I have just read a couple of my blogs and have learnt that I should not be so harsh in editing. Admittedly in posting the last week or so of blogs I did go hell for leather to just get them on the page and as a result I see/read that they could have been better. I didn't think it would make that much difference but surprisingly it has. Nothing of importance has been omitted, just the fillers that provide the adjectival entertainment. Ooooh, do you like that? Adjectival!!! I impress myself!
Also, to update, Chris' wallet was dumped in a postbox and the US Mail returned it to Australia. How cool is that? It was waiting for him when he got home! Minus the cash.
Anyway, if you don't have access to Facebook and would like to see the photos please let me know.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Saturday 4th July
Make sure you read this in date order. It won't make any difference really but I want you to follow correctly. It's actually fortuitous that the original post didn't work as I missed out a chunk of events.
8.30am, wow what a sleep in! I don't have any set plans today, mostly wandering around. I have aborted my plan for a swim because my scalp is sunburnt and my t shirt tan is really remarkable and doesn't need any help. I update some blogs after breakfast and then walk to the Fashion District. It is not what I expect i.e. regular chain stores etc. What I get is a gigantic Victoria Market full of cheap and tacky clothing and souvenirs. I spy a dress shop that has some quite pretty dresses so go in. I am looking for something to wear to Cathy's wedding but the salesman and I can barely understand each other so I leave.
I buy some purple sneakers for $12 and could probably get them cheaper but can't be bothered with a continued search. Everything I touch turns to purple which is fabulous because it is one of my favourite colours. It is the season's "it" colour and it is not the pink tinged wannabe purple, this is the real thing - electric purple!!!!!
Heading home I walk down Broadway to take photos of the old art deco style theatres. Just like my fire escape obsession, I check out all the theatres. Back at the hotel I sit down to read for a bit but I notice how grubby and worn out my runners are. Oh, well what luck, there is a Foot Locker around the corner with a big sale on. I pop in and pick up a pair of Nike's for $50. I did hesitate though as I don't really like the air bubble in the heel. After discussing this with my salesman, we decide I do need to get over that issue as they are really comfortable and great value.
There is an Anime Expo in town for a few days so there are hundreds of mostly young people getting about in weird costumes, wigs and hats. Each to their own.
With 2 days left I have given up on having a good coffee so I sit down in Bottega Louie for a strong cup of tea in a ceramic cup and not a paper one. Oh heaven! My cupcake is light and yummy too. I can watch the chefs preparing food, the staff are sophisticated and immaculately dressed and the food in the deli section is mouth watering. Why didn't I discover this place on our 1st day here?
I have another walk around and I really don't like LA. It is dirty and smelly. There are homeless and alcoholics everywhere begging. Some of the men are quite sleazy and make suggestive comments as they pass me. It makes me feel gross. At least in New York, they made me smile when they were trying to sell me a hip hop or rap CD. One guy says to me "show me some love, I know you get down Mama!" Well, yes I do, but I get down to a different beat, child!
When I get home I intend to change before dinner but really can't be bothered so just turn around and go out again. I head to the California Pizza Kitchen. I order some mushroom ravioli with a tomato sauce and check the garlic levels with the waitress. I am assured it will be fine but I am soon having my doubts. Sure enough when she sets the meal in front of me I nearly have a heart attack. The amount of chopped garlic I see sends my stomach into spasms as I call the waitress over. She changes my meal without problem.
A couple across from are very non-descript but their conversation is what catches my attention. He is using words like, promote, work, I'll do this, that and the other for you. He is rattling off his competitors names and saying they really don't know what they are doing. I guess he is an agent. I am listening hard and watching their mouths for assistance but I can hardly hear them. She soon looks bored out of her brain while he does all the talking and shaking his legs. She offers him what looks like a throat lozenge before letting out a dainty pathetic cough. I hear the word "Hustler" and I "bingo", PORN. This makes more sense to me although she is not what you would call a Page 3 pin up. I keep missing the important bits of the conversation so all I get is things like "I'm so anti.....", "Are you good at....", "Why is it okay to....." He talks about how there is no flirting, he fell in love......she knows I am having dinner with you.....playing with breasts. I really did hear these things!!! I get bored trying so hard to eavesdrop so give up.
On my way home I would like to stop by a bar for a drink but of course everything is closed. This place is heading for ghost town status day and night, holiday or not. I find a supermarket and buy some wine and crisps. Chris and I watch a cooking show and I fall asleep watching it after polishing off the wine. Bad move!
8.30am, wow what a sleep in! I don't have any set plans today, mostly wandering around. I have aborted my plan for a swim because my scalp is sunburnt and my t shirt tan is really remarkable and doesn't need any help. I update some blogs after breakfast and then walk to the Fashion District. It is not what I expect i.e. regular chain stores etc. What I get is a gigantic Victoria Market full of cheap and tacky clothing and souvenirs. I spy a dress shop that has some quite pretty dresses so go in. I am looking for something to wear to Cathy's wedding but the salesman and I can barely understand each other so I leave.
I buy some purple sneakers for $12 and could probably get them cheaper but can't be bothered with a continued search. Everything I touch turns to purple which is fabulous because it is one of my favourite colours. It is the season's "it" colour and it is not the pink tinged wannabe purple, this is the real thing - electric purple!!!!!
Heading home I walk down Broadway to take photos of the old art deco style theatres. Just like my fire escape obsession, I check out all the theatres. Back at the hotel I sit down to read for a bit but I notice how grubby and worn out my runners are. Oh, well what luck, there is a Foot Locker around the corner with a big sale on. I pop in and pick up a pair of Nike's for $50. I did hesitate though as I don't really like the air bubble in the heel. After discussing this with my salesman, we decide I do need to get over that issue as they are really comfortable and great value.
There is an Anime Expo in town for a few days so there are hundreds of mostly young people getting about in weird costumes, wigs and hats. Each to their own.
With 2 days left I have given up on having a good coffee so I sit down in Bottega Louie for a strong cup of tea in a ceramic cup and not a paper one. Oh heaven! My cupcake is light and yummy too. I can watch the chefs preparing food, the staff are sophisticated and immaculately dressed and the food in the deli section is mouth watering. Why didn't I discover this place on our 1st day here?
I have another walk around and I really don't like LA. It is dirty and smelly. There are homeless and alcoholics everywhere begging. Some of the men are quite sleazy and make suggestive comments as they pass me. It makes me feel gross. At least in New York, they made me smile when they were trying to sell me a hip hop or rap CD. One guy says to me "show me some love, I know you get down Mama!" Well, yes I do, but I get down to a different beat, child!
When I get home I intend to change before dinner but really can't be bothered so just turn around and go out again. I head to the California Pizza Kitchen. I order some mushroom ravioli with a tomato sauce and check the garlic levels with the waitress. I am assured it will be fine but I am soon having my doubts. Sure enough when she sets the meal in front of me I nearly have a heart attack. The amount of chopped garlic I see sends my stomach into spasms as I call the waitress over. She changes my meal without problem.
A couple across from are very non-descript but their conversation is what catches my attention. He is using words like, promote, work, I'll do this, that and the other for you. He is rattling off his competitors names and saying they really don't know what they are doing. I guess he is an agent. I am listening hard and watching their mouths for assistance but I can hardly hear them. She soon looks bored out of her brain while he does all the talking and shaking his legs. She offers him what looks like a throat lozenge before letting out a dainty pathetic cough. I hear the word "Hustler" and I "bingo", PORN. This makes more sense to me although she is not what you would call a Page 3 pin up. I keep missing the important bits of the conversation so all I get is things like "I'm so anti.....", "Are you good at....", "Why is it okay to....." He talks about how there is no flirting, he fell in love......she knows I am having dinner with you.....playing with breasts. I really did hear these things!!! I get bored trying so hard to eavesdrop so give up.
On my way home I would like to stop by a bar for a drink but of course everything is closed. This place is heading for ghost town status day and night, holiday or not. I find a supermarket and buy some wine and crisps. Chris and I watch a cooking show and I fall asleep watching it after polishing off the wine. Bad move!
Where is Saturday?
I have had major internet trouble this morning and I have just discovered Sat 4th July is missing. Stand by.
Tuesday 7th July and a bit of Wed 8th
A 2 hour wait in Auckland and we are so bored we just want to get home. The flight is just under 4 hours and I watch Tsotsi. Unfortunately the in flight entertainment system is not working properly for some people and after re-booting the whole system no one's is working. I miss the last 6 minutes of the film!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We have breakfast again and I try to sleep. I am restless now.
Back in Fitzroy around 11.30am and I add some photos to Facebook, write some blogs and do my washing. Around 4.30pm I start feeling a bit spinny so I have to go to bed and wake up sometime after dusk to be freaked out. I don't recognise the silhouettes in my room and don't know where I am. I know it is not New York but it doesn't look like LA so where am I. I really do freak a bit but try to tell myself this is what I always do, which it is. I go back to sleep and get up when the phone rings. It is 8.30pm.
I add some more photos, check my mail and start to get tired again. At 10.30 I go back to bed and get up in the morning around 7.30am. I feel pretty good. I spend the morning finishing the blogs and my photos and then looking at them continuously. I think they are fantastic shots.
Well, it's time for some serious exercise so I am going to get Billy Blanks Boot Camp up on the screen.
Thanks for reading everyone. I had a fabulous time and it was a dream come true to finally go to the USA, especially New York.
We have breakfast again and I try to sleep. I am restless now.
Back in Fitzroy around 11.30am and I add some photos to Facebook, write some blogs and do my washing. Around 4.30pm I start feeling a bit spinny so I have to go to bed and wake up sometime after dusk to be freaked out. I don't recognise the silhouettes in my room and don't know where I am. I know it is not New York but it doesn't look like LA so where am I. I really do freak a bit but try to tell myself this is what I always do, which it is. I go back to sleep and get up when the phone rings. It is 8.30pm.
I add some more photos, check my mail and start to get tired again. At 10.30 I go back to bed and get up in the morning around 7.30am. I feel pretty good. I spend the morning finishing the blogs and my photos and then looking at them continuously. I think they are fantastic shots.
Well, it's time for some serious exercise so I am going to get Billy Blanks Boot Camp up on the screen.
Thanks for reading everyone. I had a fabulous time and it was a dream come true to finally go to the USA, especially New York.
Monday 6th July
There is no Monday 6th July. We lost it over the Pacific Ocean somewhere never to be recovered.
Sunday 5th July
Checkout isn't until 12pm so there is no rush but I am still up at 8am. I attempt to have a shower but the drain is blocked so move to another one. There is no hot water so I wash my hair in a tepid temperature and curse the hotel. It's like a Fawlty Towers here with blocked toilets, drains, 1 elevator for 15 floors and rude reception staff but it has free internet so I have been able to do my blogs for you. Thankfully it is summer so I will warm up soon after my shower. When I get back to the room I put my watch on and it says 8am. I hit a time warp and wonder what the hell is going on. It's then I remember the room clock is set forward an hour and we didn't change it so I really got up at 7m and didn't have the sleep in I thought I had. It doesn't make much difference as I am a bit hungover. Thought I would slip that one in there! The 2 mornings I have been hungover have been flying days, silly girl!
I go back to Bottega Louie for breakfast and savour my cup of tea and individual banana and marscapone bread. Yum! A man at the next table asks me if I know who the large group of men are nearby. Of course I don't know but looking at this man, I know he knows and is about to tell me. They are a bunch of retired policemen and this is their regular Sunday morning motorcycle ride breakfast. This piece of information gives the man licence to continue talking to me which I don't want. It is early, I am eating breakfast, I am reading - 3 sure signs I do not want to be disturbed. It only takes 1 or 2 words from me before he notices my accent so the obvious questions follow. He goes on to show me the cartoon he drew for todays' paper and I don't understand the gist of his ensuing conversation with it's political tones. I tell him this but it doesn't stop him from continuing. He introduces me to his friend who speaks at a level 2 below that of a whisper so I keep saying "sorry?" which they in turn don't understand as "pardon?" In the end I just nod and say "mm" a lot and I don't care if I seem a bit dumb because it works.
Back at the hotel I continue with my blogs, I am really cracking along with them now and hope you are all reading. Once my photos are up for your viewing pleasure the 2 go hand in hand, mostly. With still another hour before checkout I just put my feet up on the bed and we watch Big Daddy's House. Big Daddy is cooking some meditteranean food and ooh, they look yummy. He is incredibly excited about the dishes too.
As I mentioned earlier there is only 1 elevator working so it's a good 10 minute wait for us to get in with our luggage as we watch 2 men in wheelchairs go up and down!!! There are a lot of wheelchair bound people in this city, quite a number with no legs, it's very noticeable. We take the stairs and store our luggage. We still have 10 hours before take off.
First stop is the Bradbury Building famous for it's cage elevators and stunning architecture. Next is the Walt Disney Centre where we take an audio tour. It's a gorgeous building inside and out, although the designers etc keep referring to it as a warm and inviting place. I don't really feel the warmth but the garden is most definitely inviting. The tour lasts for about an hour and at the end I leave my Disney biography on the bar. This is a book that I found a few months ago. It is registered on www.bookcrossing.com and hopefully it will travel across the world.
Across the road a bit is City Hall, a building so grand and beautiful it is famous for appearing in many films/tv shows.
Starving, I have my hunger pangs set on a famous French Dip Sandwich from Coles around the corner from the hotel. It is basically a meat baguette with au jus. You dip your sandwich into the warm meat juices and it melts in your mouth. Delicious!!!
Last stop is Godiva chocolate store but it is closed. Oh well, I have a small stash already but do buy a few more bars from a shop nearby. I cave in and get a coffee from Louie which I think is going to be pretty good but I am wrong. Should have known better. When I get home I am going to try this no coffee business as the calories in milk are very high and are the major contributor to my battle of the bulge. It is NOT the cakes, alcohol or lack of ab crunches - oh, I know that!!
We don't want to walk around anymore so collect our bags and go to the airport. I buy myself some of my 2nd favourite perfume, J'adore (I know you want to know and why not my 1st favourite? Well I have almost a full bottle of Paris at home). I spy the Godiva chocolates but refrain as they are tres expensive.
We settle in for a 13 hour flight to Auckland and I don't feel like concentrating on much so I watch "I Love You, Man". Dinner is roast beef and vegies and I limit myself to 1 glass of wine, how good am I? Then I watch the classic "In The Heat Of The Night" and sleep afterwards. My sleep is fitful with a sore coccyx and about 5am I give up and watch 2 episodes of CSI, the one where Grissom leaves, for all the fans. Breakfast arrives and I have time for 1 episode of The Simpsons before we land.
I go back to Bottega Louie for breakfast and savour my cup of tea and individual banana and marscapone bread. Yum! A man at the next table asks me if I know who the large group of men are nearby. Of course I don't know but looking at this man, I know he knows and is about to tell me. They are a bunch of retired policemen and this is their regular Sunday morning motorcycle ride breakfast. This piece of information gives the man licence to continue talking to me which I don't want. It is early, I am eating breakfast, I am reading - 3 sure signs I do not want to be disturbed. It only takes 1 or 2 words from me before he notices my accent so the obvious questions follow. He goes on to show me the cartoon he drew for todays' paper and I don't understand the gist of his ensuing conversation with it's political tones. I tell him this but it doesn't stop him from continuing. He introduces me to his friend who speaks at a level 2 below that of a whisper so I keep saying "sorry?" which they in turn don't understand as "pardon?" In the end I just nod and say "mm" a lot and I don't care if I seem a bit dumb because it works.
Back at the hotel I continue with my blogs, I am really cracking along with them now and hope you are all reading. Once my photos are up for your viewing pleasure the 2 go hand in hand, mostly. With still another hour before checkout I just put my feet up on the bed and we watch Big Daddy's House. Big Daddy is cooking some meditteranean food and ooh, they look yummy. He is incredibly excited about the dishes too.
As I mentioned earlier there is only 1 elevator working so it's a good 10 minute wait for us to get in with our luggage as we watch 2 men in wheelchairs go up and down!!! There are a lot of wheelchair bound people in this city, quite a number with no legs, it's very noticeable. We take the stairs and store our luggage. We still have 10 hours before take off.
First stop is the Bradbury Building famous for it's cage elevators and stunning architecture. Next is the Walt Disney Centre where we take an audio tour. It's a gorgeous building inside and out, although the designers etc keep referring to it as a warm and inviting place. I don't really feel the warmth but the garden is most definitely inviting. The tour lasts for about an hour and at the end I leave my Disney biography on the bar. This is a book that I found a few months ago. It is registered on www.bookcrossing.com and hopefully it will travel across the world.
Across the road a bit is City Hall, a building so grand and beautiful it is famous for appearing in many films/tv shows.
Starving, I have my hunger pangs set on a famous French Dip Sandwich from Coles around the corner from the hotel. It is basically a meat baguette with au jus. You dip your sandwich into the warm meat juices and it melts in your mouth. Delicious!!!
Last stop is Godiva chocolate store but it is closed. Oh well, I have a small stash already but do buy a few more bars from a shop nearby. I cave in and get a coffee from Louie which I think is going to be pretty good but I am wrong. Should have known better. When I get home I am going to try this no coffee business as the calories in milk are very high and are the major contributor to my battle of the bulge. It is NOT the cakes, alcohol or lack of ab crunches - oh, I know that!!
We don't want to walk around anymore so collect our bags and go to the airport. I buy myself some of my 2nd favourite perfume, J'adore (I know you want to know and why not my 1st favourite? Well I have almost a full bottle of Paris at home). I spy the Godiva chocolates but refrain as they are tres expensive.
We settle in for a 13 hour flight to Auckland and I don't feel like concentrating on much so I watch "I Love You, Man". Dinner is roast beef and vegies and I limit myself to 1 glass of wine, how good am I? Then I watch the classic "In The Heat Of The Night" and sleep afterwards. My sleep is fitful with a sore coccyx and about 5am I give up and watch 2 episodes of CSI, the one where Grissom leaves, for all the fans. Breakfast arrives and I have time for 1 episode of The Simpsons before we land.
Friday 3rd July
As we are nearing the end of our trip I am slowing down. There isn't a whole lot in LA I want to see which is interesting. Before we left I had every day packed and San Fran was pretty chilled. It's turned out the opposite.
I take the train back to Hollywood and arrive in perfect time for the Kodak Theatre tour. Home of the Oscars, I am pretty excited. I feel pretty special to be here and have a smile on my face the whole time. The theatre is wonderful and if you happen to be NVI(not very important) and get a seat in the top tier at the back, you might as well not be there. But really, who is going to say no to an invitation?
Each year in September a ballot is held to give away 500 bleacher seats on the red carpet. They start the ballot this early as each person is subject to an intense security check. After the stars have entered the building on the night, you are whisked across the street to a venue for a meal and to watch the show. It's all for free!!!!
We are given a special postcard that isn't available to buy anywhere because we couldn't take our own photos. I forget to take a photo of the outside.
Nearby or I find, not so nearby, is the 75 year old Farmer's Market which is like a giant food court. It is so busy but I am displaying incredible patience getting through the crowds and find myself a seat for lunch. Next door is The Grove, an upmarket, beautifully manicured and designed shopping mall. I have a look around but it's not that interesting so I jump on a bus and head back downtown.
Oh what a surpise, I go to Macy's! My discount card is still valid so I really should buy something. The weather makes me think about going to Santa Monica beach for a swim tomorrow so I buy swimmers at 60% off. The trying on phase is not too traumatic, probably because I am trying a suitable style. I throw into my purchase a couple more Godiva chocolate bars. Awesome chocolate and very expensive normally.
My shin is giving me so much pain that I really think I should be on crutches. I wonder how I will manage back at tap class. Time for something to eat and I find that many cafes and restaurants are closed for the holiday weekend so wonder what I am going to do about dinner. I end up at an Irish/American pub where I am asked for ID by a large black man. I say to him "do I need it?" He responds hesitatingly "ahhh, I think not." Good man!
I order pasta with prawns and it is awful. I eat most of it but only because I am hungry. I just want to go home now with some alco-pops and put my feet up. There is nowhere open to buy them. I discover that you need a hard liquor licence to sell spirits whereas you can sell wine and beer at places like 7/11 and the chemist. I settle on some Rolling Rocks. I watch a bit of TV and find a crazy woman hosting an entertainment show with a special on Michael Jackson. I get bored, read for a bit, then sleep.
I take the train back to Hollywood and arrive in perfect time for the Kodak Theatre tour. Home of the Oscars, I am pretty excited. I feel pretty special to be here and have a smile on my face the whole time. The theatre is wonderful and if you happen to be NVI(not very important) and get a seat in the top tier at the back, you might as well not be there. But really, who is going to say no to an invitation?
Each year in September a ballot is held to give away 500 bleacher seats on the red carpet. They start the ballot this early as each person is subject to an intense security check. After the stars have entered the building on the night, you are whisked across the street to a venue for a meal and to watch the show. It's all for free!!!!
We are given a special postcard that isn't available to buy anywhere because we couldn't take our own photos. I forget to take a photo of the outside.
Nearby or I find, not so nearby, is the 75 year old Farmer's Market which is like a giant food court. It is so busy but I am displaying incredible patience getting through the crowds and find myself a seat for lunch. Next door is The Grove, an upmarket, beautifully manicured and designed shopping mall. I have a look around but it's not that interesting so I jump on a bus and head back downtown.
Oh what a surpise, I go to Macy's! My discount card is still valid so I really should buy something. The weather makes me think about going to Santa Monica beach for a swim tomorrow so I buy swimmers at 60% off. The trying on phase is not too traumatic, probably because I am trying a suitable style. I throw into my purchase a couple more Godiva chocolate bars. Awesome chocolate and very expensive normally.
My shin is giving me so much pain that I really think I should be on crutches. I wonder how I will manage back at tap class. Time for something to eat and I find that many cafes and restaurants are closed for the holiday weekend so wonder what I am going to do about dinner. I end up at an Irish/American pub where I am asked for ID by a large black man. I say to him "do I need it?" He responds hesitatingly "ahhh, I think not." Good man!
I order pasta with prawns and it is awful. I eat most of it but only because I am hungry. I just want to go home now with some alco-pops and put my feet up. There is nowhere open to buy them. I discover that you need a hard liquor licence to sell spirits whereas you can sell wine and beer at places like 7/11 and the chemist. I settle on some Rolling Rocks. I watch a bit of TV and find a crazy woman hosting an entertainment show with a special on Michael Jackson. I get bored, read for a bit, then sleep.
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