LA is a revelation. I spent a load of time here ten years ago and more and always had fun even though it was dangerous, fake, tatty, smoggy and randomly homicidal. Hollywood Boulevard was like a Lewisham back alley, Venice was fun but packed with festering tramps and junkies, everywhere else was a tinderbox of racial violence and people 'between projects'.
I couldn't believe how much they've cleaned it up. Hollywood is still tacky, but bright shiny new consumer tacky, not tramps, needles and wee tacky. Venice has had a massive makeover too and it no longer feels like a war zone after dark, just an extension of Santa Monica yuppie heaven, with a few colourful characters kept for old times sakes (was sure the rollerskating guitar monk would be dead by now, but no). It was a scarily nice place to be.
Em loved it all and so we spent several more days here than the quick layover we'd expected, and did the whole Hollywood tourist schtick (walk of the stars, pictures with lookalikes, finding the Hollywood sign etc). Glorious sunny weather, plenty to see and do. Em got very excited about everything, and we had a great time.
One of the best bits for me was finally getting to play some doubles paddletennis down at Venice with A-rated players. For years I had no luck getting a game down here because it's such a clique-y setup, even though I'd spend entire days working though the courts. This time by sheer fluke I invited myself into a hit with an ex-pro South American tennis player and got drafted into a succession of high speed doubles matches over the next four hours, then got invited back the next day for more rotating fours with top class players. What an awesome game - so fast, so aggressive and such a spectator draw (which is the really important thing). I finally got a chance to play it properly and I didn't swear once, honest.
Em on L.A.
L.A. was awesome! The weather was really weird, with a cold wind but really hot sun so it was freezing in the shade but we both got sunburnt! I especially loved Venice beach - the tat shops, pizza stands and weird little shops were great, and the street artists were amazing. John's fave character is the Jimi Hendrix guitar-playing, roller-blading Rasta, but mine is the guy who sings loudly and happily (to the tune of 'Jingle Bell Rock') 'Jingle bells, jingle bells, help me get drunk.' There was also a guy who held up a sign saying, 'Why lie? Need money to buy pot.' Sanata Monica is yuppie heaven but nice to shop at Gap in, and endless pretentious cafes do nice paninis and ice cream. Also I made an idiot of myself in Hollywood, dragging John down to see the sign and walk on the stars, as well as having my picture taken with a Johnny Depp pirate. It was fun and I don't care how lame it is!
And John told me to tell you that he was fucking awesome on the tennis court. (I didn't play. I was trophy girlfriend.)
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