Last morning at Dan’s. Up by 7 AM to make sure we could see the kids before they’re off on their school day activities.
A leisurely breakfast, some hanging out with Dan and Ann talking about stuff, a last load of clothes washed and then we’re off for a slow drive up the coast to LAX.
Ann’s working in Laguna Beach at her shop there and she’s at work by the time we’ve meandered that far up the coast so we stop in to see her and the shop. It’s a small, pretty and well organized place with a lot of top-end beauty products on sale. It’s a wealthy area so I’m sure she does well there. I imagine she has a steady and loyal customer base because, like Dan, she’s very personable so she’s bound to be a natural at all of this.
We drive on and in Corona del Mar, we stop at a coffee/bagel shop on Pacific Coast Highway with outside seating and indulge ourselves. It’s 80F/27C outside on the 4 of January, a winter day, here in Southern California so sitting out is very pleasant; perhaps even a bit warm in the sun. We have Lox and Bagels – yum.
Continuing north, we’re watching for a do-it-your-self carwash; the kind with bays and a power wand and that you put quarters in to buy some washing time. We find one as we’re entering Long Beach near my Alma Mater, CSULB. We wash and vacuum out the car, which was really dirty after out 7000 mile / 11,200km journey.
Then we’re into a Starbucks where we examine the various hotel options near LAX. Tonight, we’re going to stay in a real hotel with some class and pamper ourselves on our last night in the USA. We settle on the Sheraton Four Points on Airport Blvd very near to both Budget rent-a-car and LAX. $99 per night and $19 for car parking.
It seems like it’s just a few minutes on the freeway and we’re getting off the 405 onto Century Blvd at LAX and checking in. Nice room, nice place.
I call my friend, Charles, who lives and works not far from here in Culver City to see if he’s free this evening for a meal. He is!
It should be fun to spend an evening with him. Colette and I met him for a meal back on November 8th when we arrived here at LAX. So, he will have seen Colette when America was new to her and now when she’s spent two months looking at the place.
Charles arrives at 7 pm and takes us out to downtown Culver City where we eat at a small Italian place which has most excellent Spaghetti Carbonara (my favorite!).
After the meal, we walk the neighborhood. Sony Pictures are headquartered here. The area is in growth mode and looks very healthy. Charles tells us that it’s becoming a ‘go to’ destination for folks in the area looking for an evening out. Looks right to me.
Then he drives us up to downtown Los Angeles where we have a look around. He shows us the incredible Disney Building which is very impressive. The streets around are virtually empty at night which Colette comments on. Charles says it’s been like that for many years. It’s almost all business and no residential so once the business day ends, it’s an empty and dangerous place. He says it is slowly changing back but it looks to me like it still has a ways to go.
As we drive, Charles and I engage in one of the political discussions which he and I have been pursuing avidly since our days in university together.
I wish I had the time and space to write about all the things we discussed. I find them deeply interesting and I believe these subjects are near the core of what should concern us all with the mess the political and natural worlds are in today. But, such discussions need a dedicated space of their own and perhaps I will wade into them on their own right on this Blog in the future.
Back to the hotel and Colette surprises me deeply by grabbing my arm and pulling me to the bar. She has a glass of champagne and I have a glass of the house white wine. A wrap-up celebration as we’re ending our two-month journey together in the U.S. She’s a sweetie.
This will be my last entry on the subject of our two-month journey in the U.S. After I’ve settled back into Christchurch for a few days, I’ll resume the normal content of this Blog which concerns more serious fare.
Dear readers, it has been a deep pleasure sharing all of this with you and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.
Love to all from near LAX.
dennis