Los Angeles – the final chapter

I will fit in here everything else I couldnt put in its own category.
(Ðœr.Blab said it was not very inspired work “just mailed it in”, he said)

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Тhis is the outdoor mall in Glendale – the “Americana at Brand”

Looked brand spanking new and grand.

The shops were all around the park in the middle and there were little cafes and benches to sit on.

The strange thing is that there were no people on the grass. Here, in Aussie land,  the grass is free to enjoy area, not sure that applies to fancy outdoor malls in LA.

These are bins in Beverly Hills ;)
Huge bins for lots of waste, I guess.

Some random shots from our drives around the city.

The place is huge. Without a car, I have no idea how one would exist here.

So there are a lot of cars.

And big badly patched up roads

I went to the headless ducks place, up in the hills:

Not really, but there is this reservoir bang smack around the way to the Hollywood sign and all the other madness around the place. Its a green oasis, green splat on the GPS that seemed like another world.

Beautiful, peaceful and green.

The kids would have loved it here.

LA is not all crazy though. There were quite a few places that seemed like a lovely area to live in. Usually when I inquired about them it turned out they were for those special people that make lots of money.

Oh, speaking of the Hollywood sign, we saw this stunning goddess of a pregnant woman there and we took a picture.

The road to the sign itself was closed for some reason, but my Host found some sneaky way and I got to see it at least. The trip was worth it and the hills are quite lovely. Still not sure how this sign has become such a symbol, as its quite boring, small and absolutely not interesting at all. If you are coming here, do it for the views and the hills themselves, as the sign will disappoint, in my opinion.

While down there life is like this:

Around Hollywood Blvd looks like this:

..up there its all kind of beautiful.

Even the Valley looks appealing with its smog and all.

I went to “The Comedy Store” where my Host had scared me that the people on stage will most likely make fun of me at some point. I gladly announce that I am not that interesting and I was left alone.

We went to “LaVelee” and listened to Lynne Fiddmont, a Jazz chick, while munching on some lovely dinner snacks and sipping a glass of wine. There I heard a song that lasted with me for a long time – All I do.  Seriously it was in my head for days on end. Her version was slow and jazzie. It not her song, but Stevie Wonder’s. I had never heard it before, even though I am a fan of Stevie. Here is another woman having a crack at it (now I will have it in my head again. Groovy!):

And this is LA for you.

Or at least how and what I saw of it.

Thanks to Casa de Alberta for the wonderful hospitality.  Will never forget it.

And then I took my bags and 7 month belly on a plane and back to my continent: