JIA-CHI

Pee-Wee: There’s a lotta things about me you don’t know anything about, Dottie. Things you wouldn’t understand. Things you couldn’t understand. Things you shouldn’t understand.

Dottie: I don’t understand.

Pee-Wee: You don’t wanna get mixed up with a guy like me. I’m a loner, Dottie. A rebel. So long, Dott.

No better sign that Summer is arriving in Los Angeles than outdoor movie screenings and concerts.  Oh, and hillside hot tub parties.

Brunch at Jill & Justice’s _ Miracle Mile

Good buddy, Yuji Sakuma, spent a week in LA with me.  Vacationing from London (aka taking a holiday), Yuji wanted to see the other side of LA.  So I took him to Joshua Tree, to a Valentine’s Day party at a Victorian House in Eagle Rock, and to Chinatown / Artist’s District.  On his final day in LA, good buddies Jill and Justice threw a brunch for Yuji.

Piano Sundays @ MJ’s _ Silver Lake

Following brunch, I brought Yuji to a weekly event which I had never attended: Piano Sundays at MJ’s.  In fact, I had never been to MJ’s at all.  MJ’s is gay bar in Silver Lake which usually features gogo boys, speedos and house music.  So I was surprised when I met Kevin Beatty, and he told me he hosted a weekly piano bar afternoon at MJ’s, but fashioned the interior after the 1940’s Cocoanut Grove at the now demolished Ambassador Hotel.  He wasn’t kidding.  Not only were there palm trees and a piano inside the gay bar, but there were also amazing acts playing.  Such as famed jazz pianist Betty Bryant.  And since Piano Sundays is an open mic event, anyone from the audience (mostly an older but enthusiastic crowd; picture the grandparents you wish you had) could take the stage.  Another reason why I love LA.

The Winter Solstice. Not only the shortest day of the year, but also the traditional time when the majority of wine and beer made during the fall was finally fermented and ready for drinking.  The reversal of the Sun’s ebbing presence also symbolized a new beginning, the rebirth of the sun gods.

In honor of the Winter Solstice, I hosted a Bruce’s Buddies Supper Social.  And with the eminent Mayan Apocalypse fast approaching, I suggested a white-elephant gift exchange.  Kelly [happily] ended up with a box of Nerds.

Decided to watch the fly-over of the Endeavour Space Shuttle from the Benton Way / 101 Freeway overpass.  Little did i know that I would be much more intrigued and fascinated by all of the other people who were also on the overpass with me, and what lengths they went to catching a photo like climbing on the railing.  Once in a lifetime. 

An office outing for Meyer & Allen Associates.  Led by Travis Tarr, we ascended the steps and red car right-of-way paths through the hills of Silver Lake.

Loma Vista Staircase.

Corralitas Red Car Property.

We ended the hike with a picnic in the the Meadow.  Travis made all the food for the picnic, which included Arnold Palmer, 6 sandwiches, 2 salads, 2 fruit salads, and ice.  Who brings ice to a picnic?  Travis does.

Then biked to Downtown LA for Avishay’s birthday picnic at the new Grand Park.  I’ve never seen “(500) Days of Summer”, but there is suppose to be this scene where Joseph Gordon Lovin’ is dancing around a huge fountain.  That fountain and surrounding park have been under renovation/remodeling for the past 2 years by Rios Clementi Hale Studios, and finally opened up its west portion to the public.  Grand Park will stretch from the Music Center to City Hall.

The park is dotted with these bright pink benches and picnic tables, which are mostly all movable, easily able to be reconfigured according to the users of the park.  I suppose they are also difficult to not spot if a thief was to carry them away from the park, down the sidewalk in downtown LA.  ”Where did you get that hot pink bench?” “Home Depot.” “Liar.”

To kick off the opening, the park featured a couple of local bands.  Here is Fools Gold, being handed a piece of paper by Avishay’s dad which read  ”Happy Birthday, Avishay”.  Best dad ever.

And then Avishay’s dad led us in raising the roof while dancing.

The project also modernized the amazing Arthur J. Mill Fountain, which now features new lighting, synchronized water show, and a “splash-zone”.  

Then walked over to the California State Historic Park for the annual Renegade Craft Fair.  Good buddies Genevieve Santos and Faheema Chaudhury were hustlin’.

Ended the day with a Red Line rail ride and bike ride to Vermont and Sunset, just in time for the sunset gleaming off of the Bullocks Wilshire Building.

First, it was India.  This time, she’s going to Boston for Graduate School.  Spent the day at the Silver Lake Meadow.

We played a fun game of charades in honor of times past.  Estefania had to act out Monica Lewinksy.  She didn’t do too well.

Beverly Blvd., on the way to Mapo.

Lights-Off after-party at Jon Rogers’ and Cole Stephenson’s in Echo Park.  We were being obnoxious, according to the downstairs neighbor.  Yikes.

The Silver Lake Picture Show is a new community group that puts on public outdoor movie screenings.  They’ve taken over the Sunset Triangle Plaza this summer for movie screenings themed around Los Angeles.  The inaugural movie was my favorite Who Framed Roger Rabbit w/ Victoria Vu, Cole Stephenson, and Donald-Bradley Urquidez.

Eddie Valiant: You crazy rabbit! I’m out there risking my neck for you, and what are you doing? Singing and dancing! 
Roger Rabbit: But I’m a toon. Toons are supposed to make people laugh. 
Eddie Valiant: Sit down! 
Roger Rabbit: You don’t understand. Those people needed to laugh. 
Eddie Valiant: Then when they’re done laughing, they’ll call the cops. That guy Angelo would rat on you for a nickel. 
Roger Rabbit: Not Angelo. He’d never turn me in. 
Eddie Valiant: Why? Because you made him laugh? 
Roger Rabbit: That’s right! A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it’s the only weapon we have. 

Doom: Several months ago I had the good providence to stumble upon this plan of the city council’s. A construction plan of epic proportions. They’re calling it a freeway.
Eddie: Freeway? What the hell’s a freeway?
Doom: Eight lanes of shimmering cement running from here to Pasadena. Smooth, safe, fast. Traffic jams will be a thing of the past.
Eddie: So that’s why you killed Acme and Maroon? For this freeway? I don’t get it.
Doom: Of course not. You lack vision. I see a place where people get on and off the freeway. On and off, off and on, all day, all night. Soon, where Toontown once stood will be a string of gas stations, inexpensive motels, restaurants that serve rapidly prepared food, tire salons, automobile dealerships, and wonderful, wonderful billboards reaching as far as the eye can see! My God! It’ll be beautiful.
Eddie: Come on! Nobody’s gonna drive this lousy freeway when they can take the Red Car for a nickel.
Doom: Oh, they’ll drive. They’ll have to. You see, I bought the Red Car so I could dismantle it.

It all started with a flier.  In fact, a lot of fliers.  A neighbor on my street, Occidental Blvd. in south Silver Lake, canvassed the entire block with fliers advertising a July 4th Community Block Party.  She didn’t have to ask twice.  I immediately coordinated with Graham Keegan downstairs to set up a Sidewalk Potluck BBQ and Pool Party.

But we didn’t have a pool.  But we did have Graham’s pick-up truck and some plastic tarp.  Pick-Up Truck Pool party!

I took a walk up Occidental Blvd. to see what activities other houses on the block were hosting.  

Met some of the neighbors on the street where I’ve lived for over 2 years, but have never met.  It turns out that many of the families that live on Occidental have been there for 3 generations.  Aunts live across the street from nephews, and grandmas lives next door to grandsons.  There is a real sense of community, and small town feel on this urban street.  Exactly what I’ve been looking for in a neighborhood.

Met some great neighbors, and went over to Elf Cafe for $5 Falafel night.