En route: memoirs from California

(August 2010)
After some time spent in Wisconsin, accompanied by a capricious and moody weather, and then a few days in Chicago, landing on the warm hilly grounds of the South Pacific Coast of California felt finally like a long-awaited vacation. The laid back, relaxed aura of Los Angeles was introduced to me very directly, when an older lady (a flight/airport attendant) on a shuttle bus glanced at my not-yet-adjusted outfit, smiled and started singing Nelly's Hot In Here, while taking off her navy-blue blazer in the rhythm of this ode to the heat.
I mentioned in Chicago travel diaries the girls from California having their road trip almost at the same time as ours. From the very moment our tours crossed, it felt like we were already old fellows. One of them lived in Los Angeles at Venice Boulevard and offered her couch. On August 24th around noon I arrived at her place and on the spot fell in love with its bohemian interiors. Journalism students seemed to know best about life style, I thought.  The first thing to do after accommodating in LA? The ocean. Wandering around Venice Beach at the sunset brought the best feelings ever.

Confused by the LA public transportation system, without any car, we didn't make detailed plans for the following days. Luckily, I met Marc - LA dweller, who generously offered city tours with himself as a guide. I probably hadn't met such a kind person before. He showed us around some chic places in Hollywood, driving under palm trees with M.I.A. sounding from his car radio. With his introductions, visiting places associated with film industry was more conscious. During only one day we stopped by the Kodak Theatre, the Jim Henson Company, Mulholland Dr, the Warner Bros Studios and had some Mexican dinner at The Grove. The second time Marc called me, we decided to hang out together around Beverly Hills, Westwood and Santa Monica. We went to the Rodeo Drive (note to self: I need to see Pretty Woman), Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery and Pacific Park.
Unlike in any other US metropolis, LA's downtown is probably the least representative part of the city. I spent there one evening wandering alone till late hours, sneaked into a fancy hotel with outside glass elevators and managed to take some photos from above.
On my last day in the City of Angels, I decided just to lose myself somewhere. I began with verifying the phenomenon of the famous In-N-Out and ended the day at Starbucks. In the moments between, I found myself in the Culver City, which happened to be the place of Hitchcock's Rebecca production, as well as of so many other classic movies. I captured my last West Coast sunset at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. It happened to be simply epic.

I will always love all the things that bring memories from California back. It could be a movie night with Sunset Boulevard, or Marilyn Monroe films, the episode of Californication with Rocket Man by Elton John playing in the background, or Sophia Coppola's Somewhere. I wish my LA musings were supported by having the book Los Angeles. Portrait of a City in collection. Published by Taschen, it seems to reflect the atmosphere of the old golden years of Los Angeles so well.

 
I'll Try Anything Once by The Strokes