I hadn’t been to this zoo in years. Like many, it was a shock to hear the initial reports of 4 massive tigers loose and roaming through the San Francisco Zoo. The information came fast and furious as it always does during breaking news and almost always the information changes. In this case I had just finished Christmas dinner when I noticed the light on my blackberry flashing. Both phones and the blackberry had not rang, but cell coverage in the hills above Calabasas is spotty at best.

Within minutes I was in my car, presents stuffed in the trunk and madly, but safely, making my way south to my home in the western part of Los Angeles. Our crew, producer Nora Zimmett and photographer Keith Railey, had spent the evening closer to LAX and had already made thier way to the gate. I stopped for what seemed like a second, but probably lasted about 5 minutes, grabbed my gear and was back in the car battling traffic. Of course there wasn’t just one accident, but two, and traffic on any night in the ‘City of Angels’ is never easy.

Airport lots were full and shuttles few and far between. I found a valet who had some space and then ran across LAX hoping to make the last flight. I have to say, LAX IS NOT pedestrian friendly. I had to zig zag back and forth across parking lots and down sidewalks and then double back to get to my airline and eventually the gate. Along the way, people movers weren’t working and escalators were broken; doesn’t it always work that way? In any case I got to the gate as my fellow passengers boarded. Keep Reading …