« December 2005 | Main | April 2006 »
January 06, 2006
The Standard Hotel, Hollywood
"Sitting up on the bed, it was one of those unexpected moments when the whirl of thoughts stops suddenly, a warm feeling of happiness invades the body. An unannounced grasp of the randomness of life.
It was dawn. His peaceful, rhythmic breathing was the only sound in the bedroom. The pale light coming from the window sharpened the contrast between his skin and the white sheets. Dreaming of distant galaxies, of imaginary cities, of lost books and unsolvable puzzles. Of chocolates. Curling up under his arm, she saw a tiny raven, black as the night, escaping from his hair."
- found on a torn piece of paper in the bottom of my backpack.
Posted by claudia Permalink
January 04, 2006
Survivor
There's nothing like starting the year in the middle of a natural disaster. More exactly in the middle of the California floods. Even more exactly, trapped in a motel in Ukiah zapping between a Twilight Zone Marathon on Sci-Fi, "The Blues Brothers" on Comedy Central and VH1's "I love the 70's". Water everywhere, roads closed. And I thought this kind of thing only happened on Hollywood movies.
++++
So much to blog about, so lilttle time:
Los Angeles. Hollywood. Plates of Gargantuan proportions on a breakfast place where the waiter kept calling me sweetie.
(The triple threat - perfect for anyone carrying gallbladder stones, isn't it?)
The place is called the Saddle Ranch on Sunset Boulevard. A texan inspired restaurant (mechanical bull included) with an outdoor patio. Sitting outdoors, I was puzzled by how every tour van would slow down while passing in front. It turns out that it used to be the Thunder Roadhouse Cafe, opened by "Easy Riders" Dennis Hopper & Peter Fonda. And that makes it a tourist sight, obviously.
++++
Big Sur and how I didn't get to visit the Henry Miller Library because of three clocks set to three different time zones, none of which was the proper one;
++++
My very first stay on a nudist hot springs resort north of San Francisco (yes, it was cold, it's winter down there too). Before being evacuated to
++++
Of course it is. Apparently, Christmas is the perfect time to get a new vibrator in San Francisco.
++++
Dinner in bed at the Supper Club in SF and meeting a woman who has been a standup comedian, a professional scrabble player, a sitcom writer (including some episodes for Sex and the City) and is now a "Namer". She names stuff. Like products or companies.
++++
Too much time waiting for a connecting flight in Amsterdam. Hopped on a train and made the mandatory visit to the red light district. It's becoming a tradition for me to be offered coke by sleazy men and invited in by hookers from behind their windows.
Irene accepts major credit cards and publicizes her specialty buy hanging a bullwhip on her window.
+++++
VH1's "I love the 70's" showing a bit of an episode of a sitcom I had never watched:
Obese Kid character: "Don't make fun of me! Being fat runs in the family!"
Skinny Kid character: "No one runs in your family."
+++++
And much, much more.
Posted by claudia Permalink