It’s been a busy few weeks at The Hotel Careyfornia. Lots of visitors…lots of great meals and very little sleep. If you’re thinking of visiting Southern California, make your reservations soon; as we’re getting quite full for the summer, LOL! I’m getting great use out of my new camera. Here are some shots from the past two weeks:
No, I WILL NOT fix your computer! LOL Click above for video
We were driving home from the Hollywood Sign last night when the Twitterverse exploded with the news. I was with these guys on 9/11 and the year after in NYC. We all watched the President’s speech together last night. Now THAT’S what I call “mission accomplished” GW!
OK, admittedly a sensational headline…but I did dream it! Let me explain. Saturday, my “wife” Sabine flew into Los Angeles from El Salvador on a short layover before returning to Germany and eventually Africa. We had a wonderful lobster lunch on the marina:
Back to LAX for the long trip home…as shot from my sunroof
And now for the reason you clicked this…the dream headline in the title. Before I left for the airport to pick Sabine up, I posted the following on facebook:
After 1 day, the post had nearly 60 comments, so it clearly struck a nerve with people. The lone right wing gun advocate who commented however, was no match for my liberal friends. After a while, I left the fray, and let the interwebs duke it out. I devote plenty of space on this blog to my views on Sarah Palin as well as gun control. My positions are well documented. Regular readers may remember the eyewitness accounts that Sabine and her friends provided from the Virginia Tech shootings several years ago:
As psychologist and neuroscientist Drew Weston said, “Saturday was not the first time Gabby Giffords — or countless other lawmakers, candidates, and elected officials, including President Obama — was confronted at a campaign rally or town hall meeting by gun-toting bullies [sic, Republicans], whose primary goal (at least until this weekend) was intimidation. That bringing a concealed weapon within that proximity to an elected official could be legal in the world’s longest-lasting democracy is both surreal and shameful — and now it threatens that democracy.“
“Mr. Kurtz is wrong. The killer is not “a lone nutjob.” He is one of us, clothed and fed on perpetual war and the dialog of destruction.
We have become a nation of, by …and for perpetual war. Perpetual war is our addiction and our language, and as Kurtz so chillingly admits – war is the metaphor of politics and business and daily discourse. But I tell you that a nation of perpetual war and constant fear eventually succumbs to self-hatred and self-loathing. It becomes consumed by the value of extremism in the maintenance of empty empire through the deceit of language. A nation of perpetual war numbs itself to violence by constant repetition of the rhetoric of death and mayhem and the slogans of militarism. A nation of perpetual war does not value human life – but rather the hollow rhetoric about human life. Mr. Kurtz and others would have us avert our eyes and avoid looking into the mirror and facing the reflection of our words and deeds. I can only imagine what Mr. Kurtz and others would have written had the shooter been named Mohammed Abdullah. Christina Taylor Greene was 9 years old. She was born on a day of death and madness, September 11, 2001, and she died on a day of death and madness. She is, in the flippant jargon of perpetual war – collateral damage. Words have power. Yesterday, 20 human beings were shot and 6 human beings were killed.”
I have mixed emotions about the events of this past weekend. As most people know by now, the draconian ban on homosexuality in the United States military has been repealed. Tomorrow President Obama will sign the repeal, paving the way for the inevitable Supreme Court ruling on Proposition 8 and gay marriage finally becoming the law of the land. That’s all great news. But on Saturday, as my friends and I stood in line at a movie theater and heard the buzz of cell phones and twitter feeds announcing the DADT repeal, I actually felt guilty about another far reaching piece of legislation that didn’t pass. The DREAM Act “would have created a path to citizenship for certain young illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children, completed two years of college or military service and met other requirements, including passing a criminal background check.” “Two Dreams, One Dead“, as Time magazine opined. That dream is dead, at least for now. But I for one am glad to know people like David Cho, whose tireless efforts on behalf of the DREAM Act have raised awareness worldwide, and caused him to be named one of the Top Ten Game Changers in education today (along with heavyweights like Michelle Rhee and Jill Biden)! People like David Cho are the leaders of tomorrow. Just watch:
The DREAM Act is the right thing to do! I’m glad there are people like David Cho and Dan Choi who fight tirelessly for what’s right, to make this country a better place for all of us. Keep up the good fight gentlemen!
Even though I’m an atheist, I’m inclined to agree with the postulate that everyone likes presents, Santa, peace on earth and all the things that come with Christmas and the holiday season. I mean, what’s not to like? That said, it’s hard to get into the Christmas spirit here in California when it’s 80° F (27° C) and sunny. It’s also hard to be optimistic with our country in such a state of shambles; thanks in large part to greedy Republicans and an inherited deficit too big to imagine. I was reminiscing with friends recently about the first Christmas I spent in Africa twelve years ago this week. It’s easy to forget that twelve years ago, Bill Clinton was in the midst of an impeachment trial over lying about oral sex. Despite that theatrical absurdity, our economy was strong and unemployment was at 4%. I was struck by the fact that twelve years ago, everyone I met in Africa thought the whole charade was ridiculous. Of course, Bill Clinton sailed through his impeachment, and 12 years later, he’s still in the White House taking charge. I was reminded of that fact when I watched President Obama introduce President Clinton during his press conference last week. Claudio and I were talking about it, and he had mixed emotions seeing Bill Clinton handling the room like always. He thought it was the most telling political picture of the past two years. I don’t necessarily agree with that; but it did produce strong and mixed emotions. Bringing Clinton into the White House was a good move for President Obama. Bringing him to the podium was a risky move. Leaving him to go “tend to Michelle” was a horrible move! (Click the link, it’s hilarious!) But it sure made for great political theater and a lot of nostalgia. Especially as Bernie Sanders was filibustering across the mall. THAT to me, was the contrast. Now if the president could just find some of Bernie’s zeal. (Though I thought he did a mostly good job at his press conference the other day, save for the hostage analogy which The Daily Show skewered so well!). I wish the President well. He’s in an extremely unenviable position. In the words of Robert Reich, “I urge congressional Democrats to remember the larger principles — not in order to be purist or make the perfect the enemy of the better, but to move toward an economy and a society that we believe in, that reflects the needs of the vast majority of Americans at this difficult time.” How I long for the days where all we had to worry about was a blow job in the Oval Office! That said, here’s how we tried to get into the Christmas spirit here in California this week:
Our Christmas Card, LOL
Chazz and Rio have become inseparable and sometimes hard to tell apart!
I am one of your biggest supporters. I believe what you have accomplished in two years has restored our country’s reputation around the world and helped millions of hard working Americans. I have sometimes wished that you could move faster on many things (Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Guantanamo Bay & Afghanistan to name a few), but I trust your judgment and know that you are working as hard as you can.
That said, I must take issue with your recent stance on the tightened security policies of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). You say you “get it“, but I’m not sure that you do. I know that the Republican Party and Fox News are up in arms about the new measures; and though I rarely agree with Fox News, I must yield to them on this matter. However, I don’t necessarily agree with them for the same reasons. I’m not really concerned with someone “touching my junk” when I go through a pat down; nor am I personally worried about:
What I am worried about Mr. President is the bureaucratization of terror. Starting with the failed policies of your predecessor, the TSA has become a laughing stock. They are inept at best, criminal at worst. Though America isn’t Israel, we could learn a lot from the Israelis. It’s called behavioral profiling not racial profiling. You can’t profile breast implants and shoes. It’s about being smarter, not reacting every time someone tries to ignite their underwear.
As someone who used to fly 3-4 times a week for 13 years all around the world, I can honestly say I’m glad I’m done. I will opt out of these ridiculous policies, because they are nothing more than theater of the absurd. We’re not safer. The terrorists are laughing at us. Every time I hear the words “I’ll put up with anything if it makes us safer…” I cringe. People who spew such nonsense don’t fly more than once or twice a year, and are woefully misinformed. If I were you Mr. President, I would immediately fire Janet Incompetano and John Pistole. Replace them with people who possess the same critical thinking skills that you do, and can respond to this mounting public outcry.
If you figure this out Mr. President, people will begin flying again. I was going to fly somewhere for Thanksgiving this week. I have canceled my trip. If I’m meant to die in a terrorist attack, so be it. I’ve had a good life. No amount of groping or probing will keep me safer. The terrorists are smarter than that. I do somewhat wish I was flying this week though, as I would love to have someone videotape me while I’m being patted down. Did you ever see the movie, When Harry Met Sally? Think of this scene, and then think of me being patted down by the TSA. Trust me Mr. President. I have a flare for the dramatic, and that would be one hell of a viral video.
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Ben Franklin’s Contributions to the Conference on February 17 (III) Fri, Feb 17, 1775
Speaking of government bureaucracy, I just posted the following on Yelp:
Going to West Hollywood City Hall at 8 AM on a Monday morning is the worst way to start your week. I needed to pull a permit to replace some windows in my condo. After waiting for the receptionist to finish a personal phone call, I was directed to the second floor. They have the slowest elevator I’ve ever seen, and no stairs for the public. Up to the second floor I went. There was one person at a desk texting on his cell phone, paying no attention, and another at a counter helping a contractor; who had blueprints laid out from hell to breakfast. After 5 minutes of no one acknowledging my presence, I finally interrupted the texter who then told me I needed to go to Planning. I went to Planning and waited until the most jaded, bitter, bureaucratic queen I’ve ever met showed up. He looked at my paperwork and let out a heavy sigh. He handed me a form to fill out, and started pecking on his keyboard, seemingly exasperated. He kept asking me questions about my windows and I kept referring him to the drawings and plans that I had meticulously prepared. After 15 minutes of dramatic paper shuffling, he sent me down to the cashier to pay $97.11 for “zoning clearance”.
I took the elevator back downstairs and gave the cashier my debit card and asked if I could also pay for my parking permits. She told me that Parking Permits were handled in another department. I walked to that department and met Junior Jaded Bitter Bureaucrat #2. He told me they only accept Parking Permit requests via mail. I informed him that it was the 21st Century and that I check my mail two or three times a year at best. I asked if I could just pay for the permit there, and was told they only accept checks by mail. I informed him I didn’t have a checkbook, because again, it was the 21st Century. I haven’t written a check in 10 years, and wasn’t about to go to my bank and request a cashier’s check as he suggested. The 80′s called. They want their payment methods back! He finally acquiesced and let me pay the $44 for the parking permits by debit card. A small victory, but it felt good.
I then had to take the elevator back upstairs to show my receipt to Planning, who directed me to Permits, where I had to basically start over. As it turns out, Jaded Bitter Bureaucrat #1 was delightful compared to Jaded Bitter Bureaucrat #3, who worked in Permits and clearly hated life. He looked at me, waiting for me to tell him what I needed without even asking if he could help me. The staring contest went on for several seconds until he finally broke down and asked what I was there for. I told him I needed a window permit. He asked if I had filled out an application, and I said I thought I had. He said it wasn’t in the paperwork, and directed me to a wall of forms where I had to search for the right one. He asked for a letter from my Homeowner’s Association, which I told him I had given to the Permits Department. He rolled his eyes and walked away. 5 minutes later, he came back with my Homeowner’s Association letter. He then asked how many windows I was replacing and I told him three, as documented right in front of him. He asked how many bedrooms I had, and I pointed to the clearly drawn layout right in front of his face. He found out that one of the windows needed to be lowered, thanks to a ridiculously archaic city code, so he had to get his supervisor and lumbered away. 5 minutes went by and the supervisor sauntered up. We’ll call him Ultimate Bitter Jaded Bureaucrat #4, who ended up being the most jaded and bitter of them all. He was clearly the highest paid too, as evidenced by his Dolce & Gabbana sweater and Botoxed face that had not smiled since the first Bush administration. (The other two were wearing Izod and Ralph Lauren accordingly. It was a chilly day.) He proceeded to look at my drawings and draw identical lines on them to accentuate my lines. He took his time, and shuffled a lot of paper even more dramatically then JBB #1 (He must have had a Master’s in paper shuffling). He basically did nothing but huff and puff for 10 minutes and ask me questions that I had already been asked 3 times; the answers to which were clearly documented. He then sent me back downstairs in the elevator from hell (to hell?) to pay $341.17 for my permit.
I then took the elevator back up to purgatory, where I watched JBB #3 slowly stamp all of my paperwork, and hand it to me without as much as a whisper. I asked if that was all I needed and he nodded affirmatively. I know that no bureaucracy is fun to deal with, but West Hollywood is supposed to be a friendly, progressive city. The staff at City Hall rivaled the TSA in terms of bitterness and rudeness. I’m surprised they didn’t pat me down! I payed them $482.28 for nothing but condescension and laziness. For those of you who think living in a city like this would be all pink roses and rainbow flags, this is a cautionary tale. I won’t even go into how one of the mayors here thinks that a ban on smoking is ridiculous, because West Hollywood is all about sex and rock & roll. Ugh. In the few short years that West Hollywood has been a city, the bureaucrats have made it no different than any other greedy, over regulated place to live. If property values weren’t still so low, you can bet I would be looking for another place to live. Until then, I’m going to manage with what I have. I have no desire to deal with the city again. The whole experience left me jaded…and bitter.
If you’ve read this far, you’re probably looking for some photos from the week. Here they are:
“Tonight, we answered the call of history as so many generations of Americans have before us. When faced with crisis, we did not shrink from our challenge — we overcame it. We did not avoid our responsibility — we embraced it. We did not fear our future — we shaped it.” President Barack Obama
We got home from Santa Barbara last night just as the President was finishing his remarks. Though the debate rages on via my Facebook page (thanks to both the Davids); real reform is on its way. After this vile display last week, it’s pretty clear that the Republicans and the racist teabaggers really thought this was all about welfare:
Sunset in Santa Barbara last night
Anyway, we had a great weekend with very little sleep. Bine and Lindsay arrived Friday night along with Carolina, Eva, Vonda, Nate, Bianca and Julia. We had 9 people sleeping in my little condo, so it was similar to this. Saturday we went to Claudio & Ryan’s for a Brazilian barbecue. Sunday we spent a hazy day at the beach in Santa Barbara before dropping Marcelo off at the airport. Two hours later, I got a text that there had been a small plane crash in Santa Barbara, and Marcelo was being shuttled to LAX. So off to the airport again I went, and we had him for another night! Everyone woke up at 5 this morning, and we were on our way back to the airport at 5:30 AM. Next weekend, Bassam, Bine and I will head up to Tom & Cathy’s in San Francisco to see little Patrick and Youenn (who I haven’t seen since we traversed the Alps last summer!) and Mariana. Should be another great weekend! Here are this past weekend’s photos:
Who knew Chazz was part giraffe and part Scooby Doo?
It was a hot Halloween in West Hollywood this year. The temperature reached 93° (34° C). This morning I walked to Pavilions to buy my balloon for my costume. Claudio, Ryan & Chazz showed up later and I took Chazz up to the roof for sunset. There was almost a full moon and the sky was beautiful:
Chazz on the roof with downtown LA as a backdrop
Lisa sent this picture of Andy in his costume. Cute huh?
On Halloween night every year, West Hollywood stages perhaps the most extravagant Halloween party anywhere. The City of West Hollywood calls the Costume Carnaval the largest adult outdoor Halloween event in the world. Santa Monica Boulevard, one of the busies streets in Los Angeles, is converted into a pedestrian only zone between Doheny and La Cienega Boulevards.
So, when it got dark, it was time to hit Santa Monica Blvd. where 500,000 costumed revelers flooded the streets for the Annual Halloween Carnaval. I took some “before” pictures this morning, to compare to what it looked like tonight:
Me, as Balloon Boy’s Dad amidst a sea of balloons. And yes, I’m holding a Tupperware barf bucket for the Balloon Boy(s) to puke in, just like he did on national TV!I’m also wearing ABC Wife Swap credentials!
9 PM: UPDATE to the UPDATE: Levi Johnston just posted my blog on his Twitter page and I got like 300 hits in 30 minutes! Which means that right now, Levi Johnston is sitting in a hotel room in New York looking at picture of Chazz! LOL!! Then I got a message on my phone from him that said this:
Thanks Levi! I appreciate the help! If my blog can change one person’s mind about ever voting for Sarah Palin again, I’ll have done my job.
And Levi, I know you “dated” Kathy Griffin, but did you know she also loves my dog Chazz?? And Chazz knows President Obama, so it’s like 3 degrees of separation! The four of us should do lunch next time you’re in LA!
Chazz, with Kathy Griffin and her Mom at the Prop. 8 rally in West Hollywood in May.
1 AM THIS MORNING: 1 year ago today, I wrote a post called “Yes We Will – Count On It“. It was a exactly one week before the presidential election and I had a conversation with someone who could not fathom a black man in the White House. This week that same person had the unmitigated gall to send me one of those ignorant emails that spread racism and hate (that I refuse to repost here), telling me I can’t deny “history” and espousing the same disgusting “we’re the greatest country on earth” blah blah blah rhetoric that angry white men like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh puke out (because an ‘uppity negro’ in power obviously makes them sick to their stomachs). Guess what? Racism is still alive and well in America one year later. I am looking forward to this documentary on HBO next week though (almost as much as I’m looking forward to Levi Johnston’s revelations about Sarah Palin tomorrow). Check out the kid in the beginning and end of the clip. His name is Lorenzo. He’s nine years old and he’s priceless:
Because of copyright, this video only plays in the U.S., so here’s a news piece about the documentary that shows the kid I was referring to and some other nice scenes of the President with his kids and reflecting on his accomplishment.
Meanwhile, George W. Bush is giving boring speeches, charging $4.95 admission fee. Oh, and the lecture series is being arranged by a former drug dealer. LOL, what a buffoon. Clinton is rescuing people from North Korea and W is resigned to meet and greets in Wal-Mart parking lots!
The documentary looks good, right? It’s so amazing to think that a year ago today, no one knew for sure that Obama would/could win. It was also around this time last year that I went to the pumpkin patch with Hannah and Arielle. Since this is Chazz’s first Halloween, I took him there on Sunday. When we arrived, there were a ton of paparazzi snapping away as Christina Aguilera was just leaving. Of course, once we got there, they fixed their long lenses on Chazz, and how great he looked against the backdrop of orange pumpkins and crimson sky:
If you look closely you can see that as Christina Aguilera exited the pumpkin patch to the stars, the paparazzi waited for the perfect shot of Chazz!
He even went on a hay ride!
He also got to hang out with his pal Roscoe while Ann & Arielle look on
Today was the first day of school for Tommy & Andy. Growing up in the Midwest, the first day of school for me always involved getting up early, the cool air hinting of autumn and me and my brother walking to the bus stop hesitantly, wondering what the new school year would bring. (I wasn’t a popular kid until I got to college believe it or not….I was kind of the class clown in grade school, but then withdrew in junior high and high school.) I even remember my first day of Kindergarten. I cried and screamed…and didn’t want my Mom to leave. Andy however, took it all in stride today, bounding off with his teacher ready to start his academic career. He insists on being called “Andrew” in school! When his Mom showed up to pick him up, all the kids were lined up in a row. They were allowed to leave when the teacher called their name. When she said, “Andrew, you may go”, Andy let out a loud, joyful squeal and ran into his mother’s waiting arms saying “I missed you Mommy”. (Sound familiar??) That’s a memory Lisa will cherish the rest of her life. Good luck in school this year boys! xoxo
Unfortunately, Andy & Tommy missed President Obama’s speech to school children on Tuesday. Tommy would have surely enjoyed it. Speaking of the President, I was appalled last night as I watched his speech to Congress. I immediately posted this on my Facebook page and apparently I wasn’t alone in my outrage!
Glee was on later that evening though, and it put me in a better mood. Just like this video always does:
Lastly, the fires here are mostly under control, but the sunsets are still spectacular. We took Chazz up to Runyon Canyon the other night and I got these shots:
He met up with another Rhodesian Ridgeback (Chazz is Rhodesian mixed with Boxer) and they played so well together. Apparently Rhodesians always play the same way with each other and they had a ball!
I took the center photo in the summer of 1997 while sailing around the island of Manhattan on my boss’s yacht. It was a picture perfect New York day. One I’ll never forget.I took most of the other photos on September 11th, 2002.
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE “In an interview, President Obama has said that picking up his dog Bo’s poop is one of the highlights of his day. The interview was published in ‘The Journal of Depressing Metaphors for the State of America.’” — Conan O’Brien
Me: Thank you for agreeing to meet with me Mr. President. Barack: No problem. I enjoy reading your blog via Twitter. Me: Thanks, I liked your last book too. Barack: And this must be the famous, Chazz. He’s even more handsome in person. Me: He is gorgeous isn’t he? He’s been looking forward to meeting your dog Bo. Now that Chazz has his own children’s book too, they have a lot in common. Barack: (Whistling) Here Bo…come meet Chazz. (Bo bounds from little Sasha’s arms. He and Chazz commence sniffing each other. It’s apparent, the connection is immediate and magnetic.) Me: Wow, they really like each other. Barack: You ain’t kidding! I’ve never seen Bo so excited. It’s like love at first sight. Me: I know. Chazz is entranced. Too bad they can never have puppies. I guess they could always adopt. Barack: Wait…Chazz is a boy!!?? Me: Ummmm, well, he’s neutered, but yeah. Barack: But they love each other so much. Me: You can’t choose who you love Mr. President. Barack: Michelle, get me the Supreme Court Justice on the phone. Michelle: Who was your Negro last year?? Barack: Fine, I’ll do it myself. This gay marriage ban is silly. You can’t deny love, it’s the strongest force we know.(Cue “Rent” music.) Me: Thank you Mr. President. Can you or your Chief of Staff Twitter me the details on Chazz & Bo’s White House wedding? Barack: YES WE CAN! By the way, I loved your American Idol photos. How about that Adam Lambert? Me: Um, I voted for Kris. Barack: Really? Well, as long as you didn’t vote for Sarah Palin, we’re good. Me: You never have to worry about that sir!
Of course, we couldn’t get that close to the president tonight (unless Chazz and I paid the $30,400 price tag per couple), but we did rub elbows with Drew Barrymore and Kathy Griffin last night, as shown below. Chazz even upstaged Los Angeles Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa. As I was photographing the mayor, I told Chazz to go sit by him. He actually sat on the mayor’s shoes while the “his honor” was giving an interview to a Spanish TV station. The mayor looked down and started laughing at Chazz. Then the reporter started laughing and Mayor Villaraigosa reached down to pet Chazz. What’s next? Deputy Mayor Chazz??
Chazz with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the faces of gay marriage, 2009.
The delightful Drew Barrymore (with George Takei & husband looking on) and 80′s pop princess Debbie Gibson.
Phantom of the Opera’s Emmy Rossum.
Comedienne Kathy Griffin and her lovely mother.
I lifted Chazz up on the state with Kathy & her Mom!
repeal, paving the way for the 
season. I mean, what’s not to like? That said, it’s hard to get into the Christmas spirit here in California when it’s 80° F (27° C) and sunny. It’s also hard to be optimistic with our country in such a state of shambles; thanks in large part to greedy Republicans and an inherited deficit too big to imagine. I was reminiscing with friends recently about the first Christmas I spent in 
country’s reputation around the world and helped millions of hard working Americans. I have sometimes wished that you could move faster on many things (Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Guantanamo Bay & Afghanistan to name a few), but I trust your judgment and know that you are working as hard as you can. 
The documentary looks good, right? It’s so amazing to think that a year ago 
With the recent California 
