We’re finally getting a chance to post a blog update. We’ve been in LA two days now and having a blast! Those that are Facebook friends of ours will have seen more status and photo updates than they probably want…
Anyway, LAX Customs and Border Control took ages and is a lot more tiresome than either Newark or JFK, which we’ve also both experienced. However, we did it! And we collected our car. We had to resist the temptation to upgrade to a fancy convertible for an extra $300 (S kept thinking of A doing a ‘Katy Perry’ in the Teenage Dream video…which is no bad thing) and settle for the compact Toyota. After a shaky start, with S turning a corner headlong into a massive truck but calmly cutting across the road to make it to the right side whilst A screwed her shuts and hoped for the best, we were riding the LA roads like locals. It’s fair to say that we would now pass the CA driving test with flying cars.
Cruising around for an hour or so, totally on purpose of course and not lost at all, we found our motel, complete with a No Prostitution sign. Think quintessential American motel in a part of town we’ve nicknamed Little Mexico and you’ve got it. Probably a part of LA not many people would want to visit. However, it has character and is all part of the experience!
Anyway, we hit the sack pretty early that night to be energised and refreshed for Day Two – Hollywood! Yesterday was pretty amazing. We drove to Hollywood Blvd and grabbed a great breakfast at Denny’s Diner to fuel up for the morning. S had a delicious pancake breakfast topped with strawberries, blueberries and cream, with eggs and sausages on the side and A had a steak omelette with toast. We climbed up a track to get amazing views of the Hollywood Sign and the city at large. We met a family from Arkansas at the top who kindly took a picture of us (otherwise there was gonna be a lot of dodgy self-portraits) and who’s son told us we had the Scottish accent, which is always good to know. The picture below isn’t us, as that one is on the camera.
After the Hollywood Sign we headed to our lunch reservation at The Ivy on Robertson Blvd. We wish we could say we were sat next to Lindsay Lohan passed out in a drunken stupor at the table next to us, but alas! We were not. The meal was nice, particularly the Bellini and Scarlatti drinks; the atmosphere very relaxed; and the day glorious. Watered and fed, it was time to find the Walk of Fame. S was only after one true star – Britney Spears – and A had developed a recent obsession with Arnold Schwarzenegger. She found no star but did find his handprints! He has big hands, and you know what they say… This part of town was true Hollywood style and pretty amazing. The on-street actors looked great (most of them!) and we were particularly impressed with one busker who needed money for his entry fee to Hogwarts so we chucked him a couple of $s. He better send a thank you card by owl when he gets there.
Driving home at night, it finally sunk in we were in LA and the bright lights met us on the skyline as we cruised along the freeway. We’re ready for today – July 4th – to celebrate America’s birthday! We’re gonna bring some Brit action to the house party we’ve been invited to 🙂
Until next time.
Much love,
S&A
la-ny2012 