I am now a member of the LA Public Library (neat card!). Seems they let anyone with address ID become a member. What a fabulous place...great architecture, paintings, murals and wonderful holdings (had ALL of Jim's books...need I say more...) While downtown we took in the Biltmore Hotel where the academy awards were held initially. Quite the old hotel and lots of interesting photos of various events in the past. Then to the Grand Central Market. Really neat to see the foodstalls of all the various mainly Latino stuff...the chili's alone could blow up the city I think! The El Salvadorian stall had the most unusual stuff including cow's heads for sale. Then had to wait a rather long time for the bus home close to Broadway (very down at heel, rather like Cordova and Hastings) and of course another fascinating bus ride home.

Back in LA and although it's sunny today we have had a spell of rather cool and rainy weather. Apparently they need the rain here so I guess that makes it better. The coast weather here is somewhat different than at home. We were at the Getty again yesterday...it is so amazing...it's just great to keep walking out of any door and find yourself with a wonderful view always a bit different than you've seen before, some wonderful aspect of the architecture and gardens and then to be lead back to the centre and reorient yourself again so easily. Given that the weather was somewhat rainy we figured we wouldn't be able to see the vistas (at home everything would be socked in) but we could see out to Santa Monica and the ocean and even as far as the Santa Ana mountains.

We had an interesting time the other day at Houle Books where the owner allowed Jim to view a couple of Huxley letters he was selling. Jim helped him out with some names and made some corrections in his transcription of them. Huxley's handwriting is rather cryptic. It does underline the importance of looking at the originals. Quite an amazing bookstore. It is by appointment only and no question of browsing through the mainly first editions and collectibles. The owner bought George Cukor's library. It became available because the estate got rather annoyed that the university he originally donated it to actually got rid of some important materials at a student booksale...seems the librarians weren't really with it. Then they sold a painting (for 6 million US) he had also donated only six months after he died in Switzerland to try to hide the fact they were selling it. Seemed a friend happened to notice it. Guess there are lots of stories in this town.

After the bookstore we had a coffee in this rather modern equivalent of an opium den (lots of sofas and overstuffed chairs) in a cafe called the "Insomnia Cafe" only instead of opium, all the clients were silently communing with their wireless notebooks or walkmans...conversation seemed a no-no.

We had a wonderful game of golf on an executive course with Tom and Claire....really cheap too....$10! There is lots of reasonable golf in the area. We started playing this course around 3:30 and there was no one else on it. Wonderful views of the mountains all around and absolutely a perfect temperature. It really is paradise around here. We should have taken their suggestion to have a quick bite before the Valentine Day crowds but since we had a late lunch we decided to take our chances. Really crazy with people waiting up to 1 -1 1 /2 hours everywhere so ended up back in our hotel suite with a couple of sandwiches from Borders, a bottle of wine, a cancle and a rose....quite fun really. Seemed to be lots of screaming kids in all the restaurants around here so probably better.

We've booked a place for January of next year! Our plan was to look around at places but Claire pointed out people often book a year in advance so seemed like a good idea since then we will have the pick of places and know what we're getting. We decided to locate within a few blocks walking of Palm Springs itself as we really liked the animation there and it means we won't have to be constantly driving. It was great having this Internet connection in our room so did the preliminary looking online then went to a booking agency in Palm Springs and narrowed it down. It's in a super looking complex called the Deauville, 3 pools, tennis courts, lots of lush vegetation and fountains. Our unit is an upper one bedroom (with California Kingsize...even bigger than normal, of course!), two bathroom, large balcony very elegantly furnished suite of about 750 sq ft. We talked to some owners and it's an older, quieter crowd so should be perfect for us. We were very pleased to get that all sorted out. Initially the search is rather overwhelming because there is so much choice but lots of places are rather deserted and not really suitable for what we want.

Saw Lost in Translation last night...very amusing and thoughtful.

Jim's going to play golf today (could hit 80 degrees apparently) and I'm going to stroll El Paseo in Palm Desert...lots of neat shops and art galleries but you don't want a man dragging around...

In the desert now and enjoying it immensely. The wonderful air and the mountains looming round with the sun creating alll sorts of affects at various times of the day make me feel very inspired to paint. I won't have time to do it now on this short trip but will take lots of pictures. The first night we had booked here ended up to be a major truck stop so was very noisy with all the rigs coming and going every night. Also ended up to be difficult to get a place since it's the President's Day weekend and Valentine's (seems to be almost a national holiday around here!). However we did get into a new place in Palm Desert, the Hilton Garden Inn, and have a lovely suite here which also has free ethernet connection so it will be easy to post to the blog, do email, and also check out places to rent for a longer period of time down here for future years.

We had dinner last night with one of my Victoria golfing buddies, Claire, and her husband, Tom. It was really fun to see them and we're all going to play a Par 3 course this afternoon. Lots of wonderful golf courses here but also reasonable golf. Claire and Tom do a lot of hiking and that looks pretty interesting as well.

The LACMA had lots of amazing stuff too including Magritte's "C'est n'est pas un pipe". Also had a great collection of muralists such as Diego Rivera and Sigueires (sp?)...anyway, the guy who did all those fantastic murals we saw in Guadalajara. Some very interesting American decorative arts and furniture and Arts and Craft stuff. Another amazing complex of various museum buildings with architecture that allows views of the city and surroundings while you're viewing the art. I believe it has the biggest collections of art west of Chicago.

There are an incredible number of restaurants in our area and we discovered a very cool French bistro type restaurant where the chef specialty is rack of lamb. So famous apparently we were asked if we had heard about it. We hadn't but it did live up to expectation...7 chops done very rare with a kind of escargot type sauce. Also, great potatoes with lots of gruyere...not as good as Monique's but getting close. I think we'll return there. Lots of rather interesting things on the menu even a hamburger with Roquefort called the "French Disaster".

Off to the desert tomorrow for a week so it will be good to get some swimming in and some real heat although it does continue to be in the mid 70's most of the time here and not a cloud in the sky. An unusual ridge of high pressure for the coastal area it seems.

Did I mention the Getty Centre had all the paintings in the top floors designed with special louvres that change and allow the paintings to be viewed with the natural light the painters would have used. We'll return there again when we do our next shift in LA.

So, what's going on in Victoria and B.C....any more scandals? Send me an email.

Now I know why we never bothered going to Hollywood. The Mann Chinese Theatre with the footprints, handprints, Betty Grable's leg, Bob Hope's nose etc. is rather fun but what a tacky strip for the most part. I don't think I've ever seen such a poor collection of kitch in the stores...some upscale stuff but mainly unbelievable junk. Always interesting to see various areas, though, and there was a station for their limited subway system.

It's been quite an experience on the buses...have encountered all sorts of very talkative (often talking in rhyming rap rhythmns) and partly crazy people...mostly harmless, but did have a rather unpleasant experience yesterday coming back from the LA County Museum of Art (LACMA) when a black couple decided to have an argument and held the bus to ransom with their foolishness. I guess it's a power thing to do that...obviously street people who don't have much other power I guess. Seemed like both had been in prison from the "conversation".

The stone they used is amazing and it took 100 freighter loads from Italy to build it. Even though it is vast you can exit easily almost everywhere through doors (rather incredible in themselves and there are 3700 of them) and come across a vista of the gardens, the ocean, the mountains. Just a wonderful setting to view the art and you can't seem to get lost or feel you are in an immense place. Quite an architectual feat. Loads of welcoming volunteers and the people in the rooms are very knowledgable and helpful.

They have loads of stuff but very impressed with the decorative arts displays and furniture. Even had a whole process display of how a mid 18th century table would have been made. Wonderful stuff for kids as well.

Jim figures Getty was pretty much the richest man in the world and what a gift for people. Seems he was a bit of a skinflint and well known for penny pinching ideas like having payphones in his home for his guests!

Off to Hollywood later on today.

Had a fun weekend. Went to Venice Beach and Santa Monica Pier. Venice Beach seems like a time warp what with all the palm readers and weird "spiritual" stuff on offer. Guess there's a market for it all. Just a gorgeous day in the mid 70's and really enjoyed walking the beaches. The big game on the beaches if Paddle Tennis...a much smaller court than regular tennis and kind of a cross between raquet ball and ping pong but looked like a lot of fun and wouldn't be as hard as tennis.

Went to the J. Paul Getty Center Sunday and we were both just blown away....absolutely amazing and free for all. It was completed in 1997 from the Getty Trust and cost a billion to build...that's not counting the many art treasure s worth billions that it houses. In the foothills of Santa Monica with the most amazing views from everywhere in the buildings and gardens. You go up in a tram designed specifically to give you a sense of going to a different space...and what a space to view fabulous works of art.

I continue to be amazed at some of these collections of art. Our hotel is very close to the Hammer Museum of Art (of Arm and Hammer...a few bucks obviously). It was free on Thurs so went there yesterday...quite an amazing collection of Impressionists and loads of other stuff like Titian, Goya, Reubens, Rembrandt...you name it. Planning on getting to the Santa Monica Pier area and the J. Paul Getty on the weekend. Jim's research is going well and he got the go ahead to publish the Graham Greene discovery so exciting news.

It's been sunny and warm since our arrival. We had a rather exciting time our first day as it appeared we were supposed to do the visa stuff in Vancouver not LA. Told we might have to return to Canada...ugh...
Anyhow, we ended up sorting it out by going down to the Federal building in downtown LA. Quite an experience waiting in line just to get into the building...lots of security and people yelling at all of us. Good thing I didn't take my camera as they only confiscate restricted items. When Jim mentioned we'll probably be treated like criminals when we do get in, the man behind us commented "you can be sure of that"! Sorted out fairly easily for us in the end but some people around us seemed to be getting quite a hassle.

That seemed to work. At the UCLA library computers that do seem to work better than the wonky one at our hotel. Our hotel is in a great location pretty much in Westwood Village and close to UCLA. Our first night here we ate in a restaurant that has lots of buzz, lights, action going on across from it...some opening night with "stars" appearing...we were too focused on our Jambalaya to notice but it was fun to have it all going around us.

Having problems posting so will try this short message now.