I'm sitting in Cafe Mimosa , ideal place to write in a blog entry about Topanga Topanga. Why? The Mimosa is Topanga. At Cafe Mimosa is ALWAYS at least one screenwriter with his Apple (what else?) Laptop and is writing his newest screenplay. In Mimosa are always some other old or new the day hippies verghängen somehow. For example, yesterday when I had to overhear a conversation of two elderly men about sex. The one to the other: "Up to 20-hearted wars, after they gave me life because of AIDS and had such a hard and now is not worth the stress ...." and the other "Yes, exactly, had I recently grad with such a young, inexperienced sex, it was not worth it ..." and so on ... When will I turn and look at the two: They are indeed as old as me? What the hell? And who is sitting right now as I write the blog next to me and turns on a young French woman? Exactly ... "I love your French accent!" he actually says but as I write. Fuck, yeah, everybody loves that French accent the accent if the owner is a 21 year old blonde exchange student ... How clumsy :-) And the other is also in with a fellow grad. There is always the same people hang out and drink "Soy Latte" or eat vegan bagels. Too cool :-)
Or last week. A real age to a colleague tells how his daughter got married. "And then she called me, right on their wedding night and screamed that her husband locked himself for three hours and get drunk And I get drunk in unto her, Honey, nobody joins on the wedding night in the bathroom to either smokes it Crack but surely shoot heroin or no alcohol, I know what I'm talking about! " and you could see that it was true. And such You can follow discussions in the mimosa while running in the background "Exodus" by Bob Marley (like right now ...). And if they adopt the locals go with "Peace, man!" I just had myself also presented here ... 40 years ago ... What has changed, however: every second has a laptop and / or iPhone and it works from somewhere, bsp. specified by the Mimosa, like me now and then.
Next to the hats a Mimosa Bhutan Store (I've never been there, I need what degree from Bhutan? Me If anything a degree ...), an organic shop and of course the legendary Dr. Roy! Dr. Roy is the only doctor in Topanga and is at least since 1968 here. mentioned in the introduction of school the director of the school that all parents have a TB test need to be able to campus again. And is best done by Dr. Roy, the test takes 2 minutes and then you have to talk for half an hour with him. No kidding! Serafina and I were at least half an hour with him (at a price of only $ 30 for the TB test!). So Serafina's theme of "Mexican cinema", he was mega exciting to have drawn out all the stops what he knows about the topic. For example, the story of an old customer who is a mid stay dead. His father was from Mexico, had in the 20's fought with Pancho Villa in the Mexican Revolution and then fled to New Orleans where he among blacks Steppdanz or has otherwise learned a dance, then went to Germany where he danced in shows for the Nazis and then escaped and and and ... When I told him that I studied Environmental Sciences had I was taken promptly to his office where he showed me his collection of satellite images. And so on ... Dr. Roy, we encourage all guests to be at least slightly injured when they are here so they can enjoy a treatment from Dr. Roy. Gell, Guido? Short time on our wall ride fall flat on its face and there you go :-) Where Dr. Roy on his own Answerer points out that "if this is an emergency call 911!". That's honest!
What else is there in Topanga? A few more Restaurants and cafes, a grocery store, more eco-shop and a post office. One of the coolest restaurants, the Froggis, one of the most expensive in the whole region is the esoteric New Age restaurant 'The Inn of the Seventh Ray. " There we were so far only once, to Simone, Guido and Annette brunch. Quite noble, located in a charming garden by the Topanga stream flows, with classical music in the background and a buffet as big as I have never seen it! And the water is ultimately filtered, balanced and swings just right, as the waiter assured us. For $ 35 can you expect something :-)
Then of course there's the Topanga Elementary School Josiah in which the 6th Class visits. The Principal (Director) is quite a joke Keck. His Dr. Roy is saying just one example, a pilot who is also the parents of other morning, his comment was at the school canteen: "Our lunch costs one dollar and it tastes like one dollar so please give your kids your own lunch!" The canteen food in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) - to which we belong and are also supplied so - is really in each sow is either green or slimy - for vegetarians - chips with melted cheese over it or something of that nature so it is that Josiah goes to school here since he eats healthier than ever. Every morning we make him a fine sandwich with humus, cheese, soy, organic vegetables plus fruit course, a Müesliriegel (mostly Cliffbar), nuts, etc. What more could you want ...
Josiah's teacher is young and motivated, in Josiah's class is 14 kids, all are motivated, even the cool skater boys like to go to school, it teases not and respected themselves. And that is in a public school! In short, it is pretty much the opposite of Zurich. And we had expected in LA gangs, drugs and metal detectors at the entrance ... Josiah recently came home quite surprising because the principal had warned in a speech to the students, but that we should not allow outside phone and Portemonney front of the classroom, be it even happened that something has been stolen! Josiah was quite surprised that it was for a speech, for it is but normal for the cell phone was off when it is in front of the classroom in a jacket or something .... let Not in Topanga, baby ... So I leave the house and the car actually always open, I think we do not even have a second set of keys, and so has only Seraina a house key. Our doors and windows are always a joke, by the by ...
But there are dangers in Topanga. Especially the Topanga Canyon Road where the people by Bloch, regardless of losses. And Josiah the ever walk to school and the canyon has to cross - it has at least one light - and I am mostly moving with the bike in Topanga, have been rethinking a bit and get away from Züri-groove where everyone holds if only is already close to a pedestrian crossing. In the eyes of most parents, we are irresponsible, because I know Josiah is the only child to walk alone and still goes to school. When other kids to Josiah to a "Play Date " come, then that is after Coming home is always a huerä theater, but some kids can now walk with Josiah home. Thunder and lightning
Other threats include fire, water and wild animals. Let's start with the animals. In our garden romp day rabbits, squirrels (squirrels), rattlesnakes and lizards. The rodents puncture half the hill where our house is built and there is a risk that, if a larger storm down here is much ground because everything is so riddled and unstable. In the night we hear rats and mice (we have set up traps everywhere so they will not be too bold) and of course, coyotes. Coyotes are shy in and of themselves and engage People do not (except for having killed two weeks ago when she a Canadian ...) only one is still a very small man and is left outside overnight. do not leave babies in the garden, otherwise they're gone if you're unlucky. And let no pets such as dogs and cats outside at night, etc. or they will be gone too. According to Serafina, and Josiah, the coyotes would come to our front door and yowl all terrible (so terrible that Seraina the house now closes again at night ... if that helps?). Anyway, I hear the coyotes howl, and practically never really loudly as they used here has a short scream from the balcony they immediately expelled.
fire and water, however, are very real dangers. You have to imagine that in Topanga (or Southern California) is actually from about April to November never rains. You live here on the edge of a desert from the desert and when the dreaded Santa Ana winds with 40 degrees Celsius or more pure blowing it takes is a spark and everything is burning. Even without the wind there is very bad here, forest fires and within minutes you can be in a circle of fire if one cuts off immediately. So we shall get in school fire drills regularly and each house has its emergency manual, is assigned a protection zone, etc. And when the winter rains, it pours apparently. So tight that the Topanga Canyon breaks its banks, come down the slopes and mud and stones blocking the road. Then it is secure because it is the only road here. And do not forget to earthquakes. Although I've seen it but if none are times one should be off, then under the table or door frame ... So we will in any case recommended. In conclusion one can say that there are already many real dangers, but they are entirely different nature than we had imagined from Los Angeles.
live But in nature only brings only dangers. It is naturally cool in a house to live in the countryside, especially if there is so much sun here in California. We have here every day of sun since we are here. Two days of rain as Simone was here (Murphy's Law), and otherwise almost always blue sky and sun. So I often work on the laptop outside on the terrace when it's warm enough. On the night because it cools down quite a bit (to 10 degrees) and in the morning, it is therefore still quite fresh to be the sun around 10 clock shows up and everything warms up.
Fortunately, we have cool neighbors that we see ourselves well and to eat together and take supper or what. Otherwise, we actually know not many people here, two, via three parents from the class of Josiah and another family Josiah's biker boyfriend. Josiah, who yes every day at school with other students Students, and Serafina, which runs regularly to UCLA and he has colleagues, this does not. I, as a "home-work" of working from home, would like some more interaction with people. This is the disadvantage when you work at home. On the other hand, I spent the last two weeks at two conferences, one in Berkeley (San Francisco) and am in Vancouver (Canada) and next week I already back in a conference in San Jose, CA. I can not complain as the moment :-) Thats all folks, for the moment.
