
As
Madonna would tell you, everybody comes to Hollywood. They want to make it in
the neighborhood. And I’d say why not? The cultural diversity of Southern
California makes everyone feel welcome. The weather is ideal: not too cold; not
too hot. The many palm trees look you in the eye and say, “Look at us dude, we’re
so chill...” with that signature lazy drawl of theirs that trigger memories of
beach and suntan lotion in your head. Laidback is an abused term, because it is
pretty much an apt description.
The
day started relatively earlier at 2 PM, but I only went out at around 4 PM.
That is good, a one hour improvement from yesterday. Take that, jet lag! The
friends I was meeting were already starving to death by the time I arrived at
The Grove. They had lunch without me, which is not really an issue because food
is the least of my priorities when I am traveling. It took me almost an hour
from Lafayette. This is, perhaps, the realization of the day. LA seems easily
walkable on maps. It isn’t.

But
before we delve into that, why not talk about The Grove first? Well, it is a
cluster of various shops and entertainment facilities that locals say is hard
to miss. True enough, the place is huge and there are many distractions for
both tourists and locals. I think my friends ate at Farmer’s Market. We got on
the trolley when I arrived. The route was rather short, but the sunshine was
very much welcome to counter the cold wind. The upper deck was also a good
vantage point for taking photos and videos.

The
Grove seems to have everything, from hard candies to luxury brands. I don’t
know if this is THE shopping place for Los Angeles, but I’d bet you could spend
lots of dough here if you hate money that much. After the mini reunion and
some decaffeinated snacks, I decided to take a stroll along Fairfax Avenue. I
checked out a map of Hollywood the other night and the layout seemed quite simple. In my head, it would be an easy walk. Well yes of course, it wasn’t. Sometimes,
maps could be tricky.

But
you do not really have to torture yourself. The Metro Orange line could bring
you all the way to Hollywood/Vine. In fact, that is what I should have done
because I was planning to abuse my 7-day pass, right? But then again, walking
has always been my method of getting to know the city. It is through the power
of observation that I get to feel the general vibe of a particular
neighborhood. How do people behave? How bad is the traffic? Is pollution
bad? Will I get mugged at the next block? Shit like that!

It
took me half an hour to get to Santa Monica Boulevard. Despite studying the map
earlier this week, I totally forgot which the main street is. I knew there was
a Hollywood Boulevard. And then there is a Sunset Boulevard, but I
associate a play with that name more than anything else. And I think I’ve heard
Santa Monica Boulevard in one of Sheryl Crow’s songs. In the end, I just
decided to walk farther north to see the hills up-close, but never really reached
them as I turned right when I arrived at Sunset.

The
hills of Hollywood are alive with the sound of ka-ching! I am not talking about
casinos, but rather imagining the content of the thought bubble on the heads of
real estate brokers when they sold those fancy accommodations perched along
the hills. There must be someone popular living in one of those mansions. You
could find out by purchasing a map of stars’ homes somewhere. With California’s
strict anti-stalking laws, I would not really suggest knocking from house to
house, though!

The
hills stalk you from the background as you traverse the length of Sunset
Boulevard, where I saw several fast-food chains, nerdist venues, and some
stores catering to various musical tastes. I had been walking for yet another
30 minutes when the Roosevelt Hotel finally crossed my line of sight. If you
know your Oscar history, then you should be aware that this was the venue of the ceremonies
during its earlier years. Eureka! I think I just found Hollywood.

I
crossed a few blocks before I finally saw the road sign. No, unfortunately I
haven’t seen the other sign yet, the giant one. Let’s save that for another
day. Besides, the sun was already down when I saw the first few stars of
Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Coming at night has its advantages, and that includes
enjoying all the colorful neon lights and glitter that this famous strip has to
offer. If you go when the sun is still up, I don’t think it would be as
hypnotic an experience as it is supposed to be.

The
walk of fame is a series of sidewalks, with stars lined up bearing the names of
relevant Hollywood celebrities who have made a mark in the industry for the
last half a century or so. Some of them you would not recognize because they
are from way back, or maybe because their line of work is not that familiar to
you. The good thing is that each star also displays an appropriate icon,
whether the person involved has made a career in film, theater, music, or
hosting, among others.

I
wanted to take a photo sitting next to Meryl Streep’s star, but then again one
of the disadvantages of traveling alone without a selfie stick always ends up
hounding me in the end. The lights and sounds of the area eventually drowned my
narcissistic desires for a souvenir photo. If it is not the same case for you,
then be glad to know that there is no shortage of enterprising individuals or
groups willing to assist you for a professional looking souvenir
picture.

That
particular part of the boulevard is also lined with souvenir shops which sell
everything from key chains to chocolate. I also found the Disney Studio Store
which shares the same shop with Ghirardelli’s. It was then that I realized how
famished I was. I had no time for lunch, and the hour or two of walking was
already taking its toll. Luckily, a juicy steak was waiting for me at California
Pizza Kitchen, just a stone’s throw away from the Dolby Theater. Oh yes, I
attacked that steak con mucho gusto.

If
you are looking for popular landmarks, the Roosevelt Hotel is not alone in this
regard. The Chinese Grauman Theater is just across the street, and of course,
the Dolby Theater is right next to it. Or maybe not, because Hard Rock is right
next to it! But whatever, they share the same pavement anyway. El Capitan
Theater is Ghirardelli’s neighbor, while Ripley’s Believe it or Not is just
right across the street adjacent to that one. Yes, the photo-ops are endless,
and this is just Hollywood/Highland.

I
believe Hollywood has three stops on the Metro Red line, and I’ve heard that
there are also lots to see at Hollywood/Vine. But I was already drained for the
day, and the hearty meal that was my dinner was already sending signals to my
brain that our day has already ended. Perhaps I would have been able to get
more of Hollywood had I arrived earlier or stayed late. But I’m fine. I am
already contented with what I saw. If you want to do something legit, I’d say
watch a film at Grauman just for the experience.

Iron
Man was also there by the way. I mean, someone posing as Iron Man but the
costume is really good and looks genuine. I don’t know how those street acts
operate but some people taking photos with them would give them tips, while
some won’t. Maybe you could just opt to give them a dollar or two. With all
the effort they put on what they are doing, I think they deserve it anyway.
And so my Hollywood journey ends right there.
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