Cali 07 I: Sooo, So-Cal

Almost didn't make the flight out of MKE because of overbooking and fog but a large family negotiated a sweet deal for themselves and six of the bumped made it to sunny LA by mid-afternoon on the 23rd. Checked into our lux Japanese digs (found way cheap on line) in lax's Little Tokyo and were in moments planted in front of a sushi conveyor belt next to a Taiwanese filmmaker who was quite the chatterbox. Fun, because he could explain all the types of rolls, etc.. as well as riff on Wong Kar Wai (yeah I pulled out my light artillery early) and any other filmmaker known by the art house Eastsiders of Milwaukee.

After that salvo off to Hollywood which was packed mostly with Latino families out for some last minute shopping. Kind of like Roc-a-fella (Kanye West's Graduation is our soundtrack for this trip) Center but only for two blocks and warm. Wandered into a marvelous bistro,
Cheebo, on Sunset and had some Manila clams with a white sauce and beans that I still dream about. Continued to walk over to West Hollywood and eventually parked at La Boheme, yes it is VERY LA. The barkeep and the one next store warmed to us very quickly and even gave us wine which had been sent back (the table sent back two bottles by the way-$80 a pop!) which was fine by our, all the staff partook, vulgar proletarian pallets. French Bordeaux by the way, dry but with flavors of KISS MY ASS! Why exactly did these people send back two bottles of wine? Because they could. Just awful, but a real LA moment indeed. The staff loved it, it gave them a chance to spit in their entres, kidding, am I? Take a look at the gallery of this place on the website. I think there were at least six crystal chandaliers, and half were red! This under a ceiling of massive exposed beams and bronze statues galore. Quite the modest gin mill. After the cab ride home, the cabbie was a Russian nostaligic for the USSR but who in the same breath gloried in the opulence and opportunity of LA, we gorged with udon in a packed Japanese noodle house very late. All on the first night.

Day 2: Santa Monica/Venice and the Blustery Santa Anna’s*



Our second day took us west to the booshie burg along the Pacific, Santa Monica. No slum indeed. Had breakfast and then shopped a little, rented bikes and cruised the pier and Venice Beach. Took a break around 1 at the beer garden in Venice and Ann catches, not out of the corner of her eye, because once you notice this bit there are no glances, a truck load of Venice culture: a massive white dude with spiked white hair dressed all in black speedily cruising on a large skateboard with a orangeish brown Pomeranian in a harness that he periodically whips into the air whereby the dog gracefully lands on his right arm seemingly guiding the large human which it now seems he commands. I began to write about the creature (the dog-Austin) but was reading the American Kennel Club’s notes on appearance of the breed, which do Austin, and the toy group, more justice:

“His heavily plumed tail is set high and lies flat on his back. He is alert in character, exhibits intelligence in expression, is buoyant in deportment, and is inquisitive by nature. The Pomeranian is cocky, commanding, and animated as he gaits. He is sound in composition and action.”



Cocky indeed! (see above picture)

It turns out, Johnny (our intrepid spiked boarder) chooses to sit with us for a beer and let us say, Johnny is no introvert. Johnny has lived in his short 38 years: as a child of New Orleans he has mom issues, drove a yellow Extera in the general Cancun area as a music and event coordinator, house sits in the Malibu area, fell in love with a 17 year old named London a few years ago, works periodically for the Ginzu knife folks at state fairs’ and such-yes he made it to the Wisconsin state fair this summer which he mentioned did not have, the let us say, the most svelte of participants-and a Pomeranian stud manager among other professions! Johnny was a trip to say the least and delayed our ETD to Fresno by a few hours because Johnny liked to talk, was really interesting and he really liked to talk.





The next few hours of day 2 took us to Fresno AKA the Alabama of California. The drive there is amazing as you leave LA going north. The mountains and into the valley leave one without words although Johnny said about them………..

*Not sure if the one’s we experienced were the Santa Anna’s but they sure were blustery!



Christmas day found us at Loretta’s home-a dear friend of Mary and Paul’s who teaches Women’s Studies at Fresno State-for a vegetarian feast which included lots of different mushrooms, a tofurkey, seitan, assorted roots and tubers and enough desert to fill the space that fills Johnny’s ego (see day 2). Loretta graciously invited us to dinner which we shared with her older brother Mike and sister Kathy who are from San Francisco and Los Angeles respectively. Really a fun day that included readings from “Masques of Gold” one of, if not the greatest romance novel of all time, a rousing rendition of “God Bless America,” I think it was as close to the Ethel Merman version that has ever been reproduced in any part of southeastern Fresno, a more subdued but inspirational singing of “This Land is Your Land,” lots of tasteful comedy and the newly created ritual, the weighing of the Kifli (see photo). Really a fun Christmas day, we missed our families but we were treated as if we were of. Thanks to the Kensingers, and particularly Loretta, for sharing the holiday with us.