7 posts tagged “around l.a.”

...on our hike in Long Beach.

Whale Wall

Umbrella on Beach

1 comment

Three Pigeons

1 comment

Bird House

Flowers

  We had more fun around the corner not too long after Austria...Dan and Jane came for their first visit to L.A. to celebrate their 10 year anniversary.  One of the first things Jane said she wanted to do while visiting was spot a celebrity.  Now, as you all know, I have many celebrity friends out here but none of them were available to chill with me and my posse this weekend.  So we'd have to see one the old fashioned way- stalking.

Jane, Dan and a Purple Haze Milkshake

  Our first stop for breakfast was the 101 Coffee Shop.  Anytime someone comes from out of town it's a great excuse for Tim and I to go to the 101.  We take everyone there.  That and the creme puff pastry place on Hollywood and Highland.  The 101 was featured on the movie Swingers, and Jane and Dan just happened to love Swingers when they were in high school.  I love the coffee and Tim loves the milkshakes.  I kept reminding Jane to keep her eyes peeled, we might "bump" into a celebrity at any moment.  Sometimes they pop out from behind mailboxes or jump out from bushes.  They are  tricky little buggers and you have to constantly be on your toes!

  So these kids were excited it was 10 degrees warmer in Los Angeles then in Oakland so the next stop was Venice Beach for a little photo session and fun in the sun.  Jane swears she spotted Sally Struthers driving by in her car and I spotted someone way across the beach walking their little French Bulldog.  I sprinted as fast as I could to get a picture of him, but I just didn't make it in time...au revoir my little Frenchie!           

Snake Man (a great shot by Jane!)

Sunset, Sailboat, Me, Jane, Random Man and Dan

Drama

  To keep along with the Swingers theme we went to the Dresden Room for some dirty martinis and a chance to see Marty and Elayne play some tunes.  Marty's like the Sinatra and Elayne jams away at her piano and sometimes plays the flute.  They're a swinging duo who have played at the Dresden since 1982.  After seeing them Jane was content with her celebrity sighting in Los Angeles.  And, for Dan we stopped in Silver Lake to see the wall that pays tribute to the late Elliot Smith which was also featured on one of his album covers, Figure 8.

Figure 8 Wall

 

  Tim and I hiked 5 miles today roundtrip in Topanga State Park.  Our midpoint stop was Parker Mesa Overlook which is at 1,200 ft  (yes my thighs were feeling it!)  It was hazy outside so it was a bit hard to see the Pacific Ocean down below as we hiked our way up and down, but you could still make out the Santa Monica Pier and a couple of sailboats from atop.  Here are a few things we saw on the way:

Pretty Mystery Flowers

Lovely Leaves

Not What I Wanted to See!

Tim's Camelback

Hawk Soaring

View of Beach and Ocean

Hey! Hey! Hey!

Driving on Mulholland

  Earlier today I was getting my new headshots done and I realized that I had forgotten my wallet at home.  It was pretty embarassing telling the photographer that, and I dreaded getting back on the 101 freeway to sit in traffic forever just to get it.  Luckily, Tim agreed to meet me halfway...so we pulled off at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and met at Gelson's Market (a grocery store) right off the busy main road.  Gelson's also has a little cafe attatched to the corner of it with patio tables and chairs for people to sit and eat there lunch outside.  There were a few people out there eating since it was around lunchtime, my stomach was certainly growling quite loudly at this time!  I was sitting in the car with Tim in the parking lot and all of a sudden we heard a huge CRASH!   A car had come careening off the main road and slammed right into the corner cafe!  It may be one of the most terrifying things I have witnessed.  Once again, it was something that seemed right out of a movie.  I didn't actually see anything up close, because I figured it would be too upsetting.  I was worried that someone got hit, someone who had been sitting down at one of the tables.  Sure enough this big crowd gathered around the car and all these people were screaming...someone had gotten hit and was underneath the car!  This someone had seconds ago been enjoying their afternoon lunch at a table outside a cafe with the idea of getting hit by a car being the last thing on their mind.

  I was defiantely shaken up and that's when I realized that I am SO THANKFUL for every minute I am safe and sound.  I am also SO THANKFUL for every minute my loved ones are safe and sound.  I know it sounds so cliche but we can't take any moment for granted because it could be over in an instant!   

  Living in Hollywood you would think it was a scene from a movie.  Or just another scene they were shooting for a movie since regularly you walk down the street and you see cameras and crew everywhere you go.  Just walking to the gym the other day I saw these three cops on motorcycles leading the way for a car scene that was being filmed.  There was the one car with actresses on a ramp being pulled by a truck with about twenty guys in it with all their  bulky camera equipment.  Obviously people are willing to go out of their way to get the perfect shot and you never know what is real or just plain theatrics as you walk around this city!!!  
  So last Saturday while working at the Bean I see a crowd of people on the corner of Sunset and Argyle looking out towards the Hollywood Hills.  About 95% of them had their cell phones pointed in that direction snapping shots with their camera phones. Obviously, I'm thinkng it must be another filming of a movie, maybe they are all seeing some famous actress or actor strutting their stuff down the street.  I go out to look and it turns out that the hills were on fire!!!  And, the first thing that comes to my mind is that they must be filming some big explosion scene up there!    Well, a BIG nuclear explosion scene with thick black clouds of smoke stretching across the clear blue sky!!!     Never had I seen a fire so huge!!!  I kept thinking that they were taking this one a little too far and it wasn't until I noticed the  helicopters flying over the smoke and pouring down buckets and buckets of water (or whatever it is that they would use in a case like this!) that it occured to me that this was a real fire! It looked as though the Hollywood sign was going to burn down and there were reports that the fire was going to spread down to the city. 
  Well, things weren't that bad and they reported that it was actually a minor fire compared to others. It also turns out two boys, ages 15 and 17, had started the fire while playing with fireworks.  Imagine their parents reaction!  Ha!

  You can check out some pix of the Hollywood Hills on fire at this site!

  On Saturday Tim decided to go to the box office of the Ahmanson Theater to see if her could get HOT TIX to see Edward Scissorhands.  They were nearly sold out but luckily he got two for only $20 each!  This British dude, Matthew Bourne, has made a ballet of Tim Burton's 1990 movie Edward Scissorhands.  It's one of my favorite movies so I was very excited to see the ballet.  It debuted in London and the whole London cast flew over to L.A. to perform it here.  So now I've decided that I want to be a ballerina!  ;)   

  Christmas Eve after attending church at 6 p.m. we headed over to Griffith Park to see the Festival of Lights.  It took us two hours to drive thru, but luckily they had Christmas tunes blaring to make us forget that we were sitting in a car forever.  Here is some pictures of our little baby X-mas tree.  And thank you for everyone for the Christmas cards!!!