Monday weekend roundup

Long weekend.

A blog is sometimes like an exercise regimen. Miss one session and you might never return.

But I am here.

I spent my Thanksgiving in pleasant solitude. Received a brief visit from a friend, baked a pizza, and sat in bed reading most of the day. Perfect.

The next day I up and got myself lovely in bed, then compiled a sublime playlist for my iPod, and rode over to Fred62 for breakfast with my headphones around my neck (Five miles).

I was instantly drawn to the Dime Bag item on their menu, and eating slowly alongside a large cup of coffee, I read my latest issue of Wired at the bar, while Joe Meek's Telstar played overhead. Just one of many sublime moments to come of this exquisite weekend.

That night a couple friends and I gathered at the Metro station at Western and Wilshire for Critical Mass. We rode eighteen miles or so west and then through downtown. We rode back to Highland Park for tacos, which hit the spot with such accuracy that I might have seen heaven. We rounded out the evening with a pint. And that's when the Tired hit us.

Saturday I made scrambled eggs out of my brain. I saw things high and low, but mostly my pal drove me to a hill overlooking a valley soaked in dusty gold, and with the music vibrating in my eyes, I melted. He said, "Well, here you go, Miss Acosta" and my toes curled. There was a great deal of traveling between worlds, and laughing while doing so, and uninhibited Crayola drawing.

On Sunday I recovered. I stayed in and read a book.

And now I am here.

Rinse. Repeat. And rinse.

My father asked me to post this request regarding some unfortunate news in one of my favorite places in LA - Silver Lake.

An architectural landmark building is in jeopardy.

I ask for your help in getting the word out to JMHS grads and others who lived in the Marshall High area. It is a requst for donations to save the Neutra Silverlake Studio Residences located on Silverlake Boulevard.

I happen to know the youngest son of Richard Neutra, an internationally recognized architect who lived and worked in Silverlake District. Dion Neutra went to Marshall High about the time my brother Richard did (graduating in 1959. I believe.) Dion Neutra was a partner in his father's architectural firm and was a peer of Frank Lloyd in time and stature. Neutra designed homes all over Los Angeles, including one on my street which is highly regarded as an example of international style residential architecture. The Los Feliz Public Library on North Hillhurst has a large book on a table of his work. My contact has been with Raymond Neutra, MD, MPH, who for many years worked as public health officer with the State of California Health Department, but is now retired.

I am forwarding a request for financial support to restore and maintain for the Neutra home and office on Sileverlake Boulevard. It is falling into disrepair and the endowment established to handle these functions is probing to be insufficient.

I want to reach out to as many people as I can about the need to help preserve this significant architectural site that dates back more than 50 years.

Here is the website for Save the Neutra Silverlake Studio Residences (see www.neutra-vdl. org)

If you or anyone else wishes to contact me about this, please use this email address: lkelley_45@msn. com

Thank you so much, my friend.