My LA stories

I'm writing this having arrived at the cozy abode of Tim and Camille in Carmel-by-the-Sea, after a postcard-picturesque trip up the Pacific Coast Highway. But more on that shortly.

I arrived in LA last Wednesday, happily reunited with old friends, and had the kind of quickly-deep, meaning-laden catch-up talks that make old friends such a joy. First, with my college buddy, Jennifer, which also gave me an opportunity to be happily acquainted with her joyful, quick-witted (like her mom) daughter, Claudia.


Soon after, Tony, one of my oldest friends in the world, and I met up, and began a series of "only in LA" experiences that rival any other visit I've paid to this complex metropolis full of creativity and contradictions. (I know many people aren't fond of LA, and while I could do without the insane traffic and car culture of the place, I've found so many pockets of vitality and met so many fascinating folks here, that I'm squarely on the other side, and happy to visit anytime I can.)

Consider my itinerary on my first full day in LA:

1. Relaxing breakfast at Chez Tony;
2. A stroll amid the street performers, beach combers, hawkers and tourists on the Venice Beach boardwalk.
3. A stroll through the sand and surf at Venice Beach.
4. Seeing Tortoise, one of my favorite bands, play an intimate free show in Hollywood at Amoeba Music, one of the largest, and coolest, independent record stores in the country.

5. Dinner al fresco in Burbank.

6. Seeing Pixar's latest masterpiece, Up, in stunning, transporting 3D (the new kind, which uses the polarity of light, not its color, to create the effect, which means you don't need red and blue lenses).

An amazing day (if one that left me a little sunburnt). That day in a week's stay by itself could make my visit special, but these kind of experiences just kept coming!

On Friday, I spent some time in Garfield Park with Jennifer and Claudia, followed by a personal tour of the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts (part of Tony's continued pitch to get me to apply for the Animation program, after our experience making Friction together).

And then, Tony's birthday party in his backyard with friends, lots of laughter and a very talented balloon artist who "just happened" to have her gear in her trunk. My personal favorite moment from the party was our solemn commitment to one another to adapt the line, "Your ego is writing checks your body can't cash" from Top Gun into everyday conversation over the coming week. (Apologies to all who have been on the receiving end of this commitment.)

Saturday, Tony, his girlfriend Tara and I caught a special screening of the Policeman's Secret Ball at the Paley Center for Media. This particular instance, Pleasure at Her Majesty's, was the documentary of a late-70s benefit performance for Amnesty International, featuring the Monty Python gang, Dame Edna and a number of other cutting-edge British comics. It gave me a strong appreciation for how documentary film has evolved (few audiences would enjoy the 45 minutes of disjointed rehearsal footage that comprised its "set up") and the staying power of great comedy. Next up, a visit to the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena especially for their small, if exuberant, Ganesha exhibit. Ganesha, a Hindu god with a memorable elephant head, is known as a remover of obstacles, which I think makes him beloved by many, and travelers in particular. The evening ended in a way that really could only happen in LA: an outdoor screening of The Night of the Iguana, shown against the side of a building in the Hollywood Forever cemetery, with viewers sprawled out on picnic blankets spread over the "lawn" of the cemetery. Totally unforgettable!


Sunday, my birthday, featured a visit to Alcove for a fantastic al fresco brunch in Los Feliz, a stop in a cool indie bookstore, Skylight Books, and some frisbee in Griffith Park. We returned to Tony's met up with Julie who rode up from San Diego, and then headed off for dinner, flamenco music and dancing at El Cid. (El Cid has been on my "one of these visits to LA" list for years, and it was fun to finally check it out.) After a quick stop for gelato, we made the last stop for the evening: The Pirate Burlesque show at the (pirate-themed) Redwoods Bar and Grill in downtown LA. An absolutely indelible experience, shared with some new friends we met at the show who were in town on some very sad, very important business and who helped make my birthday one of those "wow, people are really, really amazing" kind of experiences. The burlesque, bawdy talk and beer didn't hurt, either.


So, it's little wonder that I was sad to say goodbye to Tony and Tara and to leave LA. As Tony said when we left, there are lots of adventures that await us. Right he was! In my next post, more about the amazing ride up the Pacific Coast Highway and meeting up with Tim and Camille in Carmel-by-the-Sea, fast friends if ever there were.