By
Dorothy Kurtz
This was my second trip to Thursday (Thanksgiving Day), November 26, 2015: While many of you were enjoying your turkey, or other entrée dinners, I took advantage of the local transit to get to my final destination: the Americana Hotel,
Friday, November 27: I went from peon to privilege—or so I felt compared to yesterday. First, the shuttle driver drove us to the Crystal City Metro Station, and then, we backtracked on the metro to Union Station. Once at the station, we asked at the information deck about the Acela Club, and the person there informed us that we were welcome to wait at this lounge instead of the public waiting areas. The Acela Club was a private waiting area for passengers using the Acela trains or those riding in sleeping cars on other trains. As I stepped inside, I saw a different world. It was quieter, and Amtrak decorated it in a living room setting with stuffed seats, two TVs, rest rooms, and free snack foods and soft drinks as well as places to store our luggage. Other than going to the food court for lunch, we didn’t leave this room until it was time to board our train. Months earlier, we booked a roomette for the Capitol Limited to travel from Washington, DC, to Chicago. This accommodation included a very tight room. It was so tight (How tight was it?) that it made the basic bedrooms at the YMCAs in NYC look roomy. Nevertheless, we did make room for our main suitcase and two carry-on bags, and a very thin closet had enough room for our coats. The roomette also included two bottles of spring water. During the day, this roomette had two facing seats, and because my husband couldn’t take riding backwards, I rode the seat facing back. At night, the room attendant pushed the seats down, added a mattress for the bottom bunk, and pulled down the top bunk. Because I had a touch of arthritis, my husband slept in the top bunk. He told me that the headroom was very low, but he managed. Before we retired, however, we reserved dinner in the dining car. (If you are a sleeping-car passenger, the meals are included; in our case, it was dinner and breakfast.) Once at dinner, we shared a table with a couple from the state of Washington. I ate a very good vegetable lasagna while my husband and I had a bit of a conversation with this other couple. The waiter was friendly and helpful, and we tipped him. (We figured about $5 for dinner, $3 for lunch, and $2 for breakfast.) Of course, this train could shake and sway, especially during dinner, but we didn’t spill anything. Soon after, we returned to our roomette for the night. We were lucky because we had a roomette across from our room attendant, and the bathroom was nearby—and clean.
Saturday, November 28: If I thought it was shake, rattle, and roll at dinnertime, it was worst at bedtime. I only got a bit of sleep here and there because of the train shaking. When the train wasn’t shaking, I would get woken up with the doppler-effect sounds of a fast traveling train on the other track. Therefore, I got up early for breakfast in the dining car. (There are no reservations made for breakfast; it’s first come, first served.) This time, we shared the table with a fellow who was from Wisconsin. He wasn’t too talkative, so I enjoyed my scrambled eggs in mostly silence. After breakfast, we gathered our luggage, tipped the room attendant (about $10), and soon the train entered Union Station in Chicago, 500 W. Jackson Blvd. (773-368-9509). Then we left our luggage in the Metropolitan Lounge, another private waiting area open to sleeper passengers only, and took a tour of Chicago’s Union Station. This Beaux-Arts wonder displayed in its Great Hall an atrium of a barrel-vaulted skylight ceiling, marble walls and floors, Corinthian columns, Greek-styled statues, and brass lamps with ancient Greek-styled details. Meanwhile, because it was the holiday season, I also looked at the decorations: a large decorated tree and giant Christmas ornaments nearby as well as plenty of wreaths and garlands. The station also provided a food court, where at lunchtime, I ate a Chicago hot dog. This kind of all-beef frankfurter sat on a poppy-seed bun and the server put on the following: mustard, onions, relish, dill-pickle slice, tomato slice, sport peppers (a little spicy, but not as spicy as jalapeno peppers), and celery salt—but never ketchup. It was good but tricky to eat without spilling it. Once we ate lunch, we went back to the Metropolitan Lounge where, similar to DC’s Acela Lounge, the staff provided a living room setting, TVs, snack foods, and soft drinks. In addition, this lounge had a fireplace, and the staff decorated it for Christmas with two trees on either side of the fireplace and a toy holiday train in the front. It looked very cozy. By mid-afternoon, we got a taxi from Union Station to our accommodation, Hosteling International Chicago, 24 E. Congress Pkwy. (312-360-0300). This hostel provided both dorm beds and private rooms. We chose the latter. Our room had a set of bunk beds. HI Chicago also included a lot of security: We needed to swipe our keycard to make the elevator work, as well as to unlock both the front sitting room door and the bedroom door. Down on a lower floor were TV lounges, and this place was located in the Loop neighborhood in the center of Chicago. Then, we had supper at a Dairy Queen around the corner. Otherwise, we didn’t roam around too much.
Sunday, November 29: Burr, it was cold at the hostel, but at least, the bed was not shaking, and we had extra covers to bundle up under in order to keep warm. After we ate the continental breakfast included in the room rate, we gathered our baggage and walked over to the nearby Congress Hotel to take a taxi back to Union Station. While riding in this taxi, I noticed that from what I saw of Chicago, it didn’t seem too different from New York City. I’m sure if I spent more time here, I would see the differences, but my main goal at that time was to get to LA. Anyway, except for a quick lunch break at the food court in Union Station, I mostly stayed in the Metropolitan Lounge. A few hours after lunch, it was time to board our next train: the Southwest Chief. At first glance, our roomette looked similar to the one on the other train. Upon closer inspection, however, I noticed some of the differences: 1) no closet, instead, there was an open space for our coats to hang, but it did provide more space for our luggage; 2) a metal plate on our armrests where an ashtray used to be; and 3) much smaller bathrooms. Therefore, we knew that this was an older train. Those bathrooms were so tight that I didn’t know how anybody could do more than “number one.” We checked around and found that the bathrooms near the observation lounge were bigger, just like the bathrooms on the Capitol Limited. Thus, I used a different bathroom depending on what body function awaited me. Our room attendant booked our time for dinner, and in a few hours, we ate dinner with a couple who lived in Arizona. I ate the dinner special for that night: Salisbury steak, salad, and a vanilla custard dessert. It was all good and the waiter was friendly and efficient.
Monday, November 30: Just like the other train, I felt shaken, rattled, and rolled as I tried to sleep the night before. Anyway, I got up early and had breakfast with a few train enthusiasts from Michigan. After breakfast, I sat in the observation lounge and looked at the passing scenery—some of it a bit slow. (Months earlier, somebody warned me that the Capitol Limited could be slow through no fault of Amtrak’s because Amtrak doesn’t own the tracks. The freight companies that own the tracks can hold up Amtrak for minutes or even hours. That’s why I stayed for a night in Chicago; I wanted to arrive in LA on December 1st. Nevertheless, the Capitol Limited arrived on time in Chicago.) At times, the Southwest Chiefhad to wait from a few minutes to up to about 15 minutes for freight trains, which owned the tracks, to pass by. (In the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak owns the tracks, so there are usually less delays in that part of the USA.) The observation lounge had high windows on the walls and windows on the ceiling, and chairs on both sides facing sideways. The sights were lovely. Here, I looked at the snowy plains, farms, and towns in Kansas; the icy and snowy wilderness areas in Colorado; and what started out as more snowy areas in New Mexico. Later, NM displayed dry desert areas of red soil, green grass, and gray rocks as well as buttes, hills, deer, and antelope. In addition, I also saw farms, some of them with horses and herds of cattle, and some small villages and towns. Some of the villages and towns had contemporary-looking buildings, and others showed Victorian, Spanish Colonial, or adobe buildings. I ate lunch (barbeque pork and ice cream for dessert), with two women from NM, and they informed me that in addition to calling the state “the land of enchantment,” people could also call NM “the land of entrapment” because once some people got a good look at the state, they wanted to stay there. While I didn’t have a desire to stay there (maybe I didn’t look hard enough), I found this part of the state lovely, and I observed more of it after lunch. Soon it was time for dinner, and I ate chicken teriyaki across from an Amish couple from Ohio. By the time we got to Arizona, it was time for bed—or a final night of getting a bit of sleep here and there before arriving in California.<br>
Tuesday, December 1: After a second night of trying to sleep on
the train, we saw daybreak somewhere in the California desert. Thus, I noticed
buildings—many of them Spanish revival style with palm trees here and there. A
little later, I had breakfast and sat across the table with a couple from
Northern California. Soon, we gathered our luggage, and the train pulled into
our first sightseeing attraction: 1) Union Station Los Angeles, 800 N. Alameda
St. (800-872-7245). Because it was too early to check into my hotel, I left my
luggage at this station’s first-class lounge: the Metropolitan Lounge. This
lounge also had a living room setting with stuffed chairs and couches, free
snacks and soft drinks, and TVs. The décor was mostly dark wood paneling. Then
we took a self-guided tour of the station. This 1939 Spanish-Revival building
has been located in the city’s former Chinatown. (The city officials moved the
Chinese population about a half mile north to the current Chinatown.) Inside
the Great Hall, I saw a combination of Spanish Revival and Art Deco. The lower
parts of the walls included marble tiles. I also noticed a wooden-looking
ceiling—but this ceiling was really made of steel and terracotta. Other
features of this station included marble floors, tall arched windows, elaborate
metalwork, large chandeliers, and some Art Deco designs on some of the trim and
on the seats in the main passenger waiting area. This station had its share of
a few shops and fast food eating places as well as a fancy restaurant called
Traxx and an information booth. Film companies have used both the exterior and
interior of this station, including Blade Runner and The Way We Were. On either side of the main
waiting area, I looked at outside patios. One side displayed multi-colored
flowers, and on the other side, I observed a shaded area with benches and a
tile fountain. Besides Amtrak, this station also served different commuter
trains, including Metrolink, and the LA Metro subway and light rail lines as
well as some of the Metro busses. I also purchased a seven-day Metro Tap Card
for unlimited traveling on all city Metro Lines and most Metro busses. (For
more information, phone 323-466-3876.) Then around lunchtime, we grabbed our
luggage and walked about two blocks to our hotel, the Metro Plaza Hotel, 711 N.
Main St., between W. Cesar E. Chavez Ave. and Ord St. (800-223-2223 or
213-680-0200). Because the maids were still getting our room ready, we left our
luggage there and went to lunch at a Mexican take away/sit down café in the
hotel building. It was a very casual place, low-priced, and the food was good
as well as cheaper than what something similar in nearby Olvera St. would cost.
Once we got into our room, I noticed that it was large for the price, clean,
and included a large bathroom, a small refrigerator, free Wi-Fi, and
continental breakfast. (For the same price in NYC, I would get one of the YMCAs
basic small rooms with just enough space for their bunk beds and TV.) I’ve
heard mixed opinions about the neighborhood, but I encountered no trouble. Yes,
I did see a few homeless people here and there, but they were mostly harmless.
Of course, I didn’t go out late at night; I only did daytime sightseeing and
went to dinner nearby in the early evening. Speaking of dinner, I ate at a
famous sandwich place: Philippe the Original (French-dipped sandwiches), 1001
N. Alameda St. (213-628-3781). Philippe and French-dipped sandwiches have been
to the LA area what Pat’s and Philly-styled steak sandwiches have been to
Philadelphia, and Katz’s and pastrami sandwiches have been to NYC. Philippe’s
menu offered many foods and sandwiches, but they have been most famous for
their French-dipped sandwiches. Some of their choices included lamb, roast
beef, turkey, pork, and ham. I tried their lamb, and my husband tried their
roast beef. Both tasted good, and I could see why this place has been around
since 1908. It was nothing fancy: sawdust on the floor, large wooden communal
tables, and you made your order at the counter and tipped the woman who made
your sandwich. As for other places to eat nearby, our hotel was located between
the Mexican restaurants on Olvera Street—the oldest section of LA, dating back
to 1781, and Chinatown. This hotel building also had a Subway sandwich place.
The staff was friendly and helpful, and the best part of this hotel was the
location. That night, I looked forward to sleeping in a regular bed in a
regular building after two nights on the train.<br>
Wednesday, December 2: On this day, I tried the transit system in
LA for the first time by taking the LA Metro Red Line subway from Union Station
to the Hollywood & Highland Station. Similar to Washington, DC, LA has had
a Tap Card. All I had to do was to tap the card onto the right place at the
turnstile and the gate opened. (This was far better than NYC’s MetroCard where
I had to swipe the card a certain way; many times I didn’t quite swipe it right
and missed a train.) Unlike DC’s Tap Card, I didn’t need LA’s Tap Card to exit;
this was even better than DC’s Tap Card. The train ran efficiently, and the
Hollywood & Highland Station looked like a stainless-steel futuristic
interior. I was also surprised to see how the corner of Hollywood &
Highland looked. Twenty years ago, this area looked seedy. Back then, while I
saw the outsides of some famous landmark buildings, surrounding those buildings
were cheap souvenir shops and some X-rated businesses—and the usual
“characters” hanging around—just like Times Square in the 1980s and early ‘90s.
A few years ago, I read that the city officials got this area of Hollywood
cleaned up, and when I exited the Metro station, I now noticed how true it was
for myself. I glanced at a shopping mall showing Babylon-styled architecture
loosely copied from the 1916 film Intolerance containing moderate to expensive
stores and restaurants, and the Dolby Theater, the current home of the Academy
Awards. This mall also included a large arch showing the distant Hollywood
sign. Anyway, I walked a very short distance to my destination: 2) the
Hollywood Museum, 1660 N. Highland Ave. (south of Hollywood Blvd.)
(323-464-7776 or www.thehollywoodmuseum.com). There were many “museums” along
Hollywood Boulevard that reminded me of some of the cheesy attractions that
I’ve seen in resort towns. Nevertheless, the Hollywood Museum was not one of
them. This non-profit museum proved to be one of the best places to learn about
the history of Hollywood and show business. Housed in the former Max Factor
Building, this Art Deco wonder included four floors of exhibits in the form of
texts, pictures, and costumes as well as make-up, props, videos, old filmmaking
equipment, etc. As soon as I entered this place, I didn’t know where to look
first in this lovely pink and gold Art Deco interior lobby. The ground floor
mostly covered the career of Max Factor along with makeup and beauty products
on display. I saw a half-hour film about his life as a makeup artist, and I
learned a lot about him that I didn’t know before. Did you know that he
invented pancake foundation, compact powder, lipstick, and false eyelashes? In
the 1930s, he moved his headquarters to this building. Other rooms showed
makeup-themed rooms for blondes, brunettes (dark-brown to black hair),
redheads, and brownettes (light brown hair). Other parts of this floor
displayed many photos of Hollywood from its founding in the early 20th century
when it was a small town surrounded by orange groves to the current times as
the film capital of the world. Also on the first floor, a science fiction (SF)
room exhibited costumes, props, and other memorabilia from several SF films and
TV shows, including Star Trek (ST) and Star
Wars (SW). In
the basement, I looked at Hannibal Lector’s jail
cell from the film Silence of the Lambs and costumes and props from other
horror films. (Horror films and TV shows are not my thing; so I just spent a
brief time here.) On the next two floors above, I observed many costumes,
props, and other exhibit items from countless films and TV shows. I also
watched a video about the behind-the-scenes stuff that went on with the Carol
Brunette Show. Of course, this place included many items that
Marilyn Monroe either owned or wore in different films, and the same for
Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, and Lucille Ball. Because this museum owned the
largest collection of Hollywood memorabilia in the world, it looked cluttered.
Therefore, they didn’t have room to present everything they owned nor the space
to make it look uncluttered. Just the same, I spent over three hours seeing the
items here in this fascinating place. Afterward, I went next door to Mel’s
Drive-In. Here, I ate their signature burger. It was good, our waitress was
friendly, and the prices were moderate.<br>
Thursday, December 3: In addition to riding the Red Line, on this
day, I also changed trains at a Downtown Metro stop and rode the Expo Line, a
light rail train to the current end of the line: Culver City. (In 2016, the
Expo Line will run to Santa Monica.) When changing Metro lines in LA, you must
tap your Tap Card at the next turnstile or post; most of the light rail lines
ran on an honor system. (Don’t even think of trying to hop a free ride because
you never know when inspectors from the Metro will want to see proof of
payment, and the fines are very high.) I noticed that the Expo Line didn’t have
a right-of-way but had to follow the rules of the road like the rest of the
traffic such as stopping at red lights. Because this light rail traveled the
surface, I had a chance to look at different neighborhoods before getting off
at Culver City. Once in Culver City, I took the Culver City #1 bus (Culver City
Bus: 310-253-6500) to my destination. (I had to pay a separate fare because
Culver City is a different municipality, but the fare was cheap.) That place
was 3) Sony Studios, 10202 W. Washington Blvd. (310-244-8687). I had booked for
a two-hour tour of this studio months earlier, and Sony recommended booking in
advance. Even Culver City looked interesting from the bus, and soon, I saw the
wedge-shaped-cantilevered modern building that housed Sony Studios. This studio
started out in 1915 as Triangle Pictures. In the 1920s, it became MGM
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). Years later, the 1950s, the “studio system” started falling
apart; in the 1970s, MGM sold its backlot of sets; and sometime in the 1980s,
Sony Corporation bought what was left of MGM and changed the studio name.
Later, Sony would also buy Columbia Pictures and move its productions here.
(Columbia had originally been in Hollywood, moved to Burbank in the 1970s, and
when Sony bought them, they moved to Culver City.) As I stepped inside this
large atrium lobby, security directed me to the shop where the tours started. I
registered, and in another hour, I would be on the tour. In the meantime, I saw
what looked like airport-styled waiting seats and a schedule board. I was
curious about this and asked someone in the store about it. They told me that
earlier in the day, a scene from the TV show The Goldbergs shot here, and it was supposed to take
place at an airport. (I assume it would be Philadelphia International Airport
because the Goldbergs live in Jenkintown, PA. This was interesting to me
because I’ve been to this airport many times.) Later, I saw some people removing
those seats and the schedule board. I also noticed that Sony had a mini-museum
around different parts of the atrium with cases containing costumes, props, and
awards: Emmys and Oscars. Other exhibits included pictures, texts, and a set
from the film Memoirs of a Geisha. Once the tour
started, our tour guide, Zak, proved to be very informative, but he seemed to
be talking down at our group at times. Maybe it had to do with his trying to
break into being a comedian as he told us on the tour. We started by seeing a
15-minute video about the history of MGM and Columbia Pictures, and it was one
of the few rare times we sat during this tour. (Wear comfortable shoes because
you will spend almost two hours on your feet.) Then Zak led us to the lobby
area and explained that this area contained offices for lawyers, writers,
producers, etc. On the other hand, it also served as places to film scenes that
took place in large public areas such as hotel lobbies, airports—and he
mentioned the earlier airport scene that I learned about, train stations,
shopping malls, and so on. When the show The Goldbergs did a scene in a shopping mall, they
shot it there. (The mall that the characters are supposed to be visiting most
often in the TV show is the Willow Grove Park Mall, Willow Grove, PA; I’ve been
to the real mall a few times.) Then he took us across the street and into the
gate at Sony. First I saw a giant rainbow which I assumed the artist made as a
tribute to MGM and one of its films: The Wizard of Oz. The strange thing about
this tour was that nobody here spoke much about MGM, a lot more of their focus
was on Columbia Pictures. At a nearby parkland and benches, Zak told us that TV
production crews often used this setting as Central Park in NYC, especially in
such shows as The King of Queens. Next, we noticed the
classical-styled Irving Thalberg Building. (He was a film producer at MGM in
the 1930s.) Even though Sony hardly had a backlot, they still did plenty of
outdoor shooting by using buildings that have been already on the lot. In this
case, TV and film production crews have used the Thalberg Building as other
buildings on TV shows and films. In The Goldbergs, the production crew used
this for William Penn Academy. (The real William Penn Charter School is in
Philadelphia.) Later, we saw a street of Art Deco faux-front buildings that
looked like storefronts, and yes, Sony did use these for outside shots in films
and TV shows. Other buildings that we looked at on the tour included a theater
used for film screenings, the studio commissary, what used to be Louis B.
Mayer’s office, and a small building that used to be a school for child actors.
I also glanced at the outsides of plenty of soundstages, including Stage 15,
the largest sound stage in the world: They filmedSpiderman here.
Zak also pointed out some of the soundstages where MGM filmed The Wizard
of Oz andGone with the Wind. Then he brought to
our attention an apartment building that used to house actors, and he mentioned
that the studio used to post matrons to make sure the sexes didn’t mix
together. Some of the buildings that we entered included the Barbara Streisand
Scoring Stage, the largest such stage in the world; the Foley Sound Effect
Studio; the ADR studio (automated dialogue replacement); and the set of Jeopardy.
A sister show, that used the same production team and equipment, Wheel
of Fortune, was on the road. Therefore, I couldn’t see that set. I
did get to see part of the sound stage where The Goldbergs taped but not the standing sets, the
Goldberg’s living room/dining room, because they were taping an episode, and
when the red light was on, not even the studio head may enter that set.
Nevertheless, I saw other sets from this show including the hallway for William
Penn Academy, and a temporary set that looked like the inside of a jet. Once
outside again, I noticed certain vehicles from different Sony films and TV
shows. After the tour, I ate a pizza at their food concession in the main
lobby. (Nowadays, when I see an episode of The Goldbergs, I can sometimes recognize
the lobby at Sony in some scenes.) It was an interesting tour, but hard on my
feet. I gave it a three-star rating.<br>
Friday, December 4: The showbiz atmosphere started for me when I
got off the Red Line at the Hollywood & Vine Metro Station. Here, I saw a
ceiling with film reels in the décor. When I took the escalator to the upper
level, the interior looked like an old-time cinema that included a display of a
movie camera and a projector. Once outside, I walked over to the southwest
corner of Hollywood Blvd. & Argyle Ave. and waited for the DASH (Downtown
Area Short Hop) Hollywood/Wiltshire bus. (Even though the City of LA runs this
system, somebody told me that my Tap Card won’t include DASH, but the fare was
very cheap. For more information about DASH, contact the LADOT Transit Store
[213-808-2273].) This particular DASH bus took me to my destination: 4)
Paramount Pictures, 5555 Melrose Ave (at Gower St.), Hollywood (323-956-1777).
Similar to Sony, advanced reservations have been highly recommended, and I
reserved a few months ago. Paramount has been the only major film studio still
in Hollywood. Back in the 1920s and ‘30s, most major film studios located
themselves in Hollywood—except for MGM. Then, starting in the late 1930s
through to the ‘70s, major studios moved to other parts of the LA area. While
other studios moved, Paramount has grown from 26 acres and four sound stages to
65 acres and 30 sound stages. I knew that in 1967, Paramount bought out Desilu
Productions and took over the adjoining Desilu Studios. Here, they made ST on
Desilu Sound Stage #9, a standing set for the USS Enterprise, and on Sound Stage #10,
they made sets for temporary scenes in ST. (I don’t know the new numbers that
Paramount assigned for these sound stages.) When I arrived at Paramount, I
waited in a mini-museum with one room showing film clips of past films and TV
shows from Paramount, and another room displayed awards: Oscars and Emmys, as
well as costumes, and a few props, including some props from ST. Then it was
tour time. Our tour guide, Jed, was friendlier than the guide at Sony, and he
didn’t talk down to those of us on the tour. (This might be because he was
hoping to get into acting.) He handed us all headphones to hear him better and
lead us to a small golf cart that held six people. This was another advantage
over SONY because I didn’t spent almost two hours on my feet at Paramount. We stopped
at places here and there for a few minutes to walk and stand but not long
enough to hurt our feet. For the most part, Jed drove us around different sound
stages and at times, he stopped and mentioned what Paramount filmed in certain
ones. He also explained the differences between a standing set and a floating
set. (A standing set was a set that the TV production crew used for every
episode in a TV show; a floating set was a set that the crew built for one
episode only, and they took it down after that episode was over.) Like Sony,
Paramount also used buildings and parkland in their studio area for TV shows
and films. For example, the studio filmed in front of a real first aid building
that became a first aid building in different films and TV shows. The same went
for an impressive looking office building that became Jefferson High School in Happy
Days. I also noticed the core area of the original Paramount
Pictures lot that included the elaborate Bronson Gate and the Melrose Gate as
well as an area with four building around a courtyard. These four buildings
once served as buildings for the writers, directors, producers, and actors.
Then Jed took us to the former core area of Desilu Studios and pointed out
where Lucile Ball stayed when she worked there. He also showed us a
school/cottage for her children and the children of other Desilu employees.
(Nowadays, Paramount uses it for that same purpose.) Two of the sets we looked
at were the sets for the TV shows The Doctors and Dr. Phil, and we went inside a scoring stage
and an ADR stage. One of the most impressive areas for me was the sky backdrop
that Paramount used for water scenes. Normally that area in front of the sky
backdrop served as a parking lot, but when the studio needed it for a water
scene, they closed the parking lot and filled it with water to about four feet
deep. Paramount used it in ST IV: The Voyage Home. Another impressive set was their urban
set or New York set. Like Sony, Paramount tore down most of their backlot
except for their NY set, the largest such set in the LA area. Jed announced
that Paramount shot many scenes from many famous films here: The
Godfather I and II, Breakfast
at Tiffanys, and many other urban scenes because the studio also
used it for other cities as well. At another stop, I saw the bench that Tom
Hanks used in Forest Gump, and in the Paramount
Theater, we watched about a half hour film on the history of Paramount. Then
Jed took us to our longest stop, a visit to a costume and prop room where we
were free to take a closer look and touch any of the props or costumes that
were not wrapped in white paper. I found it a bit amusing, and I liked some of
the flashier costumes. Soon the two hours were over, and Jed led us to the gate
to leave the studio. Overall, I liked this tour better than the Sony tour; I
would give it four stars. If the Sony tour was interesting, than the Paramount
tour was fascinating. After this, I walked over to the corner of Melrose Ave.
and Vine St. to Astro Burgers and ate their signature “Astro Burger.” This
burger, too, was good, but their menu also offered many other items: different
burgers, entrees—especially Greek entrees, vegetarian items and burgers, etc.<br>
Saturday, December 5: I had no idea that among the studio tours I
saved the best for last. If Sony was interesting, and Paramount was
fascinating, then 5) Warner Brothers, 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank (877-492-8687)
was fantastic! I would give it five stars. (It is even more important to book a
tour here in advance, months ahead of time.) First, I took the Red Line to
Hollywood & Highland, and then, second, I waited on the southeast corner
(in front of McDonalds) for Metro Bus #222. This bus dropped me off at
Riverside Drive and Hollywood Way, about two blocks from Warner Brothers
Studios. From there, I walked east on Riverside Drive pass W. Olive Ave., to S.
Avon St. I then walked south on S. Avon St. until it emptied onto Warner Blvd.,
and I turned left on Warner Blvd. (This is about a five minute walk.) In the
distance, I saw the entrance to the studio tours when I noticed the
state-of-the-art carts for the tours (They hold close to a dozen people.) and
statues of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Almost as soon as I entered, the tour
started with a 15-minute film about the history of Warner Brothers from their
1923 start as a studio in Hollywood and the films they made there, until their
move to Burbank in the late 1920s, to the films and TV shows that they have
made since. Then, our guide, a very friendly and informative fellow named Josh
(He wants to work as a director someday.), drove us on those state-of-the-art
extended golf carts (They are bigger than the ones at Paramount.) to The
Archive. This mid-sized museum contained memorabilia from the Harry
Potter films on one
floor and Batman on
the upper floor. On both floors, I looked at several costumes and props from
both film franchises. Next, it was time to see some of the backlots. Warner
Brothers kept most of their backlot, and many TV shows and films, from both
Warner Brothers and other productions, used these backlots. As for the other,
mostly rival, studio companies using Warner’s back lots and sound stages,
Warner Brothers and other studios looked at it as a “friendenemy” agreement.
The Warner Brothers Midwest/New England/smalltown lot has been one of the
largest lots that they have. This led to another stop where Josh took us inside
one of those few buildings that have been a full building and not just a
building front. Josh explained that these full buildings were for scenes
showing the actors looking outside of the windows. Inside, however, all I saw
was the wood and metal frames holding this building up and walkways leading up
to the upper floor windows where the actors go to do their scenes. The reason
why they didn’t make this house a full interior and filmed inside was because
it wasn’t soundproof; many outside noises could disrupt filming the scene.
That’s why when the production staff filmed inside scenes, they used a sound
stage because they made that sound stage sound proof to outside noises. Another
large backlot was their urban area or New York Street. While not as big as the
one at Paramount, it was still quite large, and Josh encouraged us to touch the
fake brick walls of the buildings. Warner used this backlot for many of their
1930s gangster films and other city scenes. This part of the backlot has
starred as NYC, Chicago, and other cities. You may have seen it in the Batman films. Speaking of Batman,
we made a stop at The Picture Car Vault and noticed many kinds of vehicles that
appeared in the Batman films:
several Batmobiles, a Batplane, a Batcoper, and a Batcycle. Another stop
included the Prop Department where we observed (what else?) props from many
films and TV shows. The next part of the tour took us to a scoring stage and an
ADR studio; later, we glanced at more false-front buildings and the outsides of
many sound stages. On one of the urban-looking streets, Josh pointed out the
area where the production crew of the TV show The Big Bang Theory (TBBT) had shot some scenes,
and he also pointed out the building that was supposed to be the outside of
Sheldon and Leonard’s apartment building. (Yes, I am a fan of TBBT.) Alongside
one of the soundstages, I saw what looked like a Roman/Greek-styled courthouse.
Here, Josh told us that the 1960s TV show Batman did
stock footage of Batman and Robin going up the steps to Commissioner Gordon’s
office. The biggest surprise was that this sound stage turned out to be Sound
Stage 25: location of the TBBT set. Josh let us inside, and we sat where the
audience would sit during taping. Thus, I looked at the main standing sets of
Sheldon and Leonard’s apartment, the adjoining hallway, and Penny’s apartment,
as well as two smaller rooms on either side of this standing set that the set
crew could dress up for other rooms. The first thing I noticed was that this
set looked smaller than it looked on TV. Parts of the set were also covered in
sheets, and extra furniture—tables and chairs—sat there. I could understand
this because I assumed it was to keep the dust off the furniture, and the crew
would relocate the extra tables and chairs before taping. Josh explained that
any scenes such as outside scenes or in rooms that couldn’t be seen from here
by the audience would be taped ahead of time, and during the live taping of the
show the audience would be told to “Look at the monitor.” (By the way, tickets
are very hard to get for this show, but it is possible.) On the way out, Josh
showed us a few of the side rooms: Howard’s bedroom and a lab that I assumed
was supposed to be copied from a lab at Caltech—California Institute of
Technology. Later, at another sounds stage, we entered a set that Josh
mentioned was a hot set because they will be taping the TV show Supergirl there very soon. This set showed the
interior of the office where Kara Danvers/Supergirl worked. He told us to
definitely not touch anything. It looked like any modern office except for the
city backdrop picture outside of the windows and some of the walls would be
missing. Once outside, Josh pointed out other buildings that served other
purposes: writers, producers, lawyers, and others who had their offices there.
Therefore, similar to other studios, Warner used them for films and TV shows to
star as other buildings: hotels, hospitals, schools, government buildings,
department stores, and so on. Meanwhile, Warner too, would use its parkland on
their lot to serve as Central Park or another city park. The final part of the
tour ended at Stage 48, a former soundstage turned into a museum about putting
together a film or TV show. This was where Josh and our group parted company. I
took a break here for lunch at their coffee shop where I ate a sandwich, and
then, I entered the museum area. From pre-production to production to
post-production via still and hands-on exhibits, the public could learn about
what went into making a film or TV show. I especially liked the green screen section
where one could stand in front of a green screen and see themselves in a scene
or riding something in a scene. Therefore, I rode in a space capsule. Much of
this museum displayed costumes, props, scripts, scenery, awards: Oscars and
Emmys, especially in The Legacy Room. Many of the exhibit areas included touch
screens. There were also sets from the TV shows Two and a Half Men: Walden’s,
formerly Charlie’s, Malibu living room; and Friends: The Central Perk Cafe.
Meanwhile, much of the staff here were very friendly and helpful in answering
questions. Finally, another tram drove others and me to the main stop where our
tour started. Overall, I saw close to more backlots, soundstages, exhibit
items, and other things than I did with the first two studios combined.<br>
Sunday, December 6: In addition to films and TV shows, LA has
been the center for recorded music as well. Therefore, I decided to visit 6)
the Grammy Museum, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. A245 (213-765-6800), on the
corner of Olympic Blvd. and Figueroa St. or in part of the LA Live
entertainment complex. By way of the Red Line, I got off at the 7th St/Metro
Center Station. Then I walked about three long blocks to the Grammy
Museum—about a 10-minute walk. As I walked these three blocks of Figueroa
Street, many of the buildings and businesses along here in this part of
Downtown LA reminded me of some parts of Midtown Manhattan. Once I arrived at
the museum, I started my visit on the 4th floor and worked my way down through
the 3rd and 2nd floors. Here, via texts, pictures, and videos as well as
exhibits items, plenty of hands-on exhibits, and temporary exhibit areas, I
became informed about many subjects having to do with music. By using a
hands-on computer-screen table, I could read and see the histories of over 100
music genres. Then I noticed a map of music centers in the USA and looked at
the songwriter’s hall of fame gallery. Other exhibit areas allowed me to learn
how to make a recording, try playing electronic musical instruments, and
explore musical timelines. In how to make a record or CD, special booths
explained via videos how different people took part in making that recording:
songwriters, musicians, and singers. Then other people included music
directors, recording engineers, and others who worked behind-the-scenes.
Another area covered the history of recorded music showing exhibits from a
cylinder record maker to current technology or from 1877 to the day I was at
this museum. I also saw a wall displaying the list of Grammy winners via texts,
pictures, and videos of past Grammy Award Shows. A different section showed
clothing that recording artists wore at the Grammy Awards shows or when
performing; I especially liked the silver-sequined gown that Rita Ora wore. I
also noticed a section honoring the Latin Grammy Awards. When I was at the
Grammy Museum, five sections of temporary exhibit areas presented the lives of
the following recording artists: Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur, the Supremes,
George Carlin, and my favorite, Frank Sinatra. The museum honored these artists
by way of texts, pictures, and videos as well as audio recordings, personal
items, and record or CD album covers. Finally, in a screening room, I watched
an hour-long special about Frank Sinatra. Afterward, I had lunch in the LA Live
complex. This place reminded me of a more modern version of NYC’s Rockefeller
Center. Here in the center, I saw a skating rink with a large Christmas tree,
and surrounding this area, I glanced at retail shops and restaurants—most of
them ritzy; that’s why I ate at a Smashburger restaurant because it was one of
the cheaper restaurants there. Next door to LA Live, I glimpsed at the Staples
Center sports complex and farther down the street, the LA Convention Center.<br>
Monday, December 7: Years ago, friends of mine had visited Pasadena and the
campus of 7) Caltech, 383 S. Hill Ave. (626-395-6811), and they told me that
both the town of Pasadena and the Caltech campus proved interesting and lovely.
This was long before I became a fan of the TV show TBBT. Nevertheless, being a
fan of TBBT helped enhance my visit. Therefore, I started my day by taking the
Gold Line Metro light rail to the Memorial Park Station near the corner of N.
Arroyo Pkwy. and E. Holly St., Pasadena. From here, I walked two blocks south
on N. Arroyo Pkwy. to Colorado Blvd. On Colorado Blvd., I headed one block east
to the southeast corner of E. Colorado Blvd. and Marengo Ave. to take the
Pasadena ARTS (Area Rapid Transit Service) #10 bus to Caltech or the corner of
E. Del Mar Blvd and S. Hill Ave. (For more information, contact 626-744-4055.)
My Metro Tap card didn’t cover this bus fare, but the base fare was very cheap.
Along the way, I got to see some of downtown Pasadena, including such sights as
the Spanish Revival-styled Pasadena City Hall dome (as seen from Sheldon and
Leonard’s window; yes, I know it’s a backdrop on a set. Remember, I saw the
set?) and the northwest corner of Los Robles Ave. and E. Colorado Blvd. where
Sheldon and Leonard’s apartment from TBBT was supposed to be located. (I know it’s
fiction.) In reality, there was a large bank building there. (The address of
their apartment, 2300 Los Robles Ave., is really on Los Robles Ave. and W.
Woodbury Rd.—very far north of both Colorado Blvd. and the 210 Freeway.)
Anyway, I soon found myself getting off at my bus stop and walking about a half
block down S. Hill Ave. to the address for Caltech above. This address was the
Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Visitor Center. Here, a very friendly
and helpful receptionist handed me a walking tour booklet with a campus map
inside, and I started my self-guided tour. As I walked along this campus, I saw
some lovely landscaping that included flowers of many colors, orange trees,
palm trees, olive trees, and other trees and flora as well as a turtle pond. I
also looked at the different architectural styles of the buildings from mostly
Spanish Colonial Revival to modern. Now if this was TBBT, Sheldon would work at
the 1922 Bridge Laboratory of Physics. Outside on the building, I glanced at
medallions that represented earth, air, fire, and water as well as others that
were symbols for modern physics. Raj would have worked at the 2008 Cahill
Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics. This building received awards for being
environmentally correct in its use of water conservation, energy, and
recycling. Leonard would be at the modern-looking Thomas J. Watson, Sr.
Laboratory of Applied Physics. Meanwhile, Howard might have been at the Keck
Engineering Laboratories. At lunch, I ate a build-your-own burrito at their
restaurant, Chandler Dining Hall—where I imagined TBBT characters might have
lunch. This cafeteria also offered hot entrees, sandwiches, pizza, and so
forth. After lunch, in the sitting area near the main bookstore, I observed
displays of pictures that the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) took of the
cosmos from the 1970s to the current times. I especially noticed how the
clarity of taking pictures in space had changed through the decades for the
better. (JPL is not in Pasadena, but in La Canada Flintridge, northwest of
Pasadena, and the security & opening hours for a tour or visit are tight,
but it can be done if you are there for the right time of year. I wasn’t there
for the right time of year.) Even if you were not a fan of TBBT or planned to
attend college at Caltech, it was still worth a visit to see this colorful
campus and its eye candy buildings and grounds.<br>
Monday, December 8: By this time, the Red Line and the stop that I’m getting
off at, Hollywood and Highland Station, were getting quite familiar to me. From
the Metro station, I headed about a half a block west to 8) TCL (The Creative
Life) Chinese Theater (formerly Mann’s and originally Grauman’s), 6925
Hollywood Blvd. (323-463-9576). The last time I was here, in 1995, I was on a
bus tour and only had about a 15-minute stop, at most, to glance at the
forecourt of the signatures, handprints, and footprints of the stars. I also
glimpsed at the elaborate front of this movie palace before having to board the
tour bus. This time, I could study the forecourt of the stars at leisure as
well as the front of the theater. Although the TCL Chinese Theater has been a
Hollywood icon since it opened in 1927, the design of the theater wasn’t a
non-Asian version of a Chinese building. Many of the objects on the front and
inside the building, Sid Grauman, the founder, imported from China, and Chinese
actor Keye Luke painted many of the pictures and murals inside. Too many
visitors to Hollywood only saw the forecourt, but the inside of the TCL Chinese
Theater proved more interesting to me. On a half-hour tour, I noticed the
murals that actor Keye Luke painted depicting Chinese life, an elaborate
Chinese chandelier, and plenty of red and gold. Near the lobby, I observed a
wax figure of a Chinese woman, and our tour guide told us it was good luck to
touch her shoulders, so we did. On the other side of the lobby area, the
theater exhibited a costume collection that included Marilyn Monroe’s gold lame
gown from Gentleman Prefer Blondes, Rita Hayworth’s
black satin gown from Gilda, Judy Garland’s checkered pinafore
dress from The Wizard of Oz, Vivian Leigh’s
green gown made from drapes from Gone With the Wind,
and other costumes. Once in the auditorium, I didn’t know whether to look up,
down, or sideways because I found myself seeing red seats, red carpeting, a
fancy and elaborate chandelier in a starburst design surrounded by dragons, and
scenes from a Chinese drama that surrounded those dragons. Around the
sidewalls, I saw smaller Chinese lanterns and large columns as well as murals
of trees and pagodas in between the columns. Other areas of the theater
displayed different Chinese statues, vases, and other Chinese decorative items
that added to the ambiance. To top it all, this theater has had the
third-largest IMAX screen in the world (after the Lincoln Square Theater in NYC
and an IMAX theater in San Francisco), and they presented first-run films on
it. After the tour, I had lunch at the Hollywood Hard Rock Café, 6801 Hollywood
Blvd., just west of the TCL Chinese Theater. Here I ate a large burger, and
later, I looked at the rock music memorabilia of sheet music, guitars, and
other musical instruments as well as the outfits that the rock stars wore. This
was a great way to end a trip to the LA area.
Wednesday, December 9 through Saturday, December 12: I checked out of my hotel and spent a few hours in LA’s Union Station Metropolitan Lounge before doing a backtrack of trains back to Philly by first taking the Southwest Chief to Chicago and again, spending two nights in a roomette. The conditions on the trains going back were similar to coming over except that my husband needed to travel forward, and while that wasn’t a problem heading west, going east was a different situation. There were steps leading to the upper sleeping berth on one side only, and there wasn’t enough headroom to turn around. For the trains coming back, those steps only allowed him to sleep with his head facing backwards. After trying to sleep for a few hours that way, he headed to the observation lounge and slept there for two nights. (Yes, I did offer to try to sleep in the upper bunk, but he said that my arthritic legs wouldn’t be able to handle it.) Otherwise, we encountered the same rattling and rolling at night as well as the doppler sounds from passing trains, and the rest rooms near the sleeping areas on the Southwest Chief were just as tight as I remembered them. Again, if I had to do more body functions, I headed to the observation lounge and used the bigger restrooms there. Anyway, the food in the dining room proved just as good, and the waiters and waitresses were efficient and friendly. Because I was on my way home, I indulged in some better entrees: steak, seafood patties, and chicken as well as desserts like chocolate mousse, strawberry cheesecake, and vanilla ice cream. I also had a few good lunches and breakfasts, and at all the meals, I met some interesting and friendly people. During the second day on this train, I still enjoyed some good views of NM from the observation lounge and at my seat. The third day, I looked at the IL plains, farms, and towns before arriving in Chicago. Thus, I spent a few hours in the Metro Lounge at Chicago’s Union Station before boarding the Capitol Limited for Washington, DC. At least all of the restrooms on this train were bigger than the previous train. Then, when we mentioned that my husband will most likely be sleeping in the observation lounge, our room attendant felt that nobody should sleep there that night because they did have some spare roomettes available. Therefore, she got a roomette for my husband. Needless to say, we did tip her well at the end of the trip. (Incase I didn’t cover this before, I usually tipped about $2 at breakfast, $3 at lunch, $5 at dinner, and about $5 per person, per night, to the room attendant. Therefore, the Southwest Chief room attendant got $20 at the end of the train trip, and theCapitol Limited room attendant got $10 on the trip west. Because of the extra roomette, our room attendant on the Capitol Limited on the way home got $20 from us.) The next day, we looked at the hilly countrysides of West Virginia and Maryland before entering Washington, DC’s Union Station. Here we rested for another few hours in the Acela Club before getting on the Northeast Regional train to Philadelphia’s 30th St. Station--and onto NJ and home. Overall, I’m glad that I took this train ride and had a chance to see a cross section of the USA, but the next time I go west, I’ll fly—even if the airlines nickel & dime me.
To summarize some of this trip--Although I learned a lot about making films and TV shows, I learned a lot more about the public transportation in LA, and I am impressed. As I said earlier, the LA Metro Tap Cards are much better than NYC’s MetroCards: Tapping is much better than swiping. Unlike the NYC Subway, however, the LA Metro is not open 24/7—not that I took public transit late at night, and I doubt if the LA Metro will ever be as extensive as the NYC Subway, but it’s a vast improvement from 20 years ago. Meanwhile, a few sources of mine warned me not to try to connect from bus-to-bus in the LA area because I would be in for a long wait: whereas in NYC, I have connected from bus-to-bus many times. Nevertheless, connecting from Metro-to-bus or Metro-to-Metro was no problem. The base fare for LA Metro was also cheaper than NYC’s Subway/Bus base fare. Although I never used a taxi in LA, I read that you have to phone for one, and the fares are higher than NYC, but you cannot flag one on the streets as you can in NYC. Anyway, I proved that depending on where you are going, you can visit LA without driving most of the time.
Wednesday, December 9 through Saturday, December 12: I checked out of my hotel and spent a few hours in LA’s Union Station Metropolitan Lounge before doing a backtrack of trains back to Philly by first taking the Southwest Chief to Chicago and again, spending two nights in a roomette. The conditions on the trains going back were similar to coming over except that my husband needed to travel forward, and while that wasn’t a problem heading west, going east was a different situation. There were steps leading to the upper sleeping berth on one side only, and there wasn’t enough headroom to turn around. For the trains coming back, those steps only allowed him to sleep with his head facing backwards. After trying to sleep for a few hours that way, he headed to the observation lounge and slept there for two nights. (Yes, I did offer to try to sleep in the upper bunk, but he said that my arthritic legs wouldn’t be able to handle it.) Otherwise, we encountered the same rattling and rolling at night as well as the doppler sounds from passing trains, and the rest rooms near the sleeping areas on the Southwest Chief were just as tight as I remembered them. Again, if I had to do more body functions, I headed to the observation lounge and used the bigger restrooms there. Anyway, the food in the dining room proved just as good, and the waiters and waitresses were efficient and friendly. Because I was on my way home, I indulged in some better entrees: steak, seafood patties, and chicken as well as desserts like chocolate mousse, strawberry cheesecake, and vanilla ice cream. I also had a few good lunches and breakfasts, and at all the meals, I met some interesting and friendly people. During the second day on this train, I still enjoyed some good views of NM from the observation lounge and at my seat. The third day, I looked at the IL plains, farms, and towns before arriving in Chicago. Thus, I spent a few hours in the Metro Lounge at Chicago’s Union Station before boarding the Capitol Limited for Washington, DC. At least all of the restrooms on this train were bigger than the previous train. Then, when we mentioned that my husband will most likely be sleeping in the observation lounge, our room attendant felt that nobody should sleep there that night because they did have some spare roomettes available. Therefore, she got a roomette for my husband. Needless to say, we did tip her well at the end of the trip. (Incase I didn’t cover this before, I usually tipped about $2 at breakfast, $3 at lunch, $5 at dinner, and about $5 per person, per night, to the room attendant. Therefore, the Southwest Chief room attendant got $20 at the end of the train trip, and theCapitol Limited room attendant got $10 on the trip west. Because of the extra roomette, our room attendant on the Capitol Limited on the way home got $20 from us.) The next day, we looked at the hilly countrysides of West Virginia and Maryland before entering Washington, DC’s Union Station. Here we rested for another few hours in the Acela Club before getting on the Northeast Regional train to Philadelphia’s 30th St. Station--and onto NJ and home. Overall, I’m glad that I took this train ride and had a chance to see a cross section of the USA, but the next time I go west, I’ll fly—even if the airlines nickel & dime me.
To summarize some of this trip--Although I learned a lot about making films and TV shows, I learned a lot more about the public transportation in LA, and I am impressed. As I said earlier, the LA Metro Tap Cards are much better than NYC’s MetroCards: Tapping is much better than swiping. Unlike the NYC Subway, however, the LA Metro is not open 24/7—not that I took public transit late at night, and I doubt if the LA Metro will ever be as extensive as the NYC Subway, but it’s a vast improvement from 20 years ago. Meanwhile, a few sources of mine warned me not to try to connect from bus-to-bus in the LA area because I would be in for a long wait: whereas in NYC, I have connected from bus-to-bus many times. Nevertheless, connecting from Metro-to-bus or Metro-to-Metro was no problem. The base fare for LA Metro was also cheaper than NYC’s Subway/Bus base fare. Although I never used a taxi in LA, I read that you have to phone for one, and the fares are higher than NYC, but you cannot flag one on the streets as you can in NYC. Anyway, I proved that depending on where you are going, you can visit LA without driving most of the time.
