So we finally had one of those glorious SoCal days this Thursday. Sunny, high in the mid 70’s (F, naturally) and with a light breeze. After a few weeks of weather and work I had finally seen most of it in the rearview mirror I could plan a little something.
Then I received a call from my co-worker. She works at a different office and oddly just found herself with a few hours free and asked if I’d like to go for a stroll around the neighborhood since we hadn’t caught up in a while. So we strolled down to Melrose Place.
IYKYK
Those of you who remember the TV show likely wouldn’t recognize the real Melrose Place. It’s only three blocks long: It branches off on the diagonal northwest from Melrose Avenue at Orlando (by Sweet Lady Jane bakery) and stops at La Cienega. Back in the day it was lined with antique shops and small stores. Over the decades it became more corporate and less local, as retailers like Alexander McQueen, Chloe, Frederick Malle, and Balmain joining Santa Maria Novella (the GOAT of Melrose Place) and perhaps culminating in the filming of the extremely weird ad with Faye Dunaway using the soundtrack of “Body Double” for the (then) new Gucci Silvie handbag. An ad that was filmed partially on Melrose Place. An ad deliciously parodied by the priceless and gorgeous comedienne Deven Green. Below:
Strangely, a lot of those stores are gone. There have been three stores in the space McQueen used to have and there are empty storefronts.
In any case we strolled. We chatted. We stopped and played with pooches including a long-haired blond pug with beautiful blue eyes and pink ears who knew, KNEW that he was the queen of Melrose Place, but he will accept one’s tribute of dandling his dewlaps and giving effusive praise..
My co-worker and I, filtered. I am not that pretty; she is.
We stopped at Santa Maria Novella and sniffed stuff. My friend had been gifted the sample set and was trying to figure out which one was the one that she liked. Turned out there were several. I love that store. They’re so nice, and that sample set was only $35 so of course I bought one.
Then off to Frederick Malle next door. This time Anthony (who Portia will remember from the late lamented Barney’s Beverly Hills) was there and as charming and lovely as ever. He gave my friend who loves Lipstick Rose and Carnal Flower a few samples of toys to live and play with, while I tried Contre-Jour again. (Wonder if they have a travel sized one?) and off on our way we went.
After we went our separate ways I dropped down onto the sofa for some Judge Judy and celery juice. Because I am living the dream.
I have heard some tittle that there is a possibility of Barney’s re-emerging as a stand-alone store in NYC. That would be wonderful. If that happens can I put a bug in their ears to storm the battlements of their former (and built for them) home on Wilshire. Tell those interlopers from Saks to stop dicking with their landmark Beverly Hills flagship and move back there so we can have Barneys back. I’m not selfish or nothing..
So what did you do over the weekend? Discuss in the comments.
Images: My iPhone, Pexels, Wikimedia Commons
Heya Tom,
Reads like time well spent.
I was always working when Melrose Place was on TV so never got to become a groupie. We had a couple of Melrose Place nights in the gay bars that got really busy. It used to happen for the Golden Girls too.
Remember when we had to wait for weekly installments?
Portia xx
Worse- I remember “Dynasty” night at Uncle Charlies in NYC. You could hear a pin drop.
Also that Gucci parody is hysterical, but I kept looking at it and trying to imagine what they thought they were doing in the original — what a bizzare ad.
I have no idea where they were going with that one. I don’t think they even sell the bag anymore.
Deven Green is hysterical. I found her years ago as Mrs. Betty Bowers (which she performs; I don’t think she had anything to do with writing it. Then she did a voice over using crazy ex-soap star’s vanity production of “Welcome to My Home” from the 80’s. Which she really should have sent Deven a muffin basket for doing so.
I am so, so jealous of these walks of yours — thank you for sharing them with us! I would love another visit to LA but I won’t drive there and a car seems like a requirement. Also LAX (years ago for Scentsation) was one of the jankiest airports I’ve had the misfortune of using, I was shocked! I figured it’d be really nice.
It’s really not though. Sure if you want to visit the Getty Villa or the top if Beachwood Canyon or reenact one of my Covid cruises but not if you’re just going to hang out in the ‘hood. I know there are some less pricey options in my ‘hood that would place you in walking (Or heaven forfend, taking public transport) distance of shopping, dining, nightlife, entertainment, and of course, moi. (say it in a Miss Piggy voice)
LAX has been being worked on for years. Some of the terminals are gorgeous and some are shockingly shabby. Now they’re supposed to have some people mover that shuttles people to a pick-up point outside of the airport.
The day you described is what I always thought heaven should be like! I’m glad you enjoyed it with a lovely friend. She seems to be good for you. You are doing a Benjamin Button. Hehehe. No weekend adventures on my end.
I think I would like the Santa Maria Novella store too. I remember SMN Caprifoglio. I wore it a lot one summer. It was supposed to be honeysuckle, but I usually got the jasmine front and center, but sometimes the note combination did become honeysuckle-like. There was a one-car garage set back on a street I used to walk. The entire side wall was overgrown with honeysuckle. That glorious scent covered the entire block. Now that’s a perfume I would really love to find.
I would love to go to the SMN store in Firenze. They were telling us all the goodies you can get these that you can’t her due to regulations.
I would love honeysuckle in perfume. Wonder who we could get to make one?
Don’t know, but my current situation is all your fault – You mentioned SMN which made me think of honeysuckle which made me decide to check out honeysuckle perfumes again. I have some possible leads, mostly indie perfumes. One site is called Black Hearted Tart, lol. Another is ancient Egyptian themed but supposedly has a good honeysuckle?. If I eventually find anything, I’ll mention it in a comment.
If you find some thing write about it! Can’t wait to read!
The day you were on Melrose Place we were meeting our newly hatched granddaughter, Millie Margot Hope. Two of the names for her grandmothers & I am so flattered & grateful. Hope is my middle name.
She is our first grandchild& things were touch & go for a while & she needed 24hrs in NICU. It only makes her more precious.
The new family are home now & all blissed out! Millie is “milk drunk” after being bulk fed & a sleepy chick. Mum has taken to motherhood like a duck to water & dad, who is lucky & gets 6 months paid paternity leave, is so proud & deeply in love with his wife & daughter it makes my heart sing. I can’t believe DH & I made such a wonderful man.
Millie looks very much like her dad did. Fortunately she has her mum’s little nose.
How beautiful! Thank you so much for telling us and letting us share and feel a special love!
It is a nice lift to the day..
What wonderful news! Congratulations to you and your family on the new addition!
Never watched any of those sorts of TV shows. Not sure why. But your posts always make me want to visit LA. Love SMN. Patchouli used to be a signature scent, ages ago. Oh, Barneys coming back would be … I do miss the warehouse sales.
Weekend. Saying goodbye to Sara’s bakery. So, bittersweet (no pun intended). I am at war with the bindweed which keeps popping up even after I’ve given it a good seeing to.
I was reading something about pouring boiling water on the roots of weeds. The heat is apparently drawn down to the roots and kills the weed. Whether or not it works I do not know, but I suppose you would only lose a kettle full of water if it didn’t
Thanks for taking us on your walking tour of Melrose Place! You know how we love your guided tours of Los Angeles geography/history. I never watched more than a couple episodes of M P the TV show; I mostly remember sultry saxophone music and a huge cast. I’m dying to go to a Santa Maria Novella store — of course the flagship in Florence, Italy would be divine — and sniff to my heart’s content. And Malle too! I hope you write some reviews of the stuff you got in the weeks ahead! Thanks Tom!
I never watched much of it either. I saw some of the episodes and did stuck around for Marcia Cross being a doctor-turned-psycho who blew up the building. That was kind of fun.