Jan. 3: One thing West Hollywood has over San Francisco: while what precious greenspace there is in The City is usually tucked away, hidden from view behind homes and apartment buildings, WeHo has an abundance of landscaped lawns, some miniature versions of their suburban cousins, seemingly all in competition with each other in as myriad a selection of fantasies and follies as one can imagine. It makes walking down nearly any residential street a delight, no matter what time of year.
Jan. 4: Today is much brighter than yesterday. The whole week in LA will be stuck comfortably between Spring and Summer.
A piece in the LA Times on the Disney Hall downtown reminded that when I was on jury duty as the building was nearing completion, I was struck by a blinding reflection off the surface as I crossed First Street. It was an accident waiting to happen, I thought, watching them finish putting the metal surfaces on the exterior of the building. Dad assured me that they run endless tests to make sure that accidents of design like that don't happen... but they've now finished sanding the surfaces after countless complaints and threats of lawsuits from neighboring businesses and residents. The sun's reflection was practically frying the residents of one nearby highrise. Frank Gehry just shrugged it off... he'd already cashed his check and run.
There have been Lyndon Larouche volunteers in WeHo all through the holidays outside the mall and post offices. It's all I can do to keep from confronting them. There is something intriguing about the chutzpah of Larouche's racist, homophobic, anti-Semitic organization setting up tables in the middle of a liberal, gay bastion like West Hollywood. I couldn't help but listen in to their spiel that they offer passers-by, most of whom apparently have no idea of the history of Larouche. Methinks I have a story for the WeHo News in the making here.
Twice this week, there has been the most incredible pink sky behind the hills at dusk; the rains over New Year's cleaned the air enough to get rid of most of the smog, but just enough remained to give the sky this gorgeous color for a few minutes.
Jan. 5: It appears our first California road trip of 2006 is set for Sunday: a repeat of the Christmas trip up North to San Luis Obispo, San Ramon, Clyde and San Francisco with my brother, since he had to work over the holidays and didn't get to see the rest of the family. And we'll get to see my sister's new house!
Jan. 4: Today is much brighter than yesterday. The whole week in LA will be stuck comfortably between Spring and Summer.
A piece in the LA Times on the Disney Hall downtown reminded that when I was on jury duty as the building was nearing completion, I was struck by a blinding reflection off the surface as I crossed First Street. It was an accident waiting to happen, I thought, watching them finish putting the metal surfaces on the exterior of the building. Dad assured me that they run endless tests to make sure that accidents of design like that don't happen... but they've now finished sanding the surfaces after countless complaints and threats of lawsuits from neighboring businesses and residents. The sun's reflection was practically frying the residents of one nearby highrise. Frank Gehry just shrugged it off... he'd already cashed his check and run.
There have been Lyndon Larouche volunteers in WeHo all through the holidays outside the mall and post offices. It's all I can do to keep from confronting them. There is something intriguing about the chutzpah of Larouche's racist, homophobic, anti-Semitic organization setting up tables in the middle of a liberal, gay bastion like West Hollywood. I couldn't help but listen in to their spiel that they offer passers-by, most of whom apparently have no idea of the history of Larouche. Methinks I have a story for the WeHo News in the making here.
Twice this week, there has been the most incredible pink sky behind the hills at dusk; the rains over New Year's cleaned the air enough to get rid of most of the smog, but just enough remained to give the sky this gorgeous color for a few minutes.
Jan. 5: It appears our first California road trip of 2006 is set for Sunday: a repeat of the Christmas trip up North to San Luis Obispo, San Ramon, Clyde and San Francisco with my brother, since he had to work over the holidays and didn't get to see the rest of the family. And we'll get to see my sister's new house!
California Road Trip 2006 Play List
(partial list)
I Left My Heart in San Francisco--Tony Bennett
Manha de Carnaval, Samba de Orfeo--Black Orpheus soundtrack
Romanza--Andrea Bocelli
Brokeback Mountain soundtrack
Sail Away, Storms in Africa--Enya
Club Sodade--Cesaria Evora
California Soul, Aquarius/Let the Sunshine--The Fifth Dimension*
San Francisco--Judy Garland (live)
American in Paris, Rhapsody in Blue--George Gershwin
Cast Your Fate to the Wind--Vince Guaraldi
Here, There & Everywhere--Emmylou Harris
Canadian Sunset--Eddie Heywood
State of Independence (with Chrissy Hind)
Sicilienne--Georgia Kelly & Steven Kindler
Danzas Afro-Cubanas, Malaguena, Siboney--Ernesto Lecuona
Innamorare--Ottmar Liebert
San Francisco--Jeannette MacDonald
If You're Going to San Francisco--Scott McKenzie
Rock & Roll Queer Bar--Pansy Division
Chupacabras, Fiendish--Phideaux
La Goulante de Pauvre Jean--Edith Piaf
Amanacer--Mongo Santamaria
Fairground--Simply Red (dance remix)
Sinnerman--Nina Simone (Felix da Housecat remix)
Sunchyme
Gregorio Valdivia (various CDs)
Key Largo--Sarah Vaughn
Linus & Lucy--George Winston
and...
Cafe del Mar (dance mix)
Flowers' Duet (dance remix)
Mama, Yo Quiero Cha Cha (artist unknown, Cuba circa 1959)
Moments (dance remix) & Moments in Love (original version)
State of Independence (with Chrissy Hind)
plus my new Christmas CDs of Cuban music,
Bhangra & African music CDs
and much, much more...
(partial list)
I Left My Heart in San Francisco--Tony Bennett
Manha de Carnaval, Samba de Orfeo--Black Orpheus soundtrack
Romanza--Andrea Bocelli
Brokeback Mountain soundtrack
Sail Away, Storms in Africa--Enya
Club Sodade--Cesaria Evora
California Soul, Aquarius/Let the Sunshine--The Fifth Dimension*
San Francisco--Judy Garland (live)
American in Paris, Rhapsody in Blue--George Gershwin
Cast Your Fate to the Wind--Vince Guaraldi
Here, There & Everywhere--Emmylou Harris
Canadian Sunset--Eddie Heywood
State of Independence (with Chrissy Hind)
Sicilienne--Georgia Kelly & Steven Kindler
Danzas Afro-Cubanas, Malaguena, Siboney--Ernesto Lecuona
Innamorare--Ottmar Liebert
San Francisco--Jeannette MacDonald
If You're Going to San Francisco--Scott McKenzie
Rock & Roll Queer Bar--Pansy Division
Chupacabras, Fiendish--Phideaux
La Goulante de Pauvre Jean--Edith Piaf
Amanacer--Mongo Santamaria
Fairground--Simply Red (dance remix)
Sinnerman--Nina Simone (Felix da Housecat remix)
Sunchyme
Gregorio Valdivia (various CDs)
Key Largo--Sarah Vaughn
Linus & Lucy--George Winston
and...
Cafe del Mar (dance mix)
Flowers' Duet (dance remix)
Mama, Yo Quiero Cha Cha (artist unknown, Cuba circa 1959)
Moments (dance remix) & Moments in Love (original version)
State of Independence (with Chrissy Hind)
plus my new Christmas CDs of Cuban music,
Bhangra & African music CDs
and much, much more...
*that I'll play as I enter the City/County of San Francisco
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