Thanksgiving in Los Angeles

Thanksgiving in Los Angeles

I went to LA in search of sun but even Malibu beach was cloudy

When it comes to travel, I like plan well in advance because it is part of my life. I figured that by the time Thanksgiving came around, I would need a trip somewhere warm away from Seattle so I had booked my trip to LA months ago. In the days leading up to the holiday there was so much media hype about how hectic the roads would be and that Sunday would be the biggest US travel day of the year that I was relieved to see that I had booked my return flight back to Seattle on Monday following Thanksgiving. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, on 27 November 2019, there were also news stories about upcoming storms delaying flights. I wasn't concerned about storms when I took my carry-on bag with me to work that morning because I was just happy to be getting away. I left the office at 4pm for my 7pm flight at SeaTac and actually took the bus to the airport. Traffic was surprisingly light, I got through security checks in the airport faster than I have ever done before and had time to enjoy a snack in Africa Lounge before departure. I flew United, which was fine except I had to pay to check my bag in because my basic economy class ticket didn't allow a carryon. As soon as I landed at LAX at 10pm and started walking to the pick up point to get my Uber, it started pouring with rain. Of course I had left my umbrella at home in Bellevue so I pleaded with the security guy to let me get into the nearest car and I was out of there. I was so happy to get to Ladera Heights where I was staying and go to bed. I have stayed in that house twice before so it feels like home now and I am very grateful to my friend who lets me stay there since he is absent.

I found Zimbabwean Shona sculpture in LA

It was still pouring with rain on Thanksgiving when I woke up the next morning. I waited for a delivery of groceries from 'Amazon Now', www.amazon.com, then I headed over to my friend's place in Century Park East. She was bringing me along to a couple of dinners that she had been invited to. We picked up some wine and headed to Encino to one of the most interesting homes I have ever been to. It belonged to a professor of anthropology at UCLA who had visited Zimbabwe in the early 1990s and brought back some Zimbabwean artifacts. She had her lovely family and friends over for a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner. Apart from the great company and delicious food, I was in awe of the amazing art and mementos in that home. On the way back, we stopped at another dinner in Cheviot Hills which had a more Hollywood crowd. The host had visited Nigeria when he was a reporter for 'Vice News', www.vice.com, so we found lots to talk about. Everyone was beautiful and interesting, including the hostess and I also chatted with a South African, an Australian, a British guy and a Chinese guy. I loved meeting such an diverse, Angelino crowd of people. The rain had no let up by the time I took an Uber back home in the evening. The next day I went down to the Farmer's Market, www.farmersmarketla.com, where I was not impressed by the tourist food offerings , then I did a little Black Friday shopping at The Grove Mall next door, www.thegrovela.com. I was meeting a friend in Ladera Heights for drinks in the evening and I didn't want to go home first so I went up to West Hollywood, which used to be our favorite party strip when I studied at Pepperdine University 20 years ago. I went up to Chateau Marmont, www.chateaumarmont.com, which is touristy and full but still classy. Then I took an Uber to Sunset Boulevard to look in the shops around Sunset Boulevard. I love Sky Bar at Rande Gerber's Mondrian Hotel, www.morganshotelgroup.com/mondrian/mondrian-los-angeles/eat-drink/skybar, because their staff are always welcoming so I stopped in there for a bit before I took an Uber to La Louisanne, www.lalouisannela.com, in Ladera Heights. This was an old-school night-club in the upscale Black neighborhood of Ladera Heights, which is known as the Black Beverly Hills. If you mention Ladera Heights to any Black person who grew up in LA, they know you mean old money because it is the area where Black doctors and other professionals bought their homes in the old days. The place was full of older folks and pimp daddies who were enjoying music played by a live band. I caught up with an old friend that I had not seen for decades who was with his friends and we all had a good time. It was literally 5 minutes drive from where I was staying so it was very thoughtful of them to choose to meet me there.

I packed mostly dresses, not ideal for the cold.

The next day, Saturday, I wanted to do Beverly Hills and I knew I was in good hands with my girlfriend, Vivian, because she knows all the hot spots in LA. We met up for lunch at Avra, www.avrabeverlyhills.com, which has a very affordable $35 three-course menu for lunch then we went to walk off the food on Rodeo Drive, which is decked out in Christmas trees. It was not very warm and it started raining again, which was not like the LA I am used to. Afterwards we went to the Montage Beverly Hills Hotel, www.montagehotels.com/beverlyhills/, where there were a bunch of NBA basketball players chilling in the lounge. The hotel looked like a fairy tale with all its Christmas décor and a group singing Christmas carols in the lobby. We took lots of pictures and chilled for ages then headed home. It was still early so I decided to swing by Louisanne to check out that evening's band and as usual I was the youngest person in there. The elderly gentleman next to me took a liking to me and offered me a drink then before long I had a second older admirer. As much as I was enjoying the evening's entertainment, I was not used to getting so much attention so I didn't stay long and headed home to bed.

Nobu is the place to hang out in Malibu

On the Sunday, my last full day, we decided to have a Malibu day with brunch at the counter service Malibu Farm Pier Café, www.malibu-farm.com/malibu-pier/cafe-menu, then we went to Nobu, https://noburestaurants.com/malibu/home/ where I ordered one of their heavenly sushi rolls and we just people-watched. Eventually we found seats at the bar, which was pretty entertaining with all the locals like Brody Jenner, the original prince of Malibu and his friends doing tequila shots across from us. We actually ran into our hostess from the second Thanksgiving party with her girlfriends. They went onto Soho House but we didn't have membership so we went to Mastro's Ocean Club, https://www.mastrosrestaurants.com/Locations/CA/Malibu/, which was way more subdued than Nobu. My girlfriend went home while I passed through Santa Monica, for all time's sake, then I went home. The sun finally came out on my last day just as I was about to leave on Monday morning. I had just enough time to pack and clean the house then my other girlfriend picked me up for lunch at California Fish Grill, https://www.cafishgrill.com/, before she dropped me at LAX airport for my 4.30pm flight back. I had bought a cheap ticket on Expedia and this time I flew Delta so I was allowed to bring on my carryon. It was great to get a mini-break from Seattle and even though the rain had followed me to California, a visit to Los Angeles is always a trip down memory lane for me.

 Christmas magic at The Montage Beverly Hills Hotel