SoCal Sojourn So Fun

Beauty and the beach

I am so lucky to have a Southern California vacation sandwich, with Judy in Beverly Hills and the Beisers in La Jolla.  I can take a bite at anytime, and in November I get particularly hungry. Usually I barrel down the freeway without stopping. But this time I chose to see what's in between with visits to  Newport Beach and Oceanside. Again, why don't I live there? 

Bunny rice lunch for Marlowe in a bento box

The big news at the Zimbert house is a beautiful granddaughter named Marlowe. She and Max and Kristina live in Laurel Canyon, another place I had never been. As groovy as advertised. Staying at Judy's is always a delight.  “My bedroom” on the second floor, is bright and spacious, with an East facing window where I can see the sun come up. I’ve got my big bed, big screen TV, big bathroom furnished with a kimono from Japan. They had a new coffee maker called Bruvi which offers options of “extra hot” and "extra strong." Brilliant! 

Beverly Crest

Morning walks in their hilly neighborhood are extraordinary. The weather is always perfect. The houses, the hedges, the gates, the work crew of hundreds transforming the Warner Mansion into Jeff Bezos’ dream house. God knows what's going on in there…maybe a small Amazon warehouse to keep the raw sound of capitalism nearby? The luxury car of choice by people who can make any choice is the Tesla. People with private planes, second homes, and great wealth are doing what they can do protect the environment. 

Talk about manicured landscapes Beverly Hills

Having lived in Washington DC so long, I am sort of museum minded and wanted to see the new Academy Museum. The museum restaurant Fanny's (Fanny Brice) had some of the best fries in the business with an espelette aioli sauce, and a Caesar salad with green chili dressing with a bold display of anchovy filets. The museum was spacious and modern, with a room dedicated to Casablanca (including the piano that Sam played (but did not really play), a room on the Godfather, and a room for Alice Varda. The exhibits break down cinematic structure, image, sound, performance, animation, and effects. I am not much on musty costume displays, but I loved seeing the Edward Scissorhands costume. 

The Pope of Trash

But the topper was the whopper, an entire floor dedicated to John Waters  (now through August 4, 2024). You are immediately greeted with a best-of reel, reminding us of the greatness of Miss Edie as the egg lady, and Divine eating the doo-doo in Pink Flamingos. 

The electric chair from Female Trouble

At the end of Mary's street, Newport Beach

My lucky friend Mary Keenan lives just two blocks away from the ocean in Newport Beach. We strolled along the boardwalk and she showed me the famous Blackie's bar. She knows everyone, she is kind of like Mayor Mary. I met Mary at Darr's high school reunion and claimed her as my own. We grew up in Tucson at the same time, drank at the same bars, went to the same restaurants, but didn’t meet until 40 years later. We ate breakfast at Malarky’s. No malarky. 

 

La Jolla casita

Mermaid guest room

Heavenly La Jolla, talk about feeling at home. I have been going to the Beiser house for 49 years. “Our room” has shape shifted a few times but right now it is covered in mermaids, a veritable fin-land.  I know every inch of the area. No trip there is complete without fish tacos from Rubios; I also had a deconstructed gyro sandwich (gyro plate) at Cafe Athena. 

Ross and Jacquie

I went to another beautiful coastal town, Oceanside for a first-time meeting with my half brother Ross. We ate salty snacks at Pacific Coast Spirits and caught up on our lives.  Oceanside is famous for its surfing which Ross has been doing since he was 13.

I am eternally grateful to my friends and family for being so geographically desirable.

My niece Lisa