I am in awe at the wealth in Los Angeles and the surrounding area. The number of porches we’ve seen must be no less than 50. We’ve seen several Bentleys, Lotus and Mercedes-Benz. I don’t think I saw my car the entire time I was here as it’s probably something driven only by the housekeeper of the housekeeper.
I was curious at the house prices as we passed so many adorable bungalows. $1.2 million, $935,000 and if you were in the mood for a project, you could purchase a 2 bedroom shit hole that a hoarder used to inhabit for the bargain price of $835,000.
“So where do the poor people live?” I asked F and his friend S that accompanied our last excursion to Malibu or as a valley girl would say “Maa-bu”. They thought for a moment.
“Thousand Oaks maybe. Sherman Oaks? The Southeast of Los Angeles?” This question obviously was a good one because it took some thought. At one point I likened L.A. to the Capital in the Hunger Games. Everyone everywhere is poor except for the stupid rich in L.A.
And even if you were middle-class here, are you dirt poor? Do you have to shop at the Salvation Army? I mean, I see so many service roles here- janitor, drivers, waitresses and maids. It just absolutely baffles me.
I’d Live Here
I’d live here but with many stipulations, including:
- My blog would have to hit the big time or somehow I successfully publish one or all of my books. Basically enough to buy a house outright.
- I would be able to write at home, all day long as my way of making money.
- My husband would have to find an amazing, well-paid job.
- It would have to be a house, not a condo and it would have to have a nice yard.
The Last Day
F and S (S is my cousin F’s friend) took us to “Maa-bu”, to experience a beautiful beach. The drive up was scenic and at one point hilarious. A young girl in the car next to us, had a parakeet on her head. Both the girl and bird acted as if this was the most normal thing ever. I however, wanted the bird to shit on her head.
At the beach, the waves crashed hard against the cliff and rocks. Because of the intensity of the water, I threatened C’s life if he even attempted to go into the water.
After a half hour of running from the sea-foam, S offered to take the boys up to the top of the cliff. Though it looked like other people were just one trip away from falling to their death, I knew S would look after them. This secure feeling immediately went out the window when they made it to the top of the cliff and began their shenanigans. First they waved at me, then they began to climb a rock on top of the cliff. Their next move was to break out into dancing, on the rock….on the cliff. I immediately began to lose my shit.
“Get down!” I screamed as I made dramatic hand motions for them to come down.
“I’m sure its safer than it looks F assured me,” as if he was trying to convince himself.
When I saw this,
I flipped.
“Do something!” I screamed, forgetting his name and calling him my husband.
“That’s it!” I grabbed my phone and text the 13-year-old:
GET DOWN FROM THERE IMMEDIATELY OR YOU ARE GROUNDED!
I then heard his phone buzz next to me.
Perfect.
F picked up his phone and dialed S.
“It’s time to come down. I’m sure it’s safer than it looks but Angela is freaking out. Ok? Ok? Good.”
He hung up.
“Thank you!”
Why do children taunt death? It’s like they do it on purpose. Like bounce a ball next to a busy intersection. Or stand on the railing of a balcony, you have visions of giving way at any moment. Why? It’s like they look at something and think,
‘‘This looks dangerous. I’m totally doing it!’
As I type this, we are flying over Utah, about to make a connection in Denver. None of us want to come home and my boys have absolutely fallen in love with California. This sucks, I don’t want to come home! (Que adult meltdown)
I think I would have flipped out too!!!
And if only we could live the dream eh!
You totally would have! When your babies are on a cliff, every horrible scenario goes through your head!
Heck, when they’re holding a pair of scissors, I worry about how many digits they might cut off! (but I still let them do it!)
Oh me too. Or when they want to cut their own steak and I just see the knife cutting their index finger off or something.
Totally!!!!
I had such a great time with you, and I’m sad today that you left! But, I’m so lucky that you came out to visit and hang out. Thank you for coming to visit me. I love you all very much!!
Thanks again for dinner last night!!
See you soon!
We had a blast and none of us wanted to leave. We can’t wait till the next time we go out there!
I hate heights – I can hardly bear to look at the picture – I wonder how many fall off? The seagull looks just like one of ours, maybe he’s on holiday!
that is an excellent question. There were these kids with these full lenght mirrors up there. I had no idea what they were doing and I thought they were going to fall off. I wouldn’t have survived the hike as I was scared I’d run into a snake. Ugh!
I think you should go with them to the top next time. You’re a fun mom not the mom who sits out.
You’re right but there was one thing holding me back: snake phobia. About the time I decide to hike it is when Sylvester the snake decides to make an appearance. When I see a snake, I don’t think and I would have jumped off the cliff.
I’d live in LA too if I was super rich. I need to somehow get that Oscar winning role! Oh and I would’ve have definitely lost my shit if my daughter did the same as your son.
Just need this whole blog thing to kick in. I can’t imagine what life would be like just blogging all day….at home. Are you kidding me? It would be a dream come true!
Yes! I can just imagine typing away, looking out over the pacific ocean, popping off for a bit of pilates, having freshly squeezed juice brought to me. I think I would suit the rich blogging LA life very well. Fingers crossed x
I just sighed and smiled at reading this. I can’t even imagine. What would that even be like?
Just lovely x