to better have actual, literal meals so we don't die of starvation or scurvy or collapse of dehydration, and because I generally feel better when I have fruit and healthy snacks on hand (therefore feel no guilt when splurging on triple chocolate double brownie somethings, I'm not picky on the 'somethings', multiple), me and aerialiste are going shopping on Thursday for food, and by the way, anyone who wants to join us and is around the hotel, feel free to come!

(Not gonna lie, also to pick up toothpaste, toothbrush, and/or probably a bath poof and deodorant and maybe shower gel?; I have this weird ability to pack them and two or more will vanish the second I get on the plane and back into my bathroom. My superpower is to forever be an improvident traveler.)

Comments

[niqaeli]

I dunno from grocery stores that have a good fruit selection, but... I mean, I have a car and will be in the greater LA metro and god willing if my arm stops being fucked I'm probably going to be up in Hollywood Thursday evening 6:30-8:00pm for lyra class, so like. I could swing by in the afternoon beforehand, you're not exactly on the way to Hollywood from Fullerton but you're not not on the way either.

[seperis]

We're getting in around 2:15 PM so we won't be at the hotel until probably close to four if I know my baggage claim and ability to get lost (I will, might as well own it now). So maybe?

[niqaeli]

Heh. I can plan to be at the LAX Embassy Suites North by 4pm and we can go from there? *g*

(I mean, and seriously lyra class is ENTIRELY dependent on my arm being Not Fucked by that point so I don't actually even know if I'll be trying to get up to Hollywood by that point. Long story short: aerial straps are stupid bullshit, and sane people don't do them for good reason. -_-)

[seperis]

There's someone at the con already who volunteered to drive, so thank you, but we should be okay and I won't feel guilty for dragging you out for gorcery shopping. *G*

However, I meant to ask you: any chance you're up for dinner/hang out after class or around 7 if your arm is bothering you and you don't go? I meant to say yes when you menteiond it before but I didn't have my flight yet. I totally get if you'll be too tired after or whatever, but get back to me if you can. Pre-reg for the con on Thursday is at seven, so we should be free after that if you want to hang out. Do you still have my number or should I IM you?

[niqaeli]

Yay congoing person with car!

Yeah, I’ll definitely be up for dinner one way or another. I usually am ravenous after aerial classes! I’ll text you Thursday about what time, since I’ve still got your number for you presuming it hasn’t changed in however many years it’s been. <3

[seperis]

Oh, awesome! I IM'ed my number just in case; I'm ninety-percent sure that's the one you have but I can't remember the exact date when I changed numbers and decided to play it safe.

[niqaeli]

I got your DM, and yep that's the number I had on hand so yay!

[krait]

Grapes that taste like cotton candy sound absolutely terrible to me, but then I never really liked cotton candy even as a child. Grapes that taste like grape juice sound somewhat more appealing. (Mostly I prefer actual grape juice, though.)

I'm no help in the Fruit Quest, but I wish you luck!

[seperis]

Not cotton candy as cotton candy: cotton candy as fruit. I know that sounds like a distinction without a differenc, but if you ever see them in a grocery store, steal one and try it. You may hate it--they are very sweet (though not spun sugar sweet)--but with my nieces and nephews, they'll eat these in preference to candy and I can use them as bribes.

IF you like grape juice, I recommend Moon Drops. They're also huge, like as big or bigger than the tip of my thumb to the joint, but again, they taste like grape juice as fruit.

I also recommend the Tear Drops; they're a lot like red grapes but moreso. Not quite but almost condensed or more intense.

[aurumcalendula]

The Grapery's grapes are awesome - I can't wait until they're in the stores by me again! Gum Drops taste like what I imagine gum drops taste like (I don't know if I've ever eaten candy gumdrops)

...er, I know nothing about LA and grocery stores

[seperis]

My local HEB just had the Cotton Candy grapes show up, which really surprised me. Technically, the season is like August-September on the site, but I see them show up in early summer or even late spring and can usually keep getting them through early October.

AND THEY HAVE ALL THESE OTHER KINDS AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GET THEM.

[stranger]

Oh, hai,
I'll be at the convention by Thursday afternoon, with a car. There's a Ralphs supermarket about a mile away (might be called Kroger in the eastern half of the country). Also, Google Maps says there's a Whole Foods about three miles north, and another about three miles south of the hotel, and we could check those out. I haven't seen them myself, but it's a good thing to explore before a con.

There's usually snacking food, including fruit, in the con suite, but it's not crazy to want your own supply. Reply or message me if you need a ride, and we'll figure a time to meet. Badge name: STRANGER

[seperis]

Thank you, that'd be great! And it looks like Ralph's might be my goal; they're a distributor from The Grapery, but even if they don't have those grapes now, they will have a good selection of fruit.

There's usually snacking food, including fruit, in the con suite, but it's not crazy to want your own supply.

I am so bad about eating at cons if it's not a planned dinner meetup or food isn't in front of me, and then I resort to vending machines (or God, room service) when I suddenly realize I am super starving and maybe dizzy. I am trying the healthy, proactive approach of 'getting food in front of me that is not like potato chips and the fakest, orangest queso or cheese dip it is possible to find'.

(I am actually not great at that during regular life either, but I did take the precaution at work of buying microwave popcorn because I'd break my budget on that vending machine otherwise. At home, I get a lot of sandwich stuff and do a lot of pre-cooking when I'm enthused just to offset this 'forgot food' problem.)

Reply or message me if you need a ride, and we'll figure a time to meet. Badge name: STRANGER
(reply to this link )

We should be at the hotel by four, so I can DM you on DW when we arrive and check in. OR email, whichever.

[stranger]

I'll be around at 4pm, sounds like just enough time to shop and come back to the hotel for happy hour, or rest if you're zonked out by then. See you then!

[seperis]

I REFUSE TO ZONK. I mean, until I collapse from sheer exhaustion, but doesn't everyone do that at a con at least once?

[morgandawn]

Post your cell phone under friends lock before you leave. And in the con suite when you check on you can add your room number next to your name if you want people to find you.

[out_there]

I'm half a world away, but I have to say, reading about the excitement of organising fruit snacks for a con made me grin.

...unless I can kidnap someone with a car which isn't out of the question but I'm pretty sure that would make a terrible impression on congoers.

Hee!

[seperis]

It just looks bad when meet-cute is grand theft auto and/or kidnapping.

[raine]

There's also a liquor store across the street, FYI. The con suite usually has food (occasionally crock pots full of it, no guarantees but there's usually stuff to nibble on in exchange for a small donation). I'm usually in the con suite a lot when I'm not attending panels so I'm pretty sure you can eat something if you're willing to go up the elevator to the con suite.

Also, the breakfast buffet is amazing, and you should totally go when it's open. The hotel does have toiletries and a robot to deliver anything else you might need (it's sort of cool).
if you forget anything during the con, ask around in the con suite and someone will usually help you out. :-)

See you later this week!

[seperis]

You anticipated my first question when I got to LA, thank you!

...oh, I am so going to try that robot.

[raine]

Heh. :-) You're welcome!

[morgandawn]

In addition to all the above there is a Trader Joe's one block from the Ralph's grocery store.

[sian1359]

Food places near the hotel:

Within the same cluster of buildings:
Jersey Mike Subs (hot and cold sandwiches)
Trimana Grill (hot and cold sandwiches, wraps, soups -- and salads I think), but it is only open until 5p during the week, and Saturday until 2:30p (no Sunday hours). It also serves breakfast and has overpriced sodas and snacks (think airport gift shop). Good tuna melt, though.
ZPizza Tapery (Artisan pizza and many craft beers)
Starbucks (several -- most have sandwiches and pastry)

Most of the hotels nearby also have their own coffee shop or restaurants, usually expensive, and sometimes crowded if there's an event going on. Some also have gift shops where they will sell microwave food and Lunchables. If you get desperate, you can hop on a free hotel shuttle, go to the airport and eat at one of the eateries there, then hop another shuttle back to the hotel.

Within Long walking distance:
Dennys
Carls' Jr. (burgers - called Hardees in most of the country)
Subway Sandwiches

The area around the airport isn't the best, so I do not recommend walking late at night if you're not with a crowd.

As others have said, there are grocery stores within a short driving distance, plus other food places if you hook up with someone with a car; the closest are North of the con. If you go South, there are plenty of other food options (an IHOP a few miles away for instance, plus two Noah's Bagels within a 5-10 mile travel). There is also the Manhattan Beach Fry's Electronic store, which you might have an interest in seeing, as it has a crashed flying saucer, and lots of DYI computer parts, plus other electronics and tech nerd things including snacks. (The Fry's Electronic stores used to be the best for building your own years ago -- when I lived in Silicon Valley. Horrible customer service, but if you knew what you needed, they generally had it. Nowadays, they're a bit more generic and chain store like, but still beat an appliance store like Best Buy, that sells computers as a go to place for cables or drives or whatnots).

Depending on when you and your car person do your grocery run (and when I get in from Vegas), and then your Thursday dinner plans, I could probably be convinced to play chauffeur, if you needed one Thursday evening, since I can't set up in the vendor room until Friday morning. (I think I can leave an extra seat up to carry me and two other people, and still bring all the stuff I plan to bring.) If this is something you want to try and arrange, you can get my phone number off of my store page -- awit.com (for A Wrinkle In Time), and text me at the phone number listed on the bottom of the Contact Us page. My schedule is open enough on Thursday that I can arrive in LA earlier than I generally do for a meet and drive :)

[batdina]

kidnap someone to take you to the store. I used to do it and no one killed me for it.