L.A. Trip Part 4

Richard and I took Danbo to lunch at a restaurant just off of Hollywood Boulevard and began to "catch up." After all, it had been seven years since we saw each other! We met doing a play together, "Burn This" by Lanford Wilson. We were instant friends, as though we had always known each other, and we've been friends ever since! I've missed him so very much since he moved to California, but one thing I can advise to anyone traveling alone: go where you know someone. Richard knew all the "good places" to see (although he didn't know about Edelweiss Chocolate Factory), so we covered a lot of ground in just one day!

After we were done eating, we stowed Danbo and headed for Beverly Hills. I saw where many of the stars of the 1950s and 1960s had lived, including my all time favorite comedienne, Lucille Ball! When these homes were built back then, they were considered to be mansions.

Given how homes have become increasingly larger over the last few decades (especially in Florida!), these houses seemed small in comparison, yet, they are still quite beautiful. I'm glad they didn't tear them all down and build McMansions. However, Richard did take me by the site of Irving Berlin's home. The folks who bought it tore it down and built a McMansion. That's sad.

 My lovely friend said no Los Angeles trip was complete without paying our respects to Marilyn. He knows what a fan I am of Norma Jean Baker, so we made our way to Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery. Yes, it has a really long name, but, in reality, it is a small, intimate space that serves as a final resting pace for a number of "old Hollywood" celebrities.

The story goes that when women visit Marilyn's crypt, they put on lipstick and kiss the marble. Then, every evening after the cemetery closes, the grounds keeper cleans the marble and polishes it. Over the years, the marble has been stained pink from the lipstick kisses, making it obvious which crypt belongs to the most famous movie star that ever lived.

After a full day of sight-seeing, we made our way into the foothills that surround Los Angeles and headed in the direction of Richard's home. He said he wanted to make a quick stop in Malibu before we called it a day, and it just wouldn't do but Danbo had to see the Pacific Ocean!

We frolicked on the beach and while copping a squat on some rocks, I spotted a seal. He was riding the waves close to the beach and I managed to get a shot of him. (Or, her.) I asked Richard if we could return to Malibu the next day and I was thrilled when he said yes! If I had only one more day to hang out with my friend, this seemed like a great place to do it!