Gotham Gal

Day 2 Los Angeles

At this point, anything that might go wrong is almost comical on this vacation.  Jessica has a virus but I am hoping it is a short term as she was able to get out in the afternoon.  Emily went to hang out in West Hollywood/Hollywood for the most of the day, with friends, which is not exactly a hop skip and a jump from Marina Del Rey.  I guess that is why they have taxis.  Josh and I were the heroes ( with my sister-in-law) of the day as we went on a bike ride.

Josh and I got 2 bikes from the hotel.  My first reaction to the bikes was to wonder when the last time someone actually tuned them up but figured it is what it is.  Josh and I hopped on our bikes and went to meet my sister-in-law for a little spin.  Little is an understatement.  We drove through the Marina and over to the bike path which you can ride to Palos Verdes but we were only going as far as Manhattan Beach ( that's far enough).  The ride was seriously long.  The bike path was blown out from sand and hence closed about one mile from Manhattan Beach but we almost made it there.  Josh was so happy when we got to turn around and frankly, so was I.  We were already a good hour or more into our ride.  We turned around and were going against serious headwinds.  I thought Josh was going to kill me as he let me know it was the worst morning of his life.  At one point, he got off and decided to walk.  The winds were killer.  It was like being on an Outward Bound journey.  I pushed him to get back on the bike and suck it up and his chain broke.  So, we walked and called the hotel to pick us all up as we were just entering the Marina boundary.  Our legs were humming.  2 hours in and serious wind.  I can laugh now.

We went back to the hotel and grabbed my car.  At this point, my sister-in-law realized her Amex fell out when she was trying to track us down.  Had to cancel the card and all that nonsense.  We went to lunch.  A tiny cafe in the Marina on Washington where the salad was fine and Josh had a BLT.  My sister-in-law headed home to shower and Josh and I went back to the hotel to do the same. 

I am taking a shower and the lights go out.  It appears that due to the high winds that a nice chunk of the area we are in has lost power.  No elevator either.  At least I had already rinsed my hair.

Josh went off with my sister-in-law to pick up her kids, the dog, etc.  I went with Fred and Jessica to pick up Emily which took about an hour to get there.  Afterward we went to Opening Ceremony in Los Angeles which happens to be in Charlie Chaplans old studio.  Very cool space.  The other store is in NYC and really carries the latest and greatest fashions on the cutting edge.  We also checked out another store in Melrose called Creatures of Comfort, another hipster store.  Jessica and Emily are pointing me in this direction.  Young designers, very cool stuff.  Next door to Creatures of Comfort is a great home store called Table Art which is only open Tues-Sat.

Afterward, we headed towards dinner. 

First full day in LA

This morning we checked out of the Shangri-La, thank god, and have settled into the Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey and we couldn't be happier.  Granted it might be a little stuffy but the rooms are just what the doctor ordered. 

We met my brother and his crew at Axe on Abbott Kinney in Venice for brunch.  Abbott Kinney has exploded over the years and is worth walking around.  From the stores to the restaurants to the galleries.  Plenty of old school mixed in with the new stuff.  Axe might be one of my favorite places for brunch in Venice.  They do a good lunch during the week too.  The place is hopping on Sunday, reservations are really needed. 

LA as compared to NYC has a very different food vibe.  There are wonderful salads and healthier type menus at every turn.  Maybe its the air, maybe it is the laid-back attitude, the desire to work out, the whole thing.  As Jessica put it, in NYC people who weigh nothing say, I eat whatever I want and never work out.  That is not a conversation you'd have with someone in Los Angeles.  Working out is part of the whole schtick.  Tomorrow we are going on a big bike ride. 

Axe has a 9 grain pancake which is the best pancake I have ever had, hands down.  I'd love to get my hands on that recipe.  Anyone?  Black sesame seeds, brown rice, farro, maybe whole wheat flour, eggs?  It is light, flavorful and you believe you are eating something healthy.  Maybe you are. The eggs are also good, however you want them prepared.  Fred had a poached egg on top of braised collards with bacon and potatoes which was excellent.  Josh and Jessica actually went with the Mediterranean Tuna Salad.  Mixture of baby arugula, pieces of Italian parsley, slices of red onion, chopped hard cooked eggs, chick peas, Italian tuna mixed with a lemon cayenne dressing served over a grilled slice of Peasant bread.  Nobody had the rice bowl but that is big at lunch. 

We did our loop around Abbott Kinney and went to see my niece play tennis at the Beverly Hills Country Club.  Not in Beverly Hills and only a swim and tennis club.  It is a nice group of people.  Families and friends watching their kids play.  Afterward, we drove over to Culver City.

Last time I was in Culver City I did a serious gallery tour, just walking from place to place by ourselves.  The area continues to grow and it would be worth making the rounds again.  Instead, we had dinner at Rush.  Rush, taken from Rush Street in Chicago, since all the art work inside is about Chicago.  A huge piece of the Herb Alpert and the TIjuana Brass album cover, A Taste of Honey.  Wow, that brought back memories, and another painting of the El in Chicago.  Inside, the restaurant has a feeling of being in side an old warehouse.  I wasn't expecting much but the food was actually quite good. 

We split some tuna tacos which were open faced.  Round taco crisps with chopped salad, jalapenos and a piece of charred tuna on top and a spicy sauce.  The menu is eclectic so everyone seemed happy.  I had crab and crawfish sliders.  Tiny spicy crab cakes between small burger buns.  I also went with a side order of sauteed green beans with arugula.  Some people had a turkey burger which was really juicy, others had the lettuce cups with pulled pork, others had a steak, some had grilled asparagus but Josh pulled it off with the oozing mac and cheese side dish that looked like French Onion soup. 

Both my brother and sister-in-law told me that the Honey Fried Chicken place across the street was killer.  A hole in the wall.  Supposedly there is an empanada place around the corner too.  That is one of the things about LA.  Visually, it is very mixed.  There are places that I might never walk into unless someone told me to.  I do hate the driving but I like the food and the weather.  It is perfect that my brother and his family live here because I can always visit and we do. 

Everyone went home to their own beds, ours being the hotel which is fine with me, to watch Obama on Sixty Minutes.  A good day in LA. 

Travels and Travails

From all appearances, I would have thought that traveling would have been a no brainer yesterday.  As this vacation has proved to be, so far, nothing is a no brainer. 

Our flight from Eagle to Denver was an hour later meaning we would miss our connection into Denver and not get to Los Angeles on time for my nieces bday party.  The ground crew basically told me that I would have to deal in Denver.  Instead, I called American Express who informed me that there were only 2 seats leaving Denver to Los Angeles at 9pm that evening.  Not happening.  Yet, there was an American Airline flight at 410 leaving Eagle that I may be able to get on that goes directly to Los Angeles.  That flight wasn't available when I originally booked the tickets or I would have.  After getting United to pony up 5 vouchers, find our luggage, get it to American Airlines, talk to the AA people and get us on the flights and go through security again, we were set.  We dodged a bullet and got to Los Angeles last night only 15 minutes late for the event. 

After leaving my brother's family home we drove over to the Shangri-La which is located in Santa Monica and has just gone through a $35 million dollar renovation.  If you read magazines, it would be hard to miss.  The PR has been fantastic.  I wanted to stay in Santa Monica and there is actually a way for 3 kids to stay in one room without having a pullout which works wonders.  I have found that most of the hotels in Santa Monica are really just for 2 people, even the suites.  Also, the hotel has history originally being built in 1939, very deco. We checked in.

First of all, you have to know where it is because there isn't really a sign. Second, the renovation is not complete.  The pool, the restaurant and the gym are not done yet.  I knew that but was okay with it. Keep in mind they also ding you for $33 a night for your car although I got that waived when we signed in.  The rooms aren't meant for us.  Yes, the kids have a 2 bedrooms suite although it smells like smoke, there wasn't much user friendly thought put into the rooms.  The closet can hold one jacket, barely.  There are 2 drawers, that's it.  If you spend a week here, think about living out of your suitcase.  Second, the shower is in a large deep bathtub.  As someone who is 5'3', I can barely get in and out of the tub.  I might actually hurt myself if I slipped.  So, we are checking out this morning.  I told the hotel last night and even the front desk manager acknowledged my concerns in a sort of way that he was just as amazed as I am and knew exactly what I was talking about. 

I called around and we are moving over to the Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Ray.  Amex has a deal with them and we will have plenty of room.  I hope this is the last of our travails on this trip.  Although it always does make for good conversations years from now.  Remember the time Mom freaked out on the hotel?

Last Day on the Slopes

Every year as I come down the slopes on the last run of the year, a bunch of thoughts go through my head.  The obvious is trying to make the last run a great one.  I also think about the end of the season and that it will be spring in NYC when we return ( at least I hope so ) and how quick time is passing.

This is the longest amount of time we have spent in Aspen.  We definitely took advantage of all four mountains which is a great feature – although Snowmass is a bit out of the way, it is also a good mountain.  It is a bonus to have a pretty substantial town at your backdoor.  Everyone went into town at different times for different reasons.  Sometimes a movie, sometimes just to pick something up, sometimes to shop and always for dinner.

We stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Aspen Highlands.  I like the Highland mountain and it is very quiet over here.  There are always vans go into Aspen or the other mountains so it is pretty easy.  They also come with a kitchen area which makes life easy for breakfast.  Fill up at City Market or the outrageously expensive deli in the same parking lot that has a slew of cheeses, dried fruits and deli meat. 

Many locals here.  I met a guy who has lived her since 1968 on the chairlift.  There is a nice vibe in Aspen.  Many people love coming here in the summer months when there are a variety of other activities besides skiing.  I prefer the winter.

Here is a quick review of the restaurants we went to.  Some I have been to before. 

Matsuhisa is consistently good no matter what town you eat in.  You know what to expect. There are 2 Matsuhisa’s – Beverly Hills and Aspen and the rest go under Nobu.  A brilliant chain of high end sushi.  Very pricey.

Social.  Inside Social looks like a restaurant straight out of the 60’s.  Very mod.  All tapas for sharing.  The food was good not great.  Raw fish, pork tacos, tuna pizza, shiso peppers, etc.

Wild Fig.  We ate there when it first opened years ago.  I really didn’t enjoy the meal.  I do like the vibe and the low ceilings but the food doesn’t cut it.

Ajax Tavern  My favorite place in Aspen ( part of Little Nell).  Ate there 3 times.  2 times for lunch and once for dinner.   The classic truffle fries are must.  The burger is a high end Big Mac and delicious.  Anything from the salads to chicken to pasta to beef you can not go wrong.  I’d honestly eat there every night if everyone would let me.

Hickory House Ribs.  I preferred the chicken over the ribs.  The pork shoulder is tasteless but the barbecue sauces are really tasty.  Onion rings are grease central.  All and all, your typical rib house.  The smell hits you when you walk in the door and your fingers are swollen by the time you leave.  They do pour a heavy drink.

Best place in town would have to be Paradise Bakery.  Delicious brownies, muffins, cookies and gelato. Decent coffee too.  Always free tastes at the counter...love that!  A total local hang located on a corner with plenty of sitting space as you indulge in their tasty treats.

But after all, I did not come to Aspen for the food. 

American Wife

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American Wife is Curtis Sittenfeld's third book.  The first was Prep.  I read Prep, didn't love it but understood the appeal.  When American Wife hit the stands, with great reviews, I didn't bite.  A few people recommended the book to me who generally like the same books as I do, so I caved and picked up the paperback to read.

American Wife is supposedly about the life and choices of Laura Bush written through her eyes and thoughts.  It is a work of fiction loosely based on her. You can't help but have both George and Laura in your head as you read the story.  Who knows if this is a realistic portrayal or not but Sittenfeld definitely did her research.  Alice, the character who is Laura, came from a middle class family who were Democrats.  She was a teacher.  She had a gay Grandmother, she had an abortion and she had a tragic accident killing a high school boy she adored.  This what you learn about the character in the book.

The book is broken into four parts.  Her youth, her teaching years, the early years of their marriage where George drinks up a storm ( get some insight into the born again route), and the Presidency.  I enjoyed the first half the most and the Presidency the least.  Laura seems to love her husband above all regardless of what a lout he is.  There were some great lines that I will share. 

This particular one is from Alice's Grandmother who was one of my favorite characters in the book. This iis in regards to George.  His ambitions exceed his talent.  Well, doesn't that say it all?

The other line is from Alice's Grandmother's lover, who is also the doctor that performed the abortion on Alice.  She speaks to Alice in a way that nobody does anymore because she is the first lady.  The doctor wants to go public with Alice's abortion but is trying to force Alice to do it herself.  She says to Alice in regards to a possible confirmation of a Supreme Court judge who would help turnover Roe vs Wade, "You have the power to change history, and you don't care.  Reproductive rights don't strike your fancy?  Well, how about gay marriage?  I can think of at least one reason that ought to be close to your heart.  How about the environment, how about civil liberties, how about this godforsaken war, or do the two of you plan to sit there with your blinders on until he's out of office and his successor can clean up the mess?

A really well written and hopefully well researched book.  An interesting light into the world of the last first lady. 

Fedex Update

It appears that there is one wonderful woman on the ground, Carmen, who works for Fedex.  Not only had she been telling the CAT people (those are the people who are responsible for helping customers) that she thought she might have the bag, none of them wanted to listen.  She found my cell and described the bag, and voila, she was right.  I am seriously curious how much Fedex spends on the extra layer of people in the CAT department. 

Yet, the story does not end there.  She put the bag on the back of a truck out of an area in Colorado to get to another area in Colorado to get up to us by yesterday morning.  I figured it wasn't going to happen so I waited one day and then tracked the bag.  The bag still said en route.  I made all the necessary calls again this morning.  One person actually told me Carmen wasn't in until noon and only she could help me (that was a CAT person).  Doesn't Carmen have a boss?  Aren't phone calls and information recorded in the system?  I found the boss, Marty, and he assured me that the bag was on a truck out to me and they were guaranteeing delivery by 1030am.  Guess what, the bag was already here from last night but Fedex didn't know that.  Unbelievable.  A multi-billion dollar company with hand-held computers that were designed years ago to input all information at each stop and they don't use them.

Then, another guy, Aaron, who is the manager of the ground facility, called me and he said he knew what happened in 20 minutes.  Shipping ground from the home is a problem because the people who pick up the bags don't have the proper equipment to tag the bag so they just slap on a tag.  The tags get lost and that is when the trouble begins.  Ours, lucky us, is an extreme case.

Carmen to the rescue again.  She found the other bag, sent me the pictures to confirm and it appears we will have all our bags before we leave.  Now I get the pleasure of attempting to get Fedex to pay for the boots, boards and clothing I had to buy.  I plan on getting the number of the President and calling daily.  Will keep everyone posted on what and if anything happens there.

But, I have also decided that I will be using Luggage Forward for life.  I used them when we had bags to get back from Paris to NYC.  It was seamless.  The charge is a little bit more than doing it myself but they are the ones who are constantly tracking and making sure all goes according to plan.  Luggage Forward will be picking up our bags on Monday to ship them back to NYC.  Keep in mind, you need to contact Luggage Forward 24 hours in advance so they can overnight the appropriate documents for you to use.

Comical, perhaps.  But, I'm on vacation and this really should be the least of my worries. 

Hanging in the morning and talking about the Pope

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Fred and I are hanging this morning before we hit the slopes.  Fred was saying this morning that the Pope's latest comments about how condoms won't help the spread of AIDS is utterly ridiculous.  I couldn't agree more. 

In essence, the Pope, the head of the Catholic religion, does not believe in birth control.  If you want to have sex and not get pregnant, then you have to be very very careful.  What he is really saying is that you only have sex when you want to conceive.  I am not sure that this has been the case for anyone for thousands of years.  Call me crazy.

My feeling is, don't trash something until you've tried it.  Perhaps if the Pope tried sex, he'd feel very differently about only having sex to conceive. 

Hitting the slopes

 I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with skiing as I get older.  I love being out in the fresh air and the vibe of the mountain.  I board more than I ski because it is easier.  I changed from skiing to boarding to do it with the kids but they have reached an entirely different level at this point where I am not going. 

Fred asked me today if the kids weren't around would I still want to ski?  On a day like today, the answer is emphatically yes.  The sky is blue, the weather is warm, the conditions are pure spring.  These kids were skiing without shirts.  Insane but it is that warm. 

Tomorrow, Fred and I are going out solo.  I am going to put on skis and we are going to pretend that we are young again and hit up the moguls which is what we always loved.  My guess is we won't be going full tilt all day but it will be interesting to see if we love it or decide that if it weren't for the kids, we really wouldn't be doing this anymore.  I sincerely do not believe it will be the latter. 

Emily turns 16

It was Emily's birthday on Sunday night.  16.  It was just the family.  Watching our kids grow is such a joy. 

There is something strange as I see my role change, more than Fred's.  Men, most men, start at point A and make a steep incline in their work world over time.  For me, my work line has been nothing less than erratic.  I have written about this before.  It is really hard to describe watching the kids get older and becoming incredibly independent - which is what we taught them to be - which pushes me to move into a different role.  It is all good but I do think about what keeps me busy and engaged next time.  Someone said to me recently, I believe you have another big one in you.  Perhaps.  On one hand, I hope so, but on the other hand, how does that big one effect a life where everyone has flown from the nest.  I believe this is an issue that many women think about who have chosen to stay home or make their work life less of a main focus.

More than likely I will just plunge in feet first as that seems to be something I have done my entire life. 

The last bite of the apple

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Reading about AIG in the paper today made my stomach turn.  Then again, reading about Goldman Sachs added to the nausea.  Reading about the stimulus money starting to create roads in San Bernadino made me happy.

Granted, Goldman Sachs, is a private company, at least it was.  Now you and me (American taxpayers) own a piece.  Private individuals kept pouring their money into Goldman Sachs for the slew of returns they received over the years.  Billions of dollars were flowing through the coffers.  Lloyd Blankfein awarded himself $70 million dollars in bonus money in 2007.  He also gave out $20 million dollar bonuses to the his top soldiers.  Why the private investors in Goldman Sachs were not outraged that those type of bonuses were being distributed instead of putting the money back into the company to insure a solvent organization is beyond me.  I guess everyone was living so high on the hog that people either thought that is was okay for the masters of the universe to take a huge piece of the transaction made with their money or they thought privately, I wish I was an investment banker.  Now, we are seeing greed coming to a head.

AIG, another disgusting organization.  Giving out over $160 million dollars of bonuses last week to the group that was involved with the downfall of the organization.  Doesn't even matter if they were giving bonuses to the people who had a profitable division, it is about the whole company.  I guess that the thought going through the people who cashed their bonus check last week  is that it was like taking the last bite of the apple.  The party is over. 

About a month ago, we took all of our money ( actually it was only Jessica and Emily ) who had their money in Apple stock.  We discussed that we wouldn't invest in or keep money in an organization where the CEO wasn't being honest with his share holders.  Both Fred and I have policies with AIG.  The first thing we are doing when we get back is pulling our policies and putting them somewhere else.  If we had money in Goldman, although we don't, I would have pulled the plug the second I was aware of Lloyd get a $70 million bonus because that is insane.  It isn't like he created a cure for cancer, he just made money on the growth of peoples personal capital.  Any of these companies that have taken taxpayers money and haven't made significant changes to the way they ran their business into the ground is no longer getting our cash.  AIG, as far as I am concerned, will no longer carry any of our policies.

I would think, call me crazy, that the masters of the universe, once revered in their communities will now be looked at with disdain.  When the people who cashed their bonuses at AIG or the people at Goldman who blew through their millions of dollars in cash, go to school events with their kids or community events, I'd find it hard to believe that there isn't a tax payer in the group who isn't taking off their rose colored glasses and seeing exactly what these people are.  People who not only consider themselves entitled but people of pure greed.  They haven't created anything except a big fat bank account for themself and a mess for the American economy.