beautiful.

Hey there!

We're back, and we're bald. Well...I am bald. You probably don't need me to tell you that part of the whole cancer deal is losing your hair. Mine went pretty quickly. Within a couple of weeks, I had pulled out so many clumps that I looked like my former two-year-old self. It scared me at first, and I cried.

Hair today, gone tomorrow.

Everyone told me being bald is cool, and my hair would grow back thicker and fuller than ever. By the time I was ready to take it all off, I was ok. There is something liberating about shaving your head. And it will be exciting to have it come in its natural color and texture--although I have no idea what they are.

The head-shaving honors went to Floyd's 99 in Burbank. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I went to pick my dad up from the airport and spotted their shop on Hollywood Way, so we stopped on the way back. A nice lady named Shan with a rainbow mohawk took it all off (and photobombed my first pic).

Scenes from Burbank and Toluca Lake on the side of Floyd's 99.

On Sunday, I took my dad to the Hollywood Farmers Market. "Why haven't you brought me here before?" he asked. I couldn't believe it either. We marveled over mushrooms...

...lilacs, strawberries, oysters, sunchokes and much more. I did the "Excuse Me, Sorry, Sorry" Shuffle with Joel McHale (in mustard pants!).

We also stopped briefly at the Trebek Open Space in the Hollywood Hills. This place fascinates me. It's right next door to Runyon Canyon--the busiest hike in L.A., and yet there's almost no one there. The trail is pretty rugged and not something I can do while on chemotherapy, but I could still take in the beautiful view of the hills...

...and snap a pic of these lovely wildflowers.

I'd like to take a moment to pay respect to one of my favorite restaurants in L.A.--Ganda Thai--which recently closed. It was my biggest foodie shock since the closing of Antojitos Carmen in Boyle Heights.

I couldn't find any information on why its closed, just that the space is now occupied by Pa Ord #3. Ganda served up the most soul-warming Tom Yum, and of course, their famous crispy catfish, which has been lauded in numerous publications. My colleague TT and I loved to hit the place up for lunch. We even made a little video about it. You will missed, Ganda. RIP.

So, six months of chemotherapy puts a damper on living the L.A nightlife. But if I could get out and do stuff, this is the stuff I would be doing. I thought you might be interested.

I've been dying to check out the Pacific Opera Project. They're like an indie opera company with productions at small venues around the city, all for a fraction of what you pay at the L.A. Opera. I actually had tickets for their Carmen, but couldn't attend as I was recovering from surgery.

The photo below looks a bit like the Renaissance Fair on Acid, but I still think it's going to be good. Check it out, and buy tickets here.

Also on my wish list: Lucha Vavoom. The raucous Cinco de Mayo show is coming up, and the second night has already sold out. Seriously, if you are looking for the créme de la créme in Mexican wrestling and burlesque, Lucha Vavoom is where it's at.

I had been searching for the film Locke on Netflix with no luck--because guess what? It's just now in theaters. I love Tom Hardy, and even more, Broadchurch's Olivia Colman, as I noted in my last post. Plus, I always get excited for a good psychological thriller. Even better when it's British.

Another must-see movie event: Alphaville. The sci-fi New Wave film making a revival at the Nuart this week. I've always wanted to see this on the big screen...and just maybe I'll get to do it.

In researching an image for Alphaville, I came across this wonderful site: Joyless Creatures--the Twin Cities' First Magazine Devoted To Movies. There are some compelling reviews and essays here. I highly recommend it.

 The finale for Monday Evening Concerts, L.A.'s oldest and one of the nation's premier concert series for avant-garde music, happens on Monday, May 5th at the awesome Zipper Hall. I really think Zipper is second only to Disney Hall in Los Angeles. The acoustics are insanely good.

The New Voices II concert will feature works by Thomas Meadowcraft, Joe Lake, Sabrina Schroeder and others. In conjunction with the concerts are the Sunday Morning Films at the Goethe Institut/Los Angeles. If anyone tells you L.A. has no intellectual life, just tell them we have a freaking Goethe Institut.

There's nothing I love more than a giant wall of jasmine. I just want to stick my head right in the middle of it.

Now, if you'll excuse me--I'm off to try out this Red Cabbage and Apple soup recipe from the New York Times. FYI--cabbage is an anti-cancer superfood!

this week.

I just wanted to mention that this past week was quite lovely. The temps started to drop; it really felt like fall has arrived. And just before Daylight Savings Time--imagine that. Here are a few happenings I thought were worth mentioning:

The Halloween decorations finally came out in the neighborhood. A little late this year--I have to admit I was a bit worried.

 
The one house that completely blew me away had the entire front yard decked out as an Edward Gorey's poem, The Evil Garden. Stanza for stanza, each accompanied by life-size cutouts.

"Alexa watches while her aunt 
Is pulled feet first inside a plant."

"The gorgeous flowers have a smell 
That causes one to feel unwell."

"Great-uncle Franz beside the lake 
Is being strangled by a snake."

--from The Evil Garden by Edward Gorey

A damp, wet fog settled in on Sunday morning, very San Francisco-esque. I found a new spot for hiking that I've wanted to check out: the Trebek Open Space, land that was bought and donated to the California parks system by Jeopardy's Alex Trebek. I stumbled on this area a few years ago when I first got Isabel and was looking for the Runyon's trailhead on Mulholland. I happily took a wrong turn and followed some dogwalkers through the space down to Wattles Garden.

The trailheads are pretty hidden for the Trebek Open Space. It's great because it means not a lot of people on the trail. But not a lot of people means more wild animals, too. In fact, a coyote ran right across the trail in front of me. If freaked me out for a second. Then I realized my dog wasn't with me, and I chilled.

 
I was very excited to attend a concert to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Disney Hall.

I was so bummed when I missed Salonen's farewell concerts when he departed the Philharmonic, especially the premiere of his Violin Concerto with Leila Josefowicz. How excited was I that they came back to perform it again?

It was a cool and mysterious, haunting concerto, and I loved every minute of it. Especially the part when the Josefowicz duetted with principal violist, Carrie Dennis.

I watched L'Avventura this weekend, and I felt like it was a rite of passage. I remember when I first learned about Blow-Up. I thought I was going to see this swingin' film about 60's Mod London, and a mystery to boot. Then it was not at all what I expected. I felt intimidated, because I didn't know what was going on.

I decided to just go ahead and watch the Criterion Collection issue with the commentary with film historian, Gene Youngblood. I know it's like watching the Cliff Notes version of a film, but it really helped to grasp the techniques of Antonioni's film making and his themes. I watched it slowly, but I was floored. I feel in love with Monica Vitti and her journey. She's a seeker, surrounded by bland, empty people who live only to fulfill their desires in bland, empty ways.

Now I want to watch La Notte and L'Eclisse, the two other films that complete Antonioni's trilogy of that era, then maybe return to Blow-Up and see I have a different experience with it. I like the idea of exploring one director's work at a time.

And the sunsets were off the hook this week! Check it out.

That's all. Halloween is here. Someone is excited!

Happy Halloween everyone, which by the way--at least here in L.A.--is celebrated through this weekend, aka Día de los Muertos, aka one of my favorite weekends of the year.