California is… relatively normal. No really. Ok, escape the Hollywood glitz, Beverly Hills grandeur and Paris/Britney type parties (not that I personally saw much of it!), and people are quite normal. Surprisingly.
I’ve just been back from about 10 days in California, staying with the oldest friend I’m still in contact with, Pak Wing, and his girlfriend, Shirley and exploring a fair bit of LA and later San Francisco.
And it was fairly packed from the first morning after arriving. Pak and Shirley dragged me to do my first walk for the homeless for HomeWalk LA. Less than 9 hours after arriving in LA, I’m already doing my bit for the community. The fact is, Los Angeles has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the world, and I admit whilst it’s not a cause I support a great deal, I was happy to do my bit and chip in.
I couldn’t help but notice, though, that this was a 5km WALK. I seemed to remember that I used to do cross country runs at school over that distance, and they weren’t too bad, so there was the wonder in my head whether it was an American thing that this distance was meant to be a challenge? I’m not answering that, and nor did I say it out too loud when amongst the locals!
But it did give me a chance to see the Olympic Stadium, for which they lit the flame for the event, as well as wandering through the University of Southern California campus. All very normal. And for the record, we walked the distance in around 51 minutes.
Then lots of sightseeing over the rest of the weekend. I felt the Hollywood Walk of Fame was a little bit underwhelming (ok, maybe nothing happens during the day and everyone was on strike anyway!), Universal City was eye opening and Santa Monica beach was lovely (despite not meeting any valley girls!). But talking of Santa Monica, Shirley and I did do a Lindy hop to a busker’s tune on Santa Monica Pier. Well, being Lindy mad these days, I’m not passing up chances to dance in odd places!
Talking of Lindy, it was a chance for me to see what’s on in the West Coast. Sadly, I wasn’t able to make a Lindy Groove, which had been recommended to me by a number of people, and was located near Pasadena where Pak lives. But I did Rusty Frank’s Rhythm Club – eventually, that is, after taking the very long way round after dinner! Rusty Frank is a former dance partner of one of my teachers, Simon Selmon, and her Rhythm Club in west L.A. was fab. A bit like Stompin’ at the 100 Club, my regular swing dance event in London, but brighter and more space. Oh and a live band, that played a bit of countryish swing. Well you can’t have it all!
As my thanks to Pak and Shirley for entertaining me, I made my first attempt at Thanksgiving Dinner. A lovely bruschetta with prosciutto as starter, duck breast with roasted potatoes and vegetables to follow, and Shirley’s dessert was fab as well. Hmm, maybe I should start hosting more dinner parties soon.
Anyway, thanks Pak and Shirley. Next up, I’ll tell you all about my first speeding ticket and San Francisco.
Links:
Pak’s photos of Thanksgiving Dinner
HomeWalk LA
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Universal City
Swing Links:
Special note to L.A. Nocturne, who I am indebted to for giving me details of Swing Dance events in Los Angeles
Lindy Groove
Rusty Frank’s Rhythm Club
London Swing Dance Society
Swing Dancers of London (Facebook)
Tagged: Places