What I did this Sunday (and some perfume too)

One of “those” LA photos..

So this Sunday was spectacular: after a few rainstorms we had a weekend that turns out photographers both amateur and professional to get that shot of LA with snow-capped mountains in the background. Temps weren’t much above 60F so the top stayed up, for which my skin no doubt thanks me.

Near he Ventura county line.

During Covid one of the ways I kept myself relatively sane was by taking what I called “Covid Cruises”: since nobody could eat out or go to the movies or even shop except for the bare minimum. I drove. Sunday’s usually, slathered in SPF 24000.

With the end of Covid sort of came the end of the Covid Cruises. Now I have a different car but for some reason fell out of the habit- perhaps because with the return to “normal life” was the return to “normal” traffic.

Malibu, from last year after the fire.

But this weekend was too lovely to pass up.

So I took a route I used to take quite a lot- sometimes as a destination unto itself, and sometimes as a shopping trip. I went to the outlet mall.

Well I drove by it anyway.

Camarillo Outlets is probably like any other little outlet mall with a bunch of shops. some of which I loved: Barneys Co-Op (before they opened that as a second-level mall shop on the way to leading Barneys into bankruptcy and oblivion. Neiman Marcus closed their Last Call stores (although to be honest they didn’t have much.) Nordstrom Rack is long gone (and in West Hollywood, anyway.) Saks is going through bankruptcy and closing all of their Saks Fifth Off stores. There’s still a Banana Republic and Brooks Brothers’ outlet but that’s not really a reason to drive over 100 miles round-trip. At least not for me. Portia and a bunch of us hit the mall at probably the point that it was chock-full of stores and stuff. But during Covid one of the things that I decided was that I just have enough stuff. So I once again just drove by.

The building everyone thinks is the Getty Malibu, but is a private home.

One of the other great things about the steady rain is that our golden hills turn almost as green as the Emerald Isle. I didn’t get a photo since I was on the Freeway, but it sure was pretty. I did take a couple of snaps of the ocean, but didn’t take any photos of the damage in Malibu. I did take one months ago (which I am posting) but I felt like a ghoul doing so.

Burnt in Brantwood (yes, that is the Goodyear blimp.

The area is slowly coming back (I don’t think you have been able to see such great swaths of ocean view along that part of PCH since the 1930’s) and I refuse to indulge in “well they shouldn’t have built where there are fires/floods/earthquakes” anymore that I would say that about someone who built in Tornado Alley or on the Outer Banks. And believe it or not, one of the casualties of the Palisades fire was an actual ocean-view trailer park, now gone.

Century City and beyond from Beverly Hills

Coming back along Sunset it was actually getting along unto sunset so I made a quick stop at the market to pick up some grapefruits and beet juice (I must have a deficiency somewhere making me crave this..) and into my flannel jammies.

What did I reach for on my out in the morning? Happily Neil Morris’ Flowers for Men: Lilac. Wonderfully crisp and yet with an edge. Perfect for a bright, chilly day.

Are you digging out from the “bomb cyclone” back east? Let us know in the comments. I have a couple of friends who have broken out the crock pots and are making stew for the day indoor. Which sounds wonderful to me..

Images: My iPhone and Pexels