Hills, Mountains, Friends and Relations

I suppose we've been too busy to add to the blog since Sunday, but it's true. Of course, we have not had internet access from our laptop either, but that could have been solved. Let's just say we've been busy.

We came to Los Angeles to see friends and family, and that is what we've done. Our hosts, Tim and Denny, whom we have known now for 18 years, have been their normal excellent company at their Richard Neutra house on Mt Olympus in the Hollywood Hills. One is a psychologist, the other an emergency room physician, and lead busy lives. The conversation, of course, flows without end or pause, from politics to business to retirement to whatever.

We managed visits with cousins Behney and Elyse, including their two daughters and four grandchildren, in Westlake near 1000 Oaks, Barbara and Steve at Greenblatts Deli on Sunset, Bill from days with Senator McIntyre, and the hills and the ocean.

Los Angeles' weather has been perfect. Today is in the mid 80s. There has been no rain to dampen our spirits. The food has been definitely up to spec. The first night, Monday, we went to one of the local gay bistros, Basix on Santa Monica. Excellent turkey meatloaf and endive-spinach salad. The wine, a Rhone style from Paso Robles, was excellent. Monday morning we went to the Getty Villa for a tour of the reconstruction of a Herculaneum villa with an excellent docent.
Then we lunched at Moonshadows on the PCH in Malibu, eating a cobb salad for John and tuna tartare for Ben, followed by dinner of home-made tortillas at Behney and Elyse's with their daughters, Laurie and Michelle and their grandchildren. A long lovely afternoon.

Tuesday, after cappucino with Ben's old classmate Tom and his husband Juan, we headed downtown to see the Disney Music Center. We had had a late lunch at Soot Bull Jeeep, our first time with Korean style barbecued large marinated squid and freshly sliced tongue. Just excellent, cooked on an open grille in the center of the table, and served with several different types of kim chee and salads. The Gehry designed Music Center is an extravagant group of circles and planes intersecting to create his signature style. Completely different from the disappointing Roman Catholic cathedral which reminded John of an overgrown Baptist church in its rugged simplicity.

Add dinner to complete the day at Cafe La Boheme with old friend Bill last night—excellent lobster crepe and a lovely caesar's salad and more Rhone style red. Despite being in the middle of West Hollywood the restaurant was surprisingly straight. Lunch today of excellent pastrami for John and lox for Ben with cousin Barbara and Steve on Sunset Boulevard, served by waitress Emily, shiksa number 1. John of course is shagutz number 1.

We finished the day with dinner at Pace half way up Laurel Canyon, a lovely little Italian restaurant where John had pizza and Ben had pasta. It's also a place to ogle the stars who come there to eat. Denny was our star-gazer and found Zach Braff for us...he was the lead resident doctor in Scrubs. Fun. Can we promise a congressman or two when they come to DC. Thursday it's off north to San Simeon.