Inter-City Diary by Cara Jones
キャラ・ジョーンズの
"東京-L.A. インターシティ ダイアリー"

Tokyo - Los Angeles

アーティスト／DJ／ナレーターと各方面で才能を発揮するキャラ・ジョーンズ。１年の半分を東京、その残り半分をロサンゼルスで過ごすという彼女。二つの文化、二つの言葉を往き来する彼女からのウィークリーコラム。

A room with the most incredible view

The house sits about 3/4 of the way up the Hollywood Hills, on the crest facing north towards "the Valley". It is right past the Hollywood Bowl (where I went to that fabulous salsa festival a few weeks ago and danced the night away in the aisles). The view is a valley view -- first a lush, green canyon, then Universal City, then far in the distance, the mountains. On a clear day, it is fantastic. On a not-so-clear day, it is still pretty amazing. At night, it is heaven.

The house is a spacious 2 bedroom, with a living room and dining area, kitchen, and 2 bathrooms. Then there is the downstairs, with yet another bedroom and bath! Enough room even for my and all my stuff (and I have a LOT of stuff!)

The layout is great, too. The very large living room (with its 13 foot ceilings) is in the middle, and the two bedrooms are on either side. I took one look at it and knew that the smaller bedroom would be the office and the guest room for the occasional visitor, and I would sleep in the master bedroom on the other side, which has a great walk-in closet, vanity area, and separate shower.

I also took one look at it and knew it was mine. So did Kittean. We felt it. From the first day we saw it.

Two months later, and I sit here in freshly painted and carpeted office and type this column. I am looking out at my nighttime view -- the city lights are twinkling, and the multi-colored illumination of Universal City is like my own personal light show.

The house needed quite a bit of work, however, and these past few weeks have not been easy for me. First we tore out all the old carpets (they were a horrible algea-green color, and the same in every room!) and put in hardwood floors (real maple floor boards) in the living room and beautiful new carpets in the bedroom and office. We also painted those two rooms, but we still have to paint the bathrooms and living room once I decide on the perfect colors. THEN, there was the move. The third move in half a year -- that's really way too much. But, shou ga nai. This time it was worth it!

My salsa friend Cary (who I went to the Salsa festival at the Hollywood Bowl with) has a Ford Expedition. It's a mammoth car, and in two trips he helped me move all my things from the first apartment to the house.

Then, last Friday, the moving truck with the 187 boxes I shipped out from Philadelphia arrived. It may sound like a lot, but that includes over 2000 CDs, books galore, and enough clothes for many, many concerts! Unfortunately, however, all 187 boxes did not arrive. There were only 178 in the truck, and of the 178 that I actually received, many of them were crushed or otherwise damaged. But that's another story for another column -- hopefully by the time I write it, it will have a happy ending!

The happy ending to this column is the mountains in the distance, and the valley down below. My own beautiful, peaceful, spacious, safe house. Pictures will follow, I assure you! But there is major decorating to be done, first!



In the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles,

Cara Jones