The Getty Villa

After months of the free advance timed tickets being sold out, I was finally able to go to The Getty Villa. It's been closed for years and I am not completely keen on how much was improved upon with the renovation, but as you could see it is rather stunning. I must admit a bias though as I am not really blown away by Roman era scupltures and what have you but the presentation and the lay out of the place was really amazing.

I did learn something extremely interesting though. In Roman times they had plays called Phlyax Plays, "...These plays were popular in the 300s and 200s B.C. in the Greek colonies in Italy. The term phlyax probably derives from the Greek verb "to swell" and finds its meaning in the actor's costume of a mask, tights, a padded tunic, and a large artificial phallus." Yes you are reading that right, part of their costume in these plays was having a gigatic penis, that's funny.

They Getty Villa was beautiful though, and the food was pleasantly suprising in how good it was, I recommend the pizza if you go. They have amazing views and even an herb garden. Ooo. Michael Simpson (star of Behind Enemy Lines 2 and The OC who will soon be starring in Phil Donohue's stunning feature film Venice) and his father accompanied me to the villa.

His father relayed maybe one the funniest thing I have ever heard. Talking about vaginas for some reason... he mentioned that a shaved vagina has "Lips that hang down like a blacksmith's apron". See a blacksmith works on steal. heating it and bending it, and at the end of the day, his work apron gets really heavy. Oh lord that's funny.

Later in the evening we sat on the boardwalk in Venice where our ears here talked off by the screenwriter of Hackers who wants to put Michael's dad in his new film. Then we went to Houston's in Santa Monica. I would be hard pressed to find a better restaurant than Houston's. Even the fact that it is a huge chain does not diminsh the quality of the food in the slightest. Is there anything better than the Spinach and Artichoke dip or the Prime Rib French Dip (contender for best sandwich of all time (fuck you Michael!))? I think not. That being said it was a lovely day. Check out The Villa, you finally can now.

More information of the The Getty Villa and the Getty Center in Brentwood can be found at www.getty.edu