About Us
Louis and Lee Eksteen
This adventure...
Louis and Lee met in Pletternberg Bay, South Africa and fell in love on 29 December 1993. After an adventurous courtship, they were engaged (where else but) on top of the Empire State Building on July 26 1995 (the concept has subsequenlty been imitated and even popularized by Hollywood...). After months of preparation and vow-reciting, they tied the proverbial knot on April 19, 1996 at the Lombardi Estate east of Pretoria. Six short months later, in September 1996, they boarded a plane for Los Angeles. While waiting for take off, Louis took hold of his bride's hand and, unknowingly, laid hold of their future in a prayer: "Lord, we don't know what lies ahead, but we want you to be with us on this adventure."
Upon arrival in LA (after having all their cash stolen in London on the way over- but that's another story), they moved into a two bedroom apartment, one block from the Pacific Ocean in Redondo Beach (aka the South Bay), with only their two suitcases. Rental furniture would only come later in the week... and the second-hand car "Rooies", with the infamous exhaust pipe and door window, was not yet part of the family.
Louis was transferring to the Los Angeles office of the big-four accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche. Memories of those days include long hours, busy season, and managing large audit teams balanced by staff beach parties and client lunches. With more repetitive work cycles and client schedules needing to squeeze more work in less time, burnout was inevitable. By 1998 seven day work weeks had become routine and unfulfilling. Opportunitites within the firm were opening but a client's proposal to hire on as the Chief Accounting Officer of a newly formed $1BN Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) was too good to pass up. At 27, living in Brentwood, commuting down Sunset Boulevard to a corner office in Beverly Hills' platinum triangle, lunch excursions on Rodeo Drive and celebrity sightings on any given weekday, life was good. I was catching the dream I had been convinced life was about.
On Lee's birthday in 1999 they moved into their first home, in Sherman Oaks. That night the plumbing broke and they were up at midniight with the plumber trying to unclog the drains. Why are the tough times so memorable? Four months later, they had the first of their four darling kids! .... A boy named Jake.
The years at Varna Ave were characterized by toddlers in strollers, walks to the donut shop and home improvement. When it seemed like #4 was inevitable, we uprooted and moved to the larger Zelzah Ave. These days are characterized by swimming in summer, gardening and homeschooling.
Sacrificing everything she knew and had, my wife gave up her career, her family in South Africa, even friendships to mother her children and to raise them, school them, give them the best gift she could... herself. And in the process has given them everything they need - a model of love, selflessness and sacrifice that will gird their beings through any challenge they may face in life. "No greater love has anyone than this. That he lay down his life for his friends."
Lee and Louis recently commemorated 12 years in the City of Angels! How life (and the world) has changed in this decade! And how fast it's gone by...