Political Posse
For years I've trying to get Alfred to run for city council of West Hollywood - he has lived here for over 25 years and knows everything there is to know about politics, but he doesn't want to do it, so that leaves me.
As silly and crazy as it sounds I am looking into running for City Council or at the very least finding someone who shares my wishes for the city. For the last 25 years the same council members have been rotating and they aren't doing as much for the city as I would like.
My first real desire to go after them was when there was an event at the West Hollywood Park. I work at the Pacific Design Center across from the park and as I walking home I saw reserved parking places for the event for John Heilman, Abbe Land and other members. We are a very progressive city including having environmentally minded laws, so why would members of the city council need reserved parking in a city that is only 1.5 square miles???
More recently Abbe Land is trying to get a law into the books regarding public cigarette smoking. She wants smoking banned from the outdoor patios of bars and restaraunts. Not only does she want this passed, she wants it to extend to the sidewalks. Needless to say the bars are not happy.
I don't care what anyone thinks about people smoking - we all know it's a fithy habit and is very bad for you, but since cigarettes are legal to smoke and you are outside and probably drinking - you can't just take the act away from people.
What really peeves me is I am almost quissessential West Hollywood - most of the people in this town are renters - I rent. I shop at the stores, I eat at the restaraunts, I drink in the bars, and I work in the city. I have never once seen Abbe Land in any of these places nor have I seen her walking down the street as I walk to and from work.
Recently there was an 'art attack' protest at a council meeting started by the two men who own the house that garnered them national attention with their Sarah Palin hanging model on Halloween a few years back. They were protesting against three members - Abbe and her crazy need for any and all real estate development in the city, John Heilman who has been on the board over 25 years and a woman named Lindsay who became a member by the other members bringing her in rather than a vote. It all seems like it's time for a change..
and that my friends is my political rant for the day.
Labels: Abbe Land, John Heilman, Life In La La Land, West Hollywood, West Hollywood City Council
Sundays In La La Land
Sundays are supposed to be calm and sleepy but not when you live the life of a Bradley. It is so exciting living my life sometimes, it's at these special times when things are going so fast and furious I like to share a bit with my friends, family and complete strangers who drop by here every once in a while. So the past few weeks have been pretty hectic, a few Sundays ago we had brunch at Barney's Beanery with our old pal director
Quinten Tarentino*
Then, last Sunday was the
Oscars so for the week before all of Hollywood Boulevard by the Kodak Theater was blocked off. After winning my Oscar for the
Most Believable Portrayal of a Midwesterner, Alf and I decided we were much too tired to hit the party scene, even though Elton John's Big Event is held at Morton's just down the street - we were just too tired. **
And then this Sunday, before I even had my clothes on there was a knock on the door as West Hollywood Mayor
John Heilman came a knockin' to sit down and chat with the Leivas and me. After all we are practically West Hollywood royalty and our vote can make or break a politician in our little city. There is a vote tomorrow on 3 of the 6 city council members, all who rotate into mayor for a while and the biggest concern and headache for everyone here is remodeling apartments and old houses into mult story condos no one can afford. Alfred knew I had such concerns so after he let the politician in, he ran to the bedroom where as I said, I was naked, to tell me John was there. I tell you, it's just like me to be naked around a politican. I'm such a walking soap opera. So, I talked with the man, who incidentally has been on the city council since the city's inception in 1984 and was one of the men who turned the town into it's own city. He told me a few things I wanted to hear, and most importantly something I needed to hear - that my apartment building couldn't be turned into a condo very easity - first, there's no outside access from the apartments (i.e. no balconies etc.) and the parking isn't up to par for a condo and the building owner would need an 80% approval from its residents to convert. I think I may vote for this man, the other two he endorses, I'm still not so sure about. Politics are hard!***
Then after schmoozing with the city elite, the Leivas and I took in a little movie at the Arc Light in Hollywood with our old friend Ben from
Queer As Folk. As I am so busy and selfish, I can never remember his real name so I just call him Ben from
Queer As Folk - he likes that.****
and that's been my last few Sundays, what have you all been up to?
* Actually, Mr. Tarentino was in the booth next to us yacking it up with some chick - he didn't even pick up the Carlton Heights script I threw at him.** 1. This is a real Oscar I'm holding - and it's frickin' heavy 2. I didn't win it nor was I able to take it home 3. Hollywood & Highland had a room dedicated to the Oscars and you could pick one up and take your pic with it. All the actual Oscars that were presented were there in a big case.*** The mayor of West Hollywood really did come to visit. This is the only completely true story of the bunch.**** We did go see a movie Happy Feet - which was awesome- Patrick, you would love it! The penguins use 'heart songs' to find each other and it's a bunch of 70's and 80's meshed together, and yes Ben was there but I don't know him and he didn't talk to us even after I threw a copy of Carlton Heights at him.
Labels: Bradley, John Heilman, Oscars, Politics, Queer As Folk, Tarentino, West Hollywood
