Hollywood? I've Been There!

Hollywood Walk of Fame that is. For just an average girl raised in the midwest, I got lots of perks when my grandparents moved to California.

First, I got to fly on an airplane - I mean pteradactyl - by myself every summer. I earned quite a collection of plastic wings, playing cards and snack foods.

Then of course there were all the fun things we did. Like day trips to Chinatown, Disneyland and Marineland, or the weeks of gymnastics lessons, swimming lessons, tennis lessons...well you might get the idea that my grandparents doted on me! My grandparents took pics of me at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, on the Hollywoood Walk of Fame - which is totally cool in person...did you know that some celeb animals actors even have their paws on stars? Of course I've yet to turn any of those old photos and slides into digital formats...

But one of my favorite Hollywood landmarks is the Hollywood Bowl. My grandparents took me for a puppet show and I was addicted to the site. It's the biggest amphitheater in the world, there's no place like it - for a picnic or a drama class and especially not for a concert. The picture here is a satellite image of the new bowl. I was last there before they had to rebuild it a few years back for acoustic reasons. If you're into architecture, the structure itself has an amazing history.

Wikipedia has a great page of info and links to other websites full of history of The Bowl. Some of the most incredible music events have happened at the bowl. Here' s a You Tube link of a famous Silly Walks sketch from Monty Python played at night. For a large venue you can tell how the audience really feels connected.

Here's to bowling -the Hollywood way!

Regan

author of the Shadows of Justice series, the Pixie Chicks series, and other short stories.