’25 August

Nope, we’re not walking down there and back up, but it is a lovely view. I came down here to have a nice lunch with Sharon at the Water Grill, a place I hadn’t been to since Water Grill took over from Ocean Avenue Seafood. It was good, it was expensive, and I miss Ocean Avenue.

How cute are we?!

Then Marsha came down to escape the 107 degrees out in the valley, and we had a lovely walk. After the walk we both drove back to the valley to eat Tom’s Beef Stew, perhaps the very best of his always legendary Beef Stew. We watched Draft Day on TV and I’d watch it again tomorrow.

My trip to Uzbekistan is coming together and no one needs to worry. The local Uzbekistani Travel Agent who makes all the arrangements for the staff and family of the US Embassy in Tashkent is doing all the work – all the transportation, transfers, hotels, guides, a car and driver when warranted. It’s turning into a private tour and someone will know where I am (or supposed to be…) at virtually every moment and I’ll have a local English speaking connection who answers WhatsApp 24/7. Not what I had in mind but as she kept adding services and I kept saying oh yes, that sounds good.

Here is the outline: Turkish Air LAX to Urgench, taxi and train from Urgench to Nukus, from Nukus there’s a long drive through the ancient fortresses to Khiva, then I’ll have a Khiva flight to Bukhara, take the train from Bukhara to Samarkand and later a train to Tashkent. Next comes the Fergana Valley by train from Tashkent and then by car to the three different hotels around Fergana. This is a 3 week trip in October that feels, despite all the help, like such an adventure. Just what the doctor ordered.

Finally my 100+ year old house has got a new roof. They had to take off 4 layers of old roof and replace a lot of wood but it’s done and I feel good about that, not having to wonder during every rain if the roof was going to hold. As everyone who’s ever done it knows, getting a new roof creates quite the mess but it’s ok now. Next comes a big tree trimming project, then the power wash and a touch-up on the painting.

I’ve had walks and lunches and visitors and a doctor’s appointment and waiting every morning, Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday for the roof inspector. My roofers have been unfortunately lax in letting me know when either they or the inspector cancel so I wait… Now I have to wait again tomorrow, Thursday, too. But I’m feeling pretty good, so YAY for that, although still I hope for more stamina, but pretty good is Good.

Mindy is out visiting so we met up with Ken for Happy Hour. Thanks you guys!

I got to enjoy another gorgeous evening at the Hollywood Bowl as a guest of Alan and Jo Ann. Muriel got covid so Mavis took her place, 96 year old Mavis who is an inspiration to us all!

The program was all Rachmaninoff all night long. Most impressive was Daniil Trifonov playing Piano Concerto #3 in D minor, Op 30, a monumental effort completely memorized. Most of these soloists memorize their concerts and it is always a mystery to me how that works. I also enjoyed the conductor, Daniel Harding who didn’t just keep time but cued for the important entrances and felt to be part of the orchestra.

Below find Daniil Trifonov playing an NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert.

And since I wasn’t driving, here’s a picture out the car window.

Lilly starts her Sophomore year at Redondo Union High School, home of the RUHS Sea Hawks. It’s a huge campus with so many extracurricular facilities including extensive theater (Lilly’s pick), music, and arts programs, an aquatic center featuring swimming competitions and water polo, track and field sports, and more.

I took a swing by Tony and Ingalill’s to meet Birdie.

These guys are dog people. There were at least 3 dogs before this sweet girl, Birdie. The last one, dearly beloved Marty, passed not that long ago and they weren’t ready for another dog, “no not yet, it’s too early, but maybe we can stop off here at the shelter and just have a look, not because we’re going to get another dog yet, no, but you know, just have a look.”

We went for a tour of the University Cooperative Housing Association facilities at UCLA. They accept 20% of their residents from colleges other than UCLA and Rome was accepted for this coming school year. It’s very exciting!

We were due to see Dudamel conducting his ‘home orchestra’ the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela however the orchestra members were refused visas due to Trump’s travel ban. So much winning.

The show was replaced with an interesting program led by Gemma New and including a trumpet concerto played by Pacho Flores, and fireworks, the fireworks above enjoying a little hit of photoshop and a completely made-up view of the orchestra.

We were in the 4th box up from the Founder’s Circle, so close that it was kind of cool for seeing the show but not at all cool for the fireworks. That fireworks picture below is from the internet.

Our view.

Hollywood Bowl Rimsky-Korsakov, Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34; Arutiunian Trumpet Concerto; Tchaikovsky Symphony No 4 in F minor, Op 36

Lilly, Rome, and I had a tasty lunch at North Italia at the mall, the most popular treat being the White Truffle Garlic Bread with Whipped Ricotta pictured below ($18.50!). Above is Kenzie, the first of the friends to arrive. Later would come Isaias, Izayah (The Boyfriend), and Sierra. I hope to get a picture next time!

(But first I had a morning coffee and breakfast burrito with Susie! It was a tasty day.)

Rome is celebrating one year clean from self-harm.

YAY CONGRATULATIONS

Let’s Eat Cake!

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(ps Of COURSE I asked Rome if using the picture was ok and what they would like me to say!)

Going for a walk, above is a back patio of a little cafe I’d never been to before. It was very nice and I’d go again.

Below is Happy Birthday Becky where we all enjoyed Alicia’s famous Fabulous Fresh Peach Pie.

Windy got us tickets to see the Kentwood Players’ production of She Kills Monsters. It was fun!

Above is Windy’s newest passion – the autoharp. She is quite obsessed and even went to Seattle to see an old guy play. First she went to Portland to hook up with Cali and Andre, and Cali drove them both up to Seattle. What a good time they had!

Our Charis about to bring a new family member into the world, and a new snuggle bunny for me!

My new tenant Sophie and her boyfriend Mike who is heading back to Tuscon today.

Rome drove us to lunch!

There’s a nest in the kumquat tree and this bird has been aggressively guarding it, even dive-bombing my Head.

More nature. Oh no.

This was a killer concert at the Hollywood Bowl, just killer. One of those overwhelming experiences that makes you gasp and melt and feel grateful for life. I’m going to copy the program here.

“With his First Symphony, “Titan,” Gustav Mahler set down an audacious artistic statement. From its early echoes of nature and birdsong to the heaven-storming finale, it contemplates life and death, tragedy and triumph over one exhilarating ride. In the fall of 2009, Gustavo Dudamel also made his own audacious statement in his debut as Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducting a monumental performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. He comes full circle, revisiting this cherished work.  

“The stunning Vilde Frang joins in the first half for Korngold’s sublimely cinematic Violin Concerto. A child prodigy, the 9-year-old Erich Korngold was deemed a “musical genius” by Mahler in 1906. Nearly four decades later, Korngold, living in Los Angeles as a successful composer of Golden-Age Hollywood scores, would dedicate his achingly beautiful Violin Concerto to Gustav’s widow, Alma.”