It’s another December 24th, and once again, I know where I’m scheduled to be tonight. People are heading home from their shortened work days and maybe some office parties, possibly making a last-minute mall stop, and I’m slowly getting ready to go to work for the evening. No matter where bartenders work for the most part, it’s rare to have a holiday off. But when you work private like I do, the “eves” are basically the same thing. It’s that time of the year when it gets darker earlier, so I need to clear my table of any miscellany to do’s sooner than normal, so it seems.
I trek out on my mountain bike to take my Netflix DVD over to Lois and Kathleen at Mail Box Etc., go to the quick store to grab some nuts for the backyard squirrel posse, pick-up a couple pieces from the dry cleaners, and as I roll back through the residential, I stop by the open garage where a neighborhood friend of mine, Mark Knight, lives with his family, and we catch up for a few minutes, as he lives just 10 houses down from me. He was the founder and lead guitarist for the 90’s band Bang Tango. He still jams today with his new band along with teaching guitar in his garage studio. Mark is also an excellent wood craftsman.
I love this area of the valley, Woodland Hills, having lived here for some 17 years now. I’m on my bike more than in my truck, doing errands and what not. I get back to the house with my things in tow, retrieve my bar gear from the garage and into the truck, shower and dress with a quick-shave electric, and I’m off.
Luckily, the 101 freeway corridor at this time isn’t hell’s pit stop, so I’m cruising East into the deeper fray of L.A., exit off Laurel Canyon and head South to Ventura Boulevard for a quick bite at Good Earth restaurant. Driving up into the hills, I find myself third-gearing it up the winding incline. As I’m passing by, the house off the side of the road was still there from over a year ago that during heavy rains, it broke from its foundation and slid down a length of canyon wall and stopped about twenty feet in front of the main road, in tact !
Chris Stone usually works with me on this gig, as he takes the kitchen duties while I’ve got the bar, opposite ends of the house. Chris is a good guy to work with, but I haven’t seen him in a while. His work shifted a bit. First and foremost, he’s an actor and stand-in, but his brother operates a home security company. Last time I spoke with him on the phone, he was handling heavy hours working security detail on the graveyard shift up at Jennifer Aniston’s house. I let him know I was pushing to work the bar at one of her parties !
Helping out Dale and his partner Eugene with their party is always a lot of fun, yet never lacking challenge to keep up with. The home is like walking into a cozy museum. The bar is this tiny, but at least bar-height, service bar area. Though space was limited, it was still workable, had a sink to the side, and a framed invitation to the White House on the wall. There’s also the old, lighted Olympia beer frame, still working with its waterfall. I’m thinking late 60’s, early 70’s. To the right of the bar is an incredible collection of vinyl (LP), perfectly shelved and tight from the floor to the ceiling.
Dale’s close to 80 now, so you can imagine the history in the house. His client list from the past to his semi-retired present is impressive to say the least. One quick note that Eugene mentioned to me about his past is in the first week of June, 1968, he had breakfast with Bobby Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel on the morning of the late night that Bobby was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan.
One small side note about the hotel is, the lighting guy for many of the shows at The Gardenia Room, Matt Haimsohn, his mother worked in the offices of the Ambassador for many years. He told me that when he was a kid, and this was probably in the 60′s, he used to hang out at the hotel with his mother, but would easily wander off for periods of time. There were small cottages on the property, and the waiters showed Matt the entrance to the secret tunnels that were used as room service for these special bungalows for the rich and famous.
I told them both about a DVD I have of a documentary titled “Off the Menu” – The Last Days of Chasen’s, that was produced right before they closed their doors in April 1995. I’m watching it at home, the camera pans to a table, and there’s Dale sitting in a booth with Rod Steiger, getting ready to order dinner.
I remember bartending at the house in the Summer during a new book release party of Shirley MacLaine’s “The Camino”, of which I happily received a signed copy of. I’m making drinks for a while in rhythm with the arrival of the guests, and I hear this voice from about four feet in back of me. I turned around and it was Elliot Gould asking me for a diet coke. This is just how it goes for us hired hands !
Dale and Eugene have mentioned to Chris and I before, saying “You guys should have been here in the 80’s when we were hosting parties all the time.” This night before Christmas Day they’ve held annually for probably a couple decades or more, is made up of all males, no females. I don’t know the preferred reason why. I think it’s more of just a ritual for the boys at this point, you know, like Hollywood skull and bones but without the robes and candelabra! And these guys are old school, so they can drink.
Though many, there’s a couple interesting notables who show up, including Earl Holliman who starred in Police Woman with Angie Dickinson, and was in one of my favorite films from the 80’s, Sharkey’s Machine. The poet and singer Rod McKuen was there as well. It’s great to catch up with them each year at the bar, and they’re interested in what I have going on too, which is cool. Knowing Chris and I were probably two of the few token straight guys at the party, we felt untouchable! They’re really a great bunch and it’s a pleasure to serve them.
Both Dale and Eugene put the time and effort in as executive chefs instead of hiring a caterer. This makes Chris’ job of the final cook, prep, and serve a little easier, and he knows how the boys want it buffet-placed on the dinner table so everyone can serve themselves. Eugene was a singer and dancer. He’s very joyous and happy this time of year, with a great sense of humor, and a powerful baritone voice remarkable just to listen to. He tells us stories of when he was a performer back in the day. Amazing stuff !
Dale has wrapped Christmas gifts that he fetches from underneath the tree and passes out to each of his guests after dinner and just before dessert and coffee. A yearly ritual as well, and a very cool one at that.
When initially walking into the home, you’re on the top floor where the bar, living areas and kitchen are, and the deck outside overlooks the canyon, as well as the Pacific and Catalina Island on a clear day. The lower floor has the sleeping quarters and the like, and the pool right outside. A little reverse of the norm, except for the pool.
Chris and I do a final clean to our work stations, getting all the glassware dry and back in the bar cabinet. The four of us chat about the night for a few minutes. I even see Dale and Eugene when they come into the Gardenia on occasion to see a show, like the Tyne Daly performances earlier this year. We say our goodbyes and hug each other before we head out the door and gate. You miss them, and pray that you’ll see them once again.
It’s a little chill outside, but not cold due to overcast. The marine layer is moving in like fast-forward footage, so close on the top of Mulholland you feel like you can almost touch it. Our vehicles are a little walking distance away from each other, so Chris and I chat about things for a few minutes. Then, as he expected, and as he’s done before. I asked him to lead us in a prayer as we stood in one of the lanes of the road – of thanks and health, for the evening, for the boys, for our lives, and for the night ride home.
It’s now after midnight, early Christmas morning . . .
