Dear Sonya,
As you know one of the best things about living in Los Angeles is getting out of Los Angeles. Not that it's a horrible place, but some time away is the best remedy for those weeks when it becomes unbearable. I've had the good fortune to escape from Los Angeles several times recently. Dana and I flew to Arizona for her birthday this summer and spent a couple quite days reading by a pool and discovering the cultural wasteland that is the greater Phoenix area. Later in the summer I went to Chicago for my friend Eric's Bachelor party. We went to a Cubs game, took a boat out onto Lake Michigan and watched as the large black proprietor of the Weiner Circle flashed her breast for a Rod Stewart-esque crack head in the middle of the night. Amazing.
Last Thursday after work, my friend Cory and I drove out to Palm Springs for Eric's wedding. We both took off Friday so we could participate in the gentleman's golf event that included 5 foursomes from the wedding including most of the groom's wedding party. As you may or may not know I've been playing golf over the last several years and although I own shitty clubs, dress like a criminal and play like a cave man I really enjoy it. Actually I love everything about it. I love being able to drinking and drive a golf cart, I love the smell of the grass. I love that you have to estimate yardage. I love the framed picture of Major Antonio Viaragosa at all of the LA public courses. I love golf shack cuisine. I list goes on. Up until last Friday though I'd only played city run courses in Los Angeles, mostly the ones in Griffith Park. This course was several stars higher on the scale. It was called Desert Willow and it was in the lived nestled off of the main road of some neighboring Palm Springs town.
The golf cart we drove was amazing, equipped with an ice filled cooler build into the back bumper and GPS that told you your yardage from the Tee. I nicknamed it Silver after the Lone Ranger's horse. High Ho Silver, Away Beeotch! I did most of the driving, and Cory, who I was paired with, was generally scared. The round of golf although fun was difficult, and I was playing even shittier than I normally play. But the fellowship of friends, the dry 100+ degree desert air and the desert wild life made the day. I saw a number of Road Runners, a ton of jack rabbits and one time when we were waiting for the party in front of us to clear the fairway so we could tee off, we all watched as a coyote walked between the tee box and the others in front of us and took a shit in the middle of the fairway. I had to raise my canned beer to the pup. I loved the disregard for our round and the clear protest of our presence. Shine on you crazy diamond.
Afterwards we headed back to the hotel, The Horizon Hotel in Palm Springs. Everything in Palm Springs is Mid Century Modern and many of the hotels were designed as a series of private house-like bungaloos that are all centered around a pool area. This hotel was that way and all 20 something rooms were reserved for the wedding, so it was as if we had collectively rented a small modern village.
Dana left work that Friday night and drove out to meet me. Caleb had been sick with a cough but we decided to continue with our plan of letting Dana's dad watch him. I introduced her to the villagers and showed her to our residence. Our room had an indoor/outdoor shower that faced the back of the property. We were lucky, most of the room's showers faced into the pool and anyone walking around could at least see you washing your hair over the cement wall that provided some partial privacy.
Palm Springs has a history of not caring about privacy. It's an adult get away for sure. Many of the hotels don't allow children and it's not uncommon for a pair of nipples to be floating face up in a pool as nearby strangers rest the edges of newspapers on the bulges of their European style swimsuits. There are also several hotels that are noted gay hotels.
Dana and I kept all of our parts under wraps and spent most of Saturday, the day of the wedding, away from the pool and in town. It was Biker week, which meant that thousands of middle aged douche-bags and their busted significant others clogged up the streets with with their Hitler helmets, beards and noisy bikes. Have I ever told you that I hate Harleys? Biker Week should be in Phoenix, it would fit right in. Palm Springs, a city that survives off of tourism, put on it's sluttiest dress and ushered them into their establishments with signs reading, "Bikers Welcome". After giving up on finding a parking spot we headed to the outlet malls where I scored at the Levi's store's corduroy sale. Dana looked for something to keep her warm when the sun went down, but had no luck.
Back at the village the wedding was about to start and as a groomsman, I manned the scotch in Cory's room where we all primped our ties and watched the Cubs get eliminated from the playoffs. Eric was calm on the outside but I could see his eyeballs pulsing with anxiety. Finally it was time and I watched one of my best friends become a husband. The ceremony was short and sweet which I like. It's always nice to see two people in love, but if they get too crazy celebrating their love then you begin to hate them. I think that's why everyone loves a good celebrity break up. They rubbed your nose in their happiness, but in the end it was a lie.
Eric and Irena have a sincere love. It's a practical love. It didn't need a long ceremony filled with sonnets and Whitman poems. It wasn't announced by harp play. All it needed were some kind words, some rings and a kiss.
Later during the reception Cory and I played two songs in the middled of a DJed set. Cory was on the drums and I played my Rhodes electric piano and sang. The first song was, "This Will Be Our Year" by the Zombies. The second one was a stripped down version of the pop hit "Umbrella" by Rhianna. I'd like to close this post with those lyrics.
[VERSE 1]
You had my heart
and we'll never be world apart
Maybe in magazines
but you'll still be my star
Baby cause in the Dark
You can see shiny Cars
And that's when you need me there
With you I'll always share
Because
[CHORUS]
When the sun shines
We’ll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be your friend
Took an oath
I'mma stick it out 'till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we still have each other
You can stand under my Umbrella
You can stand under my Umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)
[VERSE 2]
These fancy things,
will never come in between
You're part of my entity
Here for Infinity
When the war has took it's part
When the world has dealt it's cards
If the hand is hard
[Umbrella lyrics on http://www.metrolyrics.com]
Together we'll mend your heart
Because ...
[CHORUS]
When the sun shines
We'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be your friend
Took an oath
I'mma stick it out 'till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we still have each other
You can stand under my Umbrella
You can stand under my Umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)
