getDetails.php

<?php

class blah extends blah {
    public function getDetails($place_id)
    {
        $googlePlaces = new PlacesApi($this->key);

        try {
            $this->response = $googlePlaces->placeDetails($place_id);

            if ($googlePlaces->getStatus() !== "OK") {
                throw new Exception('Places API returned an invalid response');
            }

        } catch (Exception $e) {
            Mage::logException($e);
        }

        // We get an Illuminate/Collection so we have access to those methods
        return $this->response->get('result');
    }
}