In 1914 a Japanese restaurant named Yamashiro opened their doors. It looked like a large pagoda. When you walked up the stairs there were koi ponds on both sides. Do you know that koi fish can live to be 60 years old? The first time I went there I sat in a private room. ….on the floor. I don’t know about you but I prefer sitting in a chair. lol.
The second time I went, I sat in a chair at a table. I dined on vegetable tempura…sweet potatoes, mushrooms, zucchini squash, and thinly sliced onion. One of their famous entrees is lemon sesame chicken. On the dish was white rice that was shaped like a bowl.
I heard somebody laughing. And there was Brad Pitt and his children having dinner. On the way out I said hello to Mr. P and the kids. He was also nice enough to to pose for a picture. He starred in so many movies and won an Oscar for his performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I wish he would have brought his wife Angelina Jolie. She is so pretty. I love when she played Maleficent.
On Melrose and Robertson blvd is a restaurant called Cecconi’s. They served sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil. They also made grilled artichoke hearts and brick chicken ….which is a fancy way of saying grilled chicken.
I had on black pants, a white shirt, and a black vest with white buttons sewn on the front made by Moschino. Who did I see walking in? James Gandolfini…and his friend. Mr Gs big role was on the Sopranos…I watched the show until one day this man beat up a pregnant woman and that was not for me.
When I got up from my chair my vest was tied in the back and it hooked on the chair that I was sitting in. I was dragging the chair and I was so embarrassed. I walked over to Mr. Gs table carrying alarge peppermill. And in a deep voice I said “Would up you like some ground pepper?” He did not even look up at me and he said no thanks. I didn’t go away. “You have to have some ground pepper or else”…he looked up, said “Hello Richard”. …and had to laugh. He said “Ok I will have some pepper.” Mr G went to Italy for a vacation in 2013 and sadly passed away. I never looked at a peppermill the same.
Next to studio 5 at KTLA, there was stage 6 where a show called Solid Gold taped. Famous people would sing their hit song and a group of dancers would perform. The choreographer was Kevin Carlisle. One day while talking with him he said that DollyParton was going to perform.. I had to meet her.
I went down the hallway and found her dressing room. I knocked on her door and she peaked out. She peeked her head out and said Hi. “I don’t want to bother you but I have to,say I think you are such a sweet lady and have a wonderful voice.” We said good bye and I went out to the audience and watched her… She is truly the queen of country music. Earlier this year she put out a rock n roll album. You should listen to it.…it’s great.
I was doing a fundraiser in Beverly Hills . I taught a little class . After I finished Pat Boone walked on stage to sing. His voice is so soothing. Then Florence Henderson came on and sang a song. Were you a fan of The Brady Bunch? I was.
On Beverly Blvd there was a restaurant on the second floor called Pane Caldo . On the bottom floor was a very expensive antique store. I climbed the stairs with a few friends and sat at a table. The table was so wobbly that the waiter slid a matchbook cover to even it out. The chairs were also wobbly. The first thing they brought to the table was bruschetta…checca. An antipasto made with fresh tomatoes cut into cubes homemade croutons in a garlicky oil.
I noticed near the window was sitting a man and his wife. He had on a plaid hat and was eating a large plate of the bruschetta. It was Sean Connery. That’s right I was in a restaurant with James Bond. When he and his wife left I simply said Hello Mr Bond and he smiled.
Jean Louie had his design studio a few doors away from my salad bar and exercise studio. He was a costume designer from Paris. He won an Oscar for a movie called Solid Gold Cadillac. He dressed Rita Hayworth and Marlene Dietrich. His most famous was the sheer sparkling dress from Marilyn Monroe when she sang Happy Birthday Mr President to John F Kennedy.
One day he brought in a lady he used to be married to. It was Loretta Young . She won an academy award for The Farmer’s daughter and three Emmy’s for the Loretta Young show. What an elegant lady. I told her I was a big fan of hers. She was wearing a floral dress and exquisite jewelry. She lived in a lovely home on Fountain Ave.
I was walking on Canon Drive and waiting at a red light to turn green. Next to me was the singer and songwriter Donna Summer. As I looked at her I remembered her first song Love to Love You Baby. She went on to sing so many popular hits…like Bad Girls …and She Works Hard for the Money. The curb was very high so I took her hand and escorted her across the street. She squeezed my hand then disappeared into the crowd.
I am going to leave you with one story that is very funny. I was in the lobby of my hotel and coming out of the elevator was Don Rickles. It was raining outside so he was wearing a beige London Fog raincoat. The doorman handed Mr Rickles an umbrella.
I walked up to him and said “I just love you. Do you mind if I kiss you on your forehead?” He took the umbrella in his hand and sort of hit me on my shoulder. He screamed, “Security get his idiot away from me.” Everyone was laughing.
I wonder who you met in your lifetime? Did you say hello to them…were they nice to you…Did you meet me?
