Another Day in Paradise

“What I lack cannot be found by searching for it.”--Colette, THE PURE AND THE IMPUREIt was a great, refreshing summertime feeling for me.   First of all, my greatest friends (Jim from the Gym and his girlfriend, Cwissy) came to visit me in early July.  I was so excited to see them and they added such LIFE to my pad (as well as my pleasure psyche).   We went out for drinks and light bites and spent a great day at Santa Monica Beach one day.  I photographed Jim and Cwissy by my car as we were gathering our gear for the sand. 
We always have such laughter and fun.   The music by Phil Collins played while we were lying out on the beach.   The song called "Another Day in Paradise".  That’s just what it was like.  Of course, there were the love songs of the day that continually played like NOTHING COMAPARES TO YOU by Sinead O’Connor and IT MUST HAVE BEEN LOVE by Roxette.   Those tunes made me feel ill-at-ease and I couldn’t help think of my old flame, Kelly, while I was with Jim and Cwissy.   Alas, I quickly refreshed my mind when VOGUE came on by MADONNA.  

The visit with Jim and Cwissy was quite special.   When I am with them we create such an ESCAPADE (which leads me to think of the Janet Jackson song that also played while we were at the beach).  While on the beach in Santa Monica we each bought ice-cream.  I bought my favorite missle-popsicle and posed in a suggestive position.   Cwissy quickly took a photo.  It was a hilarious moment.  I didn't realize her photo would forever imprint it in my mind though.  Ha-ha.
A week earlier my mom, brother, sis-in-law, Ashley and Holly arrived.  I also took them to the beach and pointed to Sea Colony to show them that my “best-friend” (Alan) lived there. On another afternoon I took them to Malibu to get a feel for some powerful waves.   What is a visit to Southern California if one does not visit the beautiful beaches (especially at the start of summer)?   We also spent a significant time at my condo in West Hollywood and by the swimming pool.  I must thank Alan for introducing me to Laguna Beach.  If it weren’t for him I wouldn’t have known to take mom and Ashley there to get a feel for an Orange County beach.   We loved the drive and the beautiful scenery.  It’s much easier to drive there on a weekday during the non-commuting time.

I found a tug boat and had Ashley pose inside of it.  That was cute.   We explored the Laguna Beach vicinity and ate at THE COTTAGE RESTAURANT.   The weather couldn’t have been more perfect.  I enjoyed the ‘people watching’ but my focus was on mom and Ashley and I loved taking pictures of them while we were there.   Mom isn’t the greatest with my camera so I instructed Ashley to take the “one” photo of me on that day.   She did a pretty good job of capturing me.  I can safely call it my ‘summer look’.

I liked a photo I took of mom and Ashley against the rocks not far from the shoreline.
I did get share of solo shots of each them, too.  Ashley was entertaining herself by the shoreline.  She finally turned her head after I called her name three or four times and snapped a quick photo (which I liked). It was funny when I persuaded mom to go deep in the middle of this rocky section of the beach.Mom was saying, “Just take it.”She didn’t like being in the midst of the rocks.   Still…the photo turned out to be a fun moment.   She liked the photo when she saw it later that evening.

Time stood still once I was alone again in my condo.  It was back to work soon.   The only good thing is that I’d be seeing Alan again soon and I could share the latest happenings from my recent visitors.   It really can be ‘Another Day in Paradise’ if you allow it for one’s self.

I am to meet Alan's mother, Gloria, soon.  A lunch or dinner is planned.   This ought to be interesting.  I'm sure all will go smoothly.  
“I THINK IT AND YOU DO IT.”--as heard while watching the film, YOUTH IN REVOLT 
(a 2009 motion-picture)