The Winter of My Contentedness, Part 2
CHAPTER ONE: PROS & CONS
It was a little impulsive and fairly short notice for everyone impacted, but I knew it had to happen then or it may never happen at all. I dared my friend Margo to stop me. I ran it by my husband. I weighed the pros and the cons...
CHAPTER TWO: TIP THE WORLD OVER ON ITS SIDE…
I love to travel. Like nothing else, it clears my head, reinforces my appreciation for home, and gives me a chance to be relatively anonymous. In unfamiliar surroundings, I can view the world more objectively– with more wonder and less cynicism.
I love a good logistical challenge. I gave myself just 2 days to sightsee and spend time with friends.
I love to research and plan things. I started a Pinterest board. I drew a terrible map. I wrote pages and pages of notes. I made a YouTube Playlist.
CHAPTER THREE: (WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS)
They did not get much notice, and it was a short trip in the middle of the week. Respectfully, I asked for tips and really hoped I could see them. In their own unique ways, these people made my life what it is today.
Margo was Rung Boutique’s retail consultant. She stuck with us all 7+ years and became my confidante, cheerleader, and friend. Ben is my husband Heath’s friend. They grew up in Oregon together and as adults, Ben got Heath a job at a circus– the same circus where Heath and I met. I met Christine at the circus too. She was the talented lighting designer, and I was the lowly wardrobe assistant. She and I were designated suitemates in a Charleston dorm, and we have stayed in touch ever since.
For this trip, Margo was my travel agent and host. She set me up with a great place to stay and did not judge my ambitious itinerary, terrible map, or long emails with multiple mentions of FOOD. Ben and his wife Nichole gave pointers and shared ideas for places to visit. They also offered a place to stay and were going to meet me out for dinner somewhere. Christine had just moved to LA and started grad school. Between classes and rehearsals, she was working on making time in her schedule for me.
CHAPTER FOUR: ...EVERYTHING LOOSE WILL LAND IN LA
Before my trip I had a conflicting opinion of LA. I heard it was superficial and shallow, touristy and schlocky. I heard the air quality and traffic were unbearable, and there was not much to do unless you like hiking and shopping.
The LA I wanted to believe in was old Hollywood, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, and this movie. The LA I expected was palm trees, sunshine, a large homeless population, and unattainably beautiful people. The LA I actually experienced met some of my expectations, exceeded others, and astounded me with the rest.
CHAPTER FIVE: 2 DAYS IN LA RATED ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 5
1 👼 = Met my expectations
5 👼👼👼👼👼 = Blew them out of the water
- Itinerary (night 1)
- Land around 7pm
- Catch a Lyft
- Drop off luggage
- Eat FOOD
The flight and the Lyft ride were easy and uneventful. When I arrived at Margo’s it was time for FOOD. She took me to The Original Farmer’s Market where all market life that night had funneled into Pampas Grill. We joined the long line, plated our own sides: hearts of palm salad, fried plantains, pão de queijo; ordered our main dish: spicy chicken thighs, and paid by the pound. Sitting at a nearby table, we caught up with each other and drew up the next day’s plan.
My 1st night gets 👼👼👼👼
- Itinerary (day 1):
- Brunch in Venice
- Abbot Kinney Blvd.
- Venice Canals
- Griffith Observatory
Margo and I woke up, caffeinated, walked the world’s most precious dog, and headed to Venice.
Brunch was at Gjusta. We sat on their patio and ate open-faced smoked fish sandwiches, a citrus medley, multi-grain porridge, and... I think that was it. On our way out, we stopped in their bakery.
I was paying for artisanal trail mix and the finest rugelach I have ever put in my damn mouth when Margo said “(Mr. A List Celebrity) just walked in.” And I think I said, “Yeah, okay.” I pivoted and from about 8 feet away, a man turned and looked in our direction. She was right. It was him,* and I was stunned.
Brunch gets 👼👼👼👼👼
I had never heard of Abbot Kinney before Margo took me there. She knew all the best shops. We strolled and bought a few treasures. She stopped a couple walking their dogs. They traded dog stories. Just listening and smiling while they chatted, I got to be “anonymous” and I loved it.
Abbot Kinney Blvd. gets 👼👼👼👼
The Venice Canals looked otherworldly to me, like a scene in Tim Burton’s Big Fish or Edward Scissorhands. Walking up and down the canals, we wondered, “Could we live in one of these houses? Who lives there currently? And how in the world could it be January right now??!!”
Venice Canals get 👼👼👼👼
We made it to Griffith Observatory in time for sunset. Admission is free, and the views are BREATHTAKING. We got hot chocolate and had way too much fun in the gift shop. Inside the museum the art deco murals, a Foucault pendulum, a Tesla Coil, and the special telescope with a live view of the sun’s surface gave me a feel for the Observatory’s place in LA history beyond Rebel Without A Cause and The Terminator.
The museum 👼👼
THE VIEWS 👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼
- Itinerary (night 2):
- Dinner at Gracias Madre
- Live show at The Pack Theater
By the time we arrived at Gracias Madre, we were exhausted. A little early for our reservation, we had tequila cocktails at the bar. Save for the cauliflower with cashew cheese sauce and the hilarious mushroom salad, I can barely remember what we ate. I do remember it was delicious and that I could not have asked for a better companion that day, and night, than Margo.
Service, drinks, and food at Gracias Madre 👼👼👼👼
I wanted to see a live show in LA, but The Pack Theater would have to wait. We needed rest.
Day 1 and night 2 👼👼👼👼👼
- Itinerary (day 2):
- Avocado toast for breakfast
- Downtown LA
- Echo Park, Silver Lake, & Los Feliz
Margo had to work on day 2. For breakfast she recommended Verve. I walked there and tried avocado toast for the 1st time. After gleefully eating the whole thing I walked to The Original Farmer’s Market and bought fruit and a few postcards. There I saw another celebrity, seated for what looked like a morning meeting. Although not the MOST famous person, I recognized him* from TV. I was starting to understand this is just a thing that happens in LA. The last stop on my neighborhood walk was the post office for stamps.
Avocado toast at Verve 👼👼👼👼👼 Being a pedestrian in LA 👼
I checked in at home base with Margo and Bubbie and prepared myself for being out the rest of the day. I took a Lyft downtown to The Last Bookstore. Overwhelmed by the volume of books, I quickly browsed the comics section then focused on the art. I was happily surprised to find working studios on the 2nd floor with art for sale. There was a lot of talent up there.
On my way out, I thought I recognized another famous person. I turned to get a good look and made eye contact with him.* This really is one of the weirdest things I have ever experienced. Again I was stunned and did not say or do anything. I just walked out and texted my husband about it.
The Last Bookstore 👼👼👼 Looking a Daily Show correspondent in the eye 👼👼👼👼
I ended up at Grand Central Market at lunchtime. It was packed. I wandered a bit, found the restrooms, and parked myself at a coffee shop with a lovely view of the Angels Flight Railway. Christine would be meeting me soon! The servers at G&B Coffee were very nice as I nursed my latte and people-watched.
People watching at G&B Coffee 👼👼👼👼
When Christine arrived, the lunch crowd was dispersing. We ventured into the Market to find ourselves lunch. I had fish tacos from La Tostadería and she had cheese-filled pupusas from Sarita's Pupuseria. Our orders were made fresh and took some time. Worth it. We were both very satisfied, and I was really happy to see her, especially in her new hometown.
Lunch at La Tostadería and Sarita's Pupuseria 👼👼👼👼
We originally talked about seeing some art Downtown, but the clock was ticking. Christine drove us all the way to Echo Park to see Time Travel Mart.
Time Travel Mart is an expertly-executed gift shop/art installation/social enterprise. It looks like a 7-Eleven but instead of Time magazines and Slim Jims, there were cans of primordial soup and nanorobots for sale next to an “out of order” Heisenberg slushie machine. Time Travel Mart proceeds benefit 826LA, a non-profit that supports young people with creative and expository writing skills and helps teachers inspire their students to write. I was impressed and inspired.
Time Travel Mart in Echo Park 👼👼👼👼
Ben recommended we visit his brother-in-law’s boutique in Silver Lake. Much like shops on Abbot Kinney, Foxhole was impeccably merchandised with a range of price points and an intimate, all-American blue-collar vibe. I bought myself a clown patch and the associate there gave us souvenir matchbooks. Score!
Foxhole 👼👼👼👼
I have been following La Luz de Jesus Gallery since the 90’s. In art school, Juxtapoz Magazine was my Janson’s History of Art, and La Luz was my Louvre.
Access to La Luz is through its origin story, the Soap Plant/WACKO. I guess it is technically a gift shop, but I think it is better described as a: warehouse-size merchandising marvel that is part art supply store, part house of horrors, part amusement park, part sideshow, part candy shop, part toy store of lowbrow subculture fun.
As all my friends were converging, I was having a religious experience in the Gallery. Had it not been dinner time, I could have spent hours there.
Soap Plant, WACKO and La Luz de Jesus Gallery 👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼
Ben and Nichole are the geniuses who steered us to Guisado’s. I ordered the taco sampler because I wanted to try them all. Each little handmade tortilla had a different topping and each little taco was perfectly cooked, seasoned, and assembled. We sat and talked for a long time and never felt pressured to give up our table. It felt very familial and cozy.
Guisado’s in Echo Park 👼👼👼👼👼
Ben and Nichole were calling it a night. The rest of us had time to kill and needed a 2nd wind. A quick phone search and we were soon headed to Icy Rush boutique. The smell of waffle cones greeted us. We chatted up the associate while he filled Uber Eats orders and made waffle cones. Hard pressed to choose just 1 flavor, we sampled a bunch. We ordered the waffle cones, obviously, with chocolatey single scoops and sat in near silence while we devoured them.
Once Margo and I had a solid sugar buzz we were confident we could last through a movie. Sadly, Christine had to return to her studies.
Icy Rush Co. 👼👼👼👼
Movies were my escape after the 2016 election. I busied myself with seeing as many Oscar nominees as possible before the awards ceremony. This year I continued the tradition.
I wanted to see a movie in an old LA cinema and The Post was playing at Los Feliz 3. A restored movie house built in 1934, Los Feliz 3 is a darling structure with an art deco exterior and a starry interior. In the compact theater Margo sat on one side of me and a noisy, inebriated stranger sat on the other. The movie was intriguing enough to drown out most of it, and eventually my neighbor was scolded into quieting down. Like the trip overall, this night at the movies was the escape I needed.**
The Post at Loz Feliz 3 👼👼👼👼
I appreciate the time, and the rides, my LA friends gave me so much. They are all very busy adults with many important things to do. After everything I experienced in LA, my time with them is what made the trip truly meaningful.
My LA friends 👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼👼
*Name withheld. He did not agree to be part of this story, and there is still a chance my eyes were playing tricks on me. **Tom Hanks should have been nominated too.