I want to go to there

Bus blog-La fuerza de sino-segundo parte

My fridge broke mysteriously and I had to leave in the middle of the day.

I got on an there he was. . . .

But the strange thing was that a miscommunication of vendor/landlord made the whole thing moot. I went home for no reason. Or did I?

At least I got an apology smoothie.

Happiness isn't

One of the experiences I do not wish on anyone living in Los Angeles is looking for a roommate. It is a very hope crushing task actually. You cross your fingers hoping that one of your friends might know someone normal for you, because what you are left with is...

The "sex-therapist" who can't pay a lot of money in rent and hopes that you have a dungeon like room for her to conduct her "therapy"

(I know that if I type dominatrix, that guy from scranton will check out this blog)

The laid back artist type who wants only a girl to share his studio apartment with a view of the Hollywood sign. By the way, she will be paying all the rent. If she feels that she will need some privacy there could be a divider fashioned so they aren't in each others face 24/7.

or the person who can only pay $200.

I think back to the scariest roommate experience I had when I first moved here. (Given I have had my share of winners) I moved half way across the country to close the distance on a long distance relationship, moved in with my then boyfriend and his roommate of 7 years. The roommate was a known binge drinker, who after a dry spell, revved up his activities shortly after my move in date. There were nights that he would get so drunk, he would get into physical fights with his female friends. I would mainly stay away when this happened and ask my then boyfriend to do something about it.

One afternoon the roommate came home slurring and fall down drunk with a girl I had never seen before. We chatted for a while, or rather words fell out of his mouth,I think about what he was wearing and then they excused themselves to his room. I busied myself with correspondence to my Minnesota friends.

Then I heard something, mistaken for something else at first.

"click, click...click, click"

And I thought to myself as I was in the midst of an email-Is that what I think it is? I heard from my boyfriend once before I moved that he kept one, loaded in his closet. I ask rather loudly

"Sweetie, do you have your gun out?"
"Yeah, she's cool I thought she might like to see it"? (paraphrased from drunkese)
"Is it loaded"
"Yeah"
"Put it away, please"
And she blurts out a very nervous agreement that he should put it away. No one likes a loaded gun pointed in their face by a clumsy drunk man.

I hear him play with it a while more and perhaps put it away. When he goes to the bathroom, I watch her run out of our apartment. I take my queue to lock myself into the bathroom until I can get in touch with then boyfriend.

We move out a week or so later.

A thing of "pure beauty"

You totally missed it, it was fantastic and instead you found other things to do.

I should have marketed the hell out of the John Baldessari show since he is one of my favs, but I didn't. I love his tongue and cheek, art is not serious style. But hey, LACMA could have done a much better job at showing his brilliance. "simone kissing a palm tree" probably wasn't the best choice for drawing people in, except if you like 1970s pretty girls in unflattering white pants. I brought a potential suitor to LACMA to see it and he said..

" I am glad you know something about this show, because that is the most unappealing advertising ever"

Which I agree.

What I like about Baldessari is that secretly he has inspired me. From the compositions of photos that I don't know why I like that I take, from my laughter at modern art that takes itself just a little too seriously and I also really like pointing.

But I guess this is all moot because you missed it.

bus blog- I hope you didn't need that

I am feeling a bit masticated by LA lately. I thought this was a related story.

I was riding on the 720 last Friday on the way to Santa Monica to see the Ocean. I needed a bit of solace from the heaviness of the last week and spilling over to the half week. I sat staring out the window weighing my options, figuring out what I could have done differently, flags that were raised that I ignored. Watching the businesses going by, my peripheral landed on a crumpled up white piece of paper. Then it slid closer to me.

It was in fact a human tooth.

I guess it took my mind off of things, thanks MTA.

you know this much is true

Sorry, I couldn't resist. What I had wanted to say is that... It is true, you can't go home again, but the 80's called, and I answered.

Kitty Cattaraugus' Things that aren't there anymore:

The Uptown Bar- The dinner that helped launch bands like the Replacements, Soul Asylum and with employees that inspired songs by Golden Smog is now the United State's largest Apple Store and a Columbia brand clothing store. I couldn't even take a picture. It made me too sad.


Let it Be Records- I think that this closed as I was leaving town. Let it Be was one of the best record stores in Minneapolis. Rare, out of print, re-releases, underground, it never really pandered to what was trendy and playing on the radio. I bought a lot of great stuff there that is still in my rotation.

And now it is nothing.

Sad to have something go away and have nothing in its place.

Well, that is enough of the depressing updates of Minneapolis. Back to my love affair with Los Angeles.

It is true...

I decided to take a trip to Minnesota in summer, the first time in 3 years. Prompted by nostalgia and someone's sweet nothings.

A lot has changed, good, bad angering a bit. I found that what I was looking for can no longer be found, what I wanted was a certain encapsulated moment in time that no longer exists.This is not to say that I do not have a special place in my heart for mpls (As I wear my "I heart MPLS nice" t-shirt) I will go into all these at a later date/time.

There is this great show about LA that is called "Things That Aren't Here Anymore" Los Angeles iconic locations leveled for "progress" of shopping malls, condo's etc. When I was in the mini-apple I felt like I could do a Minneapolis version of the show.

Kitty Cattaraugus' "Things that aren't there anymore"

Susan's Church:
Close to MCAD Susan's Church was a space turned into student studios and basically flop house. This was not, I believe, affiliated with the school, because you always had the feeling that it might just collapse with you in it. Late Saturday nights we would close down the bars and go and hear local bands, like Tulip Sweet (another thing not here/hear anymore), Hondo (to which I was the official president of their fan club) and other bands that usually involved a key board and experimental sounds. Kegs pf Grain Belt were always flowing. (I guess the historic Grain Belt Sign that is next to the re-constructed 35 W bridge is now for sale)

See a choose your own adventure of TTAHA .

Susan's church is now, as you see pictured a parking garage for Abbot Northwestern Hospital. I am sure that the neighborhood was sad to see it go.

I will leave you with my favorite Tulip Sweet song in memory of the good times at Susan's:




I didn't even contact mr. sweet nothings, btw, but maybe should have.

Stay tuned, for more things that aren't there.

bus blog- la fuerza del sino

I met a man in the witness protection program.

We both weren't supposed to be there. I went home sick, he missed his bus.

Were inseparable for a while, but then he disappeared.

I never had the opportunity to learn his last name.

back from the middle of nowhere

As I take the time to get my thoughts together, please take a look at my latest Los Angeles blog obsession:

it ain't pretty

Calling Skid Row America's Calcutta is brilliant.