Do you believe in destiny or fate? Or God? How about just plain old magic? Whatever your philosophical take on life, you will find this home to be a nexus of enchantment, love and light. We were an unusual group of two couples and the trainer of one of the guys in the group who happens to be a young, up and coming professional boxer. The three separate rooms in this beautiful home suited us perfectly, with the trainer taking the temple-like room in the backyard behind the main house. The entire structure of this home was built with salvaged materials from all over LA, and the stories that Al told us about how he found each piece (the floors in the living room, the windows in the kitchen/upstairs bath/dining are, the tiles) and incorporated them into rebuilding this house were amazing. There is so much history encapsulated here and it just felt so special. We were incredibly lucky to come across this home and can't wait to visit again. Al and his family were super courteous and respectful of our privacy, yet within minutes of meeting him we felt like we had known him for years and would have gladly shared more time with him and the whole family.

A couple other things to note about Al's home -- there are many areas, indoors and out, to lounge and relax, and the views are indeed to die for. You have an awesome view of downtown LA's highrises from the northerly side (think of looking down from the famous Hollywood sign instead of viewing downtown with the sign behind it, which is the more familiar perspective to most people), and the Silver Lake recreation area is within walking distance. You'll also find tons of great restaurants just down the street on Sunset Blvd.

Al has thought of everything you might need; you will feel so comfortable and at home, you'll never want to leave. He also allowed us to fill up his fridge with all of our health-nutty and fitness-related food items. Oh, and if you like jazz, there's a lot of that playing throughout the house, as well as by the talented host himself! Again, there aren't enough words to describe how amazing our stay was in his magical home. If you love vintage Hollywood movies, culture and music, you will fall in love with this place.