We visit a back yard tropical spa and resort

Ben Goodman moved from Cape Town, South Africa in 1975 and soon established a career and family in Los Angeles. His passion these days is his West Hollywood back yard, where he has transformed an otherwise ordinary lot into a fabulous tropical paradise.

He invited Stan and Katie to see this luxurious resort retreat creation, set behind a gated enclosure on a palm-lined street a block from Hollywood Boulevard. The secluded oasis is moments from the craziness of tourists, street people and the starry Walk of Fame.
A diminutive rental duplex corners the rear of the property, separated from the main house by a circular infinity spa that spills into the curved end of a generous swimming pool. A jungle of ivy, palms and bushes isolates the lush space from neighborhood housing.
The enthusiastic host exuded pride of ownership as he guided his stunned visitors through the meticulously designed and finished rental units: precious jewel-box retreats -- a one-bedroom unit up, the studio down. Every appointment -- the granite, the fixtures, the coverings, the electronics, the appliances -- even the memory-foam queen mattresses -- reflects an obsession with quality and design, creating a welcoming aura that urges visitors to linger.

Two pampered house dogs greeted Birdie with the usual nosey rituals; Birdie then brazenly dashed through the entire main house before she could be restrained, reporting back after apparently finding nothing of particular interest.

We finished the tour and Ben offered a parting gift of fresh tangerines from the front yard tree as we thanked our gracious host, grateful for this private peek into a special spot on an ordinary street in LA.