HOLLYWOOD HIGHLIGHTS

WEATHER: Glorious 24C

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: Getting S CLOSE AS WE COULD TO THE Hollywood sign

BUMMER OF THE DAY: Seeing a Tom Cruise look-a-like when we drove past and not being able to find him when we parked to get a photo

WORD OF THE DAY:  Delta Bravo

The Browns are late rises and this suits me fine.  I haven’t had a sleep in till 9.30-10am for a long long time.  Even though I a staying with people I don’t want to disrupt too much what their normal routine is.  I don’t want to be a pain.  So with an amazing breakfast cooked by Eric we were on our way to check out what Hollywood had to offer.  I have been to LA before, 3 times I think.  But 2 of those trips were famils (work trips) and just focused on Disneyland and the last time was in 2009 when I stopped for 2 nights on my way home from Central America.  LA is a city that is massive, it is spread out and has pockets of places to see, but really not everything can be done on foot, you would need wheels to get around. 

Everywhere you look it is a name or something iconic from a movie or a TV show.  It’s like being in the twilight zone of famous movies.  We first travelled along Mulholland Drive to our first stop.  The fifty five-mile Mulholland Scenic Parkway and Corridor is one of the most famous thoroughfares in the country. Constructed in 1924, twenty four-mile Mulholland Drive in the City of Los Angeles was envisioned by the famous Water Bureau Chief and City Engineer, William D. Mulholland, as a scenic road that would transport city dwellers to the mountains and beaches.  Mulholland Drive is a street and road in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains.  It is named after Los Angeles pioneer civil engineer William Mulholland.   Originally called 'Mulholland Highway' it was opened in 1924. It was built by a consortium of Hollywood Hills landowners investing to make money by bringing development to the Hollywood Hills.  The mostly two-lane, minor arterial road loosely follows the ridgeline of the eastern Santa Monica Mountains and the Hollywood Hills and the road offers spectacular views of the Los Angeles Basin, the San Fernando Valley and the Hollywood Sign.  Mulholland Drive is home to some of the most exclusive and most expensive homes in the world. Many of these homes are set back from the road and offer outstanding views of Downtown Los Angeles. Celebrities such as Jack Nicholson, Paris Hilton, Reese Witherspoon and Vinnie Jones all live nearby.  The views from here were amazing and the ‘June Gloom’ as they call the haze that hangs over the city was starting to burn off. 

Following the Mulholland Scenic Parkway and Corridor we stopped at the Hollywood Bowl Overlook.  The most easterly of the Conservancy's Scenic Overlooks, the Hollywood Bowl Scenic Overlook is situated to provide a beautiful view of the Hollywood Bowl Amphitheater, downtown Los Angeles, and apparently on a clear day, the ocean and Catalina Island, but it was a little too hazy for us to see that today.  To the east, we could see the famous Hollywood Sign and Griffith Park Observatory, where we were going to go after lunch, and to the north the San Fernando Valley. The Overlook was built concurrently with Universal City Overlook in 1984 in preparation for the Summer Olympics.  The Conservancy maintains seven scenic overlooks on Mulholland Drive this being one of them.  It was busy here with open topped tour vans and visitors alike. 

Our next stop was to get as close as we could to the Hollywood sign as you can no longer climb this iconic LA sign.  It was sad to tell Eric that this is one of the most popular things that Australians wanted to see when they were in LA, me included, and with a map from a friend who maps shoot locations we headed into the Hollywoodland neighborhood and started to make our way up the canyon as far as we could, coming to a dead-end of a large property and got my photos.  The Hollywood Sign (formerly the "Hollywoodland" sign) is a landmark and American cultural icon.  It is situated on Mount Lee in the Hollywood Hills area of the Santa Monica Mountains. "HOLLYWOOD" is spelled out in 14 m and 110 m white letters. The sign was a frequent target of pranks and vandalism but has since undergone restoration, including a security system to deter vandalism. The sign is protected and promoted by the Hollywood Sign Trust, a nonprofit organization.  The sign was first erected in 1923 and originally read "HOLLYWOODLAND". Its purpose was to advertise the name of a new housing development in the hills above the Hollywood district of Los Angeles.  The Crescent Sign Company erected thirteen letters on the hillside, each facing south. The sign company owner, Thomas Fisk Goff (1890–1984) designed the sign and the whole sign was studded with some 4,000 light bulbs. The sign would flash in segments; "HOLLY," "WOOD," and "LAND" would light up individually, before lighting up entirely. Below the Hollywoodland sign was a searchlight to attract more attention. The poles that supported the sign were hauled to the site by mules. Cost of the project was $21,000 (about $250,000 in 2011 dollars.)  The sign was officially dedicated on July 13, 1923. It was not intended to be permanent. The expected life was to be about a year and a half, but after the rise of the American cinema in Los Angeles during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the sign became an internationally recognized symbol, and was left there.

In the 1970s, the sign reached its most dilapidated state.  Over the course of more than half a century, the sign, designed to stand for only 18 months, sustained extensive damage and deterioration.  In 1949 the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce began a contract with the City of Los Angeles Parks Department to repair and rebuild the sign. The contract stipulated that "LAND" be removed to spell "Hollywood" and reflect the district, not the "Hollywoodland" housing development. The Parks Department dictated that all subsequent illumination would be at the cost of the Chamber, so the Chamber opted not to replace the light bulbs. The 1949 effort gave it new life, but the sign's unprotected wood and sheet metal structure continued to deteriorate. In 1978, in large part because of the public campaign to restore the landmark by shock rocker Alice Cooper, the Chamber set out to replace the intensely deteriorated sign with a more permanent structure. Nine donors gave US$27,700 each (totaling US$249,300) to sponsor replacement letters made of steel, guaranteed to last for many years.  The new version of the sign was unveiled on Hollywood's 75th anniversary, November 14, 1978, before a live television audience of 60 million people.  We were literally in a residential area of Hollywoodland and it didn’t look like many people come up this way for a view of the sign.  We were lucky. 

After our busy morning we were hungry.  So the guys too me to this cool little deli that had a great hamburger and a great arugula and parmesan cheese salad.  Some of the awesome history behind Little Dom's includes facts that the vintage wooden bar was purchased by owner Warren Ebbink in Pennsylvania and the benches inside are actually railroad booths.  The deli had character and I felt like I was sitting in a movie set somewhere as all the décor seemed like original vintage.  Now that we were fed and watered we headed to the Griffith Observatory. 

The Griffith Observatory sits on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in L.A.'s Griffith Park, it commands a view of the Los Angeles Basin, including downtown Los Angeles to the southeast, Hollywood to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. The observatory with an extensive array of space and science-related displays.  12.20 km2 of land surrounding the observatory was donated to the City of Los Angeles by Colonel Griffith J. Griffith on December 16, 1896. In his will Griffith donated funds to build an observatory, exhibit hall, and planetarium on the donated land. Construction began on June 20, 1933, using a design developed by architect John C. Austin based on preliminary sketches by Russell W. Porter. The observatory and accompanying exhibits were opened to the public on May 14, 1935. In its first five days of operation the observatory logged more than 13,000 visitors. The first exhibit visitors encountered in 1935 was the Foucault pendulum, which was designed to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth. The exhibits also included a twelve-inch (305 mm) Zeiss refracting telescope in the east dome, a triple-beam coelostat (solar telescope) in the west dome, and a thirty-eight foot relief model of the moon's north polar region.  Included in the original design was a planetarium under the large central dome. The first shows covered topics including the Moon, worlds of the solar system, and eclipses.  During World War II the planetarium was used to train pilots in celestial navigation. The planetarium was again used for this purpose in the 1960s to train Apollo program astronauts for the first lunar missions.  The observatory closed in 2002 for renovation and a major expansion of exhibit space. It reopened to the public on November 3, 2006, retaining its art decoexterior. The $93 million renovation, paid largely by a public bond issue, restored the building, as well as replaced the aging planetarium dome. The building was expanded underground, with completely new exhibits, a café, gift shop, and the new Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater.  One wall inside the building is covered with the largest astronomically accurate image ever constructed (152 feet long by 20 feet, called "The Big Picture" (http://bigpicture.caltech.edu), depicting the Virgo Cluster of galaxies; visitors can explore the highly detailed image from within arm's reach or through telescopes 18 m away.  Since the observatory opened in 1935, admission has been free, in accordance with Griffith's will. Tickets for the show Centered in the Universe in the 290-seat Samuel Oschin Planetarium Theater are purchased separately at the box office within the observatory. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.  We spent an hour or so walking around looking at ll the lunar information, reading about the planets, looking at moon rock, weighing ourselves to what we would weigh on each planet and then finally getting to the roof and soaking up the views of Downtown LA, where the ‘June Gloom’ had cleared a little more for a better view. 

Our final and last stop was going to be Hollywood Boulevard where there are a lot of tourist attractions in this area and definitely worth the visit, even though it is SUPER touristy, this is what you expect and want to see in LA.  Home to The Hollywood Walk of Fame which consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood.  The stars are permanent public monuments to achievement in the entertainment industry, bearing the names of a mix of actors, musicians, directors, producers, musical and theatrical groups, fictional characters, and others. The Walk of Fame is administered by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and maintained by the self-financing Hollywood Historic Trust. It is a popular tourist destination, with a reported 10 million visitors in 2003.  The Walk of Fame runs 2.1 km east to west on Hollywood Boulevard and as of March 20, 2012 the Walk consists of 2,466 stars. These are spaced 1.8 m intervals, each consisting of a coral-pink terrazzo five-point star rimmed with brass inlaid into a charcoal-colored terrazzo background. In the upper portion of the pink star field, the name of the honoree is inlaid in brass block letters. Below the inscription, in the lower half of the star field, a round inlaid brass emblem indicates the category of the honoree's contributions.

Of all the stars on the Walk to date, 47% have been awarded in the motion pictures category, 24% in television, 17% in audio recording, 10% in radio, and less than 2% in the live performance category. An average of twenty new stars are added to the Walk each year.  The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce credits E. M. Stuart, its volunteer president in 1953, with the original idea for creating a Walk of Fame. Stuart proposed the Walk as a means to "maintain the glory of a community whose name means glamour and excitement in the four corners of the world."  By 1955, the basic concept and general design had been agreed upon, and plans were submitted to the Los Angeles City Council.  By March 1956 the final design and coral-and-charcoal color scheme had been approved, and between the spring of 1956 and the fall of 1957, 1,558 honorees were selected by committees representing the four major branches of the entertainment industry at that time: motion pictures, television, audio recording, and radio. A requirement stipulated by the original audio recording committee (and later rescinded) specified minimum sales of one million records or 250,000 albums for all music category nominees. The committee soon realized, however, that many important recording artists would be excluded from the Walk by that requirement. As a result, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences was formed for the purpose of creating a separate award system for the music business. The first Grammy Awards were presented in Beverly Hills in 1959.   While Joanne Woodward is often singled out as the first to receive a star on the Walk of Fame, in fact there was no "first" recipient; the original stars were installed as a continuous project, with no individual ceremonies. Woodward's name was, however, one of eight drawn at random from the original 1,550 and inscribed on eight "display" stars that were built while litigation was still holding up permanent construction.  The Joanne Woodward legend may have originated, according to one source, because she was the first to pose with her star for photographers.

Radio personality, television producer, honorary mayor of Hollywood, and Chamber member Johnny Grant (1923–2008) is generally credited with implementing the changes that resuscitated the Walk and established it as a significant tourist attraction. Beginning in 1968 he stimulated publicity and encouraged international press coverage by requiring that each recipient personally attend his or her star's unveiling ceremony. Grant later recalled that "it was tough to get people to come accept a star on the Walk of Fame" until the neighborhood finally began its recovery in the 1980s. Grant also instituted a fee of $2,500 (now $30,000) payable by the person or entity nominating the recipient, to fund the Walk of Fame's upkeep and minimize further taxpayer burden. In 1978, in honor of his 50th anniversary, Mickey Mouse became the first animated character to receive a star. Other animated recipients are Bugs Bunny, Donald Duck, Woody Woodpecker, Snow White, Tinker Bell, Winnie-the-Pooh, Shrek, Rugrats, and the Simpsons.

Four of the stars, which weigh about 136 kg each, have been stolen from the Walk of Fame. In 2000, James Stewart's and Kirk Douglas's stars disappeared from their locations.  One of Gene Autry's five stars (it is not clear which one) was also stolen from a construction area. Johnny Grant later received an anonymous phone tip that the missing star was in Iowa, but it was never found. The most brazen and ambitious theft occurred in 2005, when thieves used a concrete saw to remove Gregory Peck's star from its Hollywood Boulevard site. The star was replaced almost immediately, but the original was never recovered and the perpetrators never caught.  Random acts of vandalism occur on the Walk on a regular basis, ranging from profanity and political statements written on stars with felt-tip markers to attempted removal of brass emblems with chisels. Closed circuit surveillance cameras have been installed on the stretch of Hollywood Boulevard in an effort to discourage mischievous activities.

Each year, an average of 200 nominations are submitted to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Walk of Fame Selection Committee. Anyone, including fans, can nominate anyone active in the field of entertainment; as long as the nominee or his or her management is in agreement with the nomination (a letter of agreement from the nominated celebrity or representative must accompany the application). Nominees must have a minimum of five years' experience in the category for which they are nominated and a history of "charitable contributions". Posthumous nominees must have been deceased at least five years. At a meeting each June, the committee selects approximately 20 celebrities to receive stars on the Walk of Fame during the following year. One posthumous award is given each year as well. The nominations of those not selected are "rolled over" to the following year for reconsideration; those not selected two years in a row are dropped, and must be re-nominated to receive further consideration. Living recipients must agree to personally attend a presentation ceremony within five years of selection. A relative of deceased recipients must attend posthumous presentations. Presentation ceremonies are open to the public.   A fee (currently $30,000), payable at time of selection, is collected to pay for the creation and installation of the star, as well as general maintenance of the Walk of Fame. The fee is usually paid by the nominating organization, which may be a fan club, or a film studio, record company, broadcaster, or other sponsor involved with the prospective honoree. 

Also located on Hollywood Boulevard is Grauman's Chinese Theatre.  It is a movie theater at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood.  The theatre was commissioned following the success of the nearby Grauman's Egyptian Theatre which opened in 1922. Built over 18 months, from January 1926 by a partnership headed by Sid Grauman, the theater opened May 18, 1927, with the premiere of Cecil B. DeMille's film The King of Kings. It has since been home to many premieres - including the 1977 launch of George Lucas's Star Wars - birthday parties, corporate junkets and three Academy Awards ceremonies. Among the theater's most distinctive features are the concrete blocks set in the forecourt, which bear the signatures, footprints, and handprints of popular motion picture personalities from the 1920s to the present day.  There are many stories regarding the origins of the footprints. The theater's official account in its books and souvenir programs credit Norma Talmadge as having inspired the tradition when she accidentally stepped into the wet concrete.   There are nearly 200 Hollywood celebrity handprints, footprints, and autographs in the concrete of the theater's forecourt.

It was a busy part of town.  ‘Famous’ people to be seen included Storm Trooper, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Priestley, Cat Woman, Superman to name a few and I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to get my picture taken with Elmo.  I asked for a photo and was told as we looped arm that he works on tips which I had already put 2USD in my pocket for the photo.  They have a tough gig, you see people get their photos taken and don’t tip at all, but I am sure they must make some form of money for them to keep doing it.  When we were driving past the Walk to get to the car park we saw a Tom Cruise but when we got to the walk he was gone.  Now I would have paid 5 bucks for that photo, he looked pretty authentic.  Instead we Googled where to find his star and walked the whole block and couldn’t find it.  We didn’t think to look across the road on the other sidewalk until our second pass and found nothing, crossed the street and found Tom in all his glory and a photo with him, well the star, which will be the closest I will ever get to the man himself.

So this rounded off a great first day in LA.  I am so lucky to have Eric and Christine showing me the sights including where movies have been set, movie tid bits and where the stars used to or do live.  It is like I am on an insider’s tour of LA.

That peeps was the Highlights of Hollywood.   

MY LAST STOP ON MY WORLD ODYSSEY-LOS ANGELES

WEATHER: Vegas was a warm 39C and Los Angeles was a beautiful 24C

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: Seeing my Browns again

BUMMER OF THE DAY: Saying goodbye to my McElhinny’s

DISTANCE TRAVELLED: 424km

I say goodbye to Miss Tippett, the McElhinny boys and Las Vegas today.  This week has gone so quick and I now find myself looking at my last week ahead on my Odyssey. It is quite ironic that I started my trip 15 months ago travelling on the Trans Mongolian where I met a couple from LA, The Browns, and we just clicked from day 1.  They were the first people I said that I would come and see the following year on my way home as I knew that I would be coming through the US, that much I did know, and now I find myself heading to them today as my last stop. 

I was up at 6.30am as I hadn’t packed yet.  This is the first flight I have had in a long time that was an afternoon flight at 4.10pm.  It felt a little strange packing in the morning of the day I was leaving as I always like to do it the night before, but I had plenty of time this morning and got it all done before Tippy left for work leaving me in charge of the kids-look out Aunty Bernie was on the case.  I didn’t buy anything in Vegas, so I didn’t need to worry about things fitting back in; I just had to keep an eye on the weight of the big backpack.  I wanted to get some Vegas rays one last time, so I was poolside by 9.45am.  Luke and Jake followed me out 30 minutes later and this is where I spent the last 1.5 hours playing with the kids in the pool.  I’m going to miss the ankle biters aka little people.  I have promised them I will send some Tim Tams and Mint Slices to them when I get back to OZ and I will be true to my word.

Tips got home at 12 and then we piled my entire luggage and the kids into the car and we were on our way to have lunch with some football moms before taking me to the airport.  It was interesting to get an inside look into the lives of soccer moms and the trials and tribulations of coaches, other mom and dads and the new team selections.  I guess there is no getting away from the politics of sports no matter what age or level.  It was nice when it was time to leave that the moms said they would pay for our lunches as a farewell and good luck to us both and after I tried to give them cash they would have nothing of it.  I have only met nice and generous people while I have been here and it is nice to know that these people still exist in the world.  I found some people on my trips that would be chasing that dollar change or the better exchange rate for the extra 3 dollars, sometimes it is just not worth the hassle and here people are in Vegas giving us free meals, free cocktails, free show tickets and free lunches. I am extremely lucky, that is all that I can say.

Luke and Jake stayed with the soccer moms and their kids to hang for the afternoon, so with hugs and kisses goodbye from those 2 it was time to head to the airport.  The goodbyes don’t get any easier as my stops go on and if anything it gets harder.  I can’t imagine what I will be like when I leave Australia in August saying goodbye to my god-daughters and Shelly again.  It won’t be too bad as I know I will be back at the end of November but even so good-byes still suck. So with BIG bear hugs from Tips and Nick, it was time to for me to leave.  Sometimes it can take a trip like this to make you realize what a great friendship you have with people and to be able to rekindle that again is a real joy and I hope that we can keep in touch more now that we have caught up on the last 2 years of our lives.  21 years of being friends with Miss Tippett is a credit to us both, as everyone knows sometimes life can just pass you by, but with a little effort and a catch up every few years is all we need to keep it nurtured.  I am proud to have Miss Tippet aka Tips aka Tarsh aka Mrs McElhinny as my friend and look forward to a trip to Oklahoma in the next year or two.  We both have exciting new ventures to head to with my arrival back home and then my move to Ethiopia and her family moving to another state in a few weeks’ time I have a feeling we may be sending each other messages more than we think we are going to as we adjust to our new lives.  Love ya McElhinnys and thank-you so much for opening your home and your family for my visit.

Thank goodness this is my last domestic flight in the US.  Their airports are really quite stressful to go through, with the self-check-in process, the Nazi’s on the check-in counters and then the security measures.  You think I would be used to it by now but for some reason it just takes longer and they are so much more thorough and just ‘mean’ looking.  I guess if you process hundreds of people every day which 90% of them are jackasses, I probably wouldn’t be too happy either.  I proceeded to the self-check-in counter to get my boarding pass and United ask how many bags you have and also you pay at this stage as well.  As I had purchased a cheap arse ticket I had no free bag allowance and again paid my 60USD to get them to LA.  This is the last time I will have to pay for my baggage as I will then be back to my international ticket for my flight home in 7 days where I am back to having 2 free pieces of luggage.  The sweat out was now how heavy my big back was going to be and I was hoping if I was over, since I had paid for my bag, they would go lightly on me as I had paid for the checked bag…but would they?  Maybe they really wouldn’t care and be happy to double dip me and get more money.  Well I didn’t have to worry as my big backpack was 20.1kg and my other checked in bag was 13.2kg.  I would hate to think what my rolly bag would weigh, but it would have to be over 10kg, plus my handbag and my Frank Lloyd Wright glass picture I am now carrying around 45-50kg of luggage- wowzers…. Imagine carrying that for my whole trip?

McCarran International Airport is ranked 22nd in the world for passenger traffic, with 39,757,359 passengers passing through the terminal and is ranked 9th in the world for aircraft movements with 505,591 takeoffs and landings.  It is a busy airport and security was a shambles.  There were so many people passing through and they only had a few screening stations open.  The lines were all skewed, there were hundreds of us and it was just a mess.  I made it finally to the front of the line and for the first time all trip my Ethiopian bangles were an issue.  I beeped through the x-ray machine as I always do, but this time they weren’t going to just wave me through like all other airports have on the last 20 odd flights.  They did ask if I could take them off which I can’t as they are bent onto my arm, so a female officer was called.  As we waited for her, the male officer told me next time I should go through the standing machine scanner and this is the only time I have talked back to these guys when I said it is a shambles on the other side, and even if I was aiming for the standing machine I would have been hard pressed to get it and with a shrug from him the female officer arrived and I went through what was the most vigorous body search ever.  I was told not to touch anyone or anything and we had to get all my stuff off the security belt to a section at the end of the belt.  So I wasn’t supposed to help and the lady who had the job of frisking me dropped my Frank Lloyd Wright glass picture as she tried to juggle all my crap.  I was alarmed to say the least, but she was so apologetic and told me she would check it after she had rubbed her hands all over me.  She had to tell me exactly what she would be doing, running her hand over and under my boobs, up and down my legs, on the inside of my pants I was wearing (front and back), the soles of my feet etc.  I was offered to go into a room, but I declined and just wanted to get it done…..   To finish it all off I got swabbed for drugs and was finally allowed on my way.  We checked my picture and it all looked okay, she really was apologetic and I am not sure what she would have done had it been broken, but she was just doing her job, so I told her no harm done and with a wave I was on my way.

McCarran has added a new terminal since I was last here and I had to catch a train to my departure gate, which is just as well as it was at least an eight minute ride to get there.  It has more than 1,234 slot machines throughout the airport terminals and also has 251 gambling machines both airside and landside. I thought for a mini second to pop in a quarter but didn’t and continued on to my gate.  When I got to my gate United were making announcements that the flight was 12 seats over sold and they were asking for volunteers to stay an extra night in Las Vegas, with a night’s accommodation, meal vouchers and a 150USD credit.  Needless to say there were no takers, not a single one that walked up to the counter.  This is the first time I have heard an oversold announcement.  I had Eric coming to get me, so it wasn’t even an option for me.  The departure lounge filled and then another announcement was made that they were upping the ante and they had found a flight with seats an hour later on an American Airlines and they were offering people 300USD to change to that.  Well that got people out of their seats and there was a line-up of over 20 people ready to take up that offer.  Even if I wanted to a 300USD credit was probably useless to me as I am not sure when I would be back to the States and it wasn’t transferable.  So I just watched the people as one by one they got new boarding passes and made their way to their new departure gate.  I was in section 7 boarding, the last one to be called, when United made another announcement that if people had rolly bags they wanted to check at the air-bridge they would take peoples bags for free.  Being in the last boarding section I was guessing that there wouldn’t be a lot of room left for my bag as it was a full flight, so I walked up to ask about it thinking that it was going to go valet like my Ottawa flights but he said that it goes as checked luggage (I had stuff that was breakable and stuff I didn’t want to lose) so with his advice that there would be room, I kept my bag and waited patiently for my section to be called, and with my handbag, my glass picture and rolly bag just hoped there would be space left.  We were 20 minutes late in boarding when they finally started to call the sections from 1-7.  There were 3 people in front of me that had 2 bags each and they were seated in the row 28, the row after me, as I had peeked at their boarding passes.  They were obviously as worried as I was about available space because as soon as we walked on the flight they started to put their bags in any available overhead space starting at row 5 and the people who were belted in had complainy faces on even though their row was full and all their bags were stored.  I can see it was a bit ballsy but what harm is it doing them and it would hopefully give me room when we finally made it to our row.  So with 3 of their bags in row 5, 11 and 20 there were two obvious spots that I could see at our rows with 4 bags to go in, so while they farted around I moved like lightening and slipped my rolly bag into one of the free spaces and took my seat.  They had to fluff around depositing their bags in row 29 and 30 and then we were finally all seated.  The next best thing to having an empty seat next to you is being seated next to a child, and this was my only positive for the whole day so far, that and getting my bag into the overheads.  I do hate that part of travelling, the bag fiasco, but I got there and for some reason this flight took for-ever to board.  Americans are the worst plane borders that is for sure.   

We pulled out from the gate and then sat there for another 20 minutes as apparently we had to be weighed before we could taxi off and then finally we were on our way.  Talk about a right old rig ma role for a 44 minute flight.  The aircraft was a 737-800 with a seating configuration of 3x3.  The view we had as we flew the 424km was desert, valleys and mountains.  It was quite a scenic flight and I took a lot of photos (as I always do) and this is really the last flight I will be able to do so.  My flight from LA to Brisbane is a night service arriving in at 6.30am, so there really won’t be too much for me to take photos of at night.  As the flight was so short there wasn’t even a drink trolley to come through, but the hostee’s did walk down with some trays of water for us and before you knew it we were starting our descent in to LA.  The last of the view was the urban sprawl they call LA and it stretched as far as the eye could see, the flatness and the grid looking of the city just making it quite clear just how massive the city Los Angeles really is.

We ended up arriving 20 minutes late and as soon as we started our taxi I texted Eric and filled him on where I was at.  Along with everyone else who has come to collect me from the airport I have told them not to park the car and to just drive by and pick me up so we don’t have to pay the exuberant airport parking fees.  I arrived into terminal 7 and it all looked quite new as I found my way to the baggage carousel.  We only had to wait around 15 minutes for the bags to start arriving and my 2 were one of the first ones to come out, so with a text to Eric that I was ready, I went outside to wait for my ride.  After another text asking what Eric was driving, and then another to tell him I was under the United sign, to send another one when he missed me on his first pass, we finally got it right and I got a massively big bear hug and a welcome to California smile.  It’s good to see my Brown’s.  Well Eric so far, Christine had just wrapped a shoot and was at home waiting for my arrival.     

LA traffic is busy.  All the time.  24 hours a day with just a few pockets of relief between certain times of the day.  Unfortunately we were not in one of those pockets and it took us just over an hour to get to the Browns who have a house in Hollywood.  How fancy and romantic to say I’m staying in Hollywood for the next week.  My timing fitting into the Browns schedule has been exceptional as they both work crazy hours in the advertising industry, but as luck would have it Eric is off to Canne next week for the film festival and Christine just finished a massive shoot and gets to have tomorrow off and then will be in town at least for Monday-Wednesday next week.  I know how precious their time is and makes this visit that much more special to me.  Their home in Hollywood is beautiful and straight out of a House and Home magazine.  I am so lucky to be here AND with Eric cooking us dinner of steak and salad, this is a magnificent way for me to finish off my world odyssey in great company and a little style.

Welcome to Los Angeles and the state of California   

            

HUMAN NATURE ROCK LAS VEGAS

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: Getting my photo with the band AND TOBY!!!!

WORD OF THE DAY:  HUMAN NATURE ROCKS

We were off to see the Human Nature Concert tonight and we were able to get the boys tickets as well.  The first question they had was ‘what type of music do they sing’?  Now these kids are all over the top 40 songs, they know the words, the song names and the artist.  The radio station here that we listen to play them over and over again, there really isn’t too much variation in playing of songs on the station, and we could hear the same song up to 4-6 times a day.  No wonder the kids know them so well and it is just as well that all the current songs are goodies.  So without seeming old I had to tell them they were ‘old’ songs without putting them off and I knew/hoped that Jake would enjoy it with all the dancing that is part of their show.  Not sure how won over they were, but tough, as they were coming with us anyway.  I just hope my enthusiasm would wear off on them.  We did talk about staying in a hotel for the night tonight and seeing the Freemont Experience and the staying Downtown rather than the strip, but the prices weren’t too favorable, the boys were being monsters and Tippy had an early work start so we decided to just see the show and then come home afterwards.

I was so excited.  Tarsh knows the Manager of Human Nature.  Not a behind the scenes guy, not someone who works at the show, this is the guy that bought them to Las Vegas.  The chances of me meeting them, worse case a photo with them was quite high and I was like a child being led to the candy store.  I have seen Human Nature 3 previous times, all in Brisbane over a 3 year period.  Shelly and I just love the group, love their music and we LOVE Toby Allen.  We aren’t groupies as such; we don’t want to get into bed with any of them we are just big fans.  We parked for free in the Imperial Palace car park and made our way into the bowels of the hotel.  It was quite busy, so we all made sure we all held some-ones hands, as I guess it wouldn’t look good if we lost a child in a strip hotel.  We found the Human Nature Theatre (yes their own theatre) on the 3^rd floor where we were also to pick up the tickets for the evening.  The theatre was open, so we headed in to find our seats and get ready for the performance.  Tarsh’s friend, David, came up and said hello and stayed for a chat for a while before he had to head to the sound booth for the evening which was directly behind us.

Our seats were amazing.  The theatre was set up with tables that ran vertical to the stage.  There was the lower floor level where the tabled sat around 14 people, there were booths directly below us, we were on the second tier and right on the edge of a table of 14, there were booths behind us and then a third tier.  As we were higher than the floor we had an unobstructed view of the stage and I think the best seats in the house.  I rekon they were even better than the ones who were right next to the stage as they would have had to have cricked their necks all night.  We really couldn’t have had better seats.  I was so excited and couldn’t wait for the show to start.  We ordered a cocktail each and the waitress was nice enough to bring the boys a red soda each and then the show began.

The show was pretty much exactly the same show that I saw in Brisbane a few years ago.  I wasn’t sure if they would modify it for the American market, but there certainly was not an issue for me.  They still had all the same enthusiasm, moves and good looks just as I remembered.  The best thing was that we were allowed to take photos all we liked we just weren’t allowed to use flash photography during the show.  Well no one needs to tell me that twice right.  So all through the show I could take guilt free photos to my heart’s content.  They even used the tables on the ground level as their stage and would step onto them like a catwalk, and people would have to pick up there drinks as each of the 4 members sashayed their way up and down.  When they first did walked the tables I’m not sure the people sitting there knew what to do and they left their glasses on the tables and Mike accidently knocked her drink over when he turned around.  I mean really, wouldn’t you just pick up the glass for goodness sakes.  This also put them in prime view and seriously they were only like 2m away from us.  It was a shame that Toby was on the far table to the left, but we got great views of Andrew and Mike and I think I may have become a bit of an Andrew fan as well now.

Human Nature are an Australian pop vocal group. The group was originally formed as adoo-wop band in 1989 while the current members were at school together in Sydney. So far, the band has had 17 Top 40 hits and five Top 10 hits in Australia since 1996 when their first album Telling Everybody was released. Three of Human Nature's albums have reached multi-platinum certification in Australia with four others reaching platinum. The group has certified sales of 1.6 million records in Australia. They have also had minor chart success in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

Brothers Andrew and Michael Tierney joined with Toby Allen and Phil Burton while at Hurlstone Agricultural High School- representing their school in a combined regional schools concert at the Bankstown Town Hall on 27 November 1989. The quartet was known as The 4 Trax, a name that they retained until they began their recording career. Before being in Human Nature, Toby Allen worked as a perfume salesman while studying to be an accountant, Andrew Tierney was studying to be a physical therapist; Phil Burton was studying to be a music teacher and once stacked beer for a living. The youngest member of the band Michael Tierney was studying for his Higher School Certificate in high school.  After an initial stint as buskers and wins in a number of club talent quests, The 4 Trax started performing professionally in clubs and built up a following winning- several awards as club entertainers. They started sending demos off to record labels. The band was signed to Sony Music Australia after walking into the office of Sony CEO, Denis Handlin, and performing an a cappella version of "People Get Ready". A recording contract was offered immediately. The band changed their name to Human Nature at a suggestion from Michael Tierney.

The group also helped build their reputation by working as support acts for Michael Jackson and Céline Dion on their respective Australian tours.  The band teamed up with John Farnham for "Every Time You Cry" which was one of the biggest hits of 1997, and due to the success of the previous tours, were asked personally by both Celine Dion and Michael Jackson to continue to support them throughout their European tours in June–September 1997. The band played to crowds often numbering over 100,000 people, and also took the stage for three nights at Wembley Stadium. Upon their return to Australia in October Human Nature embarked on their first ever national concert tour.

For their fifth studio album, Human Nature decided to release an album of Motown covers, Reach Out: The Motown Record, on 6 November 2005. It peaked at number one on the Australian charts and has reached 5 times platinum, with sale of over 350,000. On 29 October 2006, Human Nature won their first ARIA - highest selling album - after 15 nominations.  With Reach Out being such a success, the quartet decided their sixth studio album would be along similar lines. Dancing In The Street: The Songs Of Motown II was released on 13 October 2006, and debuted at number one.  Mid-2007 saw Human Nature return to Australian arena stages with the Dancing In The Street Arena Tour.  The 24 November 2007 saw Human Nature hit No.1 on the ARIA Australian Albums Chart with Get Ready, the third Motown-themed album, which this time featured appearances by several original Motown artists including Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, Mary Wilson of The Supremes and The Temptations.  All three Motown albums have now sold close to a million copies in Australia. Human Nature's total album sales in Australia number almost two million.

At the start of 2008, Human Nature headed over to perform for the first ever time in the United States, with a two-month engagement at Atlantic City's Tropicana Casino. In April 2008, Human Nature took the stage with The Supremes' Mary Wilson on the television show It Takes Two. They performed two duets from their Get Ready album: "It Takes Two" and "River Deep, Mountain High".  In May 2009, Human Nature began a year-long engagement in Las Vegas at the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino, performing 6 nights a week. They are the first Australian band to have a residency on the strip. The group made a brief return to Australia in December 2009 to perform a "homecoming" show with Smokey Robinson at the Wyndham Estate winery in the NSW Hunter Valley wine region.  On 11 May 2010, Human Nature announced that the Imperial Palace had signed them for a further two years, and had also given the group the honor of renaming the Imperial Palace Showroom after them. They currently perform six nights a week in the "Human Nature Theatre". The mayor of Las Vegas, Oscar Goodman, decreed that 11 May 2010 would be known as "Human Nature Day".

Human Nature finished their first concert tour of the U.S. on May 6, 2012. The group performed to a sold out crowd at New York City's Beacon Theatre. As of May 14, 2012, the group has resumed their residency at the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas, NV.  The band consists of: Andrew Tierney, Michael Tierney, Toby Allen and Phil Burton and is the same lineup that performed as the 4Trax in 1989.

The guys really don’t stop dancing the whole time they are in stage and there was even a few points of crowd participation with dance moves and Jake and Luke were up in a flash, but it was a little too cool for school for our 12 year old Nick.  The show wrapped up 90 minutes later at 9pm and I was getting a little nervous on whether we had to ask David if we could meet them when they made an announcement that they would be outside the theater to sign programs and selling their latest album.  This was AWESOME and I was so nervous!!!  As we were waiting for the theatre to clear out one of the usher ladies tapped me on the shoulder and said that the drummer guy would like to give the boys a set each of drum sticks that was used during the show and asked if we could wait a few minutes until he came out.  How nice is that, so we waited for a few minutes and the piano man came out with only 2 sets of sticks, not realizing that Nick was hiding behind Tippy the whole night and not dancing they had only seen the 2 smaller boys.  So he ran back stage and got another set which was extra super nice and then I was hurrying everyone out so we didn’t miss the boys.  Human Nature were standing behind a glass counter that had all sorts of Human Nature stuff tucked in there and I joined the line to get my ticket signed by them.  But when I got to the queue I felt a little scabby asking them to sign my ticket, so when I got to the top of the queue Phil was the first member up, so I bought 2 programs (they were only 10USD each) and I got one dedicated to Shelly, Phil signed it and then passed it down to Andrew, then to Mike and lastly Toby.  In the meantime I also asked for a photo with them which they were very obliging but I wasn’t allowed to stand behind the cabinet with them, I had to stand in front and then they all lent for the shot that Tippy took.  Not sure what the big deal is about them staying behind the glass cabinet, but I guess it must be for a reason.  As I waited for my second programe to come down the line for me, I was lucky that Toby was the last member on the line and asked for a picture with him on his own and he was more than happy to say yes.  They also signed the drum sticks that the boys had been given which was groovy and all of us, including Nick, left the show with smiles from ear to ear. 

The show was as good as I had hoped, Tippy thought it was amazing and Jake and Luke also had a ball.  Nick I think may have secretly thought it was okay, but didn’t want to seem like he was having fun.  You know how kids can be at the age of 12.  I would see that show over and over again, they really are true entertainers and definitely taking the time to see the show if you get a chance.  Vegas was a little bit different in regards to it was a more personal venue being in a smaller theater and it felt like they were only playing for you. It was a great atmosphere and as usual they were very engaging with the crowd.  It made me proud to call them Australians and the Americans seemed to love them as well.  

Jake and Luke were still singing 2 of the songs the next day and Jakey and I were busting the moves from one of the sings that they got us to participate in, so this was nice that they were still thinking about the show the next day.  My work here is done and the band now have 2 move fans to the fan club!!! And for me, to walk away with a photo with the group and a photo with Toby is a major Odyssey Highlight, like up in the top 10 and I still smile now thinking of just how nervous I was to be standing in that queue, what a buzz and Shelly was the first person I text and the pictures were loaded straight into Facebook when I got home. 

HUMAN NATURE ROCKED LAS VEGAS

LIVIN LA VIDA LAS VEGAS FOR THE WEEK

WEATHER: Desert hot the whole week min day was 32.5C and max day was 39C

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK: Working on my tan each day-that is vacation and I also have to 

mention the HUMAN NATURE show we saw on the strip and my photo with them-HIGHLIGHT OF HIGHLIGHTS

BUMMER OF THE WEEK: It’s gone far too quick

WORD OF THE WEEK: Take that biatches……

This is the forth time I have been to Las Vegas.  My first time was on a famil (work trip) in 2002, the second time was for my honeymoon in 2004 and the third time was in 2010 with my ex-sister in law.  So the party scene has been done, I have been into most, if not all of the Strip hotels, I have visited the Grand Canyon, The Valley of Fire, seen a few shows and had a flutter, only once to say that I did it.  This trip to Vegas was to visit a long-time friend Tippy and her family for a week.  I have been so busy the last 4 weeks, it was nice to have some ‘family’ time in Las Vegas and not feel guilty that I am not out and about sightseeing as I have done a lot of it here already.  Guilt free travel days are the BOMB.  Tippy and I used to play squash together for the same club (her families courts) in Brisbane and we trained together in the Australian Institute of Sport for a few years in the 1990’s.  She was, and still is, one of my best friends and when we are together it is like we are 17 again and time has just stood still.  We have always been like that, years can, and do pass before we see each other again but when we do we are those 2 girls back in Brisbane with hopes and dreams and 21 years on we still have those same hopes and dreams.  They maybe a little varied now, but I guess some things don’t change, except she now has 3 energetic boys and a husband.  Me?  Well I am on my 440ish days of travel, husband-less, home-less, job-less and car-less, but the happiest I have been in my entire life.  And why not, I have a wonderful boyfriend, a move to Africa and a new start for me at the age of 37, and of course a week with my mate Tips.  Maybe 37 is the new 21……..  I bought a gift for the boys while I was in Easter Island.  They are Polynesian looking necklaces with a bone symbol on a leather chain and it looked like they really liked them.  They have been wearing them all week which is a buzz for me that they weren’t just being nice and still like them a week later.

The boys finished school for the summer on Thursday with a half day of school and it was nice to be here to see them say goodbye to all their friends.  It isn’t just for the summer, the McElhinny Family are moving to Oklahoma in a few weeks’ time so they are finding it a little tough trying to comprehend that.  I am glad to help Tips with that and also the boys, they really can be a loving handful-and I mean that in the nicest possible way.  After meeting some of the mothers the day before I was like an old friend already.  It was cool to see the kid’s burn off some energy and not letting the 35C heat put them off.  It is a dry heat but it is hot all the same.  We decided to hit the Country Club that afternoon and use their pool facilities and let the kids run wild with an ulterior motive of the adults getting some hot Nevada sun.  Just to top off our busy afternoon we had a daiquiri to try and combat the burning hot sun.  Ahhhhhh this is vacation time.  Don’t get me wrong, I am a tourist through and through, but it is also nice to have some down time.  Tan baby tan. 

Living with 3 energetic boys for a week can be a challenge, one that I am happy to take on and help where I can.  I see it as pre-training for my return to 7 weeks with my beautiful God-daughters and all their nieces and nephews.  Tippy needs an award for what her little guys put her through daily and any mother in fact, with multiple children I can tell you are not given enough credit.  They are little devils with angelic faces, don’t be fooled and NEVER look them directly in the eyes, their cute-ness will win you over every time.  So how have we been spending our days now that the boys are on ‘vacation’ as they say here.  Well the other thing Vegas is known for besides the strip is their amazing desert weather.  It is a dry heat and the temperatures have been in the low 100’s, which to us metric people is 38C with the sun high in the sky and not a cloud to be seen it is perfect tanning weather.  I didn’t even get this type of weather when I was in Barbados and it is another thing that Tippy and I have in common, our love for the sun and working on our tans when we can.  We are sunshine babies that is for sure and this is what we have worked into our busy daily routine.  We have been to the club pool, where the kids have more things to keep them entertained, but we have used the home pool more, so the kids can come and go as they please in and out of the pool.  With drinks in our hands, music from the house we catch around 3 hours each day.  Is there a point where some-one can be too brown?  I sometimes look at people and think they are too brown, but myself, I always think I can use some more sun.  Maybe I have a sunorexia, when I look in the mirror I don’t think I look as brown as I actually am.  It always takes some-one who’s not as tan for it to actually make me think I maybe browner than I am.  I’m just getting some final rays before getting back home to Brisbane and into a winter there where everyone will be white and I will be BROWN.  The sun is so hot here that the arms of the sun lounge are too hot to touch.  I have found as the days go on I am sitting in the pool with my book rather than sitting in the lounge chairs as the heat is so, well hot…… To over compensate the pool water is so cold, but once you are in you get used to it, but with your body temperature so high I guess getting into a cooler body of water would seem colder than what it really is. 

It is great to spend time with the boys.  Nick is the oldest and the computer/tech wiz of the family.  Next is Luke and he is the sportsman of the family and then little Jake is the baby and he is the singing/drama kid.  He definitely has a career as an actor and he actually sings quite well.  Zoe is the same age as Jake, so it has given me an idea on what she will be like in regards to talking and comprehension.  They really are mini adults at this stage and just listen to everything you say.  And I thought I had to watch what I said 2 years ago.  I really would like to see the guys in Oklahoma next year and it will be interesting to see how they develop over the next 12 months.    

Since Tippy is leaving Vegas in a few weeks’ time, she has decided to pull in a few favors that have been offered over the years and that she has never had a chance or time to use them.  She knows of my LOVE for Human Nature who is still performing at the Imperial Palace and knows some-one that works with the show.  So after a few messages we are booked in for Sunday night and I might, just might, even get a chance to meet the guys as well.  OMG that would be insane.  I have already text Shelly and told, okay bragged, about it all and I really hope that I can get something signed from them if nothing else.  What a great opportunity.  We got tickets for the kids as well and I hope they enjoy the show as much as I did and a chance to get onto the Strip just once while I am here. 

We left our family ‘bubble’ on Saturday night for a trip to the Sugar Factory, located in Paris, where Tips knows the General Manager.  We had messaged him in the morning to see if it would be okay for us to come in and Perry said it would be great to see the boys and meet me.  We didn’t have a problem finding a park on the strip which surprised me.  Each hotel offers free self-parking they call it and you don’t have to spend a cent which also surprised me.  The Sugar Factory is a The Sugar Factory flagship retail location is a sweet-lovers’ dream filled with 6,000 square-feet of delectable treats, scrumptious chocolates, and an incredible array of candy-inspired apparel and novelty items, with Sugar Factory's signature Couture Pops taking center stage.  The shop also offers signature sundaes, milkshakes, cupcakes, gelatos, ice creams, and café treats. Sugar Factory American Brasserie takes guests on a breathtaking, visually-inspiring journey from beginning to end.  The 30,000 square-foot space in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip offers one-of-a-kind culinary experiences in our expansive dining room, flagship Sugar Factory retail store, decadent Chocolate Lounge and more as it serves up delicious cuisine and desserts to patrons 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  The mouthwatering menu at Sugar Factory American Brasserie has been handcrafted by a team of world-class chefs, including Executive Chef Michael Sellmann and Chef and Restaurateur Bryan Ogden, and features perfectly executed classics such as pizzas, burgers, pastas, salads, steaks, seafood, sandwiches and more.  It was really busy here and I think we were lucky that we knew someone to get a table.  The restaurant is located directly across from The Bellagio so we were able to step outside to see the fountains do their dance at one stage as well which was pretty cool.  We had a great meal, and the boys were good, besides the boys going to the toilets 4 times, not sure what the attraction was in there but it must have been pretty cool.  The boys were lucky they were allowed to get a free bag of lollies (sorry candy) on the way out.  Just what they needed a sugar load before bed.  But Perry was very generous with our bill and also the free candy bags it was a great night.    

Sunday was a home day.  The family went to church in the morning and then we went up to the Country Club for brunch and a mimosa and then we were back home again to the pool for day 4 of our tanning.  We are averaging around 3 hours a day with kids coming and going in the pool, kicking balls, splashing games and we are happy just chatting and catching up.   Monday and Tuesday were pretty much the same deal and actually I didn’t even leave the house in Tuesday at all.  Ahhhhhh vacation time.  Tippy has had some squash coaching to do while I have been here, so I been able to look after the boys in her absence to help out when I can.  We are now starting to look quite brown, I may look a little red, but I will just start to ‘brown’ by the time I get home.  We are officially blackberries and we love it. 

So that pretty much sums up my week in Las Vegas.  It has been a ball.  Lots of talking, lots of catching up, lots of sun and lots of kids stuff including 2 casks of red wine, a bottle of vodka, a bottle of white wine and 2 daiquiri mixes we have had a very social week.  Oh that’s just for the 2 of us.  I’m going to miss Miss Tippett and until we meet again Tips take care of you and the family and I hope to see you all in Oklahoma next year.