If you got the Tim Buckley reference, good for you!

Parts of LA actually still do look like this album cover, which was released in 1972. That’s the bad news, all the rest is good 👍

The Much Awaited Wednesday Lunch

When you wait for people you haven’t seen in 50 years, everyone that walks by looks somewhat like what you think they may look like. Maybe I should not arrive 45 minutes early – it was exhausting! Alan and Fredde were easy. The rest not so.

Around the table from left front.

Sol, Alan, Mike, me, Fredde, Susie

Fredde organized the get together and she is the creative advisor, historian and documentarian of the Teen Center group.

She is also the person that when the kids heard we were having lunch said ‘That Fredde!’. This is due to a photo Fredde and I took in 1973 or 1974 when she came to Minneapolis for a shoot or TV spot.

We updated the photo.

Sol is part of a multi-generational family business that produces some of the finest invitations for some of the most important people and events in LA and other parts of the world. What a great market and reputation these folks have. Go to http://www.lehrandblack.com They just finished doing 14,000 invites for the memorial of Nipsey Hussle.

Alan continues his law practice focusing on the entertainment world. He was formerly with Disney for many years.

When we were at the Teen Center, card playing was always on the agenda. Here they are recreating a photo that Fredde brought from around 1966. Sol in lower left corner and Alan on top left.

The shopkeepers thought this was a rather weird event going on in their doorway. It was some place called Goop. I thought their shit was weird.

Mike is still in the fire extinguisher business – over 35+ years. In high school, Mike always had this swagger and confidence about him. I think he was the first one shaving by 2 to 3 years!

Susie was the hot girl down the street that we knew none of us could ever date. What made matters worse for us was in 1968 her parents got her a brand new Camero – the white one with the big orange stripes running from hood to truck. Totally untouchable for us. She has recently retired after 35+ years teaching elementary school.

This was over way too quickly, but we all did agree to meet again in 50 years at the Roxbury Teen Center.

On Saturday, I was able to connect with Doug, Mike’s younger brother.

Doug lives in Encino in a super house he’s renovated over 25 years or so.

This is inside the courtyard, after he opened the gate for me 😉

Little pool in the back.

Doug got into IHOP’s a long time ago and owned a number of locations in the LA area. Pancakes have been berry berry good to Doug (although he says he’s never eaten in one – I call BS!)

Doug started laughing and asked me if I remembered the oversized plastic liquor bottle in my folks bedroom that my Dad kept his coins from work – he knew right where it was as I was stealing from it to pay my poker debts to Doug. I though my Dad would never find out as he always brought home tons of coins from the bar each morning, but when you’re 14 and strung out on gambling (so to speak), you don’t cover your trail well. My Dad was putting a very small dot with a sharpie on the container after getting suspicious.

Saturday Evening

Dandy, dinner at Dan Tana’s with nieces and nephews Kevin and Johanna, Mandy and Hesher.

If you have not eaten here, do when in LA. You must have a reservation or they will tell you on the phone when you ask ‘Can I get in at 7:30 PM tonight?’…’Yes you can’, they say. What they say as an afterthought or don’t say at all is you can come in at 7:30 PM, but we won’t be able to seat you till 9:30 PM! And the restaurant is really small and everyone is virtually on top of one another.

Hesher, Mandy, Kevin, Johanna and Gary (who looks like his head is ready to twist off)

Then we went next door to the Troubadour to see the Cactus Blossoms. Can’t begin to tell you how much fun it was to get together with these guys – good times!!!

Tidbits

Stayed in a great little back house up in Pacific Palisades right above Sunset Blvd.

Lovely, peaceful and secluded right in the city. Perfect for the few days in LA

Arrived this afternoon at Hobson State Beach campground in Ventura County. Every picture tells a story – don’t it!

Now a slight reverse angle for the rest of the story! Looks like when everything gets smashed together after a Tsunami!

Supposed to be here for 3 days – maybe, maybe not.

More if anything happens!