California Dreamin

Monday, July 1, 2013

Universally Great

We spent the day at Universal Studios, Hollywood, one of the oldest movie studios which is still actively used, in fact they bill themselves as being the world's largest movie studio. The modern tours here started in 1964 and eventually grew to include the theme park. Now they have other locations such as Universal Studios, Florida. The attractions have changed over the years to keep up with the movies. Its different than my last visit in 1987. The studios have been damaged by fire, nine times over the years, not a good safety record.

Universal Citywalk


At the Globe

The first thing we did was to go on the 45 minute long Studio Tour where you ride a tram through real sets. There are sets for city street scenes, westerns, and small towns and movie sets for films like Psycho, Jaws, War of the Worlds, etc. Lots of great movies were made here.

Styrofoam sets

Flash Flood

Amity: Home of Jaws

We used to have one of these.

Tram Smashed by King Kong

Norman putting a body in the car at the Bates Motel

Flash Flood

We went on some rides next to avoid the crowds later in the day. It got very full. We went on Shrek 4D, Jurassic Park, and Revenge of the Mummy. The Mummy ride was an indoor roller coaster, that went forwards and backwards. Thank God we did not have lunch first.

Yes, we got wet!

The Stowaway on Apollo 13 1/2

From the low budget movie "Rain Women"

We Love Lucy!

Scooby Doo!

Without the sidecar, I am Steve McQueen, with the sidecar I am Sargent Shultz

Ida with Mr. Bean

Thinking of a Career Change

Waterworld

Blues Brothers

In the afternoon we did the shows: Water World, Special Effects, and part of the Blues Brothers. Before heading home we had dinner at Buca de Beppo in the City Walk,

Crowded Beach, Uncrowded Pool

We started out the day with Mass at St. Charles in North Hollywood. The church is known as the church of the stars because of its proximity to Hollywood. Bob Hope and his wife were parishioners (actually Bob wasnt a Catholic until late in his life) but his wife was a parishioner for 70 years and his funeral was here. Their home was on the same street. Other celebrity parishioners included Dorothy Lamour, Alex Trebek, Robert Urich, Eric Estrada, and Frankie Avalon.Retired Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahoney grew up here and has had long ties to the church. He currently lives here as a resident.

This church was built in 1959 and the interior is kind of plain with cement gray walls, They have a c campaign to make the walls a softer color and to add some decorative elements.

Hope Estate in Moorpark Street

Hope House in Palm Springs

Bob Hope's House in Toula Lake (6 minutes away) was actually a couple of properties put together. He had a bigger home in Palm Springs, shown below, that resembled a flying saucer. This one was priced at $50 million

Santa Monica Pier

Pedestrian Traffic

We decided to go the beach in Santa Monica. All week I have remarked about how deserted the streets seemed to be. Well, not in Santa Monica. The roads were packed, the beaches were packed, and the pier was packed. Too crowded. We stayed for a short while and came back via Santa Monica Boulevard going through Beverly Hills and Hollywood.

Beach

Tall Palm Trees

Hollywood Sign

Back home, it was time for a nice swim and a relaxing evening. Tomorrow we go to Universal Studios, a short drive away.

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Our Southern California Home

We rented a cute little house in Valley Village near Studio City. Its about 10 minutes from Universal Studios and just a little north of Hollywood. We can be at the beach in Santa Monica in about 20 minutes. What a great find this house was for us. It is nice and roomy and has an absolutely beautiful backyard. Like many of the houses out here its tucked behind a fence so you would never know its here.

We are headed for the beach today, but will be back here for a swim at the end of the day and we have some nice steak to barbeque for dinner.

Photos Courtesy of Diana Magee, Blog Photographer