My spiffy day...

The day sort of started with my car at the dealership getting routine maintenance and me at McDonald's enjoying an Egg McMuffin and working on the computer, but then things took off. I meandered my way over the hill and wound my way out to the ocean via Sunset Boulevard to meet up with the composer of the show I'll be reading later this month. Since I got to Berton's neighborhood (a cliff overlooking the ocean in Pacific Palisades) early , I killed some time at a lovely place. While I don't identify myself as a member of the Self Realization Fellowship, they sure have created some lovely and peaceful places that are open to the public. When in Encinitas (North San Diego coast), I sometimes find my way to their gardens overlooking the sea. In the Palisades, they have what they call the Lake Shrine which is an oasis of a spot – waterfalls and pathways and benches (and a chapel that looks like a windmill) surrounding a spring-fed lake. I wandered for about 20 minutes before I had to get to rehearsal. Berton Averre was/is part of the band The Knack ("My Sharona", "Good Girls Don't") and he now keeps busy writing really fun stuff for the stage. It was really cool that he conducted part of the rehearsal on guitar.

After the session, I headed north to my little seafood dive, The Reel Inn (get it?), and enjoyed some seared ahi, a salad, and home fries as I did some more work on the computer (a wild, flailing attempt at a poster design). I then found myself enjoying a beautiful drive through Topanga Canyon as the daylight began to wane. And as it did, I experienced something I've wanted to experience for a while – a play at Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum. The offering this eve was Eugene O'Neill's A Long Day's Journey Into Night. Cheery. While depressing as all heck, it was well done. I look forward to returning later this summer for a Shakespearean comedy.

And now, I'm home watching Letterman and getting set for tomorrow's adventures. Oh. My. Gosh! Is it really August? Time flies. And next Thursday is my birthday. Take care, all. Be curious. Peace and love!