Hollywood Hills, east to west from my back stoop.
There’s lots of pretty sweet graffiti art in the alleys behind my building. Someday I’ll take some better pictures of it. If you will just look to the left of the tree with the purple blossoms, you could make out the Hollywood sign if this were a better picture, or if you had one of those machines they have in every movie crime lab.
Wait! Rewind that! There! Right there, that reflection! Can you enhance that? Oh my God … Senator McManus!! But … he’s schedule to meet the President tonight!! We don’t have much time. No! Don’t call the Secret Service. I bet they’re in on it!
And so on.
Ans here you can see more of the graffiti I mentioned, and also part of our local billboard, which is busy convincing me to never ever go to the Puma Store. The billboard changes every month or so. We’ve had the Nike Air Force 2.5s, the new BMW 3, some Honda, ING, and one more that I can’t remember, which means it was a waste of money for whoever put it up. This building contains an art gallery, a music studio, a record store, an overpriced vintage t-shirt store, two hair salons, and the tailor shop where I get my jeans tapered. Reck.
Also, that Scientology center wasn’t there when I moved in. Creepy.
Okay it was. I’ve been meaning to buy a telescope to spy on them and try to look into the Chateau Marmot, but I’ve been meaning to buy a lot of things.
More graffiti. The purple awning says “The Buzz Stop.” I was excited because there was a coffee shop 25 ft. from my back gate, but it turned out to be another hair salon. But that’s cool because the two in that other building are weird and expensive. The girl who cuts my hair here is my second-closest lesbian friend behind Linda. She used to live in SF and go to Arrow Bar. The first time I went there, I couldn’t decide whether she looked more like Samaire Armstrong or Naima from America’s Next Top Model. Maya Ruldolph is a distant third.
Next to the Buzz Stop is another record store, and then Smart & Final. Living near a Smart & Final is, I think, at the top of the catergory of things that are useful, but not essential to live around—i.e., if it wasn’t there I wouldn’t mind, but it’s there, so knowing I can throw an impromptu barbecue at anytime between 8am and 8pm, 7pm on weekends, is comforting. Also, Hilary buys giant jars of artichoke hearts all the time, so our dinner salads are generally delicious. And for desert? Red Vines.
You can see the Marmot out there somewhere. Sunsets are pretty cool when there are clouds.
-PETE
17 responses so far ↓
Goldy // May 16, 2007 at 5:32 am
I’m confused… there’s a jo-tel south?
Jaskot // May 16, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Maya Rudolph looks like Irene Cara who sings that “What a Feeling” song from Flashdance. That’s a good song.
Jaskot // May 16, 2007 at 12:33 pm
It’s annoying that you have to provide an email address in order to post a comment.
The Quail // May 16, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Jo-Tel South is the honorary name of PETE’s place in LA. As a founding Jo-Telier, he’s entitled to keep the name wherever he goes.
PETE // May 16, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Also, the new Jo-Tel South has already hosted well over 20 people in it’s first few months.
Magda // May 16, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Are you talking about the Chateau MarmoNt? What is this “Marmot” business?
Stickler // May 16, 2007 at 6:35 pm
You know I helped you move in and what you forgot to mention is how it really is the size of about 6 or seven moving boxes!
Lezzy Linda // May 16, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Marmot. Isn’t that also an outdoors brand? I will never get lesbian tang if I can’t get my fleece brands right!
PETE // May 16, 2007 at 7:12 pm
Whoa! Sorry Mrs. Hollywood. MarMONT. I must’ve been looking at my awesome, light-weight, breathable raingear while I was writing this post.
PETE // May 16, 2007 at 7:16 pm
And Stick,
I do plan on doing a tour of the interior at some point. But there’s really not much to look at unless you like chintzy religious iconography and/or cool antique ashtrays. I think we should be in Dwell, my new favorite magazine.
hilary wood // May 16, 2007 at 7:39 pm
pete, you are so cute and enthusiastically in your writings, and so gruff and sour in your daily life. just kidding. yeah dude the scientologists and dianeticians watch me walk around naked all the time. you didnt mention all the plants we’re growing, or all the dust bunnies we throw dinner parties for! martha stewart, eat your heart out!
hilary wood // May 16, 2007 at 7:40 pm
you are so “enthusiastically” in your writings. ha. p.s. i just wrote a blog about ed hardy structured water and immortality. you should read it.
The Quail // May 16, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Dwell: best subscription I’ve ever had.
hilary wood // May 16, 2007 at 7:48 pm
Dwell: n. hilary’s attempt to culture her uncouth roommates and life-partners.
Stickler // May 16, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Pete don’t lie you know you only read it for the pictures….
Turd Ferguson // May 17, 2007 at 7:23 am
It is exceedingly difficult to just eat one red vine. And they’re not even that good if you think about it. And you only directly swallow like 1/4th of a red vine and spend 20 minutes trying to get the rest out of your teeth. I really wish I had some right now.
PETE // May 17, 2007 at 6:16 pm
I would say straight up impossible. It’s very sobering to watch an entire tub of those things disappear. Hilary’s friend brought us one like last week and there are maybe eight Vines left at this point. It’s hard to admit that I just basically ate an amount of licorice equivalent to the size of my thigh.
Red dye No. 5 to the dome.
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