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Here is my list of recommended lawyers who practice family law in Southern California. I believe you will be in good hands if you are represented by any of them. And before you start, I DO NOT WORK FOR ALL OF THESE LAWYERS, yes there are some that I have, and so what? I am proud to consider some of these people my friends and have for many years. Looking back over the last 18 years I am very happy with the lawyers I work with, they are the best! There are others that I don’t care one way or the other as to being friends with, however, they do a good job. Several of these people were recommended to me by other lawyers that I trust, and I too have some knowledge of their backgrounds and know they have a well-earned reputation. Some who are not on the list are not there for one simple reason: I don’t care for them, though a case could be made that they too are good…unfortunately, “my world my rules.” And at the end of the day it is all about trust.

Please do your own homework as well, and not just before you hire someone. When you look at your statement, ask questions and if it seems too high, mention it to the attorney or the office administrator. It will keep the air clear and limit the stress as to the ride of your life, DIVORCE. Communicate, tell your lawyer how you are doing financially and if it gets too big, then shame on them. It may also be a motivator for your lawyer to go into court for fees. Yes! How about that, whoever has the most money has to pay, well that is how it is supposed to work. Rest your fingers, I do understand that sometimes it is tough to get any money, but you have to try and your lawyer should understand that also…..you need to save for a rainy day, and my friend it will rain!

Good Luck, and I hope that those of you going through a divorce will survive the ride of your lives with dignity and financial security. Having one of these folks on your side will help.

** indicates lawyers I’ve never worked with but recommended by those I trust

Sorrell Trope
Michael Trope
Robert M. Cohen
Lisa Helfend Meyer
Bruce Abramson **
Dana Lowy
Doreen Olson
Pat Phillips**
Stephen Gersman**
Felicia Meyer
Gary Fishbein
Judy Bogen
Bob Friedman**
Joe Mannis
Ilene E. Trabolsi
Neil Hersh
Susan Wiesner
Ros Soudry
Samantha Spector**
Debra Frank
Manly Freid**
Cary Goldstein
Dennis Wasser**
Lawrence Leone
Anne C. Kiley
Daniel Jaffe
Grace Jamra
Jim Klein**
Stacy D. Philips
Ron Rale
John R. Schilling** (Orange County)
Laura Wasser**
Steven Knowles
Joe Langolis**
Elizabeth E.Vogt, Esq. (Santa Barbara)
John Summers**
Peter A. Lauzon
Melanie Mandels**
Adam P. Lipsic
Anne N. Slusser
Lorri A. Howe
Rich Kotler **
Ira M. Friedman
Sam Bransky**
Ron Litz
Tamar Poladian
Elyse Margolin
Avi Levy
Patrick Decarolis

Gotta love these!

I went to an extremely attractive female doctor today for my
annual checkup. She told me that I had to quit masturbating. I asked
why and she said, “Because . . . I’m trying to examine you.”

When I was a kid, I used to pray every night for a new bike. Then
I realized that God doesn’t work that way.. So I stole a bike and
asked Him to forgive me.

Once again it’s “Super Lawyers” time…folks, this is so embarrassing! Embarrassing from the point that this is PAID PUBLICITY, paid for by the “Super Lawyers” themselves. Sure I have heard all about the “point system” and “input from peers,” I am just having problems telling Bullshit from Roses.

If you read this bullshit quickly you would think, “wow, these guys are really special“…about as special as having a belly button. And the photos, here is an example: that fellow sitting on the very expensive motor cycle on the front page had to have spent at least $25,000 for that picture alone, now that is super (I am not mentioning his name as he got plenty of PR from that high-paid front page placement)! And forget what those who have two page spreads had to pay, incredible only to be “Super” in their own minds. Input from peers, and 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievment-things like experience, verdicts,and settlements, transactions, clients, honors and awards — this was taken from “Super Lawyers” on how the “Supers” are selected…I am not buying it.

The publisher who came up with this should be considered “super” for pulling off this lucrative promotional scam on the American public. 55 regional editions from Hawaii to Maine. And it gets even better, there is Top 10 Law Schools, The Top 100, The Top 50, The Rising Stars. Well how about this, The Biggest Wallet, The Newest Rolls Royce, The Biggest Gut, The Smallest Feet, our favorites The Best Dressed, The Worst Dressed, The Worst Breath, The Biggest Ego, The Coolest Offices, and as you see this could go on and on.

This would be better titled, “Lawyers Working Close to You Who Paid to Be Called ‘Super.” “Super Lawyers” and the way it is promoted is very misleading. I know some of these lawyers, and to call them “Super” would be a little like watching a train wreck and applauding. There are some very good lawyers on the list and it is worth mentioning that the big photos are a little less this year, and I have to wonder if these lawyers are realizing how many of these ridiculous framed photos they can have in their offices at any given time? Oh that is one of the other fun things you can do if you buy one of these silly advertising gimmicks and that is having it framed and hanging in your office…problem, they are also hanging in all of the other “Super Lawyers” offices…..why? They too paid for it!

Hmm, I just had a thought, they should reach out to all of those unhappy clients who may have hired a “Super Lawyer” from this list and got hammered. We could then have the “Asswipe Awards,” and then we could see how many of those would be hanging in the offices across this city. Folks, I have looked at the list and the “Asswipe Awards” could be a money maker too, and at least it would be honest and heart-felt.

Note: “Super Lawyers” does print this: “You may wonder whether lawyers pay to be included. The simple and unequivocal answer is no. Lawyers do not and cannot pay to be included, and advertising has no bearing on the selection to the list in fact, ads are not sold until after final selections are made)”…who writes this stuff? guys in long coats, tall hats and carpet bags?

DesperateExes.com will be posting our own list of lawyers who we think are the best here in the Southern California area, based on our experience and observation, not payola. But if anyone wants to send us $25,000, we’ll be happy to post your picture, suitable for framing!

“Baby Pimpin’“… who would have ever thought this would be something that we would be talking about? But in this day and age, no real surprise here folks, family values are hard to find in our own homes, and to have access to a “celebrity” infant is a real money maker. To the parents of these children it is a fast track to big dollars. Almost like putting the kid on a spinning wheel and seeing were it stops and how much that photo spot will pay.

Old Hollywood was all about glamour, great estates and wonderful cars. Today, you have these flash-in-the-pan losers grabbing the new born ASAP and getting to the “paps.” The days when moguls and stars would keep their children under wraps to prevent them from being exploited in the media seem a thing of the past, even as being potential targets of kidnappers, stalkers and even terrorists has gotten worse.

What makes these losers think that they are doing good for the welfare of the infant or the small child, keeping them in the media to make money from the gossip magazines? How easy would it be for an unstable person to try and hurt the child as it is being tucked under one’s arm in the search of someone to take a picture. We have all seen it, “Oh I am going shopping on Robertson Blvd,” knowing that there will be photogs waiting, or the little mommy or daddy time at the park, too bad you called and told the photogs you would be there. Phonies all of them! John Lennon’s family understands this real well, world leaders understand the risk. Not in Hollywood, it is still very much, “quick get the kid, I have bills to pay.” We have witnessed this too many times to deny it.

”Hollywood Gossip” reported that Kourtney Kardashian dragged her newborn to Ryan Seacrest’s KIIS-FM radio show, Baby Pimping. “How cute is baby Mason?!” Seacrest asked, happily playing the role of enabler to one of the stars of a series he produces. “Is baby ready to feed? He’s looking for your breast.” Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian accompanied their exploitative sister to the show, as Kourtney wrote on her blog: “I take Mason everywhere with me. We had to stop in and surprise Ryan!” The Kardashians, where did they come from? Paris Hilton had a name at least…”The Kardashians”?

“Hollywood Gossip” also took a slap at Birkhead, “Note to Larry Birkhead: the baby pimping bar has been raised to a new level. Will you meet it? To do so, Anna Nicole Smith’s baby daddy will need to bring his young child on to a radio show and then act as if he’s doing it just to see a pal.” It is my opinion that this “Baby Pimping” is going to continue as these wanna-be-famous types will use whatever they can to promote themselves and to to make a buck, after all it is the American way. The problem is that soon there is always someone more interesting and fascinating to the press and to those who read this trash. I am old enough to remember the Kennedys, Sinatra, Onassis and others who made it a point to keep their children out of the limelight…then again, they did not have to stand on their children’s backs to make a buck, those were the days of true Hollywood Glamour and Class.

Emotions and divorce… I was sitting in Commissioner Scott Gordon’s court the other day, and sitting before him were two people who at one time loved each other. These former love birds have little or nothing in common anymore, other than a child.

After a little wrangling and a huge mistep by the Mr. X (his lawyer bailed on him the day before), he shows up with no lawyer and a trial is due and not going to be put off as he was planning. For Mr. X, the game was over, now. He and the former love of his life did the impossible, he, she and her lawyer sat and negotiated what the future months and years may or may not hold. After all was said and done, Commissioner Scott Gordon did it, he divorced them. First the mother of the child began to lightly weep, it was done and she would once again have her original name reinstated. And with a sweep of the pen, the two former lovers with the great plans for a bright future (4.5 years ago) were done! And you know, the now very much X, he too was weeping.

For these two it was certainly over, over in so much that they were now almost back to where they were 4.5 years ago. However, even though the tears have dried, these two will have the next 13.5 years to deal with their son, and let’s hope that the two of them will recall the day they sat and weeped in Commissioner Scott Gordon’s courtroom.

…from his own firm!

(see here for how this started, and here for more on Ms. Boultinghouse)

Dear John,

Let it not be said that I cannot deliver promptly. The following are two happy and fascinating clients who will have nice things to say about Michael, and maybe me too – they work with both Michael and I and know him well. One is a British Duke …The other is a charming actress/model… They have both given me their permission to give you their contact details and welcome your contacting them at your convenience.

Well, that’s a start, but I am not done with your noble challenge. Best regards to you and your sons and off course, your dogs! (I will miss Judge Goldstein too).

Your Friend,

Crystal Boultinghouse
Attorney at Law
Law Office of J. Michael Kelly
Tel: 1-310-393-0236 ext 112

Flying anyplace today is tough, go to the airport and get jerked around by some TSA employees who just could never cut it as real cops and now you get to deal with them as they go about protecting the flying public, not fun. So sometimes the boys ,the dogs and I head for the highway, yes sir, the wide open roads. We love a road trip. Last week we drove through Utah, Oregon, Nevada and Arizona and we love to visit some of the small towns and look for local color. Food or just stuff, interesting finds and who knows, we are often surprised.

On the return trip to California, I wanted to show the boys where I attended the police academy in Eureka, California almost 30 years ago. We all got a little hungry and decided to get off in Garberville, Humboldt County, California. This will now be known as “Garbageville” as we found without a doubt, what I would have to say was one of the worst eating holes I have ever been in. Sicilitos Pizzeria, Mexican and Seafood — that should have been a clue. My two sons decided to stop at this place and it was one of the biggest eating mistakes the three of us ever made.

Upon entering we got hit in the snot locker with the very strong odor of none other than the biggest crop in Humboldt County, marijuana. And all these people, young folks, hanging around, white trash is pretty much all you can see in most of these towns. The old guys have those big bushy white and gray unkempt beards and the young ones have the baggy jeans, hooded sweat shirts and the stupid ball caps cocked to one side….they look available for sex or sales or both. And a “Mexican” food place without Mexicans eating or cooking there should have been a warning signal.

Chris orders a burrito plate and when it arrives, does not look too bad and if we were to judge it, maybe on a scale from one to ten, a 4.5. Mikee orders a sausage and pepper sandwich that was a joke, $8.75 for a very small sandwich that had ground sausage like you find on a cheap pizza and half-cooked peppers…it was the worst! I order a New York steak, medium well and when it comes it is bleeding profusely on my plate…..the yak that we had as a server has to bring it back to the inbred cook in the kitchen with hopes that it will get done right…scary! PLEASE DO NOT EVER EAT HERE EVEN IF YOU ARE STRANDED IN GARBAGEVILLE.

Sicilitos looks and smells like a front for something a bit more lucrative than miserable food and even more miserable service…I paid with a credit card, the charge back will be my revenge!

How many of you have heard of Trabolsi & Levy? They are Southern California lawyers with a talent? The “talent,” you ask, is what? Avi and Ilene will represent you and at the same time both of these lawyers are very much aware of your feelings as to what you will be going through — and the costs involved — in one of the worst experiences you are going to have: dumping the “X.”

Avi Levy, Lawyer, is a U.C.L.A. School of Law graduate and has been practicing for more than 7 years. Avi is also a family law specialist, no small task — that test, to be a specialist, is an important certification. Why? It shows that someone had the desire to fine tune his or her skills to another level and studied and worked very hard to take another test. The bar is one of the ultimate tests, why would you want to do more? He is young in years but very experienced in the world of DIVORCE. Now here comes a surprise, with a name like Avi…he is also fluent in Hebrew. And who knows, he could be the perfect tour guy to accompany you to Israel, but watch the hotels.

The other half of the show is Ilene Evans Trabolsi, Lawyer, 27 years in the world of DIVORCE and DIVORCING. She looks pretty good for spending 27 years plus dealing with other people’s misery and issues. Ilene is also a certified specialist in dealing with divorce in this state. Once again, that extra effort to keep herself on top of her profession. When I tell you that you are hiring a team, please believe me, you will be in very competent hands, handled as you should be and not as a source of funds to pay the rent. My point here is that they are established and smart, not fancy, competent and very nice offices, you may have to park your own car!

Trabolsi & Levy will always be a safe port in the very stormy world of divorce and tops for a DesperateExes.com recommendation.

Trabolsi & Levy, 2530 WIlshire Boulevard, Suite 200, Santa Monica, California 90403
Call them at: 1-888-871-6245 or 310-584-7714 and be sure to tell them that you read this story on DesperateExes.com

Pizza Pizza Pizza, is there a perfect pizza? Well I have to admit, in California it is hit and miss. That miserable joint on Lankershim that I critiqued several months ago, Angelina’s aka YUK, has closed. It is going to become a Thai restaurant, file that one under who cares. When I was back in New York a few years ago filming my Son of Sam show for DISCOVERY we had some good New York pizza…but what do I do when I am in Los Angeles? Mulberry Street!

Mulberry Street Pizza at 347 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, California 310-247-8100 (also on S. Beverly and in Encino) is my hands down favorite place. The place was opened by Cathy Moriarty and her partner Richard “Rich” Palmer (he was once married to Raquel Welch). Cathy is no shrinking violet, she was nominated for her role as Jake LaMotta’s wife in “Raging Bull.”

Now that I got that all taken care of, it is my favorite place for a pizza. It is done right: thin crust, good sauce and reasonable cheese, end of story. A good pizza is not a ton of cheese and no sauce. Rich and his crew have it down at Mulberry Street. Never have I had a bad meal at this place, not once. Some lousy service by inattentive servers and some of these guys are so rude I want to choke the bastards, but the specials and the pizza are always good. We also love the lunch specials, a good meatball sandwich, salad and a cold drink, always perfect. Dealing with the bad service and rudeness is easy for me, I wrote the book on “bad behavior.” Rich is always ready with a glint in his eye and a smirk, and like any good restaurant owner is always close by.

The specials can also be a pasta dish, salad and cold drink, it is all excellent and easy. I have been eating at this place for more than 12 years and I have always been happy…now for all of you who know me that is saying something, “John is happy”…hold your hat, Jesus must be coming.

You can sit outside or inside at the counter or tables, and however I am dressed is fine, this is the perfect place. Parking is easy in Beverly Hills and the place is easy to find. For sure it is not cheap (the rent and overhead has to be a killer), but is good, tasty, and always right. To all my readers, I make you this promise, when in Beverly Hills go eat at Mulberry Street Pizza and you will want to thank me…you won’t leave unhappy, but don’t be too full of yourselves either. Yes it is Beverly Hills, the land of phonies and flakes so don’t act like a jerk either, it is a pizzeria, eat, enjoy and leave a nice tip for the guys working behind the counter. And if you think your server is inattentive or rude, tip the guy who made the pizza! Ahhh revenge. I love this place if you cannot tell by now.

PS: Rich is the guy roaming around looking like he has not a care in the world, Cathy I have never seen her in the place…who cares they make great food!

Two radical Muslim terrorists boarded a flight out of London . One took a window seat and the other sat next to him in the middle seat. Just before takeoff, a U.S. Marine sat down in the aisle seat. After takeoff, the Marine kicked his shoes off, wiggled his toes and was settling in when the Muslim in the window seat said, “I need to get up and get a coke.” “Don’t get up,” said the Marine, “I’m in the aisle seat, I’ll get it for you.”

As soon as he left, one of the Muslims picked up the Marine’s shoe and spat in it. When the Marine returned with the coke, the other Muslim said, “That looks good, I’d really like one, too.” Again, the Marine obligingly went to fetch it. While he was gone the other Muslim picked up the Marine’s other shoe and spat in it. When the Marine returned, they all sat back and enjoyed the flight.

As the plane was landing, the Marine slipped his feet into his shoes and knew immediately what had happened. He leaned over and asked his radical Muslim neighbors, “Why does it have to be this way? How long must this go on? This fighting between our people? This hatred? This animosity? This spitting in shoes and pissing in cokes?”

THE FEW. THE PROUD. THE MARINES.

And so begins another year of fun, games, great massages and DIVORCE bullshit. Of all the stuff that we enjoy through the years, massages are more popular then ever now that the big 60 is approaching.

Well let me get to it fast, some F’n moron has the nerve to place a sign on the lawn of the Santa Monica courthouse stating: COMMISSIONER DAVID J. COWAN FAMILY VALUES: R DIFFERENT FOR STR8 AMERICA! To the individual who did this, you are pathetic! I am not a big fan of Commissioner Cowan and have so stated. However, I hope that in time he grasps a better understanding of his role as a commissioner in divorce court. And at the same time understands those that stand before him sometimes will lie and cheat…do ya think? Alright, I am done. To attack this man or for that matter anyone with that sick, underhanded, muck-sucking issue of being straight or gay is total bullshit. I have several gay friends and find them to be fun and perhaps a little opinionated, arrogant at times, and very grumpy much of the time. I may have just described myself! As I think about this, you are lucky you don’t live in Mexico, Iraq, Iran or San Francisco or Berkeley, you would be hunted down and punished. God Bless America and our judges and commissioners. Yes, judges and commissioners who are so underpaid one would have to wonder what was on their minds to seek a job that puts them in touch with scumbags such as this …all I can think is dedication!

Well, the hate mail just keeps rolling in on J. Michael Kelly and company. Never have we had such an assortment of misery all pointing at Mr. Kelly. Once again, for me, I like the guy and found him entertaining and generous with his time…but then again we were eating! Also he has one of the more interesting backgrounds of the hundreds of people I have interviewed for DesperateExes.com. Please, someone send us a nice note on their experience with this firm, I know that they have some good lawyers and I also know from my experience that divorce work is thankless most of the time, but I even have happy letters from former clients that I save right next to the ones that were…not so happy! SOS, someone send a nice comment on the Kelly firm, please!

I understand that those who were “victims” of the Pellican and his wiretapping are laughing all the way to the bank, with the exception of one, who is rolling to his bank. Tap Tap Tap Tap me, whatever pain or harm a wiretap can bring is nothing compared to the financial rewards that can land in the poor victims’ bank accounts. There is not one doubt in my mind that I was “listened to,” TAPPED, during the days of Anthony Pellicano’s reign of terror. I say this with a great big grin. I am also very saddened that not all of the recordings were found and thus went my financial windfall, so I too could “roll” to the bank. I am beyond saddened…to think of all that money slipping through my hands only because my government got hoodwinked by a self-taught private investigator in the art and wizardry of wiretapping and the storage of information, with his little Armenian computer geek.

I hope that Anthony is getting along, I heard from a source that he was not well. Hold your eyeroll, yes he did some bad things. Hello! That is what private investigators do, they “upset” people and to many, “do bad things.” That, as I have said many times before, justifies the fees that a small group of us earn. It is not a nice, friendly type of work. You get to make people miserable. Now for my dear friend Anthony, he took it to a whole new level. How many of you are wondering what Mr. Pellicano is doing with his time? The old addage, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop”….think about that for a minute.

As for several lawyers in Beverly Hills and Century City, you guys should be making generous donations to Anthony’s favorite concerns…you know who you are and you know what you did and you know what I mean! One day this story is going to resurface. Well, for one thing it won’t be told by that scumbag Michael Viner formerly of Dove Books. Viner was good friends with Anthony and one time was bragging as to a book and movie deal…Mr. Viner is sleeping with the worms, he died last year. And folks, there is no way to sugar-coat the participation of some of Hollywood’s big law firms and the wonderful relationship they had with The Pellican…..what was that click I heard? Dam phone lines!

Happy New Year,

John J. Nazarian
DesperateExes.com

Merry Christmas and Season’s Greetings from all of us at DesperateExes.com, and what a year it has been. Rich celebrities losing their fortunes, silly celebs losing what little brain matter they may have had, and male icons not understanding how fragile their images are, and of course all of those who have made a living off of all this mishigas! Mishigas is becoming my word of choice for much of what divorce is all about and it is also a word that I can associate with another word: costly. The more crazy things become for the wealthy, the more the cost of fixing it.

Well, gone are the little jelly candies that we gave out for more than ten years, the company who made them for us was sold. And let me tell you, it has been an annoyance for me to find a suitable gift to thank my wonderful clients for their continued support through the year. After trying numerous ideas we found it! Bella Viva Orchards, this is a family owned and run farm in Denair, located in the Central Valley of California. This is the freshest you will find in dried fruits and nuts, it is the truth, perfect in every bite. They plant, they grow, they harvest and then package these incredible products…all of those who are close to Nazarian and Associates will now be getting wonderful dried fruits and the best in walnuts, pistachios and almonds, yum! Also it is healthy, I and many of you will miss the wonderful jelly candies, but, like my hairline, they are gone.

My good friend Cary Goldstein and I almost ate an entire box of Bella Viva dried fruits and nuts the other night with a nice chilled bottle of Cristal. That is one of my favorite champagnes. We were relaxing and laughing about some of the events that plague us in our chosen professions…get me another drink.

Talking about hanging out, drove up to Bob and Joan Cohen’s home the other night and when I tell you up, I mean just that, up. The Cohens have an amazing home that overlooks the entire Los Angeles basin. It was late and it was one of those moments when the stars are in alignment…while people are freezing back East we were enjoying the evening sipping a great port and sitting by the pool. How did I know it was a great port? I bought it as a gift for Bob a few years before, nothing better than a great port. And Bob, that is one of the most gorgeous Jaguar sports cars that I have seen, drive it in good health.

Tiger Woods has hired Marty Singer of the very prestigious firm of Lavely & Singer. Hiring someone like Marty Singer is sending a serious message to all those who find screwing with Tiger Woods fun…the fun has ended, just ask Marty. I am very familiar with Mr. Singer, and a nicer guy you won’t find, but in saying this I do not believe that there is another lawyer on the planet earth who can do what he does,and that is to remove the “fun” from those who like to kick and stomp a celebrity when he or she is down. Taking a page from Nazarian and Associates’ game book, “you need to start fires in the ‘camps’ of others, so they can have the same enjoyment of having to put them out.” And Marty is an earth scorcher. Not even Nazarian and Associates’ “fire truck” can cool that fire.

Not to be outdone, it is being reported that Elin Nordegren has hired the biggest divorce lawyer in the world, Sorrell Trope, of Trope and Trope. One thing we can say about Tiger and Elin: they know who to turn to for competent help. Sorrell is a no-nonsense lawyer who will not put up with any games, he is the best in the profession and dam near invented divorce law. This has to be very painful for Ms. Nordegren and only time and good counsel will ease the pain in the weeks and months to come.

Peppone Ristorante, Brentwood,California was the meeting place of the week, not bad for an evening of laughs and entertainment with Michael Trope, Christian Nazarian and of course me, John Nazarian. We had a nice table in a little room off the bar and it is in fact a little old New Yorkish……not in a bad way, but colorful. Whoever did this restaurant back in the day had to be from the East.

But whoever did those imitation Tiffany lamps should be taken out to the back and made to eat bad gnocchi! They were all cheap imitations and for a restaurant with these kind of prices, they should be real or at least a better copy. Or be replaced with a plain old yellow or red light bulb….high dollar joints should never use FAKE TIFFANY anything. And I have always enjoyed “red light” joints.

Back to the dinner. It seems no matter where Michael Trope and I eat, we find a celebrity or two. Tonight was no different, Tom Selleck was sitting at a table with a few older gentlemen and looked, well, like Tom Selleck.

Our food was good and we all avoided the Filet Mignon meatballs as it was my opinion that this would be an attack on our wallets! And it is a ridiculous idea to begin with. First of all, a good meatball has to have some pork in it, and as I have often stated many times, I make one of the best meatballs that I have ever tasted. And pork plays a minor role, and at the same time a major role, however big in the taste. For anyone to think that a meatball made out of filet mignon was a good thing, would have to be someone with too much money and no knowledge of what an Italian meatball is, I am done! There are other variables and if somebody wants MY recipe it will be for a fee. Moving on, I had a Caesar salad that was very good, also the fried calamari was light and not at all greasy, nice. My son Chris had a nice side of $36 risotto, this would be $7-8 in a nice Italian place as a small side, NOT HERE. His chicken was cooked in olive oil and was nicely done. Michael also had a chicken dish and there were no complaints coming from his side of the table. Stand by! Peppone’s has a steamed cauliflower dish that is not on the menu, it is delicious, it is done with what I believe was lemon and white wine, and perhaps a little butter. It was amazing and well done and served nicely. 65 buckarooos for those 3 cauliflowers. Gelson’s Supermarkets just looked like a giveaway!

Hey the bottom line is this, Peppone’s is not cheap, but the food was good, the service was very friendly and attentive and we had a great evening. Tough to complain, when Michael Trope parked his Bentley Convertible at the curb in front of the restaurant and I had parked my Bentley right behind his….it was a very L.A. moment, two white Bentleys sitting in front of a pricey Brentwood eatery.

Note: Peppone’s has a reputation for being a place that old rich guys will bring their much younger “girlfriends” and snuggle, yuk. Tonight was no exception, some old rich guy brings his “girlfriend” and they fought and snarled right next to us while they snacked on appetizers. It was great! It was like being at work for all three of us. She was very attractive and young, he was old and paid with a Black American Express card, enough said! “Love, is it not special, and very nice“, “ How much”?

The holidays are approaching and the hatred and misery are alive and well in divorce court. As always I made my rounds and sat and listened to the former lovers and now the parents of children, who will argue over almost anything. “I get him back dirty,” well, you just picked up the 8 year old from school and was he or she playing on the playground? “He yells at me in front of the kids during the swap”…of course he does, he was a bully when you married him and now he is a pissed-off bully. And why you ask? He now has to pay you “his” money in the form of support for the child that you both had. And now you had the nerve to buy a newer car. Well guess what? You have a right to have a safe vehicle to transport the child, “our” child needs a safe car to be driven in, not “mine” not “his” but “our.” That support is going to go for all kinds of things that one side or the other does not agree with….guess what, TOO BAD!

I spent some time in Judge Amy Pellman’s court. Judge Pellman is not only a judge, she peppers her judicial comments with a little education. Yes, teaching these nitwits who sit and whine day in and day out trying to ignore their responsibilities as parents that there irresponsible behavior it is not going to be allowed today — or for that matter any other day — in her court! Some of these nitwits don’t understand the power of a Superior Court Judge, they can put your happy ass in jail…or for that matter your unhappy ass in jail as well.

I do not think many people in our society have any idea whatsoever what the judges who sit on the bench in divorce court have to go through. First, and something I find very odd, is how underpaid these judges and commissioners are. In the case of Judge Pellman her focus even as a lawyer was helping people in need, and pay for that was always secondary to those lawyers who have such a calling (most lawyers, like plumbers, want to be paid and paid plenty. Public Interest lawyers do it to help our society and their work is critical to hundreds of thousands of people who could never get any help with both civil and criminal issues). This constant barrage on these bench officers has to take its toll. Just as when I was a police officer and sheriff’s deputy the people I dealt with to some degree affected me in many ways. Oh for sure you say, “I leave my work at the office,” believe it or not my experiences as a prison guard, deputy sheriff, and police officer still affect me to this very day, ask my kids. Or ask those who try and screw with me, been there and done that! And don’t call me “Pal,” “buddy” or “sweetie,” all bad terms in my world! And one has to wonder when judges take off their robes at the end of the day and go home, what must be on their minds. One thing is for sure they are not doing it for the money. Certainly depending on where you live the salary is great and the prestige is off the chart. There are similar traits that both judges and cops have to deal with. And that is liars, they lie on the street and they lie in court while seated or standing, and very often they act in court just as they have always have, JERKS. Money, arrogance and stupidity sometimes go hand in hand. For me it is a great day when someone shows their true colors while in front of a judge and I have to believe that it is fun for the judges to observe the “real” mom or dad when they forget where they are and what is at stake…..and what just slipped out of their piehole.

I am saddened, Judge Donna Fields Goldstein is moving to civil court in Burbank. Judge Goldstein will always be someone we admire on DesperateExes.com and someone for whom I personally have a great deal of admiration and respect. And I guess I will be visiting Civil court once in awhile as it is very close to where I live! Judge Goldstein’s departure from divorce court is going to be felt at “the Mosk,” and in saying that please reflect on my comments on the misery that divorce court must bring on the judges and commissioners. I am happy that civil court for this bench officer might be a well deserved break from the misery of divorce court. Judge Goldstein has a very strong background in corporate law and finance. Thanks Judge Goldstein for some great material for DesperateExes.com!

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