IMPORTANT PERSONS

Too often we forget to take time to reflect on those persons who have been important in our lives. Be they ex-lovers, teachers, mentors, good friends or relatives. There are those whose advice or understanding or confidence or love have attributed to our success or wellbeing or sophistication. It would be interesting to read stories of how, when or why those individuals have changed attitudes, opinions or circumstances and influenced our experiences. I plan to occasionally write about some of the influential persons in my life. Lest we forget!

PUBLIC PARTYS

I've always tried to avoid going to partys arranged for venues such as: business, gallery openings, etc. where people crowd in for a free drink and try to eat enough tidbits to suffice for dinner. Number one: I don't like eating standing up. Also, standing in line to get a drink I feel is awkward. Valet parking at these affairs is always difficult. The point being is: FB invited me to a launch party of BEL AIR magazine being held at a house in...duh duh...Bel Air. He stated if we didn't want to stay we could leave and go on to dinner however, because of his business (hotelier) he felt obligated to make an appearance. Friday evening we wound our way up the streets of BA following a line of cars to what was the VALET parking meanwhile other cars were turning around and heading back down toward Sunset Blvd. Upon arriving, the valet, dressed in obligatory black and an earphone asked FB if he was On The List. Seems one had to be On The List to be valet parked. If you were not On The List you had to go to Parking Structure 11 at UCLA about a mile away. A noticeably beleaguered PR girl recognized FB and told the valet that he was On The List. Gratefully and kiss kiss, we entered the gardens of a stately Paul Williams designed house where many guests, ladies in very short black dresses and men in black suits with open neck shirts, were already drinking and gorging. Having finally obtained a drink, we wandered around the gardens and observed people entering the house and we decided we'd like to see it as well. A gentleman with a clipboard asked if we were On The List. Being told FB was On The List, he said, "Oh no....you have to be On The VIP List." Hysterically laughing we fled the party to go on to a delightful dinner in a restaurant. Seated and paying our own way.

CENSORED?

Google was censored in China and now I believe, me with my big bad mouth was censored by Google for a blog I wrote a couple of days ago in jest. As Bill Maher often says "I say it in jest".
You can always catch me at my website: www.bhbum.com. I am a baaaaaad boy.

VERY GRAND OPERA

The opera AIDA is about as grand as they come. This morning at 10AM (would you believe) I went to the movies in Century City where FB and I saw the repeat of the Direct From the Met film directed by Franco Zeffirelli. Wow! What a production. Singers, dancers, horses and a cast of thousands. The Met transmits the operas on the Saturday of the performance: live from New York. This summer there are repeats of about 8 operas. Very comfortable sitting in good seats and being able to inspect every detail of the costumes and sets. Wonderful sound. How fortunate we are in this age of audio and visual magic.

POOP

I am having a "John Waters" moment this morning. For those of you unfamiliar with him, look him up on Google.

Have you ever wondered how many bowel movements you have had in your life? Something to ponder.

Oh! Lighten up!

PRIDE

"The consciousness of one's own dignity." That phrase perfectly exemplifies GAY PRIDE festivals around the world. The first Gay Pride parade in Los Angeles was in 1983 on Hollywood Boulevard.
My friend R and I went to see it, sitting on a curb, wondering how the spectators would react to so many Gay men and women parading in the middle of the boulevard. The crowd was silent as the participants passed by and at the very end of the parade some of our fellow spectators got up to walk with the marchers. R and I got up with them and began our march. I saw persons I knew sitting on the curbs - their mouths dropping when they saw us walking along with the others. The feeling of personal liberation was indescribable. We were no longer hiding or ashamed of who we were. The memory of that day still brings tears to my eyes. Yesterday, in the West Hollywood Gay Pride parade a float went by with singers singing "I am what I am", the thrilling song from La Cage aux Folles. The tears were flowing.

MUSINGS

Musings will be a posting of a variety of thoughts that come to me: usually at 4AM.
The new issue of Architectural Digest:
   Paige Rense - Retiring longtime editor.  When I was living in Montecito I had a phone call from a woman announcing herself as Paige Rense.  My first thought was:  OMG!  She wants to photograph my house for the magazine.  However, she went on to say that a mutual friend told her I had a very good Cleaning Lady and would I give her the phone number.  My one and only encounter with the admirable editor.
   Cher on the cover.  Cher has discovered Buddism and she has had her entire apartment decorated to give the impression of what her idea ithe religion is all about.  Far Eastern furniture and art.  Just another celebrity with absolutely no personal (or is it very personal) taste.  I would have loved to know what went on in the head of the renowned decorator.  But after all, a guy has got to make a living.

ZURICH

Oops!  Neglected to say:  Zurich is a beautiful town.  The Swiss are polite and charming.  Sorry if I gave the impression otherwise with my opinion of SwissAir.

Stay tuned.

TOURISTS ALL

Some find it boring being regaled with friend's tales of trips abroad.  I won't attempt to go into detail, but will give an overview of a very good trip with a few of my own succinct critiques that begin with a big gripe.

M and I took a 10 day journey to Zurich, Munich and Berlin.  We flew SwissAir business class.  SwissAir has the most uncomfortable seats of all the airlines I have flown.  The seats position your body so when they are in a reclined position the tendency is for one to slide down to the floor.  (I was constantly changing the seat position).  The food was slightly more than Economy class and very poorly presented.  (Sorta of like a TV dinner from Swansons).   Service is brisk and very Swiss.  I give the airline a "D" for "don't". 


Now for the good:  Zum Groben Ernst is a small, charming restaurant in Old Town Zurich.  Local food, fairly priced, perfect service.  The second day after touring we joined a Swiss friend, P, for aperitifs at the famous Odeon cafe - dinner at Sterne Foifi and after dinner drinks at - would you believe - Jules Verne.  Yes, the same name as the one on top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris:  only this one is on top of an office building.  


Took the train up to Munich where we joined 40 of our Gamma Mu members for a 3 day visit.  The Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten is an old and beautiful hotel and upon arrival we were upgraded to a larger room: thanks to our hotelier friend FB.  This was my second time in Munich and because of a well arranged tour, we saw the crazy castles of crazy Ludwig II (I think he was a frustrated interior decorator), went to a variety of restaurants (enough with the Wienerschnitz, already), and walked the city.  One of the most unusual sites are the surfers in the middle of the city on a river rapids. Yes!  Hot surfers!


Great flight on Lufthansa to Berlin.  Comfortable!  My first trip to Berlin was 1971, second 1994 and 16 years later the change is incredible.  What was East Berlin is now a thriving newly built city with well designed buildings and restaurants.  The section is named Mitte.  We checked into the Concorde hotel just off of the Kurfustendam: one of the most important boulevards in the West area. The hotel is one of the many properties owned by the group which owns the Crillon in Paris.  That night we were able to snag a reservation at the Wein Bar Rutz in Mitte.  A 4 star restaurant if ever there was one.  Touring Berlin for 5 days was an exhilarating experience.  Being with over 100 GM members was fun.  One of the highlights of the Berlin visit was the Bauhaus museum.  The Bauhaus movement is the inspiration for so many architects.  Simplicity be thy name!  But isn't that what I always say life is about?  Keep it simple.