Day One

I finally arrived in LA after a brief skirmish with the Department of Homeland Security. It was a minor administrative affair but the scene was pretty tense and I don't wish the experience on anyone. It also resulted in missing my early flight having to spend four hours in Terminal One at Lester B. Pearson airport. I walked around trying to find all the art that is promoted as being specially placed all over the new wing but none of it is housed in the area designated for departures to the States. I think that should be reconsidered by the curators.

The haze of LA domintes and our first walk around our hotel was depressing. Piles of auto body shops and car washes with massive crosswalks that serve cars more than pedestrians - this LA, after all. The sun beat down. The first store we walked in offered cold drinks, cigarettes and crack pipes. A walk further north revealed more of the same.

This morning I went for a run the other way and found the Silverlake I have heard about. Beautiful winding streets with quaint homes, parks and beautiful tropical urban foliage that reminds me of being in Rio or Sao Paolo. My love for palm trees is as great as for the leaning tower of Pisa. They are so cliched but for good reason - they're beautiful and have awesome pals. Just like if you're seeing the leaning tower of Pisa means you're going to be eating well, if you see a palm tree then you're in a place that will have such diverse foliage. I ran past a succession of huge two tone aloe vera plants busting out of ground - it was the most macho plant I had seen in a long time since arriving, tough as nails. I am mesmerized by a tree that has little spikey red lanterns flowers draping down off its branches.

I got to see an old pal, Hope, last night for Arnold Palmers and Pimms. The converted fire station turned restaurant was the perfect place to catch up with someone I really haven't gotten to hang with for about ten years.

The crew are half here and will be all at the hotel in a couple hours. The road trip is about to begin