Category Archives: Los Angeles

Act ll – Downsizing in LA

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Act ll Downsizing in LA

“In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.” Buddha (This has always been one of my favorite quotes.)

The Latin word for baggage is “impedimenta.” which means things that get in the way of forward movement. Self help books say that we must get rid of our baggage to lighten the way to the new.

I am moving to a smaller house and “downsizing. “Downsizing conjures up an image of a life that is descending. The American dream has trained us to believe that bigger is better.

I no longer have the luxury of a ton of storage space for all my extra stuff.The amount of things you can accumulate after living in one big house for a long time is overwhelming. Daily I sift through photos, memories and keepsakes to see what aspects of my former identity will transfer into my new life. The emotional anxiety of releasing your history is tough. I am definitely leaving a little bit of who I was in this house. I am trying to only bring things that will add real value to my life.

The downsize was not my choice but an unavoidable life change. I can’t ignore the circumstances that brought me here but it is going to be different. I am going to be living in a much smaller house a block from the beach. It is a neighborhood where you can walk to Starbucks and restaurants. I haven’t lived in a walking neighborhood since moving from New York. I am a little excited to be able to walk on the beach every day and become a regular at the cool trendy restaurants popping up nearby.

So I just have to get through this miserable, uncomfortable, painful part of life to move into this cool house I found. Maybe our paths were never meant to be straight and the unexpected places we find ourselves are just where we are supposed to be.

Fly safe,

JAZ

Ten Not Tourist Things To Do In LA On A Sunday

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Ten Not Tourist Things To Do In LA On A Sunday

The worst thing about being a tourist is having other tourists recognize you as a tourist.” Russell Baker

I love reading these lists about countries I am visiting and hope you will find this one helpful.

Venice Beach and Abbot Kinney

Venice of America” was created as a beach resort in 1905. The first grounds came complete with an aquarium, bath houses, and an amusement park. Developers dug several canals to drain the marshes. As the infrastructure and buildings crumbled in the 1950’s, the odd characters and artists found their way in. That mentality continued to the present, making Venice a melting pot of cultures, art and attitudes. The path and boardwalk along the beach with is vendors, restaurants, street performers, weightlifters, artists, tattoo artists, skaters, bikers and graffiti art make it great for people watching.

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Abbot Kinney is one of the trendiest streets in LA right now. The downside is the overabundance of hipsters and horrible parking. It’s great to hang out, eat and shop. My favorite Abbot Kinney restaurants are Gjelina (http://www.gjelina.com) and The Tasting Kitchen (http://www.thetastingkitchen.com)

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LACMA and La Brea.

Since they redid LACMA, (LA County Museum of Art http://www.lacma.org) several years ago, it is a cool, interesting space to spend a Sunday. Catch the latest exhibit, collection, film, or do a family activity with the kids. Sit in the courtyard and have a drink or coffee and plan your visit. I like to have brunch at one of the La Brea restaurants, Republique (http://republiquela.com) or The Sycamore Kitchen (http://thesycamorekitchen.com). If you are a mall person The Grove (http://www.thegrovela.com) is nearby as well.

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Rose Bowl Flea Market In Pasadena

The super gigantic Rose Bowl Flea Market takes place rain or shine on the second Sunday of each month at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. There is a plethora of vintage items and vendors. It is great for people watching – the hip, the beautiful, the cool and the very strange are all shopping for that perfect find. I think the days of finding something really valuable are probably over but it is definitely the place where LA hipsters go to furnish their living spaces. It’s funny to see people grabbing things you grew up with and wondering if you shouldn’t have given them away back then. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

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Ride Your Bike From Santa Monica To Manhattan Beach .

The bike path runs along the Pacific Ocean from Pacific Palisades to Torrance. It is 22 miles (35 kilometers) long. It’s good to pick it up in Santa Monica and ride through Venice, Marina Del Rey and Playa Del Rey. Manhattan Beach is the quintessential LA beach town.  It is what you expect a California beach community to look like when you move from the East Coast. The Beach Boys hung out here when they were young and it is credited to be the birthplace of beach volleyball ( now an Olympic sport). They have some really good restaurants. I like to go to MB Post (http://eatmbpost.com) and Fishing With Dynamite (http://www.eatfwd.com).

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LA Dodger Game.

Baseball has always been a metaphor for America. The LA Dodgers (http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=la) have been a symbol of Los Angeles since they moved from Brooklyn. Dodger Stadium opened in 1962. It was built on the controversial Chavez Ravine, overlooking the city making it one of the most beautiful settings for a baseball stadium. It is a really fun Sunday thing to do – watching a game and eating Dodger dogs.   The “Dodger dog” is a 10” frankfurter sold at Dodger Stadium during the games. It is probably not the best hot dog you will ever eat but it feels like it is when you are there.

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The Annenberg Space For Photography

Photography is my newest obsession and I just love this place. They have interesting exhibits and great lectures. It is located in Century City and admission is free. I often drop by for an hour and usually see the exhibits more than once. (http://annenbergphotospace.org)

It located near Century City Mall and you can run in and do some shopping and get some food. My new favorite Chinese restaurant is located here. It is called Meizhou Dongpo and is the first American outpost of a very successful chain restaurant in China which started in Beijing. They became famous because they catered the food in the Olympic village in 2008. Everything I have had there is delicious. I always look forward to eating there.

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Malibu

Malibu is very relaxed on a Sunday. Walk on the beach. Watch the surfers and birds at the lagoon. Have brunch at the Malibu Beach Inn (http://www.malibubeachinn.com), Malibu Farm (http://www.malibu-farm.com) or Nobu (http://www.noburestaurants.com/malibu/experience/). (Nobu)

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Walk around the shopping centers with their new stores. Maybe you will run into Caitlyn Jenner. I love the Malibu Farmer’s Market on Sunday as well. They have some great locally grown items. Sometimes I get fresh bread and cheese and make that a meal with all the samples they give you. Other times, I have one of the meals that they are cooking. As with all farmers markets, the best produce is in the morning and the best deals are at the end of the day.

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Music Center

Growing up in NY, I love theatre and ballet. I’m a regular at the Music Center downtown (http://www.musiccenter.org) . Traffic in LA has gotten so awful that I usually go on a Sunday. I have brunch at a new downtown restaurant or go back to one of my favorites. Anything from chef Joseph Centeno – Baco Mercat, Orsa and Winston, Bar Ama or Ledlow always works for me (http://bacomercat.com). (Disney Hall)

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The Music Center is one of the largest performing arts complexes in the US. It includes the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Ahmanson Theatre, the Mark Taper Forum and the newest building Walt Disney Hall designed by Frank Gehry. The center is home to ongoing community events, arts festivals, outdoor concerts, participatory arts activities and workshops, and educational programs. When I don’t stop for lunch I grab Tina’s Tacos and sit outside and watch people run in and out of the fountain. (Dorothy Chandler)

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MOCA and The Geffen Contemporary

The Museum of Contemporary Art (http://moca.org) is right down the street from the Music Center. It’s fun to come down and see an exhibit after having dim sum in Chinatown. The best things in Chinatown are the art galleries where young LA artists show their stuff. You can still buy cheap made in China gifts and check out the herb stores with their dried mushrooms, tea leaves and goji berries. Every displaced New Yorker gets a favorite Chinatown restaurant when they move out here like they had in New York. You will hear a lot of New York accents on Sunday nights. Mine closed.

The Geffen Contemporary, which is MOCA”s very large exhibition space, always has interesting exhibits and is in Little Tokyo. I like to have sushi there and walk around the malls. It feels like Japan. I like Sushi Gen but I don’t like the lines. They open at 1115 if you get there early you can avoid the queue. (http://sushigen.org) Café Dulce in Japanese Village Plaza is the place for donuts afterward.

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Early movie and dinner

No matter where I have lived, my favorite thing to do on Sunday is always an early movie and dinner at a local restaurant. My usual movie theatres are in Westwood which means Lebanese food at Sunnin (http://sunnin.com), Italian food at Palmeri in Brentwood (http://www.palmeriristorantespa.com)  or the new Ingo Diner in Santa Monica (http://www.ingostastydiner.com).

Fly safe,

JAZ

Learning Russian In America

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Learning Russian In America

“It’s a plié. You do it on all the positions. It’s very good for dramatic moments.” Anne Ursu

It began with Whitney. She was a ten-year old girl with natural ballet ability who was impeccably trained. My daughter was a nine-year old dancer. “Go to Yuri,” Whitney’s mom said.

Yuri was Yuri Grigoriev, a Russian ballet teacher who taught an intermediate and advanced level adult ballet class. He allowed kids to attend if they could keep up. He spoke only in Russian.

This did not sound like good parenting to me. It was not an experience that would build positive self-esteem. Being taught by someone who did not teach in English with advanced adults in the class was not a recipe for building a good self-image. As far as I knew, if we as parents did not help our kids develop positive self images, they would probably end up on drugs robbing convenience stores.

My daughter became more focused on dance and she found herself in her first class with Yuri. She liked it. The adults were nice and she felt like she was learning. I asked if she understood him. She said yes. “But you don’t speak Russian?” Her reply was that it was not a problem.

Slowly Yuri developed a children’s program and in the years that we were there, I never heard one kid say they did not understand what he was teaching them. I didn’t understand him. I was always asking his wife Alexandra what he was saying. She ran his school and was his English.

He was teaching much more than ballet. Ballet was about movement and because the kids did not understand the words, they focused on watching him demonstrate the movement. They learned to stay in the present moment or they might miss something important. They watched his facial expressions and listened to his tone of voice. They began to use all their senses in communication. They also picked up many Russian words.

His students were developing an understanding of how to obtain knowledge from different cultures. There were things to learn from people who did not speak English. They became educated about the Russian ballet world and the famous Russian ballet dancers both past and present. When dancers came from Russia they would teach a class and pass on their dance knowledge. The dancers came from companies like the Bolshoi, Stanislavsky and the Kirov. These are amazing Russian companies and the students knew a lot about them.  No one taught in English. This had become the norm.

Yuri Grigoriev died suddenly. He now had his own ballet school with many girls. I have driven by it and seen the big sign in the front with his name on it.(http://www.yurigrigoriev.com). I went to the funeral at a Russian Orthodox Church. It was of course in Russian. As usual with Yuri, I didn’t understand the words and I didn’t need to. Many people gave tributes to Yuri in English and in Russian. Many little girls got up tearfully saying he was a second father to them and talked about how much they loved him. I hadn’t seen him in over ten years and was impressed with the school that he and his wife Alexandra had built with hard work and dedication. I asked someone if Yuri had ever learned English. She said no. Yuri took his knowledge, talent and love of dance and turned it into something even more beautiful. He passed it on to future generations and he is a testament to the fact that love and art will always transcend our differences.

Fly safe Yuri

JAZ

Favorite Foods From Los Angeles Restaurants

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Favorite Foods From Los Angeles Restaurants

(with the help of my foodie friends and family)

“I was at this restaurant. The sign said ‘Breakfast Anytime.’ So I ordered French Toast in the Renaissance.” – Steven Wright

I was going to do this list myself and then I thought that I have so many foodie friends. Now, I can’t wait to try their favorites.

Tuna Sandwich on Olive Bread at Gjusta, Linguini and Clams at Pizzacotto  LO

Hamachi Tostada at Animal and the Szechuan Noodles at Meizhou Dongpo. LA

Spaghetti A Limone at Terroni and Suedero Tacos from Taco Zone Taco Truck on Alvarado  JR

Beet Salad at Barrel and Ashes,  Honey Chicken at Craig’s SR

Tuna Sandwich On Rye at Nate and Als TN

Iceberg Lettuce Wedge with Fried Onions at The Palm Restaurant (downtown) ER

Whole Snapper at Tar and Roses CB

Pesto Sorrel Rice Bowl at Sqirl, Chicken Liver at Alimento KZ

 Salmon Sashimi with Dried Miso at Matsuhisa and Meatballs at Jon and Vinny JZ

Chicken Kiev at Mari Vanna JL

Pasta Madeo at Madeos, Spaghetti Carbonara at Republique CL

Ahi Tuna Sandwich with Coconut Rice at Blue Plate Oysterette EB

Warm Farro Breakfast Bowl from Milo and Olive, Spanish Fried Chicken from AOC RA

Uni at my fave sushi spot, Sushi Nishi-ya RR

Sweet Potato Waffle Fries and PC Burger Plan Check VC

Duck Confit at Gjelina PW

Fried Chicken at Ledlow  AB

Curried Oysters at Chinois and Lamb Tartare at Bel Campo Meat Co. JB

Eat well and fly safe,

JAZ

 

Six Burger Joints That Serve Turkey Burgers In LA

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Six  Burger Joints That Serve Turkey Burgers In LA

“You can find your way across this country using burger joints the way a navigator uses stars….We have munched Bridge burgers in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge and Cable burgers hard by the Golden Gate, Dixie burgers in the sunny South and Yankee Doodle burgers in the North….We had a Capitol Burger — guess where. And so help us, in the inner courtyard of the Pentagon, a Penta burger.” Charles Kuralt

There are hard-core burger bloggers. To be a serious member of the burgeratti you need to eat meat which is why the Lunch Friend came with me on the burger blog. I  do eat meat when traveling or trying new restaurants with amazing chefs but I prefer not to. I would rate the turkey burgers and she would rate the beef.  We have been teenagers and had kids. The two of us have consumed enough hamburgers in our lifetime all over the world to consider ourselves competent judges.

I think it is much harder to make a good turkey burger and not as many turkey burger bloggers. They can be dry or have too many spices in them tasting like turkey meatloaf.

How to judge a burger? Should it stand on its own? Should it bring out the taste of the condiments? I feel a great burger can always benefit from a little something on it. Great burgers begin with great meat. I like minimal toppings. I’m not a fan of tasting everything but the burger. The best hamburgers aren’t the most expensive ones unless you are in Australia or Japan where everything is expensive. Sometimes you are paying for a lot of fancy toppings. Burgers are something that everyone is a connoisseur of and has an opinion and a favorite burger place.

Here are our results. Remember the first rule of eating hamburgers is that hamburgers come when they are ready, not when you are ready.

Golden State Café http://www.thegoldenstatecafe.com

The turkey burger comes with ground turkey, provolone, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, aioli and onion. It is an amazingly good burger. Every bite was perfectly juicy which is not easy for a turkey burger. It was dense and chewy at the same time. The meat to bun ratio is flawless. The jalapeño coleslaw was light, creamy and delicious with a little kick if you don’t pick out the jalapeños. This is the Lunch Friend’s favorite place for burgers.

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Bachi Burger http://www.bachiburger.com

The next restaurant on the LA Burger Blog tour was the long-awaited Bachi Burger. I had the The Lonely Bird. It was a ground chicken & turkey “Tsukune” Burger with herb pesto, žlettuce ,ž tomato and brown ale battered onion rings. There is careful attention to the elements that go into the burger as well as a beautiful presentation. All the ingredients tasted very fresh.

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The meat to bun ratio was spot on and I really enjoyed the bun which I don’t always eat. Pesto aioli was good but I preferred the ketchup.The burger had a sweet taste to it which I like. It was a bit on the dry side but still good. I would definitely go back. This is a new LA restaurant.The room is inviting and cool and the staff is very helpful.The Lunch Friend liked the beef burger. She went back with her family. They preferred Golden State.

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Short Order http://shortorderla.com

Next on my burger pilgrimage was Short Order. I had been there before and had high expectations. This time I had the Commando turkey burger which is a build your own burger. I had lettuce tomato, ketchup mustard and avocado It had a good texture  but had much less flavor than I remembered. The bun was soggy and thicker than I like.   It was a bit of a disaster.I don’t know if it was just an off day, but it was not the turkey burger that I had anticipated.The Lunch Friend was underwhelmed.

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Umami Burger http://www.umamiburger.com

We went to the new Umami Burger at the Grove on a very hot day with the D-o-g – another burger connoisseur who basically eats anything that falls on the floor. The turkey burger was called Greenbird with avocado, green cheese, green goddess dressing and butter lettuce. Yes, it was green. The D-o-g preferred the beef. So did I. The Lunch Friend was bored.

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 Pono Burger http://ponoburger.com

I was expecting a delicious burger at Pono. I had been there before.The burgers are organic, grass-fed, and the other ingredients come from local farmers. It is the perfect philosophy for the green Santa Monica mentality.The brioche bun is delicious but I opted for the gluten-free one which is never good.The turkey burger was particularly dry.The Lunch Friend hated her burger. She said it tasted like boiled meat.The Lunch Friend does not like to say anything bad.The place is so cute and near my house so I was really hoping to give it a better review.

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Burger Lounge http://www.burgerlounge.com

I was not planning on reviewing any chain restaurants but I happened to have a quick-lunch at Burger Lounge. Burger Lounge is a fast food restaurant that uses high quality mostly organic ingredients and free range beef. I had a bison burger and I really liked it. I went back with the Lunch Friend to try the turkey burger. She had the beef and was not disappointed. The patties though the same in weight as other places are flatter like an In And Out Burger. The burgers are half the price of the specialty burger restaurants and they have free drink refills. The onion rings are delicious and not greasy.The turkey burger was good, moist and definitely worth trying.

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All the burgers were judged on appearance, presentation, flavor and texture. I’m not burger obsessed. I don’t eat them every day. I don’t have a burger tattoo to show my devotion. I like everyone else on the planet, just loves a good burger. Does anything else really taste as good as a great burger and fries?

Fly safe and thanks to the Lunch Friend for driving (I hate that) and tasting the beef burgers,

JAZ

Eraser Art In Los Angeles

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Eraser Art In Los Angeles

“A pencil and a dream can take you anywhere.” 
J. A. Meyer

The number two pencil is kind of the middle of the road when it comes to pencils. It is not too hard and not too soft. It is not too dark and not too light. In other countries who do not use numbers it might be called the HB pencil. Architects like higher number pencils because the points are harder. Sometimes artists use lower number pencils because they like the softer tone.  American schools have always preferred the number two pencil. It is said that the SAT scanner will only pick up a number two pencil. It is definitely easier to erase than a number three.

I volunteer at an after school writing program in Los Angeles called 826 LA. It is the only time these days that I see pencils. I do all my writing on the computer.

These hand-held pencils have had staying power amid the rise of the typewriter, the ballpoint pen, the computer and all the modern hand-held messaging devices over its century-and-a-half existence. In fact, the U.S. is the single largest market for wood-encased pencils today, most of which now come from China.

Pencils are dependable. The first mark you make with a pencil will be the same as the last. A pen might leak or run out of ink. There are no batteries, crashing, psycho auto-correct or waiting involved.

There is a lot of erasing at 826 LA. A pencil’s eraser tends to dry out and get dirty long before its lead runs down. Europeans tend to buy erasers separately and are more sensitive to this issue. This year we got some new erasers that were not attached to the pencils to deal with the high volume of erasing. We found some other things to do with these brand new very pink erasers. This is our first showing of eraser art.

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I’m not sure why they still spend so much time with pencils and erasers in school. I’m very close to telling a group of seven to ten-year olds that they will never use them again once they get out of school. Especially the ones that have trouble with the physical act of writing but have so many great  ideas.

Write safe,

JAZ

 

Signs That You Are Still A Tourist In LA

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Signs That You Are Still A Tourist In LA

Los Angeles was the kind of place where everybody was from somewhere else and nobody really dropped anchor. It was a transient place. People drawn by the dream, people running from the nightmare. Twelve million people and all of them ready to make a break for it if necessary. Figuratively, literally, metaphorically — any way you want to look at it — everybody in L.A. keeps a bag packed. Just in case.” Michael Connelly

You honk your horn in traffic.

You shop at the mall on Hollywood and Highland.

You are at the Fairfax Farmers Market on a weekday morning – hopefully not wearing cargo shorts and a fanny pack.

You haven’t worn jeans to a nice restaurant or the theatre yet. You haven’t been to the theatre in LA yet.

You still dress seasonally – wool in winter, white in summer.  You haven’t figured out that its scarves, boots, flip-flops and tank tops all year round.

You haven’t been downtown or to a museum that isn’t the Getty .

You are still having lunch at the Ivy for celeb sightings. The food is not as good as it used to be. You get excited when you see Richard Dreyfus at the drug store, Meg Ryan at Barneys or Madonna at Kabbalah. i have to admit I was happy when I saw Elton John having lunch with the kids.

You get excited when you see Tyra Banks online for the bathroom at the Arclight. You do go to the Arclight and not the “Graumans” Chinese  theatre right?

You don’t have a favorite Mexican restaurant.

Everyone knows the driving shortcut you have just found.

You rarely use valet parking and prefer to find a spot on the street.

You have not yet been on a juice fast.

You are not worried by the lack of rain.

Words like Santa Anas, fire season, earthquake kits and did any one feel that? are not part of your regular vocabulary yet.

You leave your car on South Beverly Drive and walk to Rodeo Drive. You still leave your car in one place and walk to all your errands if you can. You attempt to live somewhere where you are near public transportation.

You have not perfected your spray tan color yet.

You have barbecues in the winter. You still get a bit sad that there is no snow on Christmas.

You have not bought a winter coat even though there are days you need it.

You still prefer to eat in the restaurants that have a view of the ocean even though others are better and less expensive.

Fly Safe,

JAZ

Ten Things That Separate New Yorkers From Los Angelenos

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Ten Things That Separate New Yorkers and Los Angelenos

“When its 100 degrees in New York, it’s 72 in Los Angeles. When its 30 degrees in New York, in Los Angeles it’s still 72. However, there are 6 million interesting people in New York, and only 72 in Los Angeles.” Neil Simon

Comparing people in NY and LA is like comparing apples (big) to oranges (they grow them).

1. If a person in NY says they hate you, they hate you. If a person in LA says they like you, they hate you.

2. Women in LA like to be “healthy”. They are tan ,(usually fake) do juice cleanses, eat kale and hike in the canyon. Women in NY like to look pale, very skinny and on the verge of death.

3. In LA, you are judged by the car that you drive. In NY you are judged by your address. No one actually has to see your apartment, but where you have chosen or can afford to live is who you are.

4. People In NY eat dinner late. People in LA eat dinner early because they have to go to the gym in the morning before work.

5. LA could be burned to the ground at any time or destroyed in an earthquake. New York could be under water or snowed in. So be correctly prepared.

6. People in LA seem tired and move slowly (unless they are jogging or power walking). People in NY always act like they had an extra cup of coffee that they didn’t need.

7. People in NY hang out with interesting, motivated people. In LA they hang out with the people they grew up with.

8. The car is still king in LA though they are trying very hard to improve the public transit system. So don’t text or pick your nose while you are driving. In NY most people cannot afford to park their cars so public transportation is the norm. Keep your head down, avoid eye contact and grab that seat before someone else does.

9. In Los Angeles, they know how to make a good salad. In NY, they know how to make a good bagel, pizza, egg roll with duck sauce and cannoli.

10. People in LA are always between projects. People in NY better be doing something with their lives.

Fly safe,

JAZ

How To Annoy People In Los Angeles, California

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How to Annoy People In Los Angeles, California

“Los Angeles is a large city-like area surrounding the Beverly Hills Hotel.” Fran Leibowitz 

Leave your turn signal on for ten miles. Drive very slowly in the fast lane.

Talk about how much better New York is and how more real New Yorkers are. Fill in any other state or country here.

Say that the acting business is all about luck.

Ask us about celebrity dieting, gossip, their fitness DVDs or their clothing lines. Most of us don’t care about them on the way up or the way down.

Tell us again that people don’t walk here. We haven’t heard it before.  Add that our public transportation sucks,. We know that is why a lot of us don’t use it.

Which would be another complaint. The traffic is really bad for us also.
Yes we have traffic for no apparent reason at 2:00 in the afternoon.

Complain about the air pollution. We know  because we don’t have good public transportation.

Ask us if we know someone more important who can read your script.

Take up the whole lane with your bike and don’t pay attention to traffic signs.   (that means you Mandeville Canyon riders)

Name drop celebrities or ask us who we know.

Bring up juice fasts, vegan restaurants,  or talk about how  much better your Mexican food is. (unless you are actually from Mexico). My kids who were born and raised in Los Angeles are serious carnivores.

Bring up new age anything, psychic pet healers, yoga, Pilates.  bar method, Scientology , Kabbalah, acupuncture, Tai Chi or ask about mercury in retrograde.   Everyone does not  like to talk about it.

Ask us if we drive to the gym. We do. Sometimes we go to lunch and pick up our kids in our workout clothes. I drive to walk my dog.

Tell us that you think that you look fat when you are thinner and more fit than we are.

Ask if the construction on the 405 affects us. It affects me every day and night.

Tell us there is no culture here.  There is plenty but some of it you have to look for.

Insult our artists. Some of them matter. Some of them you have heard of. All of them are cooler than you.

Leave the movie theatre as soon as the film ends. We like to read the credits and see who we know on the film and we don’t like you walking in front of us when we do.

Talk really loudly on your cell phone in a public place about all the movie business related things you are doing. We know it isn’t true.

Say you haven’t had any work done.  We know that isn’t true also.  We are from LA and we are professionals at being able to see that.

Ask questions about surfing, skating or being blonde.  We all can’t answer those.

Make comments about our weather.  We live here because we like it.

Ask us why we wear jeans in nice restaurants. Because we can.  We also wear boots, scarves, shorts and bathing suits year round.

Ask us why we wear Uggs and flip flops everywhere. I don’t know.

Ask us if we are ready for the “big one”.  If you need to know, go on facebook. Every time there is a tremor everyone reports it – as in “Did anyone else feel that?”

Fly Safe,

JAZ

Ten Mondays Of Santa Monica Sunsets Taken With My Cell Phone

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Ten Mondays Of Santa Monica Sunsets Taken With My Cell Phone

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”Robindranath Tagore

I have an appointment in Santa Monica on Monday afternoon. The parking lot got very expensive and annoying. I started to park one block away on the street.  This is what I saw when I came back to my car on these last ten Mondays  or this is what I was missing by parking in the lot.

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When I am traveling I always remember to watch a sunset.  In my real life, so many things get in the way. I need to remember that this amazing event happens every day.

Fly Safe,

JAZ