Jellied Moose Nose: HOLLYWOODLAND Walkabout

I've interviewed for 3 different jobs since Christmas and while I haven't been selected for any of them, if the pace continues it is only a matter of time before I'll be leaving Fort Irwin. I've done a lot of sightseeing since I've been here but there are still some major things I haven't seen. Los Angeles proper is one of them. So last Saturday I decided to make a day of it and what a great day it turned out to be. I headed down the hill and the first stop was the Griffith Park Farmer's Market. There wasn't much happening, still too early in the season. So I hopped back in the Prius and drove the park. I checked out the Greek Theater and drove by the observatory. It was crazy crowded though so I didn't stay long. Somethings are better left to week days rather than weekends. As I left the park, I realized I was close to Hollywood, so I hopped on Sunset and drove it all the way from downtown. When it ran out, I jumped across to Hollywood Blvd and drove back into town running smack dab into the Chinese Theater and the Walk of Stars. It was pretty crowded with street performers and tourists, so I kept on cruising checking out the neighborhoods in the area. I decided Beverly Hills was next, I wanted to see Rodeo Drive and what all the fuss was about. I wandered through the side streets looking at houses and beautiful yards finally ending up on Rodeo. It is just a couple blocks of shops, but I guess it doesn't have to be big if it is ridiculously expensive. I then headed into the business district winding my way through the streets just looking at the city scape as I cruised along. Like a lot of big cities, it was fairly quiet on the weekend with no one at work. I decided to head to the beach and headed down to Redondo. The character of the beaches to the South of LAX are very different than those up toward Malibu. The beaches are pure sand for miles and miles without any change, just straight beach break. It's probably why I don't know them as well, no point breaks, no consistent surfable waves, so I wouldn't have read about them in surfing mags or books.
When I hit Torrance, I headed back inland to Alpine Village for some German food. I was kind of disappointed, while the market had a LOT of great food items, the shops and restaurant were just okay. The restaurant being more of a cafeteria and the polka guy playing americana as polka, a lot of Springsteen. The Schnitzle was good but no spaetzle and the kraut and potatoes were just okay. I was hoping for some high end German snobbery. No such luck. I decided to roll back into the city when it hit me that ASI, the folks that did a play for us a few months ago, likely had a show going. I sent Emily a text and they indeed have a show at 730. I got directions and headed back into Hollywood to their building, which coincidently is a block from the Chinese theater with stars on their sidewalk out front. WOW. As I drove by I noticed they had free parking, so i called her and she had security park me in the staff garage where the actors park. Cool.
I had some time to kill so I wandered through Hollywood. I didn't realize that the Chinese theater area is actually a mall. Stores to see and nooks and crannys to explore. I grabbed a slice of pizza and checked out some shops, watched street performers, read the names on stars and generally just meandered around for awhile. Finally it was time for the show and I headed back to the theater. I was the first one there, so I waited for the doors to open. Emily finally found me and showed me to my seat, fron row center. It was actually kind of awkward, as I never expect the royal treatment. The little theater only seat around a hundred or so, really there's not a bad seat in the house. Emily and I talked about doing another show at Irwin and the possibility of bringing soldiers down to Hollywood to see the shows there and so some sightseeing as well. The show was a story of a pilot just prior to WWII in Japan. It was a pretty good one, albeit short. Afterwards, we headed up to the reception area to meet everyone. Emily gave me a personal tour of their building and explained their different goings on. Suddenly someone said the actors were there and before I knew what was happening, I was standing in the middle of them for a photo. It was kind of surreal, sort of being the center of attention. I have that photo on my work email, so I'll try to remember to post it next week. Emily and I then finished talking shop and I headed home getting in around 1 a.m. A long day, but overall pretty cool.