A Last California Hurrah! We HOPE....

Before the Fun Stuff - An Alex Liver Update

We had a meeting with the Keck Liver Transplant team and the results were good.  Or goodish.  Alex doesn't need a liver transplant now and may never need one.  HOWEVER, they want to keep following him and put him on the transplant list in case he ever needs one.  He will need regular follow ups (that is sane) and, if he continues to improve those will become less and less frequent.  They still don't know (probably never will) what caused it, whether it could recur or basically anything other than what we told you.  Albeit this is a very quick recap.  Michael and I head back to Ajijic on August 5th and Alex will finish up two more tests/appointments and he and Chico should be back in the village in early September. Thank you all for keeping us in your thoughts and we're so glad and grateful and happy that this whole god-awful six months is coming to a close.  Let's hope we can keep it that way.  

Beach Blanket Bingo

I don't know.  Gidget and the Beach Boys made it look so simple.  You piled into your woody with the board on top, pulled into the beach and bam! you were there -- ready to ride the waves and drum up some romance.  Well, we weren't in search of romance but merely an easy, fun beach restaurant with waves lapping near our feet. Like so much else in the Eureka State, it wasn't easy.  Eureka means "I found it" but clearly they were not discussing a parking spot at the beach or the restaurant or basically anywhere in the state. California is blessed with 840 miles of coastline but a ridiculous paucity of beachside restaurants-- not to mention beach parking.  

We plotted our plan carefully and made reservations at Paradise Cove restaurant well in advance for a Sunday at 12:15.  We arrived 15 minutes early to insure they would not give our table away.  When we pulled in we were confronted by a sign that said "Parking Lot Full".  We drove up to the guys directing the massive traffic jam and said "But we have reservations.  We should be able to park."  The guy looked at us and said: "Oh, you're seniors.  We'll let you drive in."  And then screamed "Seniors" at the top of his lungs to no one in particular.  While somewhat embarrassing, this was good since people appeared to be walking in from a half mile away.  They get away with this kind of stuff in California.  So, we scouted a spot (hard) and Michael pulled into a space suitable for a car half the size of ours.  Fine.  We're there.

This place is mobbed.  There are lines for everything --the patio, the restaurant, the bar, the showers (there IS a beach), the restrooms.  The private beach is for anyone who pays to park but the restaurant is STRICTLY private.  They have a gaggle of men wearing shirts saying Guest Relations.  What this actually means is that they are bouncers who run down those who dare to breach the ropes cordoning off the restaurant from the beach.  Some dodos think they can just waltz in and take a table. It is fun to watch the exasperated Guest Relations folk go one on one with the entitled Malibu rope jumpers.  We DID have an excellent meal and much entertainment watching gulls snatching food from innocent diners and rope jumpers getting their due.  And we were very glad that being really old saved us from a half mile uphill walk to the car.  Not doing that again anytime soon.

One small section of the line to get into Paradise Cove.

Beyond the rope is the public beach.

You could sit on the beach under a shade umbrellas...

or inside (still on the beach) with the strip shades. (Notice the gas heaters which were certainly not necessary while we were there.)

When Old Acquaintances....

When Michael was very (too) young he entered the seminary.  When puberty hit at 14 he left the seminary.  Other things were calling to him beyond the Almighty apparently.  While there though, he met a bunch of interesting guys -- none of whom ended up becoming priests.  Over the years he has stayed in touch with some of them and they have even had reunions.  Several live in California so one of them, Chris, suggested that four of them get together.  They decided on San Diego and Bill, who just retired as a professor at UC San Diego  and his wife Diane graciously said they'd host so we packed our bags and headed down.  San Diego is one of our favorite cities and while we only had two days we packed in a lot.  Regrettably John had to cancel due to a health emergency but the three buddies had a good old time.  Bill's hobby is railroads and he is constructing this amazing train system in a section of his yard.  I've never been into trains much (two boys will wear you out on trains) but this was just fascinating.  The construction is very detailed and exacting.  He's well on his way but it is a multi year project with landscaping and fine touches to come.  Michael's pictures will reveal more of our trip.  We managed to grab a meal at El Prado restaurant in Balboa Park which is just a beautiful place.  Then back up to LA to deal with the medical whirlwind.

The Prado at Balboa Park

The USS Midway Traffic Controller Room

The Officer's Dining Room.

A WWII era Navy plane on the USS Midway.

A statue based on the iconic photograph taken in NY Times Square on VJ Day. The people below give you a realistic idea of the size of the statue.

Bill's train layout (only partially completed) was truly impressive.

One of the buildings on the campus of UC San Diego reminiscent of a California Mission.

One More Ode to Griffith Park

Griffith Park is 4 times the size of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park and 5 times the size of New York's Central Park.  It is BIG.  And it is diverse.  Grassy fields, canyons, zoo, observatory, caves.  Coyotes, mountain lions (really) fox, deer, etc., etc.  In our time in LA we have come to love Griffith park.  If we are missing Mexico we go to Crystal Springs in the Park on a Sunday which is almost exactly like going to any park in Mexico on a Sunday.  Piñatas, ranchero music, Mexican food grilling, Spanish all around you and kids racing by -- it's great.  

One day, Alex (the new fit Alex) suggested we go to the Bronson caves where they filmed parts of Batman and as well as Gunsmoke,  The Lone Ranger, Rawhide, Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, Have Gun Will Travel, Bat Masterson, Rin Tin Tin, Star Trek Voyager, Wonder Woman and Invasion of the Body Snatchers,  So, impressive.  We set off from the parking area and confronted a sign advising us of "wildlife" such as rattlesnakes, coyotes and mountain lions.  OK.  Within a quarter of a mile who comes prancing down the trail but two coyotes.  Chicos ears hoist to previously unseen levels and the nose twitches violently.  The coyotes ramble out into the brush, skirt us, and return to the trail a few hundred feet later.  Eventually Chico's ears resume their normal shape.

Alex & Chico hiking up to Bronson Cave.

We found one of the best places to see the Hollywood sign was hiking up to Bronson Cave.

The cave was fenced, but I managed to get a clear shot by holding the camera above the fence.

Someone created this stone circle on the way up to the cave.

Another day, we went for a walk through Fern Dell in the park.  This area has a spring which feeds a stream that flows through a woods that has been planted with tropical and native plants.  The whole design and construction of the area (which is large) was done by the WPA during the depression.  With lots of shade, secluded little seating areas off the main trail and the sound of water flowing or cascading in the background, it is the perfect place to be on a hot LA day.  If you believe that a year of public service would be a good idea for all kids at some point, this is exactly the kind of project that would both help communities and be rewarding work.  While it is still beautiful, it could definitely benefit from a little "reno".

How Did We Land in New England ?

We went to see this place called Heritage Village one Sunday.  It depicts the architecture and lifestyle of LA in the late 19th and early 20th century. The Southern Pacific Railroad transformed Los Angeles seemingly overnight when it linked the East and Central States with Southern California in 1876.   At the Village was the first train station which was built in The Palms subdivision. This site was the only "urban" setting between LA and the sea (sound familiar Michael and Vicki?).  From there the line was built  up to Santa Monica.  The station was in operation until 1933.  The new settlers brought with them some of their "fave" architecture but new and interesting styles unique to California also emerged.  I was really surprised to see an Octagon House (several of which we've seen in New England) and one that was very, very similar to our house in Boston.  We had taken Chico on the outing with us so  we were unable to get the full tour of the interiors but the docent seemed rather annoying anyway so we were fine with that.  Chico, however, felt that we had come to visit every house and would leap up the stairs and stand at the door waiting for an invite.  He was disappointed.  In addition to the houses, they are renovating both a freight car and one of the trolleys that rambled through LA before someone thought it was a good idea to switch to cars -- not really such a good idea.  The photos will do the rest. 

This is The Palms station depot, which was originally a stop on the Los Angeles & Independence RR. It was renamed The Palms in 1886.

Deirdre & Chico make themselves at home on the steps of the Perry House.

A better view of the Perry House.

The Valley Knudsen Garden Residence.  This is the one that looked so much like our Boston house.

The Coastal Coral Tree is the official city tree of Los Angeles.

The docent arriving in period costume to conduct tours of Heritage Square.

The detail in the John Ford House (built in 1887) is due to the fact that John Ford was a wood carver.

The Lincoln Avenue Methodist Church was built in 1897.

The Longfellow-Hastings Octagon House is one of only about 500 octagonal buildings remaining in the US. It was built in 1893.

When Did Rocks Learn to Swim?

On a final humorous note, we were in Franklin Canyon Park where there was a small pond with more turtles per square foot than we had ever seen.  Chico, ever driven by his nose and the marvelous smells wafting into his brain, completely missed the multiple turtles lounging on the shore.  If he thought anything he probably registered them as rocks.  By accident, he came very close to one and it scampered (for a turtle) into the water with a splash.  He freaked!  He jumped back, crouched down and yipped/barked lustily.  Once he'd pulled himself together he wanted to chase it but his overarching fear of water prevented that.  It was a study in being conflicted.  Kill turtle- yes.  Water- no,no, no.  Ahhhhhhh!  He lived as did the turtle.  

Fortunately Chico never encountered this snapping turtle.

There were an amazing number of turtles considering the small size of the pond.

Chico was so exhausted from his adventures on this day that he had to take a nap!

Well, California isn't quite over yet.  We had a few more outings and adventures as well as our endless drive home through Arizona (which is like a different -- not in a good way-- country), Sonora, Sinaloa and Jalisco.  So one more installment before we settle into our cozy little village.  Enough for now.  Take care. 

De-LIVER-ance Perhaps

 The Liver is Connected to the Gall Bladder

Ah, we have learned so much physiology over the last six months that it is hard to comprehend how we functioned without this knowledge in our prior lives.  Actually, we have learned more than we ever wanted to know.  But now our journey, perhaps, maybe, perchance could be coming to an end and we can revert to our biologically ignorant selves.  So, different blog followers are at different points in tracking our liver journey so I will briefly recap and then move on to scintillating photos and less weighty topics.  Ever since Alex has been expelled from Cedars-Sinai (due to our ridiculous insurance system) he has steadily improved.  You will remember our endless moaning about the delays in getting access to the USC Keck Liver Transplant Team (insurance again), our final victory in getting in to see them, and the  lengthy, arduous hurdles in seeing endless specialists for endless tests.  Like six months worth.  

Well, life works in mysterious ways.  The very delays that we groaned and moaned about provided the time that Alex's renegade liver needed to start  rebounding.  Now, bear in mind that when Alex suggested about two months ago to the Drs. at Keck that he thought his liver was getting in gear, they dismissed him out of hand.  They said that no one who showed up with a MELD score like his (too hard to explain again- the internet will tell you) escaped a liver transplant.  A couple of weeks ago he implored his transplant coordinator to look at the liver scan that was done a month ago.  Apparently, the Drs. normally look at these things like 15 minutes before your appointment -- I don't know.  Within a day she called back and said she would convene the  big guys for an Alex conference.  Hmmmm.  Within two days, the coordinator liltingly said (she really is very nice) "Well, Alex maybe you won't need that liver transplant after all.  But the doctors want to see you one more time in person just to make sure."  His PCP ordered another liver scan (why stint) and the technician there (probably against all protocol) told Alex that his liver looked good.  Good blood flow.  And the gall bladder looked good too.  We had to look up why that mattered.  So, here we are.  We will see the big chiefs either August 23 or, if the coordinator can coordinate, at an earlier date. (Update we just learned the date has been moved up to August 3rd.) To say we are relieved is an understatement.  Thanks to all of you for your concern, prayers, attempts to channel, and emission of positive energy.  I will not make fun of any of those practices ever again.  We will let you know what continues to evolve.  On to fun stuff.

Let's Take a Look at the Muralists

Honestly,  before we moved to Mexico we had no  interest/knowledge of murals.  I mean... who does...except really artistically aware people.   Which we are not.  But then we moved to Ajijic.  It is a small town awash in murals.  From the most sophisticated to the most... well, should we say... striving.  When we arrived in LA we had no idea how entrenched and how impressive many murals and artists were.  So we started to really take a look.  We invite you to march along with us as we go on a walk about of some of the most impressive murals of LA.

This tells the history of the LA mural. I will include a few photos from the mural, but it is worth seeing the 1/2 mile long mural if you are ever in LA. The captions on the murals speak for themselves.

Pacoima is one of the oldest neighborhoods in LA & is renowned for its murals. This is one of Danny Trejo, an actor and owner of multiple restaurants in LA.

The next two photos show a major portion of one of the murals.

The next three photos are all part of one long mural on a side street in Pacoima.

This strange looking mural was on the side of a building facing the parking lot.

It is great to see the muralist culture of Mexico transported to this neighborhood in LA.

This mural of the Virgin of Guadalupe confirms the Mexican influence.

It was only when walking back to the car that I noticed this reflection of the mural in the mirror.

Justin told me about the murals in "Indian Alley", now known as Native American Alley or in Canada as First Peoples Alley. When we got to the alley, it was gated and locked. Fortunately a man was out walking his dog who was a denizen of the alley and let us in so I could capture these photos of some of the murals.

Downtown - Well, It Ain't Manhattan

Many people disparage downtown Los Angeles as a wasteland.  I think this is because the city just kind of sprawls around and isn't very "centered" like New York or Chicago or even San Francisco.  Of late, it has become chic to live downtown but for years "no, not chic".  We've taken to exploring "downtown" on weekends when everyone goes to the beach or somewhere that is not downtown.  And we've found some interesting (or rather Justin has shown us) some interesting things.

Wandering around downtown we encountered even more murals.

The Angels Flight funicular was opened in 1901 to take people to the then fashionable area known as Bunker Hill.

Central Market in LA is a bustling indoor market with multiple restaurants and open air markets.

The colors and neon signs are meant to dazzle and attract customers wandering through the market.

LA's downtown does have some interesting looking buildings...

the most iconic of which is the LA City Hall.

The Last Bookstore is a "must see" with many people posing for their Instagramable photo here.

The bookstore is located in an old bank building downtown...

with eclectic displays and artwork...

old original coffered ceilings...

and even records for sale.

We left downtown as we viewed this interesting structure in Pershing Square.

We've been to scads more places and Michael has many more fine photos but that is enough for now.  If all goes well, Michael and I will go on a road trip through the West prior to our nephew's wedding in Colorado in September.  As I was getting all psyched for that Michael pointed out that the smoke from all the wildfires may scuttle our plans.  In the famous words of Rosanne Roseannadanna:  "It's always something."  If you don't understand that reference you are too young to be reading this blog.  Have a good rest of summer.

P.S.  If the docs say that Alex is free and clear we will return to Ajijic in early August.  We have been too long away.  As you can tell, everything at this point is fly by the seat of our pants.  That's not so bad.  Not when our son is well and our friends await us.  Take care.