At the movies

Well, we're around the corner from Hollywood so it's about time we talked movies!  Cinemas here are well run and quirky in some cases. The food on offer is, as you'd expect, better than in the UK. The audiences, however...that's a different matter. 

American cinema audiences are a strange bunch, putting tragedies like the Colorado shooting aside. In the 4 visits we've made to the cinema since we've been here, at few strange people have laughed and passed comments THROUGHOUT the film. 

Now bear in mind the films we were watching at the time were 'Prometheus', 'The Dark Knight Rises' 'The Master' and 'Looper'. Not exactly slapstick levels of comedy. 

Why? Why all the commentary and guffaws during a mildly-amusing-bordering-on-dull scene in an otherwise serious film?! Why the constant verbalising of how you're feeling, how cute the kid on screen is, how shocked you are when someone's killed. I blame the therapy culture here...It's all very annoying and just a bit stupid really. Sorry America. You make great films but your audience sucks. 

Visit a cinema in the UK and you're guaranteed a gang of spotty teens and groups munching noisily away on popcorn and using their phones. Let's blame that on being young. In the US you're surrounded by grown adults, devoid of a sense of humour, or awareness of the sound of their own voices. Show them an episode of The Office and the cinema would most likely remain eerily silent...

In terms of the movies themselves, if you've not seen any of the above, here's a quick review:

Prometheus: Well made, too much thinking involved during and after. Not enough aliens!

Dark Knight Rises: Sublime. Sad it's the last in the franchise. 

The Master: Will probably win awards, but we came away unimpressed. Indulgent,  and uncomfortable, weird for the sake of it, and didn't have much to say about quite an interesting subject. 

Looper: Bruce Willis and time travel. What more could you want? Very entertaining. 

Cakes, cakes, cakes

I've not updated the blog for a couple of weeks, so here's a quick report. Richard's in London this week and I've been holding the fort. It's all going fine, aside from the odd Coyote warning and earthquake. We've seen a few posters warning of Coyotes in the area. They're like a bigger version of a fox, and closer in relation to a wolf, which is a bit exciting and worrying at the same time!

I started my pilates class last week at Santa Monica College. It's a really enjoyable class and a good workout. Very different to yoga, but deceptively exhausting.

I also travelled up to Sherman Oaks this week for a meeting with the charity I'm volunteering for. If I thought it was hot down in Santa Monica, it doesn't compare with the oven that awaits you when you travel further inland and into 'the valley'. Too hot for me!

One thing that I've been impressed with is the huge array of freshly baked cakes at the local 'Ralphs' supermarket. Cakes, cupcakes, pastries...leaves our UK supermarket bakeries in the shade. I've 'sampled' the carrot cake and chocolate cake, both of which were delicious and not as sweet as I expected. The carrot cake is especially yummy, and close to the one I make (which features half the sugar the recipe calls for.) I guess I should take on the important task of trying them all, and report back to you!

Signing off now, and about to watch the first Strictly Come Dancing on IPlayer. Compared to American entertainment shows, including the new X Factor over here which is terrible, it's Newsnight and Question Time rolled into one.

Labor day weekend

It's a Bank Holiday weekend here in America. 'Labor Day' honours the labourers of the US and marks the informal end of summer. Though the end of summer here in Los Angeles is quite far off I think. It's been 30 degrees centigrade all week and very humid, too. We're glad we don't live in 'the valley' where it gets up to 40+ degrees!

Despite this, we still enjoyed a delicious mocha and cappucino at a local cafe. Starbucks is still everywhere but has some competition in the form of other Californian coffee chains (like 'The Coffee Bean' and 'Peets Coffee') as well as small, independent cafes.

We walked along the ocean front park to Pacific Palisades on Friday, which is north of Santa Monica. A range of huge bungalows and houses where every so often you'd peek through a gap in the property through to the valley beyond and admire the homes nestled in the hills with what I can only imagine as breathtaking views of the ocean.


Last night also marked a rare 'blue moon'. So called when there are 2 full moons in a month (not because the moon actually turns blue or anything.) I managed to take this grainy photo from the bedroom window of our apartment. Not a bad view if you take away the rooftop opposite and satellite dishes...

Quite a poignant moment considering Neil Armstrong passed away this week.

The presidential race is hotting up here. We've just had the Republic convention and it's the Democrats' turn next week. Mitt Romney reminds me of Principal Skinner from the Simpsons in all respects. That's not a compliment.

The Republican convention was quite entertaining if only for the overly patriotic and empty and absurd speeches. We're hoping the Democrats will show a little more intelligence next week.

Flatpack furniture

Six days into our new apartment, and the furniture has been assembled and everything unpacked. The area has a nice mix of shops, cafes and restaurants and we're looking forward to exploring.

I passed the California driving theory test this week, and have the 'behind the wheel' test next week, so fingers crossed for that everyone! Then we'll have to buy a car as soon as possible, as I return our hire car tomorrow. It's been my trusted companion for the last 6 weeks and I'll miss him!

Sunset beach

The hit show from the 1990s was actually filmed at 'Seal beach' down in Orange County. Pointless fact there for you.

Coming back to the highlight of this post, Richard and I enjoyed our own beach sunset yesterday. It's been 6 weeks since we arrived in LA, but the first time we ventured down to the beach to actually witness the sun setting. Definitely worth it as the photos show.

Loads of surfers testing their skills and tourists collecting their own holiday snapshots. It might have taken us 6 weeks to appreciate it, but I don't think we could ever take the view for granted.

Moving on

In a couple of weeks we move out of Marina Del Rey, into an apartment in West Los Angeles. I picked up the keys yesterday and we dropped off a few things today. It's considerably warmer in our new location than 3 miles down the road by the coast, but that's where the air conditioning helps :).

There is a lot of storage in the apartment which is ironic considering we don't have a lot of stuff! I'll have to remedy that...  The apartment also features a fireplace - inexplicably - so as nice as that is, it'll probably remain out of use.

Update: 4 August 2012

Well, it's been a busy week here for the Parkinsons. On Monday I met with the Director of Operations for a charity based in Santa Monica, helping children around the world. It's called 'Go Campaign' and they have a voluntary role as a website 'intern' which I've been accepted for. It will mean I can keep myself busy while the US government processes the form that gives me permission to work (for money). 

Lots of viewings this week, which culminated in us signing a lease for an apartment just off Santa Monica Boulevard, towards West Los Angeles. Pictures to follow!

A less exciting and more tiresome task involved us visiting the federal building in downtown Los Angeles to correct a mistake by US immigration in our passports.

Downtown LA is a strange place; a mix of people who are destitute, sleeping on the streets, with city workers from high profile banks going about their business. Quite shocking. Topped off by witnessing the SECOND man I've seen this week peeing on the street. Not in the corner, not next to a tree like a dog would, but bang in the middle of the 'sidewalk'. Gross.

Speaking of dogs, I didn't think there was a country more dog-mad than the UK, but the Americans have proven to trump us Brits even in that category. They're everywhere! People here are especially fond of their 'toy' dogs. Basically overgrown rats but less intelligent. I don't see the point in them myself, but each to their own.

We've been keeping up with Olympic news and coverage on NBC. But it's really annoying because NBC don't broadcast live events; they save them up until the evening when they know the viewing figures will be higher. It's caused quite a stir over here (critism from other broadcasters) but they deserve the criticism. And when they DO show the Olympic coverage it's all about the Americans, or "Will and Kate." I'm pretty sure "Will and Kate" have been shown more than Jessica Ennis, Chris Hoy or anyone who isn't American. Makes me mad!

Saying that, I wouldn't turn NBC down if they offered me a job. Just for the record. :)