“Good looks count for something, after all!” he muttered. --Maruce Leblanc, in his book, THE CONFESSIONS OF ARSENE LUPIN 

7/23, Fri Nite – Home 

Gloria, Jack & I went to see this film which took place in Scotland called MY LIFE SO FAR. It was a slice of life about a little boy growing up in the Scotland countryside. It was well done and a good escape. It was coincidental because Susan Freiman got into a bit of a tiff with her boyfriend, Jaan Torv, so she cancelled her trip to N.Y. & Scotland. It was amusing that this film took place in Scotland. Well, Susan eventually relented and called Jaan — she is now in Scotland. Such is life. 

I met my cousin Jose Mercado for dinner at the Daily Grill in West Hollywood. We talked about movies and his aspiring acting career. He’s so into his ethnicity. His father was Mexican (Mercado) & his mother Antonia (Rosie Garcia) was my dad’s 1st cousin. My dad’s mother (Mathilde) & Antonia’s father (Tony) were brother & sister. I also told Jose about our Verona business plan to get registered in N.Y. and eventually become bi-coastal! I had hinted about going to a movie with Jose — but I flaked=out suggesting that no great movies were out now — so we concluded dinner & we both went our merry way. He said his mom was coming in early October with one of his sisters for some L.A. Latin Film Festival. He has a 5-second spot in some Scott Bakula film called Luminarias (I think that’s the name of it). Jose also applied for some Jimmy Smits scholarship.   Jimmy is an actor who is half Puerto Rican from his mother and Dutch from his father.  I wish Jose much luck in a very competitive field.  

I guess I’ll be heading to the office shortly. CNBC is still on & Alan’s on the computer upstairs. The maids have departed. Alan’s analyzing our Verona 30 stocks. I’m laughing because of the postcard on the next page — we removed Phillip Morris from our Verona 30 on June 30th — thus “impotent” card is another valid reason for its deletion.  We may have to add it back into the Verona 30 because it is such a well-managed company.  

I hope we get a good laugh at Miss Coco Peru when we go on August 6th to see her on-stage. It should be wild seeing a drag queen movie with Gloria & Jack as Miss Coco has a cameo in the film called TRICK. We also have the APLA Universal Studios party this Saturday. Lauren may come with her date/boyfriend, Mike Roth. He looks like an Abercrombie & Fitch model with nice blue eyes. They make such a cute couple & he’s so nice. I’m happy for her.  After she goes to NYU, we'll see how it goes.

Her good friend, Paul Rosenkampff, that she met last year at N.Y.U., will surely be jealous. Paul is very nice too but he’s a bit too direct & loud. He just had an ear operation because he had a loss of hearing in one ear after being at a concert (right next to the loudspeakers). I hope he’s doing okay. And it’s nice to see Lauren with such a “glow” about her new boyfriend Mike Roth. He seems to really care about her too, it’s wonderful to see. However, if she ends up with Paul that would be pretty special, also. 

Well, time to look at the Verona 30 list the next time. Oh, I love the book called Blind Items that I’m now reading. It’s funny. 

3:35 PM — Looks like the screening of THE DEEP BLUE SEA is cancelled. We just accepted an invitation by Ron DeSalvo to go to the Hollywood Bowl tonight. We’re in these cool Pool Circle box seats. Alan & I rented The Deep Blue Sea at 7 Eleven, so we can see the film anytime.  In addition, we can look at this as a ‘business endeavor’.  Ron stated he wants me to become a client of ours someday. Ron is a top real estate sales guy in Beverly Hills and the Hollywood Hills. We will just make the best of it and have a great time, I’m sure. 

Alan started his own little black book calendar. Let’s see how long this lasts! 

I think it’s good. He thought I’d be upset — but I don’t enjoy jotting down his social and business plans as if I were his secretary or something.  

It’s good that we’re going to the Hollywood Bowl tonight. We had flaked out on Ron on Fri 7/16 (the night JFK Jr. died) for an OUTFEST movie. We did the right thing in calling him yesterday. We’ll see how it goes with Ron.  He was such The Mr. Name Dropper when we met him at The Golden Door—but in a subtle sort of way.  

I received a couple of wonderful letters.  One from my cousin in Puebo, Colorado and one from Monty Ng in Bangkok, Thailand.  I met him in October 1989 when I first moved to LA.  He was traveling in a shuttle bus with his grandfather, and we exchanged phone numbers, and we’ve maintained our friendship via occasional correspondence. 

July 23, 1999 

Dearest Cousin Michael, 

Hope and pray, as always, that you and all the family are doing great. I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to write. I received your beautiful cards & as always, I’m so happy to hear from you! Rest assured that even though it takes me a while — you're always in my thoughts and prayers. Your birthday vacation sounded incredible. You've worked so hard. Now is the time to enjoy the “fruits of your labor!” 

You’ve asked me so many questions in past correspondence that I’ve neglected to answer! I’m going back through each one and I will get back to you on them, O.K.? 

I’m so glad that things are going so good with your new endeavor. I’m sure everything’s going to be fine young man, the Lord will help you in any undertaking. 

I’m so sad about JFK Jr. I was in typing class my senior year when JFK was assassinated and all the sisters & students (we were in the Cathedral) went into the Cathedral and prayed for what seemed hours. We all prayed that he’d survive it, but Our Lord needed him! 

It just seems that much of the wonderful people around us are being called “home.” 
I guess that means that I’ll probably live to a ripe old age! Tee-Hee 

I tell those close to me that if H-E-double-hockey-sticks (HELL) is anything like it’s described — I’d better change my ways — Richie says the Yard Guard (I think she means “God”) told him he wants to be placed in asbestos suit & two fire extinguishers. I’m terrible to be talking like this huh? But it’s my way of coping, so please forgive me. 

In all reality, I’ve known so many wonderful people, related or not, who have gone to be with Our Lord that I know in my heart they have gone to a wonderful place of peace & joy & warmth — and that we will all be reunited in the end! Don’t you? 
Enough said! 

I’m going back to work at the Hospital for the early part of September. I had quit to take care of Mom but now I think it’s time to go back. I’ll be taking care of Destyne during the day and work graveyard shift. 

Destyne is such a wonderful little creation. She’s so smart! She learned her alphabet at around 1 ½ yrs and now she’s learned her prayers. Of course, consistency is the key, and believe me I am consistent. Lord willing, she’ll be age three on September 2 so we’re making birthday party plans. 

I know I spoil her rotten but that’s what grandmas do — don’t they? 

God bless you sweet cousin. So, until I hear from you — take care and give my love to all the family! 

Love ya, 
Your Cousin, 
Marie Antoinette  

I thought it funny that my friend Birda who recently became a grandma wrote similar words about how she will spoil her grandson because that’s what grandmas do.   

July 24, 1999 

Michael, 

Hey! How are you?  I called you twice while I was in L.A. but just could not reach you — I only found myself talking to the answering machine.  I think you must have got my message left on April 23 or 24, 1998. 

It was too bad that you were not in, and I was unable to stay any longer.  Anyway, I plan to visit California again early next year, for I plan to migrate to CANADA where I can make a stopover in L.A. first before heading toward my final destination to Vancouver, B.C. 

Well, tell me what you are up to?  Hope things are going fine with you there.  I heard you are running your own business now and maybe you can help me with some contacts.  We can discuss later.  Could you tell me something about benefits as a Californian yourself in terms of social welfare, Medicare, education, etc. (esp. age 65)? 

Write and tell me when you can. I must sign off here as I am now out of space. 

Take care, Monty 

I loved how Monty created this stamp of his face as his closing signature.  That was so creative of him.  

7/27/99, 9:40 AM 

Alan & I are watching CNBC, waiting for the maids to leave. The DOW is at 10,993, up 132 pts from yesterday — so that’s a fair recovery. Intel is almost at a new high at $67 which is nice. 

Alan & I just returned from Madeleine’s Bakery — they were short-handed without a waitress, so the guy there was in a “tizzy.”  Alan was flirting with him & helping him out. I guess Alan thinks I’m blind to those things. Or is it just my imagination?  Maybe he wasn’t flirting. 

I’m running with Monica at 4pm today & we have a pre-screening of Deep Blue Sea in Westwood tonight. That will probably be scary — with the sharks that have tinges of intelligence—!? What a concept. 

I must mention last Saturday night. Gloria got tickets for Alan & I & Jack & her to the Venice Family Clinic party at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. We first popped into the Wolfryd-Selway Art Gallery in West Hollywood & saw one large NYC scene painting we mutually liked. After the mediocre glass of white wine, we departed for the El Capitan. We were early & walked over to The Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood & played little games like “How much do you think the hotel room rate is here?” It was $159. We felt like we were in a time warp — very old & place! (At least I did.) 

Well, we also played a rating game of how great this Venice Clinic fundraiser would be — with 10 being the ultimate & 1 being very poor. I guessed 4, Gloria guessed 8, Alan guessed 3½, Jack guessed 5. We were all wrong. It was a 2. 

However, Alan & I deducted that it could have been an 8 or 9 if it was a GAY related affair (Ha-Ha) — because with the right organization like APLA, a great party could have been made there. Oh well, we chalked it up to a good cause. 

11am, 7/28/99 

Photo: Iconic 1992 Photo of Cindy Crawford from Super Bowl XXVI TV commercial

The Hollywood Bowl outing was worth it.  It was the SUMMER FESTIVAL ‘99 performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. Ron DeSalvo was very nice to have us as his guests in this Pool Circle box.  We all learned a bit more about each other. The mix of violins & piano concerto was soothing to listen to. Ron is very much into self-teaching seminars. He knows and praises Tony Robbins, a motivational, self-improvement seminar giver.  He couldn’t help but name drop — and I sort of like how he shadowed Cindy Crawford for some houses to buy. He asked a lot about Verona too. Who knows—maybe he’ll become a client. He signed up to visit The Golden Door again in early June (next year, 2000). 

Alan just left for the office — I’m waiting for Monica Small to show up. She said she’s running about 15 minutes late. I’ll give her a tour of the house, walk to the Marina Pier & have a light bite to eat with her. She’s getting married Aug. 7th and will be moving to Missouri soon so it’s a sort of farewell time between us.  She met some Christian guy online so I’m not so sure how that will pan out.  

Dan Cuevas should be calling us today about dinner & the theatre tonight. He’s a character. I enjoy his company. 

Alan & I didn’t do abdominal exercises yesterday, so we must do double today! Alan fit into the Black HUGO BOSS 32-inch waist pants today. 

MaryAnn Gehling, my cousin in Colorado Springs, wants me to write a 2½-page short story. I told her I would, but I haven’t even started.  I kind of have an idea of what I might write about. I thought of the story last night while listening to the Hollywood Bowl concert & visualizing. 

Alan’s daughter sent me a postcard from Oahu, Hawaii back on August 1st, 1991 that I just came across again.  It’s nice to read something old with something new.  It was sweet to read again.  She wrote it when she was eight years old:  

8-1-1991 

Dear Michael, 
How are you? 
I am fine. It’s so hot. The hotel is so big. We get breakfast free. 
I hope you feel better. 
My dog got hit by a car, but she is OK. 
I miss you. 

Love, 
Carrie 

“It’s not going to be easy...a few steps forward, a few steps back.  If you’re heading in the right direction, then there’s no shame in the stumbles.” --Abigail Dean, in her book, GIRL A