Such was the case Sunday night at The Standard downtown hotel. After a long flight, a long ride to my hotel, and a ton of typing and prep work for E3, I needed a stiff drink and beautiful people around me just to remind myself I was still human.

Still not convinced about the human part, but I ventured to The Standard on the recommendation of Danny the bartender at The 901.

It’s tough going to these things by yourself. Blast can’t afford to send a team to these conventions, so my checking account bears the burden of flight and hotel to get the coverage we need to stay on top. But it can be lonely.

Luckily, the Australian division of Electronic Arts arrived right after I did. If you’re ever looking to have a good time, find yourself some Aussies. They know how to party and they are the nicest people I’ve come across. The drinks flowed. The waitress was smoking hot. It was a party.

The views are also amazing. You’re literally surrounded by these tall skyscrapers — 13 stories is low by comparison — so you feel like you’re right in the middle of the world of Los Angeles.

Did not go in the pool.

I did try the food at their all night restaurant. I had a fresh mozzarella and tomato salad, which was very fresh and flavorful. Portion was a little small, but I suppose that’s one of the many reasons why the beautiful people here in Hollywood are also the skinny people.

And if you’ve spent time on the University of Southern California campus, where my hotel is, you know damn well that your eating choices can seem limited.

In the middle of it all, I found 901 Bar and Grill. It hit the proverbial spot.

Locals call it the “Nine-0.” Daytime summertime crowds were very light, but the place gets busy on peak.

Three things about 901 sold me: it’s cheap, the menu is huge and the staff is hip, young and attentive.

I had the corn flake crusted chicken fingers ($8.95) and a small house salad ($3.95) and was full. They also have burgers, sandwiches, pasta, and decent looking pizza, which would be saying a lot in California.

This is a college bar, with several beers on tap. They also have a seven cheese mac-n-cheese ($7.95), which will please the munchie crowd.

This is exactly what I was looking for when I got to LA — a simple bar, with a few games on the television, and fresh food.

I’m still not eating french fries for the whole year, but the waitress was eating a heaping pile of waffle fries. They looked good.

I’m tasked with finding a unique nightlife angle/story/venue/happening for a print travel story. Any ideas or leads would be appreciated.

I’m looking for something off the beaten path. Maybe a local hangout or eclectic bar. Something fun that I can turn into a good read.

I’m flying Virgin America for the first time. You can’t beat the price. Round trip was under $200. The only catch is that everything costs extra. It was $15 to check one bag. Another $20ish for the Internet — though that’s well-worth it.

Television selection isn’t as good as Jet Blue, the airline I usually fly for long distance journeys because of low price and its 30+ channels. Virgin has 24 channels and a bunch of movies for an extra $8.

I did make one huge mistake booking the flight. I’m in FRONT of an exit row, and because of that my seat doesn’t recline. It’s been a cramped flight, especially after the woman in front of me leaned the seat all the way back.

Good flight so far with a little chop as we crossed the border to California. Now a little choppier. Not airsick yet, but up and down we go.