LA Story 4 – Wednesday 28 March – The Pacific

Cassie had to work, so I tagged along, planning to pop off for lunch and shopping later. It was interesting to see the workings of a modern independent film company, with several widescreen Macs around the place, hard drives scattered willy-nilly, Sharpie-scribbled DVDs coating every surface, and for some reason, large (and surely extraterrestrial) insects in jars of formaldehyde.

After a small mishap with a film directors swimming pool, some time with a hairdryer was required. We went for lunch at the Broadway Grill by the 3rd street Promenade, where I had one of my favourite things I remember from Pittsburgh – a Ruben sandwich. Too much salt beef, toasted rye bread, kraut, fries, and ketchup. Yum. After that, Cassie had to get back to work, so she dropped me off in Santa Monica where I did some shopping, and wandering. I walked down onto the beach to get a good look at the Pacific. Try and get a feel for it, you know. It’s quite big.

After making my way back up to dry land (no shortage of that round here), I stopped for a rest and a pint at Ye Olde Kings Hedddddeee – a restaurant and bar in Santa Monica, within sight of the Pacific Ocean. Next door is an Anglophile shop selling packets of PG Tips for $15, and Marmite for $10. Lunacy.

The bar itself served a wide range of badly poured European lagers, including Harp, FFS. I had the worst, flattest pint of Heineken I’ve ever had – serve me right of course for wanting to drink Heineken, but I just wanted something sharp, cold and fizzy to sit in the sun with. Well, it was quite cold, at least.

Just to ensure I’ll never go there again, the place was host to a variety of boorish Australians and the sort of ex-pats who can’t resist telling you what a great time they’re having…

“Ah yeah, the birds love the accent”
“Innit, you can be yourself here!”

After the crapness of Yee Oldee Kinggsssseeess Heedeededededede, it was nice to get a decent beer in the evening in the Red Lion, a German bar with signs up saying Munich 4000 miles etc. We met Cassie’s pals Jacqueline and Chandra, who were very nice indeed. I hope to see them both again. I noticed that they were interested in meeting me – “So this is Petty…nice to meet you!”. Don’t know what that was all about.