us highway 1 runs down the coast of california from top to bottom. it is as beautiful a road as ever i've seen. in fact ill put it in the top two. yesterday i dawdled my way down it from santa cruz to santa monica. it was lovely. it took me about 3 hours to go 100 miles. then the sun set and i sped toward the city of angels. eventually the highway turned to lights and exits and cars speeding from one lane to another, this is babylon. l.a. has a vibe like no other. it's everything you can imagine on one long laminated menu of beachfront property. people come here desperate to live here and you can smell that desperation in the air. hollywood is full of nobodys trying to be seen and somebodys trying not to. today i roamed up and down hollywood blvd.. on a scientific expedition into the heart of it all...wantabees straight off the bus buzz the street among the camera armored tourist. they are all looking for stars on the sidewalk. the souvenirs shops are matched only in number by the stripper clothing stores, for all those actor/models who don't fare so well. it is still the land of dreams, and every day, dreams come true here, you can smell that in the air as well. these streets are lovely and vicious. i am lucky enough to have allies in this city who have hooked me into a delicious hotel suite here in hollywood. one block from the chinese theater. it has a heated pool and a rooftop garden. word. (if your reading this from anywhere with snow skip the next line.) i went swimming this afternoon, it was wonderful.                                                        babylonically,