The Magic Castle and Other Delights…

Visiting California, in particular Los Angeles, brings with it Show Business.

It’s the name of the game out there and everyone is affiliated somehow even if they are just checking out Mary Tyler Moore at Whole Foods!

We were fortunate enough to find our way on to the VIP tour of Warner Brother’s Studios where we saw sound stages, back lots, the Batman exhibit and Friend’s favorite hangout, Central Perk,

Friends2

where we posed on the famous couch.

Friends

We went to the taping of a sitcom where the live studio audience is the most important feature.

Did you know that if a joke falls flat and the audience doesn’t laugh, the writers re-write until they get a rise from us?

The man who warmed us up and kept us amused throughout the taping was hilarious.  I am a hard laugh and he had me chuckling…and he kept going strong for four hours.  Who thinks Show Business is easy?

We went to the Magic Castle where absolutely no photos are allowed!

Magiccastle

Inside at least!

I sat at the table with Mark Wilson to keep an eye out for palming, but he was so good, not a hint of deceit although it was evident throughout his show.  I had to shuffle cards and spread them out on the table, choose one, memorize it and put it back in the pack…you know, all the usual card magic.

I had to see the beach so on Saturday we headed to Santa Monica where we ate the obligatory ice cream (frozen Yogurt sold by weight,

IceCream

and didn’t walk on the beach but got a lovely view from the top of the cliff,

Beach

and look at all these pretty houses beachside,

Beach2

that’s almost as good as Beverly Hills, which we drove around for a little but couldn’t see much over the high walls and no-one was out strolling so no celebrity spotting.

My son and I planned to hike to the Hollywood sign but the trail was closed so we satisfied ourselves with a neighborhood saunter and a photo that couldn’t be taken anywhere else in the world!

Hollywood

an again enjoyed the view afforded from building precarious houses on the sides of mountains.

Hollywood2

We found Ian a canon to stand next to only he made a bit of a face so we settled for a selfie of the two of us!

Ian&Me3

We cooked at his flat a few times.  Eating out was really expensive.  We met his friends and had some stimulating conversations putting the world to rights generation X style!

His room-mate is from Yorkshire in Northern England so we had a lot in common and their cupboards had the staples that make me feel instantly at home, PG Tips, digestive biscuits, marmite and a tea strainer.

And last but not least,

PhoneBooth

a cleverly positioned telephone box for me to call home on!

 

 

 

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