WHEN I WROTE ABOUT MY SECRET ADMIRATION FOR THE MERMAID HOUSE, IT FELT A BIT LIKE I HAD BETRAYED MYSELF. AFTER ALL, THESE THINGS ARE YEARNINGS OF THE SOUL, MAYBE AN IMAGE THAT SLIDES OUT OF YOUR MIND IN A SUBTLE WAY. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE BEEN THERE BEFORE? YOU CAN PICTURE THE SOFT LIGHT AND INTERIOR WALLS.
AN ASIDE TO THIS STORY IS THE FACT THAT MY EARLY LIFE WAS FULL OF SPANISH STYLE HOUSES AND PALM TREES, THAT’S L.A.! MY DAD USED TO TAKE ME TO THE HILLSIDE HOME OF A GUY WHO WAS A FAMOUS OLD ACTOR WHO PLAYED DAGWOOD BUMSTEAD IN THE MOVIES. I HAD NO CLUE, BUT I DO RECALL THE WINDING DRIVEWAY AND SHADY SPOOKY ROOMS, A LA SUNSET BOULEVARD.
THE PEBBLE BEACH VERSION OF THESE HOMES IS A BIT MORE FORMAL AND OFTEN SURROUNDED BY FABULOUS SETTINGS LIKE A GOLF COURSE OR BEACH SCAPE. NATURALLY MY IMAGINATION RAN WILD ABOUT THE OCCUPANTS, AND WHEN I FINALLY SPOKE TO THE MAN HIMSELF, WELL: WOW! HE TOLD ME THE STORY, THE WORKS, WHILE KEEPING A FAST PACE ON THE WILD ROAD!
XX:JW
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