California Tales and Tidbits (San Francisco, Madera: live, restaurant, shop)

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

Share a real life tale or tidbit about your California adventures or experiences either as a California native, or near native relating to some historical event. Doesn't matter how long or short.

I'll start with a tidbit,

when I lived in Los Angeles, I lived within a block, literally just a few houses away from the Labianca murder house.... but 25 years later,

We would walk by the house practically everyday when we walked the dog or went for a run.

The Mason Family was responsible for The Labianca's murders murdered by the infamous Manson family in 1969 in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angles.
(Los Feliz is Silverlake and East Hollywood adjacent, in the Griffith Park-LA Zoo Area)

I have another add-on to the above "Tidbit"

The Mason Family was responsible for the murders of Leno and Rosemary La Bianca, and a day earlier the Manson Family murdered several over people including the famous actress Sharon Tate and her unborn baby, which was immortalized, 50 yrs later, by a very good movie, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" starring Brad Pitt.

Here's the connection, it involves Brad Pitt, many many years after the murders , I was living in another part of Los Angeles (Hollywood) very near Sunset Blvd and La Brea Ave, at the time, the "no-name unknown very young actor" Brad Pitt apparently had a gig where he dressed-up in a Chicken costume as an advertisement for an El Pollo Loco restaurant on Sunset.

I lived up the hill between Hollywood and Sunset Blvds and would walk down the hill to Sunset to go to the grocery store (Ralphs), my favorite Asian restaurant at the time (the original Hoy's Wok), and the original A-Frame Famous Amos cookie place. Sometimes I would pass the El Pollo Loco and Brad Pitt has described where exactly on Sunset he did the gig; it's the same place.

At the time, I never went to the El Pollo Loco, but I remember seeing the Chicken Mascot all the time. I gave him a Hi-Five one time! Was it Brad Pitt? I'll never know but likely it was him at least once or twice. At the time El Pollo Loco was a LA local only chain.

[chacho_keva]

In 1984, I was one of several undercover security officers at a 5-star hotel named The New Otani Hotel, in LA's Little Tokyo. It was common to see celebrities and local politicians walk in for lunch or dinner. I recall walking near folks like Billy Dee Williams, Mary Lou Retton (Gymnast), Bill Murray, Pierce Brosnan, Mayor Tom Brady, and others.

One Saturday around 2am, an antique, yet very well-preserved car, pulled into the hotel's front drive. From the car, out stepped a chauffeur - driver's cap and all. I approached the guy and asked if I could help. He was looking for the front desk to leave his boss's luggage. I took care of the luggage while the chauffeur returned for his boss. A diminutive Japanese man with a polite smile walked in behind his chauffeur. I was standing at the front desk when the diminutive man walked up and - in Nihongo - asked for a room. The Front Desk Clerk (FDC) informed the guest that all rooms were booked through the weekend. The diminutive Japanese man placed his right hand on the desk and asked the FDC to check again. The clerk excused himself, looked, through reservation files, pulled one out, and did who knows what. The clerk returned with a key. "Sir, here's the key to your room. Our bell-staff will assist you with your luggage. Enjoy your stay at The New Otani"

I wasn't conversant in Nihongo, but something was very out of place. I asked the FDC how he'd found a room for the guest given that we were fully booked? In perfect English the FDC responded, "That guy is a Yakuza. You never say no to them." I then asked how he knew the guy was a Yakuza. The FDC told me that the Yakuza displayed his cut off pinky when he placed his right hand on the front desk.

Life in LA

[ccm123]

In the mid ‘90’s, I was having lunch at Versailles (the once popular Cuban restaurant in the Palms District of Los Angeles) on Venice Blvd., and saw the actor Michael Keaton sitting next to our table. There are some studios in the area, I assume that he must have been taking a meal break from a movie shoot.

[Social Democrat]

I met JFK, September 9th, 1960 in a small San Joaquin Valley town. The stop was one of many as he toured the valley by train when running for the democratic presidential nomination.
I stood very close to the train as it rained and after his very brief remarks Patricia Crawford invited me to meet JFK. I was a stunned 13 year old to say the least and this is one of the coolest and treasured memories I have.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by ccm123

In the mid ‘90’s, I was having lunch at Versailles (the once popular Cuban restaurant in the Palms District of Los Angeles) on Venice Blvd., and saw the actor Michael Keaton sitting next to our table. There are some studios in the area, I assume that he must have been taking a meal break from a movie shoot.

I thought I knew LA quite well but I didn't know about Versailles. I often would have actor/celeb sightings and moments likely because I lived in the neighborhoods you would find them and I used to go to restaurants where they frequented and I had a few friends in the industry.

I'm old fashion, I always got a mini thrill seeing and/or meeting a celeb.

[ccm123]

Versailles heyday was in the late ‘80’s, I believe. Back then, the line during peak dinner hours was 1-2 hours wait for a table. Although the place still serves solid food at moderate prices, I think the “cool” factor has worn off and it’s glory days are behind it now.

When I lived in LA, I would bump into celebrities at the most casual places - shopping areas, casual restaurants, museums, parks, etc. They were similar in some ways to us “common folks.”

Originally Posted by Chimérique

I thought I knew LA quite well but I didn't know about Versailles. I often would have actor/celeb sightings and moments likely because I lived in the neighborhoods you would find them and I used to go to restaurants where they frequented and I had a few friends in the industry.

I'm old fashion, I always got a mini thrill seeing and/or meeting a celeb.

[chacho_keva]

It's not unusual to come across celebrities while living in LA. I've seen several but have made the effort to meet but a few. I don't like bothering celebrities. Like any of us, they too have the right to privacy.

Not long ago, my brother and I arrived early for an indoor music event in Downtown LA. We went to the food court. As we're eating, Kareem Abdul Jabar walked in and sat one table away from us. Fans immediately flocked to get a picture with him. I thought how annoying that must be. The guy's trying to get a bite, but the fans acted as if he were there to have his picture taken. Sure, being interrupted while eating comes with fame. But I'm sure they appreciate not being hounded while eating.

Another time, a GF and I were having lunch at a chic Pasadena restaurant when in walked two large imposing men. They scouted the place, left, and returned with Angela Bassett and a small child between them. I later crossed paths with Miss Bassett and told her it was nice to see her. She smiled and thanked me. That's as far as I went.

[SkyLark2019]

A funny California tale-

Years ago I had to bring my autistic brother to the Emergency Room for an unexpected injury to his eye.

When I came back to bring him home, I cracked a joke about there have possibly been a grease fire in the kitchen area of the local Del Taco- IIRC I got a free taco or two for an unexpectedly longer wait for food.

A doctor overheard me and joked about possibly seeing workers from there if anyone got injured in a grease fire, as that hospital accepted all seriously injured people in a 75 mile radius.

I was happy to bring some levity to a ER doctor's evening.

California- sometimes it's easy to be an optimist there.

[saibot]

The mention of Del Taco reminds me that my father knew the founder of Carl's Jr., Carl Karcher, in a business capacity. They both had offices in Anaheim. Every once in a while Mr. Karcher would give Dad some gift cards and he would pass them on to us kids.

After Dad died, I found a few of those cards in his things. I put one in my wallet; it is dated 1978 and says, "The Bearer of this card is my Personal Guest and is entitled to one Carl's Famous Star Hamburger and one medium-sized soft drink or coffee at any one of our Carl's Jr. locations, [signed in black marker], Carl Karcher."

Every once in a while I think how funny it would be to drop into a Carl's Jr. and attempt to claim my free meal.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by ccm123

In the late 1980’s, I lived in Southern California to attend college. A few friends and I decided to have dinner one night at a high end restaurant in the Beverly Hills/West Hollywood area.

We decided on a place called “Madeo” based on a recommendation from someone in the group.

That evening, Lucille Ball was also dining there. I gasped in amazement upon seeing her.

Nice, and who doesn't love Lucille Ball, a class act and pioneer.

I always always would see famous folks at Musso & Frank. and when I lived in Los Feliz we often went to House of Pies...way too many times, lol.