Thursday's Tourists

Our good friend, Peter, made a stop over in Los Angeles on his around the world business trip. He had one full day to hang out with us, so we decided that he should see the good stuff in LA and Hollywood. We caught the Metrolink train from the North Pomona station at 11:30, arrived at Union Station Los Angeles around 12:30. The train station is old and glorious in Art Deco design. Pete inside the waiting area at Union Station.

After showing him the sights of the station we walked across the street to one of our favorite places, Olvera Street. We had planned to get taquitos but changed our minds for the full sit down lunch with Margaritas at one of the restaurants in the center. We had an outside table so we could watch the people. The place was packed. Turned out to be opening day of the baseball season, Los Angeles Dodgers playing the San Francisco Giants. There was a shuttle bus from Union Station to the Dodger game so Olvera Street was full of people eating and drinking wearing their Dodger Blue outfits.

This is the entrance to Olvera Street. For those who have not been here, the center of the street is filled with stores selling authentic "hecho en Mexico" wares; hats, sarapes, sombreros, marachas, candy, food, chachkies galore. Mariachi bands stroll the streets, playing their wonderful music.

After lunch we went back to Union Station and caught the Red Line metro to Hollywood and Vine. The metro station is right under the new W Hotel, a really swank place, where the music and movie stars hang out. Pete and I did a quick tour of the lobby and lounges there. I probably would not recognize a famous person if they were right in front of me. Carl waited outside looking for the usual action on the streets. We headed across the street to the "FROLIC ROOM", right next to the Pantages Theater.

Something about this little bar, we have so much fun there. It must be the drinks combined with the best Juke Box in the West. You have a sense of going back in time to the old Hollywood days - you just sit, chat and drink.

This is it! Just one single bar, a cool bartender, Mike, the Angels game was on TV, right before the Dodger's game. We had a couple of drinks, then decided to walk up Hollywood Blvd, to Highland and show Pete the Kodak Theater and the crazies who hang out there.

Across the street from Hollywood and Highland center you can see the Hollywood sign on the hill in the background.

Pete with the Hollywood sign behind him, only it's too bright to see.

The streets were being closed off because they were going to film a TV show that evening, "Wonder Woman". I didn't even know that show was on TV. It's a remake of the old show.

Pete is in front of the ticket booth at the El Capitan Theater. There was a line of people waiting for the Jimmy Kimmel show. We were asked if we would like to be in the audience, but we didn't have the time, would miss our last train home.

...and all the stars that never were are parking cars and pumping gas ! ! ! The Hollywood characters, Spiderman and Captain? something, pose with tourists for a buck.

In front of the Chinese Theater, Helen Mirren had placed her hands and feet in cement 4 days before. It would have been great to see her in person. They are waiting for her cement to dry before placing it.

I had to take a picture of these strange looking mannequins in the window of some hip looking shop.

They look like something from an old circus or fun zone, like I should be shooting a water pistol into their mouths.

Here's the Hollywood and Vine sign as we walked back for dinner.

We ate at Musso and Frank Grill. From 1919, the oldest restaurant in Hollywood. The best quality food and ambiance; industry people gathered at the bar making deals and schmoozing. This is our table, don't we look famous?

Here's a short video of our dinner plates. Yummy!

After dinner we made one more stop at the Frolic Room. I only had a diet coke then. During that day I had.... a Cadillac Margarita at Olvera Street, a Bloody Mary, a Corona beer, and a shot of Silver Cuervo Tequila at the Frolic Room, a Vodka Tonic with dinner and That's It! I'm surprised that I didn't feel like crapola the next day. We caught the Red Line back to Union Station and the last Metrolink train back to Pomona. Rondi was kind enough to pick us up at 10 pm, and Sean was nice to take us there in the morning.

We had the perfect one-day vacation, right in our own town.

Adios, Kathy