First Slice of Yankee Pie

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After landing safely in the US of A we spent ages sorting out our lush rental car - a brand new PT Chysler Cruiser! When we had finally gotten this done Laura tackled driving on the wrong side of the road, operating an automatic car and all of this combined with jet-lag. Well, an hour or so of crazy highway driving and following GPS (?!) and seeing the wonders of big city life, we arrived at my cousin Steve's house. The stunning house in Pasadena, was a very welcome sight. As was seeing the very hospitable Steve and his wonderful wife Liza. Soon after arrival we were tucking into a lovely dinner and beaut bottle of California Cabernet! It was cool to see their kids Taylor and Lexi. I hadn't seen Taylor since he was this big and Liza was pregnant with Lexi.
They had moved from Knightsbridge before Lexi was born. See turned 3 this week so it shows how long it had been since seeing these guys but they were so welcoming in letting two traveling Hobo's muck up their beautiful home. Anyway, to add the all hype of our arrival, Taylor was very hyped up! Steve's mum June was arriving a day after us, so all in all it was a full house.

Having a place to stay, a tasty powerful car and the sun on our backs, we started to check out LA's sights. Of which there are many and very spaced out. (Get a car if ever going there!). I had realised how uniform and Microchip like the LA city lay out was on the plane in. A lot of road to cover.
In our first stint here we checked out the night scape and the Moon at the Griffith Park Observatory, were we meet to two very informative and surprising characters, who were very willing to vocalise their thoughts on the world, America, politics and how America is viewed by the rest of the World. Very interesting stuff.
Also drove Sunset Strip, Rodeo Drive and check out the Stars on Hollywood Blvd.
We checked out the Getty Museum. Although only for a short while, so we headed to the great Photography Exhibitions. And at one point was asked by a LARGE security guard "to not get so close to the ART".
I happened to be explaining a particular printing style to Laura, and was very aggrieved as many other, less youthful individuals were basically breathing on the "ART". Simply walking around the museum itself was like being inside a wonderful piece of art - or architecture I should say. Along with this was the fabulous view you get of the whole of LA and the curtain of grey smog that hangs over the top of the place like a big bubble.

Most impressive was a night out on Sunset Strip with Liza. My friend Adam, who is in a band called .sub (check out myspace.com/subband people) had just moved to LA to be with a new girlfriend and make it big in America. He had played a few dates in LA and Las Vegas, and was doing a solo night at the Viper room (AKA the place where River Phoenix snuffed it outside). We headed down there. Unfortunately Laura didn't have ID so couldn't get in, so she went for a coffee or four up the road at the Hustler shop, while I got some photos and soaked up the vibe in the club. The night got better when we 3 went to meet Liza's work colleague. The higher respected Rodney Biggenheimer, the John Peel of American rock. He is quite an important part of a lot of Rock n Roll stories - but always in the background. There are millions of stories about famous parts of rock/musical tales where Rodney was instrumental (usually in a really random way) to them actually happening in the first place. He not only has a mini cameo dedicated to him in 'Almost Famous', but he has a movie about him - 'The Mayor of Sunset Strip'. While we were chatting in his hang out spot (where he goes every night to receive demos from folks who want him to play their stuff on his show on KROQ) there were a few booths filled up with groupies and not so big music stars, as well as the weird and wonderful people that can be seen in LA all the time. We then bumped into the new up and coming band - The Switches (who Liza is working with) outside an after party we were late in getting to, had some more good chats with folks then headed back to get ready to get back out on the road to see some more of California.

After leaving for Grand Canyon and Las Vegas (Separate blog entry enclosed), we returned before heading north to San Fran. We made it back on Lexi's birthday, a family do, but arrived late unfortunately so didn't get to meet Liza's family. Still there was many a steak left, so not a total loss. Laura however had picked up some kind of bug, either in the Canyon or from Taylor before we left. The remaining days were not as active as we had planned as Laura and I played bug Tennis, with both of us sick.

We did see a bit more of Pasadena, and had a really nice time -despite the illness- lying low at Steve and Liza's. Once again, a big THANK YOU to them for having us.

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Photos

Americana
A cherried Rootbeer, red & white stripes on a straw, and a jukebox in the background. Americana shot. Done!

Super hero's Have Self Esteem Issues Too
"Do my feet look big in these?"

Blending-in In Contemplation
These guys can usually be found outside the Norton Simons Museum in Pasedena

Hunting for the Fresh Prince
We later found out that the actual house is in Pasedena. Thanks Leeza!!!

Juke Box Delight
Thoms joy at finding Elvis on the Juke Box at Mels Drive-in in Hollywood.

Anyone else get the Red Dwarf reference here?
I have no idea why he laughed so much, but Thom was in stitches for ages both before and after the photo was taken.

Scientology In Hollywood
That is surely the best place to put a centre for a story-style religion

The Hollywood Bowl
Just after Nickelback have played a live set