Malibu Memories

Strapped into her new lipstick-red four-door, Betty drove to Malibu today to meet pal Ben. The driving on Las Virgenes Road was treacherous (just like virginity!), but she made it just fine. The air was crisp but the mountains by the ocean and the light that draped them were heartstopping. Still thinking about Chile because of recent events, including pal NGK's beautiful wedding! - if Los Angeles is Santiago, Malibu is certainly Valparaiso, minus the population and the colorful acensores (hillside elevator trams). Let's just say Pablo Neruda might have found fewer simple objects of inspiration in the 'bu. But the Pacific Ocean in either hemisphere covers all Betty's visual needs.

Ben and Betty munched on sandwiches and cupcakes at Malibu Kitchen as tanned runners and yappy dogs snapped and attacked, stretched out and yawned. Ben is going to be a great lawyer someday, if he can just make it through another year and a half of nonstop study.

After a walk on the soft sands of Zuma, Betty toured the Pepperdine campus, which is charmingly overrun by deer and raccoons coming down from the hills. Betty and Ben stopped to snap this blurry cell-phone photo of a fearless baby dear with big ears (in the background).

On the drives there and back, Betty listened to some KICKASS Chopin piano hits. He's so thuddy and melodic, that Chopin. Betty can't imagine anything better.

Now Betty and Nancy D. are off to eat some latkes and jelly donuts. Happy Hannukah, everybody!!