My Foolish Heart ~ Sony Holland at The Catalina Jazz Club Video

The Kodak Theatre - Hollywood

Click photos to enlarge.

Home to the Oscars and various major events in Hollywood, the Kodak Theatre sits along Hollywood Boulevard and is an extension of the Hollywood and Highland Center of which I will be blogging about later this week.

These photos do not do justice to this theatre complex. When you walk in the complex you are surrounded by high end retail such as Louis Vuitton, Giordano etc... With the lighting and white and gold columns and adornments, this theatre center is truly a star studded event in it's own right. It's difficult to see in the third photo, so click to enlarge but the stairs are actually covered in red velvet with tiny gold star lights. When you walk up the stairs you come to the entrance of the Kodak Theatre box office which you can see in the second photo. Above you is a huge white and gold dome. I did snap a photo of that but because of the lighting and time of day it did not come out well.

As you can see in the first photo this is a major tourist destination as well so all the Hollywood characters - superman, spiderman, Elvis etc... congregate outside this complex. It is really beautiful inside and something you should at least see while there. They also have tours of the inside of the theatre. For more information visit The Kodak Theatre.

Grauman's Chinese Theatre - Hollywood

Grauman's Chinese Theatre located on Hollywood Boulevard is the premier theatre and center of attraction on this busy street. It opened in May of 1927 and was THE spot for movie goers. It has been renovated since the 1994 Los Angeles earthquake and was declared and given historical landmark status in 1968.

The forecourt is a tourist friendly hub for shutterbugs. It is where the stars have their hand and footprints etched into the sidewalk along with drawings and notes. The theatre hosts inside tours during the day about every half hour. I did not take a tour during this visit but definitely will during the next visit.

The artwork and architecture of this theatre is just stunning. It is as authentic, colorful and rich in tradition as any of the temples I have seen in China yet with a more modern feel. I was just in awe of the intricate artwork as is obvious by all the photos I took. The photos you see below are just a small sampling and really do not do justice to the beauty of this theatre.

What struck me most about Hollywood and Los Angeles was all the rich history and flavor this city has to offer. While walking around downtown Los Angeles I found many a forgotten theatre and marquee tucked away amongst the city streets in desolate alley ways and forgotten corners. It was a walk through the past.

Walking along Hollywood Boulevard during the evenings means fighting the theatre going crowds along the streets. Movie lovers pack the boulevard for blocks on end to visit these theatres.

I know most of us think of Hollywood as a star studded fantasy land yet it offers so much more in tradition and history which are two aspects that I enjoy most. I hope you enjoy the photo montage. Remember to click the images to enlarge.



View from across the street on Hollywood Boulevard




Closeup of the theatre architecture




One of two stone lions outside the entrance




Forecourt artwork




Column artwork




Top side column view




Grauman's Chinese Theatre night view

For more information visit http://www.manntheatres.com/chinese/

Engines & Pipes

Click image to enlarge.

When I was young, I loved to draw and not only was very talented but thoroughly enjoyed drawing. I would spend hours looking at and drawing my Dad's motorcycles. I have no idea now where those drawings are located but I have fond memories of the activity. Now, I just no longer have that talent.

The other day while waiting for a streetcar I saw this motorcycle parked in a driveway along the corner and all those memories flooded back to me. So, since I can no longer draw, I decided to photograph the engine and pipes on this cycle. It was a Harley, I think and very cool. I hope you enjoy the photo.

Ghirardelli Square Thanksgiving & Tree Lighting

Spending Thanksgiving in San Francisco?

McCormick & Kuleto’s open for Thanksgiving!
11:30am-9pm on Thanksgiving Day

$18.95 for traditional turkey dinner with turkey, stuffing and cranberry
Reservations are available now by calling (415) 929-1730

2009 Ghirardelli Square Tree Lighting Ceremony

Friday, Nov. 27 from 1:30-6:00pm

Ghirardelli Square kicks-off the holiday season with a day of magical fun followed by its 45th annual tree-lighting ceremony hosted by Channel 5’s Roberta Gonzales. Entertainment includes a visit from Santa, live music, strolling holiday carolers, entertainment for the children, snow and more. The 35-foot Ghirardelli Square tree will be lit at 5:30pm. (415) 775-5500

Visit Ghirardelli Square for more information