Sarah's Churchill Adventure: The final leg

Sitting at Gate 101 at LAX somewhat too early for my flight - 90 minutes until take off but less than that in battery power on my computer so hopefully I can get this written, as once I get home there’ll be precious little time for blog writing.

So the highlight of the flight from San Francisco to LA was star spotting – Lindsay Lohan – NO, Sean Penn – NO, Kim Kardashian – NO. Dennis Commetti – YES. I was so excited I even heard him talking (the best part in my view – that gorgeous deep voice) to other people not me as I was too shy to go and say “Hey Dennis, I love your work” – actually I would have, had I been near enough but the opportunity was fleeting and I missed it. I must say for a slightly past middle age sports commentator (you do all know who he is DON’T YOU????) he had rock star presence. All in black – tall and wearing classic Ray Bans at every opportunity – cool dude.

Anyhow in a flash I was in LA and in the company of my lovely buddy Eva who sadly has a broken foot but was just mobile enough to go out if I did the driving. So we caught up in her house for a while on Friday afternoon and then headed out in her cute Prius for the evening, first to a cocktail party by the pool at the iconic Sunset Tower hosted by Austrade. The view was magnificent and we sipped wine and cocktails and chatted to the mostly Australian and a few American guests. I came home with a few business cards and so stupidly went out without mine – on reflection maybe not a bad thing but it felt silly at the time.

Some of the conversations I had were sooooo LA (well to me they seemed that way to me - just a totally different way of talking about the business). I overheard a conversation that went something like this (in American accent) Does anyone have anything for Ashton? Ashton really loves Australia and would love to do something there.” I immediately tried to imagine all those Australian screenwriters busily writing screen vehicles for Ashton Kutcher – like it’s so not something that anyone would think to do (would they???). It just struck me a ludicrous idea but what would I know.

So after a bit more of that sort of silliness – Eva is much much better at assessing who’s worth talking to and worked the room magnificently – charming and flirty in just the right measure.

So after an hour or 2 at the Sunset Tower (the scene where Tim Robbins is pitching in the Player was shot there and they hold the Vanity Fair post Oscars party there too), we headed of to Soho House – the private club on the top floor of a magnificently positioned building – for dinner. Ridley Scott was dining a couple of tables away but I was actually feeling way too tired to care. The club was lovely and full of people who were someone in LA (it’s that kind of club – you need a recommendation to join) and we had a nice meal with a stunning view. Then home and to bed but unfortunately I had a killer headache that was dulled for precisely 4 hours by Panadol and then I woke up. I think my neck was out from all that dragging my luggage up those hills in San Francisco. So not much sleep was had but in the morning I did some yoga and took more painkillers and that got me through the next day.

So Saturday started at the Chateau Marmont for Lunch. The Chateau is classic old school Hollywood – very romantic faux 1950’s medieval Chateau style (okay that sounds like a mess but it’s Hollywood – run with me on this). We sat in the garden – perfect weather, ate old fashioned food that was really delicious – crispy haddock burger with home made tartare sauce and super thin fries – shared that and some crab cakes and they brought it all out already split onto 2 plates which was just simple and elegant. Really relaxing in the garden – a little oasis in the middle of LA.

Eva lives just a little way up in the Hollywood Hills and the area is very charming but she’s looking for a house a little further up the hills so later in the afternoon we went for a drive and looked at some other areas and a house she’s interested in. Really interesting to see all the architectural styles and flash and less flash houses. The hills are really lovely but we also had to do the obligatory drive through Beverly Hills where really it’s just like Toorak – just more of it and I’m sure there’s some over the top houses – but the usual follies – Faux Versailles, chateaux etc.

We needed to squeeze in a bit of shopping too as a couple of gifts were needed for family – things I hadn’t wanted to cart all across the US – especially on American Airlines. By the way – I managed to get on to Qantas with no excess baggage charges. I’m not saying they weren’t due, just that I didn’t have to pay them – triumph!

So then last night was the big highlight of LA – dinner as Bazaar – oh I don’t have all the details like the name of the famous Spanish chef or the hotel where the restaurant is but just let me say it was an amazing night of gastronomy. Foam, Gel, smoke and all kinds of chemistry experiments – all of them totally sublimely delicious. We ate many small courses and some of the highlights were the amazing lime, vodka cocktail frozen with liquid nitrogen so the consistency is so smooth it tastes like a cloud. That was sublime and it acted like a palate cleanser in between courses too (so convenient). Olives to start with – real ones stuffed with amazing anchovy cream then jellied recreated ones that exploded in your mouth – just wild. Another highlight was – there were so many - tiny crisp cones with light cream, dill and caviar – tasted just like a New York bagel – but just a mouthful. Bliss. There were many other wonderful things including a Brussels sprouts dish that was heaven ( I konow you all hate Brussels sprouts but trust me it was good). Once we were feeling a bit full we moved tables to the patisserie – away from the black and red theme to a pink and silver Phillippe Starck zone where we shared the most amazing cocktail (since the frozen cloud) a passionfruit martini – strong alcohol sipped through a gorgeous foam layer at the top – all with intense passionfruit flavour. Each sip just held in the mouth and enjoyed to the full before swallowing. For dessert we shared a snap frozen coconut ball with banana and toffee – loads of amazing flavours and textures and then a chocolate dessert also sublime with loads of different textures and flavours. I can’t tell you how thrilled my taste buds were all evening. We just laughed and laughed at how lovely it all was – and you know the cocktails were the perfect companion. Usually I drink wine but somehow the cocktails really complimented the food perfectly – and they were such technological and culinary masterpieces.

We came home happy but not too full and not too inebriated.

Sunday began slowly with a bit more yoga for my neck. Then it was time to pack my suitcase for the final time this trip. Very nervous about getting everything in but actually it all went in quite well but I stuck to my plan to ditch the trolley at the airport so I gave it to the guy at flight check in and he was happy to get it (and maybe that helped me get away with the baggage excess).

Then we went out to brunch at a lovely restaurant which I think was called Jar but honestly I didn’t concentrate on the name. Inside was very plushy (not in a get dressed up as a stuffed animal way) and comfortable. We ate with a few of Eva’s friends – an artist called Mary (I didn’t catch her other name) but she was obviously talented and had a wonderful outfit on – I liked her immediately. Eva’s other friend Sarah whose husband is away making a movie in eastern Europe – she has a glorious southern accent which I just love listening too, and the other friend was a rather famous photographer called James who photographs all the stars and makes them look beautiful – more beautiful than they are in real life of course. We ate melt in the mouth brioche with caramelised walnuts and then a rather wonderful omelette – you can tell I’m a girl who loves my food. Good coffee too.

Back home for a final bit of packing and then back to Soho house, which this time was very quiet. I had a light early dinner before my flight and a lovely pot of earl grey tea – Eva had tea and cookies. We lounged back on their super comfy couches and watched the sun set and the day give way to evening. A gorgeous end to a lovely weekend and an amazing trip across the world. Something of a contrast to much of the work I’ve been doing but a life with contrasts is a good one I think – it helps to keep all things in perspective.

I’m really looking forward to getting home and getting back to family and friends – hopefully catching up with many of you in the coming weeks.

Actually to be honest I’m a little bit worried about what I will find when I get home as I don’t think the builders have been as productive as I would like while I’ve been away. Progress has been slow according to the accounts I’ve heard – so that might be a bit dreary.

So thank you all for following my adventure and hopefully in the not too distant future I’ll be inviting you all to come and see the film that comes from this journey.

At short post script - Flight home was all good but home itself remains a full on building site - It feels like the builders have done about 1 week's work in the 2 months I've been away. I had hoped that the house would be largely livable by the time I returned but no such luck. Plaster dust in every nook and cranny, cool winds flowing throughout due to incomplete windows and walls. Highly unlikely it will be even close to ready by the end of the year and we all know how productive January is so it's frankly a depressing prospect of many more weeks or months of renovations and living rough. Bloody builders!!!