Hollywood Nights

Although Los Angeles is my home base and I don't technically travel to get there, I felt it was unfair to leave it out because much can be learned. After all, movies and reality tv perpetuate numerous myths about this town such as 1) LA is hot year round. 2) Celebrity sightings happen all the time, and most importantly 3) Hollywood is a nice place.

If you have never had the chance to visit Hollywood in your lifetime, you are not missing much. However, if you enjoy watching stray cats fight each other or witness coked out hookers yelling at parked cars, it might be a place to check out. When I moved from Hollywood to Long Beach, my car insurance sent me a check for almost $300 just for getting out. Two weeks later, a serial arsonist torched half of my old neighborhood.

In spite of Hollywood eroding into a place of scum and villainy, it still plays host to numerous movie premiers, the oscars, concerts, and all kinds of entertainment events. Nicole has long had an unexplained interest in Mt Everest and those that climb it. Accordingly, she had been anticipating the release of Everest which was premiering in Hollywood at the famous Grauman's Chinese Theater. Prior to the movie, we ate outside in neighboring Los Feliz at an Italian restaurant called Lil Dom's where Jon Hamm of Mad Men fame is often seen eating. Nicole, not so coincidentally, admires the "work" of Jon Hamm.

Nicole had spaghetti and meatballs, but no hamm. Walking to the Chinese Theater itself is somewhat difficult due to throngs of tourists, all looking down at the ground at the hand and footprints in the concrete. After tossing them out of the way, we finally found ourselves inside the theater. It was large, but not really what I was expecting. Here and there was a jade carving of Confucius or something that people in the 1920's thought was very Chinese looking. I was actually expecting something much more Chinesey.

Oh well. At least we can say we finally went inside. It seems that no matter what time of year, there are always huge amounts of tourists outside the Chinese theater. I don't get it. After you've seen one frumpy middle-aged man dressed up as Optimus Prime, you've seen them all. One time I saw a man dressed up as Barney walking down the street pop his head off to smoke a cigarette. On another instance, late at night, I witnessed Spiderman and Superman enjoying a cup of coffee outside a café. Ah, Hollywood. Such glitz and glamor.