a story with a yummy ending

So......when I moved to Los Angeles (Culver City, actually) some 20 years ago at just a mere 21 years of age, I discovered this great place called In-N-Out Burger.  I frequently visited the West L.A. In-N-Out on Venice Boulevard just a few miles from my apartment which was on the northeast corner of Washington and Overland Avenues, literally across the street from what is now known at Sony Pictures Studios.  To think I lived across the street from where, in 1939, they filmed my favorite movie of all time "The Wizard of Oz" though at that time it was known as MGM Studios.  Ironically enough in 1990 MGM was purchased by Sony Entertainment of Japan which is home to Columbia Pictures as well as TriStar Pictures, each a division of Sony.

If only I could have been a fly on the wall(s) of that studio when I lived there.  So much happening literally right across the street from where I lived.  *sigh*  I wonder if I was ever smart enough to take a photo of what laid right outside my apartment door?  I'll have to search through the photos from that time though I'm thinking that it probably didn't even cross my mind, since I lived right next door.  Just one of things things, you know.

Anyway.....

In-N-Out had a very simple and limited menu.  The drive-thru line was always busy, and long.

They had the best burgers, yummiest shakes and fresh fries but then came the day I left L.A. in 1992 and my life has not been the same since.  Back in 2008 when I attended Creative Escape in Chandler, AZ near Phoenix I nearly died just from being that close to an In-N-Out and not being able to indulge in one of my favorite fast food weaknesses.  The Sheraton Wild Horse Pass was just a teensy bit out of the way and we didn't rent a car so there was no walking to the closest In-N-Out for us that trip.  We drove by and my mouth watered on the way to and from the airport as well as on the Bazzill bus tour as we passed by and my heart palpated because it had been sooooo llloonnnggg since I had had me some yummy!  At that point it had been 17 long years.  Thank goodness I was out spending money and playing with all kinds of yummy paper goodness otherwise I'm not sure what I might have been capable of doing as my ♥ was breaking

Fast forward to my 40th birthday trip to Vegas in March 2009 and I was able to eat In-N-Out each day we were there for lunch since we made the trek over the I-15 from the Excalibur to the closest In-N-Out, 19 years after I first made eye contact.  And then two weeks ago when I was in Utah we made the trip to In-N-Out.  I mentioned to Suz that if there was one close I would love to stop and eat and since we only had one meal we had to get on our own she was so sweet to map it out and off we went.  I felt I had died and gone to heaven.

Now today I hear on my local news that not only are they bringing In-N-Out to Texas (which I knew back in May but they were going to put their first location in Firewheel in Garland which is a ways away but it is do-able ~ just makes for a little trip, that's all) but they are bringing one to Ft. Worth as well as 121 & Preston Road.  Those of you who know me know this is like my back yard so that makes me incredibly happy and I'm not embarrassed to admit to some jumping up and down squealing like a little person that may very well be going on in the privacy of my home.

Now, can I wait until sometime next year for my next bite?  And to sharing all it's yumminess with my sweet family is something I cannot wait to do, but I guess I'll have to.