L.A.update:
Friday night we ate with Sarah M’s aunt, uncle and cousins (one of whom, Mark, had just flown in from Iraq where he was serving. We were literally his first non-military meal!). We went to Vitello’s. An Italian Restaurant in Studio City that is known for being the site of where Robert Blake shot his wife. Exciting!
In the morning I went with the military boys to the local LA Fitness. It was a horrifying experience (they didn’t even have towels for guests! or tvs on the treadmills!) and made me miss NYHRC. Still, I ran 6 miles and studied the people around me.
Lunch on Saturday was at katsu-ya sushi, a favorite, I’m told, of many celebs including George Clooney. I happened to recognize an actress that tends to play the lead in Lifetime movies (usually in the form of a battered wife or mom to a troubled teen) chowing down.
Our first meeting was at Bar Marmont (photo above) under the hotel Chateau. Balazs took this place over and the synergy to our own hot spots in NYC was apparent. A Jane Ballroom/Rose Bar/west village lounge all combined in one, with the same butterflies on the ceiling as Kingswood. I am excited to learn more about the stories of this place and the people that fill it’s walls.
We ate at the Chateau, my first time. And even met the manager of the bar, Alain Jeu who was eager to talk about his experiences in NYC (helping to open Boom Boom, time at the Jane, etc). His Aussie friend Will was in town trying out for a new series on CBS. He was, to date, the most attractive man I’ve met in California. Probably gay.
Anyway, ended the night at Mirabelle’s chatting it up with the bartender Jess who hails from the E.village and used to work at the Cooper Square hotel. The conversation starter revolved around the intoxicated girl that she had moments earlier told to beat it. Everyone was smoking (apparently, in LA if there is an opening in the ceiling of the bar/rest you are in, you are allowed to smoke - gross).
For the first time in my life I’m awake and functioning at 7am. It’s nice living on EST when in California….until SNL comes on 3 hours after everyone else tumbled about it.
And today? Sunny for the first time all weekend. I’m off!
