LAX

THE END

Thanks for reading.....CUT AND ROLL CREDITS!!!!!

EaRtHqUaKe! - 5.1

We’ll this is it. A trip to Los Angeles California would not be complete without experiencing an earthquake right? As we sit in LAX waiting for our flight (which has now been delayed), we get hit with 2 Earthquakes. One is 3.4 and the other was 5.1! The epicentre is in Orange County and only 20 miles away.

This was our first experience. It kind of freaked me out. This was the biggest in 20 years in the LA area. The second floor of the airport was shaking,  and as I looked out the window I was wondering if this could somehow effect the planes that are connected to the airport. More than 100 after shock tremors occurred Saturday morning. Could the "big one"  be getting closer!

By this time we were safely in the air.

CNN EARTHQUAKE

LAST CALL IN CALI

This is the hottest day yet and it’s or last day. 78 Degrees in Hollywood,  and full on SUN!…The rag is down for most of the day.  Since this is the weekend,  tourists have poured in from all over the world. Working in downtown Toronto, I see the same thing happen there too. Traffic is brutal. After a week ripp'in around town, I’ve actually picked up some short cuts to avoid the traffic. One final drive through Beverly Hills and down Beverly Drive. We stop at a traffic light and I look to my left. There is the beautiful Sandra Bullock putting change in the parking meter. Good to see she’s still grounded, and not using Valet. BTW…Valet is everywhere in this town. Cheesy strip malls in prime locations, quickly turn into red roped Valet parking at night. It’s a whole industry on it’s own.

The Heroine does some last minute shopping on Hollywood Blvd (Rodeo Drive is above our pay scale)….and I head over to the largest independent record store in the world. It’s the size of Honest Ed’s and called Amoeba. They have artwork, apparel, collectables,  records, CD/DVD….everything!. They also have a stage for nightly free shows while you shop for wax. (http://www.amoeba.com). Park for free in the basement (a very rare privilege in LA) and take the elevator up to the store.


Here's the top of our street we called home for a week (Sierra Bonita Ave and Sunset Blvd)
This is a picture looking down from  Runyon Canyon

 

TOP DOWN TO BEVERLY HILLS

WATCH VIDEO OF US IN BEVERLY HILLS HERE

Laural Canyon General Store

Half way up Laural Canyon Rd, there is a cool all original General Store (Canyon Country Store). I can't help but wonder if the "Ladies of Laural Canyon" purchased their Cali wine here.

We stop for Cherry Cola.

VIPER

MY ELYSIAN...rockin the Viper room

VEINCE BEACH

8:30 AM THURSDAY…the latest I’ve slept all week. The pool is calm and quite,  surrounded by a jungle of flora. This is the Sunset Marquis.

"Incredible " ..I’m thinking as I stand on the rail of the patio!

The sun is the strongest it’s been all week. It creeps over the Hollywood Hills and shines it’s spot light down onto a 50 foot palm tree beside the pool. The warm heat from the new sun is casting rays on the cold morning shadows. Can this be an indication that today is going to be the best day yet (weather wise).  For a moment I feel like a king in the valley of angels.  Coffee?

I look down on a few hard workers. They are air spraying white paint , on the exterior of the Marquis. A spit shine and touch up, for the world’s elite,  that will come here in droves in the coming months. BUT NOW IT’S CHECK OUT TIME. ADOIS  AND TILL NEXT TIME BABY. WONDERFUL TIME @ SM!  SEE YA!

So now I’m thinking. One last coastal beach before we head home the next day. Off to Venice Beach and home to the original Muscle Beach. We drive all the way down Fairfax to  Vience Blvd. Turn right and slam into classic LA traffic. You know that image of traffic we’ve all seen on TV regarding L.A.???  That’s the one baby! It’s real!  PURE GRINDLOCK….….Standstill time. The top is down, but now The Machine is grounded. I kind of feel like an idoit now with the rag down.  But I look over,  and there are cars worth 4 times my salary in the same situation.

I look up at the bus window beside me…” HEY…ISN'T THAT THE MOHAWK PUNKER I TALKED TO AT THE WHISKEY LAST NIGHT???…..IT IS!!!"….(life is too weird sometimes)

What should be 20 minutes to the Pacific shores of Venice Beach…it's now looking like 5 minutes a block. 1 hour later we arrive in Venice Beach. Home to every freak within a 100 file radius of the Hollywood sign. This place is crazy loco!   DAMN..and now I think I have sun burn from the traffic jam! I'm starting feel torn and frayed from this trip. It's sinking in...I may need a holiday from the holiday!

"Snap out of it man!...You'll get plenty of rest when your dead."

We end the night at the Viper Room for a stiff drink and some live music. Just in time

PULP FICTION

 

THE WOLF: "If I am curt with you it is because time is of the essence, so pretty please, with sugar on top. Clean the fucking car."

ROCK AGAINST MS

A fund raiser for Multiple Scerosis
 - It's an inflammatory disease effecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

ROCK AGAINST MS

WITH
ROBIE KRUGER ( The Doors)
LITA FORD
LITTLE STEVEN
GILBY CLARK
CHERIE CURRIE
GREAT WHITE

So we went to see a show and help raise money for a good cause. All proceeds including door and booze went directly to help raise money toward research on multiple sclerosis.

Lita Ford was given the Certified Guitar Player award from Guitar Player Magazine making her the the first woman rock guitar player, to be honored by Guitar Player Magazine.  It was a rare night to see the ladies of The Runaways sing cuts like "Cherry Bomb" and " Kiss me deadly"

...and to top that off......to see L.A born, Robby Krieger (Guitar Player from the Doors) play where the Doors cut their teeth,  well that was just too cool. The new singer for The Doors is uncanny. He looks and sounds just like Jim Morrison. Kindda freaky actually.  As I looked at the shrine of Jim paintings on the wall at  the Whiskey I  looked back to the stage...It got chillingly weird there for just a second. ...

Chris Robinson was standing on the sidewalk out front,  when we walked out....( oh so the Heroine says, but I missed it)   Another great night in Hollywood California. Old classic LA rock!

I CAN"T GETHIS SONG OUT OF MY MIND!

Hey street boy what's your style
Your dead end dreams don't make you smile
I'll give ya something to live for
Have ya, grab ya til your sore

Hello Daddy, hello Mom
I'm your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb
Hello world I'm your wild girl
I'm your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb

THE SUNSET MARQUIS

So if you don’t already know. This trip to Cali, is a passage of life for me. 1, 820 times... I will spin around the sun. And as part of this achievement, the Heroine is getting the Director,  a room at the coolest joint in West Hollywood…..The  Sunset Marquis! ( A pseudo birthday party for me with the wife) This place is HEAVY ROCKSTAR COOL!!…probably the best hotel I’ve ever stayed at. This is where the music stars hide when in town. It wouldn’t be uncommon to see Steve Tyler walk by. I won’t go into all the history and crazy stories, or the  descriptive imagery of the grounds,  and all the vintage black and white rockstar artwork everywhere. Or the Morrison Hotel Gallery of Fine Art Music Photography in the hotel.  I’ll just say…they have a recording studio on site, and very cool lounge areas nestled everywhere... and the service is OFF THE WALL!!! They comped me a bottle of champagne and birthday cheesecake,  and gave us room with a huge patio over looking one of the two pools. The lounge bar had one of the best music mixes I’ve ever herd this week in LA….the whole night was epic. I really felt the magical Hollywood vibe here. We will be back…. I hope….and this was just the beginning

 …off to the Whisky A Go Go tonight for the ROCK AGAINST MS ...fund raiser!

MULHOLLAND DRIVE

 I’ve been wanting to execute this drive for years. It’s one of the best known scenic roads in the United States. Full of history and danger. The ragtop goes down, and up to the hills we roll. We jump on at Highway 405 & Skirtball Road and undertake the drive east!  The 21-mile long  two-lane, follows the ridgeline of the eastern Santa Monica Mountains and the Hollywood Hills, crossing Beverly Glen, Coldwater Cayon and Laurel Canyon and popping out near the Hollywood Bowl.  The road offers daring and dramatic views of the Los Angeles Basin, the San Fernado Valley and the Hollywood Sign. We also drove past JAck’s house once owned by Brando. (Or should I say Houses) Jack owns 4 houses side by each,  on prime Mulholland. This drive is a MUST if you are ever here. My only regret is we won’t be able to watch the sunset from up here. (we’re running out of time). The night views are staggering. But apparently the road is closed in the evening.  Dead Mans Curve everywhere!  I felt a little sick a few times coming around corners, and that's during the day. Keep my eyes on the road. You never know when a Lamborghini will come ripping around a corner. Great time!

PLAYBOY

On the way up to the  hills,  we drive by Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion. Not much to see other than an iron gate and some limo oil jizz in the driveway...... NEXT....on to Mulholland Drive we go!!!

Marilyn Monroe

WEDNESDAY
The sun is out on sunset first thing in the morning. A last minute diversion after coffee at Swingers, takes us to the grave sites of Marilyn Monroe and Rodney Dangerfield.  We have a rare photo blown up in our living room. It was a shot taken a few weeks before she died. The photo has a red “X" through the picture,  because Monroe didn’t approve. But we loved it and had it framed. So the visit was unavoidable considering.
On Rodney’s stone it reads, “ There goes the neighbourhood”.

Dangerfield on Carson:
DANGERFIELD

Santa Monica Beach

Social Distortion - Winners and Losers

Social Distortion hail from Orange County....

SOCIAL DISTORTION - (from Orange County)

SUNSET

ORANGE COUNTY

HUNTINGTON BEACH PIER

CARLSBAD

OCEANSIDE

LAGUNA BEACH

LA JOLLA

LA JOLLA

SAN DIEGO

TUESDAY
 These mornings are overcast or rainy, with the sun breaking out in the afternoon. So... no top down in the sun this Tuesday.

I-5 South takes us screamin out of Los Angeles and  down to San Diego in the misty rain lickety split. The plan is to double back on the Coast Highway. I’ve always wanted to  do the drive up the coast along Pacific Coast Highway (HWY 1).   Drive up through all those legendary beach cities to San Fran. Well... we won’t make it San Fran this trip, but here’s some pictures from Torrey Pines to Huntington Beach.

We start in La Jolla  with some of the most beautiful coastlines in the USA. ( I could live here). The Heroine can't get over the fact, that we are only a taco's  throw to the Mexican Border too.  I just realized. We are the farthest from home we'll be on this trip at this point.

We then pick up the Pacific Coast Highway  in Dana Point in Orange County...... where the "All American Road " ... begins!

- LA JOLLA ( Torry Pines San Diego)

PATIO

4 floors down below our patio,  is the fire house of the  brave men of LA. The Los Angeles Fire Dept....Every now and then, we hear the sirens......but hey....that's totally fine with me!....because if we ever have an earth quake here,  we can just SHOUT  down to pass up the latter.

( BTW - why is the Herione spending so much time out there?)

LAZY MONDY

Off to downtown Los Angeles and into the The Fashion District. Past the the business district and into  Santee Alley.  A heavily populated "back alley" shopping path . We park on Maple . This alley is notorious for being home to a large concentration of counterfeiters trying to sell a variety of faux designer goods, ripped DVDs, and other stolen or bootleg items. I’ve never been to Tijuana Mexico, but why do I get the feeling that this is what is must look like. The Fashion District spans 90 blocks and is the hub of the apparel industry on the West Coast of the United States.  But in Santee Alley, there are probably millions of dollars worth of fake products from Tiffany’s to Converse …we walk back to The Machine…. but with not one shopping bag in our hands.


A little over cast this morning, so we head to the museum. Not your average museum to say the least. “The Museum of Death”… (http://www.museumofdeath.net/). After walking out of there a little shocked and sideways, I’m thinking let’s do something really really really normal okay?  Agreed!

The LA sun finally popped out for the rest of the day, so we we parked the car for good,  and spent the rest of the afternoon on the patio. In the sun. We did nothing. Just  watched the world go by. One of life’s treasured moments. (Patio People Watching)…but in this case….we were the monkey’s in the zoo. The procession of convertible vans with "star seekers” would slow down and look at us on the patio with there pocket cams pointed. Convoys!. It never stoped. This is really weird!…..do they think I'm LA Talent with an LA model???

 “ Look man... I’m NOT freakin Danny McBride with Ray Bans..okay!!!"

Ann Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman

REALITY

Back to reality….we drive home to the ranch on Sunset Blvd.  Feel the sun go down another night. Rest our bones. But for only a short time. It’s still Sunday. That can only mean one thing now. Escape to the movies at the vintage  Vista Theatre located right in the heart of Tinseltown. This is how to see a movie. No commercials. The largest leg room I’ve ever had. And in a radiant vintage movie house with spender Egyptian decor. The screening is The Grand Budapest Hotel…What an experience! We need more movie house like this. CUT TO CANTERS

We head to Canters  for some classic late night Jewish deli. Opened in 1931, on Fairfax near West Hollywood. Not far from home.  It has been frequented by the stars and celebrities. SLASH from G&R grew up with one of the sons,  and actually worked and played here.  Canters has a bar called The Kibitz Room next door with live bands. Tonight it's the Sunday Night Jam. What a freak show!....Thank You Canters, but I think it's really time the freak show ends, and I go to bed now. FADE TO BLACK

MAPS TO THE STARS

From Malibu, we head to Beverly Hills.  The Heroine wants to see what all the fuss is about. But we start the drive, were Sunset Blvd ends. At the Pacific Ocean & Sunset. We take Sunset up into the hills and wind through Brentwood and into Beverly Hills. We  accidentally bump into a  “Map to the Stars” sales woman on the side of the road.  I think what the hell. "When in Rome right”? ... I buy the map and the lady leans into the window and points over to the driveway,  “ Right here is the house where Elvis lived and where Michael Jackson died” I’m thinking to myself, “ Ya right lady, you got the sale... just give me my damn map please.”   But just then…like one after another.  10 person convertible vans with tourists,  are pulling up beside THE MACHINE. They slowly drive by this mansion on the hill. Well... I guess the ex - heroine,  botox collision sales woman was right?…go figure! Like people feeding the monkey at the zoo, they gaze at houses. It’s weird, but I find myself slightly interested too. I have no idea why.  I must say that this part of LA is truly “elegant". On another planet “elegant”….CRAZY MONEY “elegant"….vintage money elegant….but grand none the less!…

ZUMA BEACH

ACTION!
Fuelled up  and slightly energized…time to head to Zuma Beach up the coast. The ragtop is humming and she’s ready to race any Maclean seen on the road. Goodluck with that. The sun is full on, and Malibu is just far enough to stretch the tires on the Pacific ocean coast line. We spend time chilling at breezy Zuma....now I'm starting to feel Cali!....it's still only Sunday

THE HEROINES

The Lobster. Yes that’s right. It's the name of the restaurant. It’s located just as you are about to step onto the Santa Monica peer. But at this point, I’m sick of walking. The Heroine is now complaining that she has blisters on her skinny little toes. The director’s hang over,  is a full blown raging lion gone mad,  and a greasy burger and a cold pint is the only thing that will sedate the monster. There’s no place better……. "THE LOBSTER…REALLY????  YES!...The Lobster I say!

We step inside, and into the luxury of a $15 dollar burger at a freakin Lobster Joint.  We look at each other. No turning back now. The director requests a table with a view. Placed in the best seat in the house,  we can gaze out to the ocean and watch the merry go round and farris wheel on the pier. Very dreamy and hypnotically distracting. Stay focused man!!…you need food!!  Celebrity sightings is much like fishing. You have to put your line in the water and you'll never know what you’ll catch. But this time I was reeling in the mother fish. The LA gourmet burgers arrive. The frosty mug of red amber ale,  has now slayed the lion. I look up and over the shoulder of the Heroine. "DAMN BABY!…is that….????”  YES IT IS!….it’s the ex wife of my favourite classic actor JACK.  (The actor who’s wearing the football helmut on the motorcycle in the video posted below)

…It’s Angelica Huston…..she’s sitting next to us, but I’ll bet she dosnt have a hangover. The Heroine, (and now the other more tired looking Heroine)  smile pleasantly at each other as they pass  in the isle on the way to the lavatory. …CUT TO THE MACHINE

SANTA MONICA SUNDAY