Westside Story

Yesterday we did a full tour of the Westside, starting with a visit to my first LA apartment (on the notorious South Bundy Drive) followed by stops in Santa Monica, Venice — Muscle Beach is still hopping and we ate lunch at the most fantastic Italian joint to prepare us for a tour of the canals(!) — before driving up to Malibu in time for the sunset.

I then planned to dazzle Damian with the drive along Sunset Boulevard back from Pacific Coast Highway to WeHo only to be jolted by the sight of the lingering devastation through the Palisades, where burned-out houses and empty lots abound.

Eventually we reached (the) Beverly Hills (Hotels) where things remain one percent status quo, just in time to valet the car at the Sunset Marquis and race down to Largo in time to meet my good friend and former roommate James for the Susanna Hoffs concert, where one of her special guests was Conan O'Brien, who used the crowd to try out some material for his upcoming gig hosting the Academy Awards. (Sue apparently has a monthly residency at the Coronet and yesterday she was experimenting with covers of the Beatles' "Help!" album.)

Afterward we grabbed a bite at Canter's Deli — no kugel but terrific as always — and cruised Melrose a bit before collapsing into bed.

I surprisingly woke up at a reasonable hour so took a stroll over to Book Soup and Sunset Plaza to get coffee at the Butcher, the Baker and the Cappuccino Maker, where I am writing this now. (And wait'll you see my new Ron Dorff shirt!)

Tonight we eat with friends at my beloved (and newly reopened) Marix (where I celebrated my 25th birthday) and then see "The Mismatch Game" and then we head back to NYC tomorrow.

Kudos to the City of Angels for reminding me what I was missing — and that I really blew it by not being born bicoastal!