Hollywood experiences, take 3

Last Saturday we thought we'd go big and drove to the sunset strip in a party of six with two cars. We accidentally left them in the most expensive garage at the place (we found out about the $48 per car the day after) and took 2 taxis back so we all could party. But the taxis cost over $70 each. Yak! Like the other night that Lena and me went to the "Standard" roof top, one of the fanciest places downtown, we were not able to get into every club we wanted (guest list, private party, too expensive...), so we settled to have a few tacos at a nice Mexican place and then bought some beer at the "liquor locker" (I love the name!). After the "Marmot", a rich people's hangout, looking for a place to dance at we walked all the way down to the Whiskey-a-go-go and the Roxy, both of which hosted a rock concert with a crowd in black and teased hair. So we went back to our Viper Room and were surprised by a nice Reggae-Rock concert by "New Kingdom". Good dance music, too. Like always, curfew at 2 and now alternative afterwards, so we went to the Villa and kept on partying in Lion's study.

The Sunday we had our own good bye fellows party in the garden of the Villa. The three artist fellows are leaving this weekend. We had invited some friends and acquaintances of the theirs. It was a big success, the home made burgers as well as Jan's art exhibition and most of all the interesting mixture of people. The discussions that came up were so exciting! We had a lot of film people once more. I was so happy my cousin from Santa Barbara and Julia could make it plus the newly weds! Even two office colleagues could come.

The "German Film Currents" festival started in Santa Monica and for the opening we saw "Im Winter ein Jahr" by Caroline Link, introduced by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck who has settled down well in Hollywood as he said. Christine and I will go there again today to watch "Der Baader-Meinhof Komplex", I am quite eager to see it and to see how many Oscar winners there are this time (Last time: three).