Pretty, if you’re inside.
Well, it is for the rest of the USA if not the world (above the equator, naturally.) Were I still in NY or the Midwest this would entail pulling out winter clothes and winter scents, and on holidays like Thanksgiving had me offering thanks that I am lazy and unpopular enough not to have to travel across country or even across town in a storm to eat turkey.
Maybe it’s the events of the past few weeks, but I don’t have a lot of extra energy. My job has not been stressful, and it’s been no bad thing to hear around bonus time the big boss asking the other people if they could do things just as I do.
So I did go to the memorials last week and because I do nothing if not bore you people by spewing almost every facet of my life on there (and I still have nothing to say really) I will of course share.
First was the memorial for my friends husband. It was held at the Hillcrest Country Club here in Los Angeles (I am not sure that she is a member, her late father was.
Hillcrest CC from the air.
Hillcrest is the Jewish Country Club, founded years ago because those meanies at the LA and Wilshire Country Clubs were restricting (they still might be) their clubs, so the Jewish moguls decided they would create their own that would be larger and nicer that either of those starchy bastions of WASP power. Hillcrest is on a large, lush lot south of Pico is West Los Angeles. The vista from our room for the memorial had a view over the greens, unlike Wilshire and LACC, not bisected by major thoroughfares. It wasn’t a huge gathering- it was just immediate family and friends and it was lovely.
My other friends memorial’s venue could not have been more different, yet still had the same feeling. It was held at the Museum of Jurassic Technology in the Palms area of LA (just south of the Hillcrest as a matter of fact. It’s a perfect Sue place. Not quite a museum, not quite a piece of performance art; if you’ve read “Mr. Wilson’s Cabinet of Wonder” you get the idea.
It is also in the tiniest place on Venice Blvd. A warren of little rooms in the sort of building you don’t really see outside of LA (that I am aware of): built in the 20’s apparently by an architect even more iconoclastic (and shorter) than the great Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright was about 5’8″ which was his idea of the perfect sized human, so he was known for designing for people that sized and teasing taller people at Taliesin that they were throwing off the proportions by being so needlessly tall. This place’s carefully arched doors I have to duck through. Rather than try to explain it further I’ll just put it out there that it’s worth a trip if you’re in LA. Sue being about 5’2″ loved places like these.
Cute, huh?
Thanksgiving itself was spent with my now-widowed friend. She was doing actual Thanksgiving the day after with all family who were coming in for the service at a restaurant in Beverly Hills (I sat with the god-dog, who doesn’t like being alone). Thanksgiving day was hanging out with Bristol Farms Comfort Bar and movies and chatting, and of course my god-dog.
We were comforted.
But back to Winter. I don’t miss it- I joke every year that the snow being visible on the mountains in the distance is about as I’d like to get. Winter is when I turn to the Serge’s and for Sue’s memorial I wore Chene, which was one of first ones I moved mountains to get and she paid me the compliment that it smelled better on me than her (it didn’t.)
The very silly lamp I bought on Temu for Xmas
I did notice that Mandarine Mandarin seems to be no longer at the Lutens website. I hope it’s just a trip to the vault and will re-appear without formulation. At least it’s still (as I type this) Cyber Monday and you can get a large refill bottle of either Ambre Sultan or Fleurs d’Oranger for almost $100 off. So there’s some holiday spirit right there. You can find samples at Surrender to Chance.
What did you do for the holiday? Are you looking forward to Xmas/Channukah/et al? Share your plans in the comments.
Images: my iPhone and Wikimedia Commons.
Your friends Memorials sound like they would have enjoyed attending, so perfect.
Beautiful Goddog.
I wish you an uneventful few months. The mundane is often exactly what is needed after upheaval & loss.
Mundane would be nice. I’ve posted pics of Sue but Terre doesn’t do Social Media so I haven’t posted pix of them (other than the dog) but I do have a lovely photo of her and her husband at a birthday a couple of years ago that I must have printed for her for Christmas.
That would be such a kind act
I think she will like it. I’ve got a frame coming already (he said like he has months and months to shop..)
My daughter and partner went to Thanksgiving dinner at one of his co-workers house. Everyone brought some food and there was a lot left over, so my daughter brought some to me, including a large amount of…..mac and cheese. I was so surprised and just started laughing. Some of the best mac and cheese ever!
That museum looks like a fun place.
That reads like the perfect Thanksgiving for the whole family!
omg I want that LAMP. Maybe I’ll send one to my kid. We had a nice, quiet thanksgiving. As I type this, it is starting to snow … just a few flurries. Re country clubs: same deal in Washington, D.C. and I was surprised to discover (via visits w friends, I was never a member) that the most “prestige” clubs were the rattiest, with worn carpets and mediocre portraits on the wall of the founding (white, Christian) fathers.
Hey that lamp was super cheap. It’s Temu so I don’t trust it enough to leave it plugged in unattended, but it’s fun.
My parents joined our local one when we were little so we would learn how to swim but they didn’t keep up the membership once we learned. They didn’t drink, golf, or do any of those 70’s “Ice Storm” things and particularly hated having to spend money in the dining room when the food was as Dad put it “muck.” On the way out my Mom said to one of the other female members sitting by the pool wearing some awful bikini number “Dear, this is Northampton, not Newport. Stop trying so hard..”
OMG, coolest Mom ever!
Those memorial services each sound very special. I’m glad you were able to go. And how sweet a pup that you got to pup-sit! We have had a sharp downturn in the weather — its now much colder with wind and some wet as well. I’m caught up in Christmas shopping for family and a couple friends. I’m gonna visit my high school bestie this weekend, and we’re gonna go see Fackham Hall which I’m told is a sequel to This is Spinal Tap. Christmas Eve and Day will be with our family of six here at our home.
How wonderful is that! I am going to enjoy a nice drive on Xmas (hopefully weather will cooperate) and whatever junky fast food is open. I am hoping for chicken fried steak. Then onto “Diet 2025: The Sequel”
I’m glad to hear the memorials were good (well, as good as they could be). No Thanksgiving here. It may sound weird but it’s never been a hot I love. I’m with Portia: some Uncle Serge for the season. It’s cold here today and tomorrow — and bright. And then, we’re into two weeks of wet. Sigh.
We had quite a bit of wet here last week, which was a good thing. Cold (ish) now, but that makes curling up under the bankies extra nice.
Even your updates about memorials sound like movie scripts Tom.
Serge Lutens has something for every weather, and some things for all weathers. Good choice.
Portia xx
Well thanks! I can’t think what movie I’d like my life to be like off hand. As long as it’s not “Earthquake” I am okay.
Although I do a good Ava Gardner impression from this one. 8 layers of mascara, wig askew, scotch rocks spilling out the sides of the glass like Bruce Willis in “Death Becomes Her” while yelling “Godammit!”
Hi, Tom.
The holidays are difficult times for those who lose loved ones, especially so recent. Your friends are lucky to have you. I have a ten year old tri colored Cavalier spaniel who looks just like the dog in your photo. He is my emotional support rock and brings me so much comfort. I hope you have some fun things to do this month.
Luckily I do have nice things to do this month. My dad died at Christmas when I was 16 so my expectations of the holidays are low, which means that every pleasant thing that happens is a gift. Which is kind of the way I try to look at life in general.
Not a bad way to look at it- at all
Xoxo
I had the pleasure of working with David Wilson for a (very) short time right after he started his Museum – what s fascinating man!
I am not a fan of Christmas, overall; too much in the way of expectations. My friend M is coming for lunch and has requested ‘something Thai’ … and I have an entire pot of Thai basil so… maybe ground chicken with fried Thai basil leaves
Clarification: I did not work with David at the Museum – he was working in SFX at the time.
Weirdly, none of us at the SFX company ever went to the Museum… because it was never open ( this wss eons ago) and we sort of thought he was joking
Even now it has weird hours: a few late weekday hours and a few on the weekend.
I wish I’d met him. His place is fascination. And very Sue.
She once told me when she was taking me into a store in Berkeley she’d been going to forever that I was getting a peek into her and her aesthetic even more than me touring Claremont, where she grew up. The museum is very much her aesthetic.