Los & Found

When he suggested a $100 dollar a night motel I scoffed. Then when he rang me to say he’d found it for 6 dollars less I smirked. When we spent 20 minutes chosing the most economical brand of table water, I sniggered. But then you realise he has spent the best part of 8 years studying the economy, so if anyone knows how much to spend on anything – he would. Less is the new more.

After another non-eventful flight on Virgin America (in coach) and a car collection we headed to the Beverly Laurel Motor Hotel, an establishment which has been trading for the past 50 years. Now, you may guess correctly (and if you know me at all you’ll know) that I had spent the past 2 days debating or tormenting whether the $500 a night Sunset Marquis (which I LOVE) or the $700 junior suites in the Monrian (which are really COOL) . And then there is the London, the newly opened branch of this luxe suite hotel which offers a new Gordon Ramsay restaurant. $450.

The Beverly Laurel Motel entire bill was less than one night in the London, and more than 100 times more fun. Retro design, a cube with a pool in the centre, eggshell blue doors, mini kitchens and a shower that kind of sprays you rather than shower – but WHAT FUN being frugal is!

And then to dinner. I’m not sure if you know but Los Angeles has 80′000 Thai’s living within its midst. And its’s the only place on earth that has a Thai Town (I suppose apart from in Thailand). Apparently there’s only one place to eat – and therefore we have both nights running and the dish to eat is catfish curry. A meal so full of flavour, so intense and moouthwatering that in fact yes, I would go there tomorrow night and eat it all again. The icing on the cake (or the chilli sauce on the rice) was the pride I felt when told I wasn’t like other Westerners and clearly had a taste for very spicy food.

Catfish Curry… sublime.

Finally home to sleep (just $100 bucks) and awake to a room so hot there were two Norweigians slapping each other with birch twigs. Breakfast became lunch on the  Ocean in Malibu, and then a wander to Point Dume where the steep cliff walk gave my calves a good working out (did I tell you I ran a dairy?).