Tag: Los Angeles

27th August

27th August. Sunday. Left Santa
Monica Station at 12010, pleasant
surprise Dianna & Sybil were at
the station when Ethel, Al and I
arrived, they gave me a wonderful
send off. Changed bus at L.A. station
and left at 1-30P.M., so now New York
here I come. Stopped at San Bernadino
Calif, about 65 miles from L.A., this run
has been through the dessert, and very
very hot. Next stop at Indio, Southern
California, then to Blythe, still desert,
and dates hanging by the thousands on
the trees, plenty of brown cattle but
most peculiar all have white faces,
have now left Blythe, crossed the
Colorado river, and now in Arizona,
which is still vast dessert. My lady
companion Mrs Allan bought me a lovely
souvenir in Indio, she is most charming
and very acquainted with this country
and has kept me well informed. Temp
is 113 and absolutely boiling, have
put watch forward 1 hour, it is now
dark, and most of the passengers have
put out their lights, will do so my
self. Mrs Allan got off at Prescott,
Arizona

26th August

26th August. Saturday. Got up late
went out shopping, bought a few
gifts, then came home, had lunch
went out again for box for my
packing, came home, rested then
dressed and went to the Century
Plaze Hotel, to the West Side room
for the dinner show. The meal was
superb, and the show was wonderful,
Shari Lewis and her puppets was
the main attraction, and she was
marvellous. W As we went into the
lobby of the hotel, lo and behold
who should I see but Rae and
Sandford, Rae shouted Minnie Kapper
and I was thrilled. We came home
and are [dining?] in to Rhubarb
pie and tea.

25th August

25th Aug. Friday. Had my shower,
wrote some letters, then went with
Ethel to town, lunched in Van de
Kamps, then walked through the stores,
came back home, have had afternoon
tea, and will soon get ready as we
are going to Millies for dinner. Had
a lovely dinner in Millies, then
some friends came in, including
Julie Elliot, she has improved
considerably, had a long chat,
spent a lovely evening and then
home.
[More on Van de Kamp’s here]

24th August

24th August. Thursday. Jack & Dian
called for me at 12-15P.M. and took
me to their country club, there I
met Annette & her children, also Ruth
and her children, had a lovely
lunch, and sat by the pool watching
them all swimming. Dian, Jack and I
went back to their flat, and was
later joined by Sybil, we all sat
down to a lovely meal prepared by
Dian. We then went to the music
centre, had a walk round, it is a
beautiful place, then went in to see
the show “Dumas and Son” with
Edward Evert Horton, and
Hermione Gingold, a very good
show indeed. Came out at 12-15 then
went for a coffee, and back to
Ethel’s, a really marvellous day.

[Dumas and Son premiered in California on August 1st at the Music Centre. More here, from the Pasadena “Independent Star-News”]

23rd August

23rd August. Wednesday. Awoke, had my
shower then breakfast, wrote a couple
of cards, packed my grip and after
lunch will get the bus back to LA
and back to my faithfuls, Ethel, Al,
and Millie. Phoned Ethel when I got
back and she picked me up at
Sepulveda Blvd, came home to a
warm welcome, a lovely dinner,
and a present of a house frock and
lovely hand bag from Ethel &
Millie. After dinner Ethel and I
went for a nice walk, came home
watched T.V. and now for bed.

21st August

21st August. Monday, awoke, had a
shower, breakfast, and now another
lovely batch of mail, which I will
answer in due course, am waiting
for Pat Bruce to phone, and am
going with her to Anaheim till
Wednesday night. Pat called, we all
had lunch, then Gordon called about
6 P.M., and motored us to Anaheim.
This is a small place, went out
shopping with Pat, back home, had
supper, and talked and talked till
the wee small hours.

20th August

20th August Sunday. Got up late, and
phoned Fay Salisbury, she was
thrilled when she heard my voice,
and she said she and Charlie would
call for me in the afternoon. Ethel,
Al & I took a run out to Ray
Lyons at Hollywood, came home, had
lunch, and relaxed, Fay & Charlie
called for me, took me to their
new home, which is lovely, she had
a lovely dinner, but I couldn’t eat,
however took dessert. They motored
me to the Hollywood Bowl, there
was no concert on, but it is a
beautiful sight to see. Then we had
a walk down 77 Sun set strip,
went into Schwabs for a drink. On
the way back, we called on Fanny
Ferrar [?], she was both surprised and
thrilled to see me, and would hardly
let me go home, a lovely reception
indeed. Came home, Al was in bed
but dear faithful Ethel was up
waiting for me, had melon and
tea and talked till very late.

19th August

19th August. Saturday. Had an early
appointment at the beauty parlour,
Ethel called and took me home, Leah
her husband, and Ray Lyons called
and we all had lunch, they stayed
for the afternoon, later we had
dinner, then a crowd of us went
to a dance in the Yorkshire Club,
it was a Hawaiian night, had
good fun, a cabaret, and a nice
meal, came home late, tired but
happy.

18th August

18th August. Friday. Woke up to a
lovely batch of mail, which I
duly attended to. Went out with
Ethel to Mannings for lunch, then
went shopping, came home for dinner,
Then thought we would surprise
XXXXXXXXX, what a reception, never
was so disgusted, will tell all about
it when I get home, stayed there for
about half an hour, then went to
Millies, and stayed till the wee small
hours.

[I’ve taken the decision to redact this name – I’m not sure what this hostess did that so offended my grandmother. It may be that this was really not an appropriate time for a surprise visit. But whatever it was that disgusted Minnie will remain forever a mystery!]

17th August

17th August Thursday. Got up early
had my shower, breakfasted, wrote
a few letters, then Ethel and I
called for Millie, we went to the
“Century Plaza Hotel” for lunch, a
most beautiful place, with swimming
pool, lovely shops, etc. Walked around
and went to the Century Plaza Shopping
Centre, and bumped into Ray Levi, with
her daughter & granddaughters. Came home
had dinner, then went to Culver
City and saw a film, Doris Day
in Caprice, afterwards we went to
Millies for tea, and am now back at
Ethels writing up this diary.

[Minnie doesn’t comment on how much she enjoyed the film… not a good sign, and not a particularly successful film for Doris Day.]