Travelogue: Los Angeles, 7th Time

The Bond in Motion exhibit is now at the Petersen after a stint this summer in London. Hence the purpose of this trip.

Saturday, October 2nd, 2021

Petersen Automotive Museum, 2nd time at this well known collection.

One of the snowmobiles from Die Another Day.

1964 Aston Martin DB5

One of the most beautiful cars every styled.

May have peed myself a little.

Cars, boats, planes, underwater craft...

1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

George Lazenby, as his only outing as 007, has an epic chase in Switzerland.

1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1

Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

The legendary chase scene on Fremont in Vegas. Made infamous from the lack of continuity- As Bond drives down an ally that narrows, he puts the Mach on its right wheels, cut to the other side of that alley and suddenly it is on its left wheels.

1973 Glastron GT-150

Live and Let Die (1973)

1974 AMC Hornet X

The Man With The Golden Gun (1974)

Corkscrew jump in Thailand that is credited with being the first computer planned stunt. And ridiculed from having the slide whistle sound effect.

1977 Lotus Espirt S1, "Wet Nellie"

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Humor, drama and action!

Aston Martin V8

The Living Daylights (1987)

Timothy Dalton wasn't represented much at this exhibit.

1997 BMW 750iL

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

1999 BMW Z8

The World Is Not Enough (1999)

1999 Betnz Boats, AKA Q Jet Boat

The World Is Not Enough (1999)

Pierce Brosnan jets out of MI6 HQ and down the Thames in hot pursuit.

2002 Jaguar XKR Convertible

Die Another Day (2002)

The bad guy drives this diamond studded tire Jag trying to escape 007 across a frozen lake into an ice palace.

2002 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish

Die Another Day (2002)

The machine guns are not stock.

2006 Aston Martin DBS

Casino Royale (2006)

As Daniel Craig rockets down a curved road in the dark, he suddenly swerves to avoid Vesper Lynd who is tied up in the middle of the road. The 7 cannon rolls broke a world record and sorta scuffed the Aston up.

They actually couldn't get the Aston to roll, it is so finely engineered. So installed a vertical cannon in the back that fired a piston into the road to flip the car.

2008 Aston Martin DBS

Quantum of Solace (2008)

In the pre-credits chase scene, Bond is chased by bad guys from the autostrada into a marble quarry. That'll buff out.

2015 Aston Martin DB10

Spectre (2015)

Custom made just for the film. Gorgeous.

Time to leave this fantastic exhibit and re-tour the 2nd and 3rd floors.

Pininfarina Gallery including a stunning 1937 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B Cabriolet

Progression of supercars.

Last gullwing I saw was at the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart. Iconic and beautiful. Did you know it has gull wings to accommodate the wide sills?

1984 Ferrari 512 BBi, 1990 Ferrari F40, 2004 Ferrari Enzo

Wowza.

Ferrari 250GT.

Another special exhibit is the car collection of Metallica front man James Hetfield.

He finds cars all rusted out and gives them a second life.

Third time at the popular outdoor shopping mall The Grove.

Always fun to people watch and enjoy the sunshine.

Also the third time at the Original Farmers Market.

Opened in 1934.

Horchata from Bennett's.

Driving up Fairfax you can see Canters, a legendary diner I've visited before. So much history there.

Spin down Sunset.

Soon, I will be on a billboard like this as the next Bond.

Viper Room

Hollywood Boulevard. Over the decades have seen this stretch go from seedy, to touristy and now back to sketchy.

Maybe the 9th time at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

The famous courtyard.

This guy was going off on how the left is destroying California. Guess he is safer among tourists than the locals.

In a series of non-descript warehouses adjacent to the Burbank airport, Jay Leno has 180 cars and 160 motorcycles.

He also has a crew of master mechanics, body experts, metal workers and other craftsman.

Plus CNC machines 3D printers, lifts, dynos and more equipment than most car shops.

Oh, how fun, camping along the train tracks.

Roy Choi is credited with starting the modern day gourmet food truck trend in 2008 with Kogi.

Their claim to fame is the Short Rib Taco. Also got a Calamari Taco.

Have been to Santa Monica only once.

The Pier has such great history and atmosphere.

Thinking of how often I walk past the beginning of Route 66 sign in Chicago. Want to drive it all some day.

Headed to downtown Santa Monica from fond memories of...

...Third Street Promenade.

Sunday, October 3rd, 2021

Heading southeast on the 405. 8 lanes wide.

Before turning southwest to go through Laguna Niguel.

And then dropping down onto the familiar Pacific Coast Highway.

Entering Laguna Beach.

Always sit at the counter! Breakfast at Penquin Cafe.

This is why you should ask if the corned beef is homemade.

More of the polished and inviting Laguna Beach.

Beach scenery. You're welcome.

Neato trees.

Crystal Cove

Hmm, the blue one?

Ka-ching.

Crystal Cove Shake Shack is a popular spot.

Enjoyed this excellent Pineapple Shake.

While enjoying this view.

Continued up the coast and actually did a couple dozen miles of new territory through Sunset Beach and Seal Beach.

Along the coast of Long Beach, where I've been a few times, you might see a few container ships. With the labor shortage there are over 50 anchored across the horizon with over a half million containers.

Speaking of LB, it is such a diverse and sprawling town I wanted to delve more into it.

Most of it is drab.

But downtown is mostly nice.

It's an active downtown with handsome buildings.

Cashew Fennel Chip: Fennel ice cream with salt and peppered cashews and dark chocolate chips

Saltine Dream: Vanilla ice cream with caramelized saltine crackers covered in chocolate and rich fudge swirl

Heading to the waterfront.

Shoreline Village. You can see the Queen Mary in the background, have toured her before, really cool ship.

These Californians are really into camping.

More of Shoreline Village.

View from Shoreline Village.

What the western part of LB looks like. Ain't pretty, but it keeps the economy going.

Have been to Redondo Beach before.

But not the Pier.

Nor beach.

The Pier is actually three piers connect at angles.

Pretty cool, huh?

Been to Hermosa Beach before.

But not The Strand.

Nor this.

Since one can't live on ice cream.

Farmer- buckwheat crepe with asparagus, goat cheese, spinach, avocado and tomatoes

Monday, October 4th, 2021

A required stop. First came here many years ago for its vernacular architecture familiar from many films. And then found their donuts are fantastic.

Maple Long John with Cream. Glazed Buttermilk. No. I did not eat all of this.

Did you know the developer of Venice wanted it to mirror the famed Italian City?

There is a residential section with several canals.

But most people know Venice from the boardwalk. I've been here in 96 and 06, and oh boy has it gotten seedier.

And has gotten a lot of press lately with homeless encampments, which have been removed. But the whole town just smells.

Muscle Beach wasn't open yet, so no pics of me flexing. Sorry.

Thought about playing. But one needs to be athletic for that....

Only about 9:30AM, so not busy.

Once grand buildings falling into disrepair.

Malibu in the distance.

Patrick's Roadhouse, along PCH, is eclectic.

Red

Roasted red pepper, apple chicken sausage, grilled onion, tomatoes, avocado

Second attempt trying to tour Will Rogers' home, but it was closed. :(

The famed roper, actor, comedian, writer and pundit lived here from the 1930 to his untimely death in 1935.

Best I could do was peak in windows and cherish this comfortable home.

Loop through Pacific Palisades.

Haven't driven along the Malibu coast in a while.

Remembering taking this picture 25 years ago, now noticing the massive house above.

Good shot that shows the hill, beach homes and beach.

J. Paul Getty made his billions in oil, and spent some of that on his passion for Greek and Roman artifacts. Eventually he built a villa next to his ranch in the mountains between Malibu and Pacific Palisades to house this collection.

The entrance and surroundings of the villa is designed to look like an excavation site.

It's very well done.

In the background is the original ranch house, today it is administrative offices.

The Villa is a recreation of Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum.

And features handsome models.

Recreation of a fountain at Herculaneum.

Old stuff.

More old stuff.

Cutting through the Wilshire neighborhood.

Passing Paramount.

Third time at Hollywood Forever cemetery; paid respects to gravesites visited before, ones I hadn't found before and celebrities who have more recently passed.

John Houston

Director- The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Asphalt Jungle, The African Queen, The Misfits

Marion Davies Actress and mistress of publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst.

Tyrone Power

Jayne Mansfield

Rudolph Valentino

One of the silent era's greats. His gravesite is infamous from the mysterious woman in black visiting on the anniversary of his death and leaving a rose.