We always have so much fun in LA with our friends Scott and Laurie Powell. I am always taken by how beautiful the surrounding mountains are. Scott and Laurie live in Pacific Palisades, which is in the northwestern end of LA. The Santa Monica mountains come right down to the ocean and make for a spectacular landscape of ocean and desert scenery. Each day we we went for a hike in the hills. Flowers were blooming along the trails and the smells were subtly intoxicating. I found my senses awakened to the old familiar feelings of the desert. Once again I was reminded that there is more to LA than swimming pools, movie stars, and oh yes, traffic. When we were flying in from Hawaii Kate commented that she had never seen so many cars in her life.
Since it was Kate's first visit to LA she needed to see some of the classic sights. So while Scott and Doug went to get our car from Matson Shipping in Long Beach, Laurie and I took Kate to Venice Beach. All I can say is that we were clearly not in Waimea, Hawaii anymore. For those who have not been to Venice Beach, you see everything from respectable artists selling their creations to the guy on roller skates wearing a turban while playing an electric guitar with an amp slung around his neck. He skates along jamming and singing and hoping to make a buck here and there. Apparently he is quite a fixture in VB and has been in a few films as representing the wacky essence of VB. Needless to say, we were there during the tame mid-day hours. Night-time is a very different story. We decided to spare Kate that view of life.
We also had to show her some of Hollywood. We drove from Pacific Palisades through Beverly Hills, walked down Rodeo Drive, and then drove on to Hollywood. We walked along the line of stars on Hollywood Blvd. It was especially cool when we got to see Scott's grandparent's stars - Dick Powell and Joan Blondell. Even cooler was seeing their signatures along with their hand and footprints in cement squares in front of the Chinese Manderin Theater. We were down there in the evening so a lot of interesting people were out. Kate just took it all in and thought it was really cool but crazy.
To balance West Hollywood, we went to the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades. Doug has always wanted to go there ever since we first went to LA. The museum was designed as a replica of a Roman villa and filled with J. Paul Getty's personal collection of Roman and Greek antiquities. We saw many restored statues of gods and goddesses, terracotta pots, jewelry, mosaics, and burial vessels. Additionally, the gardens and reflecting pool were just beautiful.
A highlight of our stay was going up to Scott's mother's house. In the almost 25 years we have been visiting Scott and Laurie in LA, we have been welcomed into her home for cocktails or to stay the night. Ann Traub's home is a lovely gentle place that sits high above the Getty Villa and the Pacific. The view up the coast is absolutely breathtaking. Kate has heard many stories about our times there so it was wonderful to finally show it to her. We also wanted her to meet Ann who is a wonderfully kind and generous woman. The evening was a treat.
Alas, we finally had to leave LA and begin our trek east.
- Jenny
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