My former Bel Air residence.

Ok - that's somewhat misleading. Guest house - wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.

I'm sure you're aware of this, but if you look up Live Search on the Internet you have access to a birdseye view of any address. It's fun - when you have too much time on your hands. For those of you who know me but never ventured out to California to visit when I lived in Bel Air, thought this might be of interest.

My most immediate neighbors were Mac Davis, President Ronald Reagan, Elizabeth Taylor, and Cheryl Tiegs. Met Mac three in 7 years. Saw Tiegs from a distance once. Saw the hearse take away Reagan's body the day he died (that would be his pool in the bottom left corner).

This is the estate where I lived for 7 years through April 2006. I worked for the lady of the house (running errands, working parties, etc.). When I wasn't working for her directly, I helped the gardeners - weeding, hauling trash, cutting roses, trimming bushes and trees, cleaning the pool, etc. I worked on the property Thursday-Saturday and then worked at PorchLight Entertainment Monday - Wednesday (where I work full-time now). The red line designates the boundary lines of the property. See where it says "new property" in black ink? The owners purchased that property about a year or so before I left there in April 2006.

Lots of stories to tell. Things only I know. I met a number of famous folk while living on the estate - among them Rob Reiner, Merv Griffin, actor Richard Roxburgh (Van Helsing, Moulin Rouge, Mission Impossible II), former Paramount studio head Sherry Lansing, producer Martin Ransohoff, former LA mayor Richard Riordan, David Niven, Jr., former Warner Bros. studio head Terry Semel, the couple who own POM drinks and interestingly, a female relative of William Mulholland, from which the famous street, Mulholland Drive, derives its name. Saw alot of really good facelifts. Most were nice (I'm referring to the people). Arianna Huffington was bitchy. I don't relish name-dropping. And if I had to do it over again I would pass. It just wasn't worth it (again, if you know me, you know why).

For my services, I received the use of the guest house (see black circle) and use of the pool when the owners were gone. I was allowed to have guests over but I had to notify the owners so they were aware there were strangers on the property (which I had no problem with). I WAS NOT allowed to have overnight guests, save my brother and parents. No friends overnight. No women overnight. No other family members overnight. No one. It "cost too much" for the extra toilet flushing and showers and my landlord/boss felt it was too much of an intrusion on her and her husband's privacy - which really was limited to just Sundays as she had staff working 6 days a week.

I have pictures I should scan and put up - I believe they're in storage. I miss the guest house...and that's it. I had fresh eggs every day (chicken coop) so that was nice. The fruit trees. It was quiet and private and I had my own place. It was quite a surreal period in my life and at least the first 5 years (of 7) were pleasant. I won't get into the reason why I left the property (I've talked about it elsewhere on this blog). Anything I would say would sully the fine reputation of the lady of the house. It's safe to assume that I am right and I hope I never see her again - it's better for her that way.