How is a think tank like a movie studio? It’s all about the parking. Of course, there’s less snobbery with think tanks. Hollywood people are among the most hierarchical characters on the planet, famously consigning writers to Siberia when it comes to a parking place. (”You’re a writer? Parking’s at Ralph’s supermarket.” “But Ralph’s is three miles from Warner Brothers.” “Next time be a director.”) But almost everyone at a think tank is a writer of one sort or other, so it is at least egalitarian. Still, parking can be murderous, especially if it’s on a college campus.
I found that out today because the powers that be at Stanford’s Hoover Institution – in some misguided moment – saw fit to invite me to spend a week at the institute as a media fellow. Getting up here to the Palo Alto campus was a snap. Fifteen minutes from my Hollywood Hills home to Burbank Airport. An hour from Burbank to San Jose. (Well not completely a snap. The flight was more than a little turbulent from the canyon fires near Sunland.) Then an easy half hour in a rental car up to Stanford.
That, as they say in sit-com land, is when the fun began. Never rely on a GPS on a university campus where about seventy-five percent of the roads are blocked, except to pedestrians and bicycles, unless you’re in love with the word “recalculating.” I circumnavigated the Stanford campus approximately six times until a nice campus cop took pity on me and allowed me to triple park while running into the Hoover Institution for help. (At that point I had spent the better part of an hour parking – the Hoover people were very sympathetic.)
But it was certainly worth the effort. I am now ensconced in a Mission-style room in the Stanford Faculty Club with all the creature comforts. But better than that… up here at the Hoover Institution you get to hang out with guys like this and this. Beats Hollywood any day of the week. And the wine isn’t bad either.
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11 Comments
1. Neobuzz:Roger,
Looking for somewhere to eat near Palo Alto? Here are a few recommendations, all of which provide ample parking:
Chinese Food: Chef Chu’s [chefchu(dot)com];
Oct 13, 2008 - 10:18 pm 2. Gary Rosen:Indian Food: Amber India [amber-india(dot)com];
Pizza: Tony and Alba’s Pizza [tonyalba(dot)com];
Soups and Salads: Country Gourmet [cgmountainview(dot)com];
Texas BBQ: Armadillo Willy’s [armadillowillys(dot)com].
Welcome to NorCal, Roger! Most of these restaurants are actually in neighboring Mountain View, where I live and whence I type my various insights/rants including this one. Castro St., the main drag in Mountain View, is lined with numerous restaurants of varied ethnicities. Just off Castro is a superb (and expensive) French restaurant, Chez TJ, that just received a two-star rating from Michelin (the food guide, not the tire).
Oct 13, 2008 - 10:36 pm 3. John Kelly:IN San Jose is Original Joe’s, recently remodeled but still the place that has been there since the 1930’s. It is one of the cousinhood of “Joe’s” in and around San Francisco. Part Musso & Franks, with a much stronger Italian American favor. The hamburgers are large, grilled over a charcoal fire and served in a hollowed out length of sour dough batard. The garlic bread is legendary and lethal, just butter and garlic grilled. Steaks, pastas, and Chicken Sec, a sautee that is worth the wait. Everything in San Jose has changed except Original Joe’s.
Oct 13, 2008 - 11:59 pm 4. Roger L. Simon:Thanks for the tips.
Oct 14, 2008 - 7:55 am 5. AlanC:Roger,
Now, as you enter an illustrious maturity, that you are hob-nobbing with the creme de la creme of conservatism do you ever flash back to your early days and ask yourself “What the **** am I doing here?!!??”
Could you have ever, circa 1970s, pictured yourself at the Hoover?
Me? I’d be horn swoggled and mind boggled.
Oct 14, 2008 - 8:34 am 6. Edan Naud:Roger I agree with AlanC you must find your younger self embarrassing or every once in awhile your older self. Obama may not be your favorite pick but a party that believes in free speech zones (I thought the whole USA was a free speech zone) can not be your choice? Now Nancy and those others in Congress aren’t my choice either but fair is fair the Dems should get their chance to screw things up.
Oct 14, 2008 - 9:22 am 7. NukemHill:Oh, man. Stanford is my very favoritist campus in the whole fandangled Universe. I’m so jealous.
Enjoy the time there. And don’t get lost in the bookstore or libraries. Easier said than done!
Oct 14, 2008 - 2:09 pm 8. NukemHill:Fair is fair? Are you serious? What do you think the Dems have been doing for the last 50+ years but screwing things up!
I’m sorry, but an Obama presidency and the very real possibility of a filibuster-proof Democratic Senate majority is a recipe for disaster. Really and truly. This may very well be the end of the Republic as we know it. New Deal 2.0 is only the beginning.
I can only hope that a conservative-enough Supreme Court takes on the inevitable lawsuits against Obama’s power grabs, and slams hims fiercely.
God, to think I used to think so highly of FDR.
Oct 14, 2008 - 2:13 pm 9. Minerva:Glad you flew out of Burbank and away from the fires. Enjoy!
Oct 14, 2008 - 5:42 pm 10. Gene:Roger, if at all possible, can you get an interview with Robert Conquest?
Oct 14, 2008 - 6:35 pm 11. Joanne Jacobs:I’ve got coffee privileges at Hoover, though I haven’t dropped by for a long time. I’ll try to stop by tomorrow if I can to say howdy.
Chez TJ is overpriced. When we ate there, half the food came as “foam.” Try Nola’s in Palo Alto for Cajun food.
Oct 15, 2008 - 5:54 pm