the view

Stepping back a few days: Friday was my friends Kai and Heinrich's last day visiting from Munich, so my last chance to attempt to make an impression as a tour guide through some of LA. Our main stop of the day was Griffith Observatory, but I knew the views would be best from there after sundown, so I started off downtown at City Hall. One of LA's best kept secrets is the observation deck at the top, which has pretty impressive views in all directions, as well as a pretty impressive interior. I did forget, however, about Kai's fear of heights, so I don't think it was the surprise for him that I was hoping it would be. I do wonder if City Council meetings were held in that top floor room that led to the deck in City Hall's early days. We wandered a little downtown, stopping of course at Gehry's Disney Hall and on to Phillipe's (the originator of the french dip), which they loved. Our next stop was at the Paramount lot - actually an errand to meet up with my friend Kelly and deliver something I had picked up for her in Paris, but it also gave the boys a quick glimpse of a movie lot and their only star sighting of the trip (someone from NCIS). And then it was on to the observatory. It was my first time there since the renovations a few years back; they did a pretty impressive job. The exhibits were great, but it was more about being there. Kai had explained that 'Rebel Without a Cause' had made an impression on him since childhood, so much like being at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, it was really more about being there than any specific exhibit. And of course, the view of LA from Griffith Observatory is otherworldy itself. Hopefully it gave them a view to remember for a long time.