step might be able to be taken.
I was eavesdropping on all of you all the time @ Banquette- it gave me a lot of insight.
The thing you should know is "Opportunist" is not a
dirty word to me....I realized this week I need to be out there listening even more.
So here is a partial Week:Observed...
Tuesday I got to experience a DLANC ( neighborhood council ) meeting , I was thrilled to partake
in the free pizza and sodas and observe a few things.
****edited:
I have come criticisms of some of the things going on-
however I am going to quit bitching -
my petty grievances are just that...petty.
I want to be a vehicle for change.
All in all it was an "interesting" thing...
The best part of it was hanging out in The Palace...that is a pretty little room oh and free pink lemonade delights me
Still, the state of affairs with the council is a little unsure-
as an outside observer who has been watching all this stuff happen for 3 years now from cafe tables and behind the counter...seems like a whole bunch of the same.
I do believe in them though...I have to, this is my neighborhood.
I have hope in it going further...however, the nepotism is suspect.
but I'll shut up about it...I have work to do and the more I worry about others - the more I dilute my focus.
Went to The Redwood for a little Mickey Champion and then to the Where?house for some late night art and fun...Such crushes flourish in such late hours....like I even have time for crushes these days.
Wendsday: Oh what a day...we launched the book club.
20 people in the house!...I will pull from my other blog to tell you a story about Wed.:
" It was amazing to sit in a room with all of us sharing in the same thing...it reminded me that
a common passion and curiosity is all it takes to link people at times.
We walked to Pershing Square, marveled at the remnants and stared at blank spaces- looking for ghosted outlines of the losses..
I looked for Arturo and my other ghost Elizabeth around every corner,they lurk behind palms. Him hiding in the open space of Pershing Square,her little taps clicking down Olive, to The Crown Jewel,to oblivion....
A Little Dahlia Story for you ...
She haunts me even now ...last Wendsday I went to the new speakeasy after coming home from 3's. As I left the alley I drew up to the corner looking at the building I noticed the familiar paneling ...
I was around the corner from the front door of The Crown Jewel which is the last place she was seen alive..
I had my big white flower in my hair that night and I was in my standard black.
Knowing full on where I was simply terrified me a very white hot fear seared through me and I broke in to a run up 9th...just to get away...
I don"t think I'm her or anything....don"t think that. However, I have just spent so much time with her over the last year, in books and in my head- in photos, on canvases...her image repeating and repeating.
Elizabeth has become apart of me.
As I walk the streets with my white flowers in my hair...i open an invite for her to follow me..Sometimes, like that night I get terribly frightened that it will be taken as an invitation to harm.
So I ran..heels clicking..I ran away from it...sometimes the darkness that I asked in has the power to swallow me whole..
I return to This Wendsday night though...
I walked everyone back by The Alex and hopped on my bike and jetted up to Broadway to see
"Yankee Doodle Dandy" @ The Los Angeles.
What a lovely movie...sure it was a lot of grandstanding and flag waving but it was also a reminded of a time when being "An American" was something to be proud of...
It left me feeling a little inspired to work harder at fulfilling my deep wish that that feeling of solid patriotism can be felt again regarding this country in this lifetime..
Considering I came in to the world as Nixon was getting canned...
I have never in my life known what it is like to believe in my country or my president...
I wandered around the Los Angeles and took in a few of the snooty know it alls from the conservancy and that was a reminder that in my taking on the role of teaching, guiding ect...
to always be loving,informative and excited...
It is strange when you can see people's agenda hanging
on them as awkwardly as their vintage clothes.
I saw the prime example of that parading around last night...
I avoided being recognized because I didn't want to listen to a commercial.
I've never forgiven them for saying to ME "If you ever want a real emcee for your show"
Yeah...you just wait for that call.....
I love everything the conservancy does and what they stand for but why do some of them have to be so weird??
I shrugged off the oddities, unlocked the bike and went for a loop around Pershing Square up the ramps and to the wall of the Carey McWilliams quote
I got to the last panel as I was reading the last line a GIANT cockroach ran right underneath it, as if to emphasize and accent the impact of the final words
My "EW!" quickly turned to loud laughing.
My dirty pretty thing, my Los Angeles sent me a dare...If you love me, you will love my flaws...my giant roaches and rats that fall from palm trees, my bad traffic, poor air and everything...You will love me, and love my scars...Los Angeles dares you to love her-no wonder I love her so...
Here is the last panel..... read...
"...It suddenly occured to me that, in all the world, there neither was nor would ever be another place like this City of the Angels. Here the American people were erupting, like lava from a volcano; here, indeed, was the place for me--a ringside seat at the circus."
Carey McWilliams
I got on my bike and rode in loops around the perimeter of the fountain...I went to leave and realized I hadn't really looked so I doubled back I rode fast all around the inside lip.
I listened to the water, looked at the palms and the strange art that no one likes but pays tribute to a story I love...
I looked at the park for the trees and the fact that there actually IS grass there...
The Biltmore,The Oviatt, Bandini, The Dahlia...ghosts and gods of architecture...
I cut across and down the ramp at breakneck speed...I raced home, looking around me...repeating and repeating..."you pretty, pretty town"...."
Yes, it really was that rhapsodic.
Thursday...
More fun,more meetings , more typing...
Got to host the Miss Downtown L.A. pageant ..that was pretty fun..people were too drunk and I in my production mode sure do "get on the headset" when I feel like something isn't being handled well or people aren't "safe" to do their job..
Got to see Dale Youngman drunk off her ass as she barged down the staircase during the pageant, yes, we know I don't like her but it is a little sad to see someone her age continually such a trainwreck in public. It's sort of like seeing your mom drunk at a little league game...
Really looking forward to the show next week though
The guys are really cool and definitely have vision...
now , just a little structure and we are set.
Friday:Nothing worth writing about....slept in, typed alot...ate my favorite turkey soup from Ray's...went home, slept more...after all the meetings and running around this week I needed a recharge.
Today we have the Fante tour, then Kim and Richard are taking me to a fun party in Brentwood.
free food and classy people...can't wait.
All in all it was a good week...hoping the next week will be even better.
See you next Saturday for another Week:Observed....
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