Welcome to my Blog!

This is the place where I will write down the stories about what is happening during my 5 months visit in Los Angeles, California. 

27-01-12

Arrived on LAX Airport. Was a bit nervous since it was the first time I used my renewed US passport (didn't use the old one for 12 years), curious if they would let me in the country. The last couple of years I was used to Miami Airport, so I thought it would take a while to enter the country. Well…the opposite happened: I was allowed to enter as a US citizen, no lines. Quickest customs passing ever in my life. Great start!

Fortunately Jillian (I rent a room at her place in February) picked me up from the airport. First we went to visit her place to leave some of my stuff. Something crazy happened: a motorcycle & clothing company a friend of mine (Hein Meurer) has the license for in the Benelux, Deus Ex Machina, will open in Venice in February. There will be a launch party for this, where I will DJ as the Amsterdam representative. 
This store is situated in the same block as Jillian's house where I will stay in February. How crazy is that? You fly 1000's of miles to a place where you have never been before and the 1 gig you have is in the same block where you will be staying…

Anyway. Jillian brought me to my hostel where I stayed the 1st 5 nights before moving to her place: this Hostel is the oldest building of Venice, situated ON the beach.

Background info on Venice:

Venice is like heaven for artists, New Agers, homeless people and free spirits of all stripes. This is where Jim Morrison and The Doors lit their fire, where Arnold Schwarzenegger pumped himself to stardom and where Julia Roberts, Dennis Hopper and Angelica Huston make their homes today.

In front of the hostel is the Venice boardwalk: It's a freak show, a human zoo and a wacky carnival. This is where to get your hair braided, your karma corrected or your back massaged qi gong-style. Encounters with budding Schwarzeneggers, hoop dreamers, a Speedo-clad snake charmer and a roller-skating Sikh minstrel are pretty much guarenteed.

28-01-12

Due to the jetleg I was up early so I started the day with some running on the beach. What a feeling of freedom. Afterwards took the lonely planet to the beach to discover the history and habits of California, Los Angeles and especially Venice.

4 pm Evelien Koole & Saskia van Wijk (2 friends of my girlfriend Anne) arrived. They are on a holiday in California and just came from Las Vegas. We went to the rooftop of hotel Erwin to view the sunset & drink Amstel beers. 

Followed with dinner at Joe's, situated at Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice (great wines by the way!) before heading to Club Avalon in Hollywood. Very cool theater style built venue with a lot of Asians. 

Why did no one told me it is California state law to not sell alcohol between 2 am - 6 am???

That was quite a disappointment, although the cab driver told us it is probably better for economy. Yeah right…

Damian Lazarus played some really cool tracks, thanx mate it felt as a warm welcome.

29-01-12

Together with the girls and their US Dodge rented car, we went to visit Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Bel Air. Wow, enormous real estate in this protected park in Bel Air we visited. Do have the feeling though a lot of old people (or old money) lives here…

During lunch we again experienced that even small portions are way bigger then we used to in The Netherlands. Probably one of the reasons Americans are so…big…

30-1-12 --> 3-2-12

1st days of work in California. My plan was to go to a Starbucks or another ocean view wifi cafe. After searching for half an hour I said to myself, you are crazy! Look at the view from your window. Yes man, you are totally right! So I rebuilt my room and created a working spot with ocean view: "Another day at the office" 

4.15 pm is ideal to start running since it will be sunset at 5.15 pm. Watching some surfers, palmtrees, snips (yes, the bird on the 100 gulden note) and pelicans catching the final sunbeams gives - again - a feeling of freedom. 

To easily adapt to the Californian lifestyle, my evenings consist of watching Entourage :)


Tuesday January 31st The CW broadcasted the 10th episode of Ringer, a US TV-serie with Sarah Michelle Gellar as the main character. Epiqurus Agency's Eelke Kleijn & Astrid Kunst produced the music for the slot scene of this Episode :)

Wednesday February 1st I moved from the hostel to the room at Jillians place. Jillian is a hard working, hippie-Venice type of girl. She is an instructor for pet-CPR… 
"Only in America".

Project Car

In the US, you need a car to move around. A lot of time this week went into searching one. This wasn't easy since all kind of rules and taxes (smog tax!!) have to be arranged. While searching and talking to car sales representatives, more and more the feeling came upon me I should be driving a convertible... 
A car says something about your personality and the feeling of freedom a convertible gives applied perfectly on my state of mind of the 1st week: something I am willing to hold on to for the coming 5 months. So, this made the search not easier…What car it eventually will be I will post later on…

4-2-12

Saturday night I had a dinner meeting with Marissa Alix. Met her a couple of years ago in Miami during the Winter Music Conference. For consecutive years we partied in Miami.

She lives in LA for years now and she helped me preparing my trip and answering my questions, thank you again Marissa ;)

5-1-12                                   Super Bowl Sunday

Yes people, this is the biggest 1 day sports event in the US (or maybe even in the World). Jillian tipped me to go to a local bar called Whalers, good tip!

Made some friends very easily and while being part of the sunset, the match and Corona's it was an amazing Sunday afternoon. The last minutes were insane with a score by the Giants to win the match. Look at this humiliating, historic touchdown: