Mariko was a lovely host. Very kind and welcoming. She gave me a pair of house slippers to use during my visit. She provided a space heater for the bedroom, which was helpful - it wasn't terribly cold, but it helped during a couple of chilly nights. The shower stayed hot for a long time, felt great! :) The house was beautiful and it felt very serene being there. Mariko even offered to drive me to the Van Nuys FlyAway for my return flight, but I ended up not able to take her up on the offer. Thanks anyway, Mariko! I am 95% likely to stay with Mariko again for my next trip to LA.