Another Frederick's of Hollywood party!

Tonight was another Frederick's of Hollywood flagship store party.  After seeing how busy it got last time, I decided to leave extra early and arrive as doors opened.

Excellent idea.  I got there right at 6:00 and that was such a great decision.  I dressed up more this time: short dress, black stockings, and heels. And it was cold outside.  I'm glad I only had to wait outside long enough to have my ID checked and name found on the guest list before I got inside.  No line, no real waiting.

They were doing manicures this time, so I went right upstairs to that station and waited behind just three other girls.  Within minutes, the line had grown to at least ten people behind me. (Ha!  I win!) I always do my nails red, so this time I went for an awesome taupe color...and already began to ruin it as I left the chair and grabbed my bag. Oh well.  I am not meant to get manicures—the last time I tried, I ruined that one too, even after waiting.  At least it already happened before shopping.  Now I didn't have to worry about them anymore.

Just like last time...discounts!  I got a cocktail, went right to the party dresses, and found two great ones...plus an excellent plaid Christmas corset.  I actually asked the dressing room girls to talk me into it.  I picked up a few more things and accidentally ended up spending half my rent.  Oh well.  Totally worth it. I love Frederick's, and that is why I'm a shareholder.

And again, like last time, I got a gift bag with all sorts of goodies.

Lucy Day at The Hollywood Museum

Today was Lucy Day at The Hollywood Museum.  They've had a large Lucy collection there for a few months already, but today was their big symposium including a panel of Lucille Ball's friends and colleagues. I got there as doors opened so I could spend enough time in the actual museum and see all the displays.

A sample of some of the collection

After a good amount of time in the exhibit, I went upstairs to where they panel would be held.  There, the first thing I saw, was Michael Stern's booth.  He's known as "Lucy's #1 fan" (given the title by Lucy herself).  He signed my copy of his book, and maaaybe I spent a lot of money on an autographed Stone Pillow limited-run posted. (Hey, this was my chance to get a guaranteed authentic Lucy autograph.)  There were several other tables with old magazines and collectibles too.

Bob Schiller, during autograph line

The main event was the discussion panel, and the meeting/autograph line following that.  A few people weren't very talkative (or were busy having conversations with each other, just going through the motions of "meeting"/signing for us...), but there were a few highlights.  Frank Gorey (Lucy's driver/household manager) loves my red hair.  Jimmy Garrett is a top-notch dude. (I hope he or his family Googles him and sees this.) Carole Cook is hilarious and a sassypants and now I want to be her when I grow up.  She said I can be.  Bernard Weitzman (Executive VP of Desilu Productions) was super informative during the panel, and came prepared with extra documents and photos to share—he showed me the first photo of him and Lucy together on his first day of the job.  And Bob Schiller (I Love Lucy writer) was adorable and reminded me of my grandpa, which I told him. "But was he wonderful?" (making sure it was a positive comparison!) Quiet, but so fantastic to have met him.

After going through the autograph line, I hung around to sneak a few more photos.  We couldn't photograph during the panel, so I got what I could after it.  The panelists began to clear out as the lined died down.  Carole Cook was the last one remaining—so I approached her again and asked if I could get a photo with her.

Super exciting day, and some of the inspiration I've needed lately.  I need to be more interesting like these fine people.

Frederick's of Hollywood party

On Wednesday, I received an invite for a special event at the Frederick's of Hollywood flagship store in Hollywood.  As this store has taken a lot of my money (alllll those shopping trips), I had to go: Cocktails!  Discounts! Gift bags!

Emphasis on discounts!  Time for a shopping trip again!

I arrived about a half hour after it started, and there was a line from the door around the corner.  I did not expect that.  I also did not expect the girls in line to be dressed as if they were going into a club.  Little party dresses all over...making my long sundress look lame by comparison. There were a few people in "regular clothes," so that did make me feel a little better.

On all my other trips to the store, there were a handful of other customers, but never anything overwhelming.  Employees were always on top of things and offered assistance, dressing rooms, "let me hold this at the register for you..."—but last night, it was busy.

The staff was definitely doing the best that could, though.  I had a drink in one hand, a few items in the other, and several times I was offered help in finding a size so I didn't have to juggle a way to look through the clothing rack.  The line for the dressing rooms was insane, but the staff there also was good about running out to grab a different size if necessary.  It was very well-organized...just busy.

After an hour and a half, I spent far more money than I should have. (But I'm a shareholder of FOH stock, so eventually they may pay me back...right?) Whatever, I got some fabulous stuff and felt all fancy at the store party/event, so I win.

My shopping bag + gift bag (and all the gift bag goodies)

An evening at La Descarga

Last night, we celebrated a friend's birthday at La Descarga, a Cuban rum and cigar bar in Hollywood.  So.much.fun.  It was a classy affair—ladies in cocktail dresses and men in jackets. And of course, I enjoy any chance I get to feel a little Lucille Ball-esque...redhead at a Cuban rum bar, close enough connection to Lucy/Desi.

First of all, when you get into the door, you're led upstairs to a little room...and enter the main bar room by walking through an armoire, pushing a few hanging guayabera shirts aside. You step through onto a raised platform that reminded me of a theater catwalk, then down the metal spiral stairs to the main floor.  We were a large party, so we had a reservation for a table and bottle service, and we were escorted to our corner.

So.  Bottle service.  It's a Cuban rum bar, so of course we went with rum.  A $300 bottle of rum.  Fancy glass pitches of soda and a glass of limes were also delivered to the table, but the rum was so smooth (with hints of vanilla and cinnamon) that most of us drank it on the rocks.

Every hour, there was a short burlesque performance, and the dancer can really move.  I was so impressed with her quick footwork and swinging of her hips.  She was obviously a trained dancer.  We sneaked off to the cigar lounge after the first performance, and though I didn't partake in that, it was quite a sight to see another retro room filled with dressed up people.

After we finished the bottle, there were a few more cocktails and a lot more fun with friends.  It was such a great group of people, and of course we ladies took turns dancing to the latin music with our birthday boy.  So.much.fun.  We already were asking who has the next special occasion so we can have an excuse to return. Because, you know, you kinda need more reason than "just because" when you order a $300 bottle.

Hollywood Sign again

I went back to the Hollywood sign again on Sunday. I love that I can do that. It's a nice, easy "hike" with enough people to take away the murder mystery thought (see Temescal), but not super touristy crowded.  It probably took me an hour and a half round-trip, including some time spent at the very top—there's a little dirt hill next to the tower that I had never climbed up before.

I love this hike, and I love living by Hollywood.

Hollywood Forever (and ever and ever!)

Movie nights in a cemetery: brilliant, or fantastically brilliant?

Hollywood Forever hosts summertime movie screenings, and it is amazing.  Bring your blankets, bring your snacks, bring your booze, and hang out.  Two years ago, I went with a friend (and her friends) to see Jaws on the Fourth of July.  A week later, I went with another friend for The Bride of Frankenstein, and maybe two weeks after that, we returned for Some Like It Hot.  I didn't make it to any screenings last summer, but I'm determined to not let it slip by again.

Sunday evening was Ghostbusters.  Though neither of us was sure if we'd even previously seen the movie all the way through, my roommate Lisa and I were excited for movie night.  I made guac, packed a cooler, gathered some blankets, and we were off to fight for some grassy space.

We ended up scoring an awesome spot right up front and slightly to the side.  It was slightly obscured from our view when walking up to the screening mausoleum, thanks to my new buddy Douglas Fairbanks and his elaborate resting place.  We laid out the blankets, dug into the snacks, and waited.

"Wait, I wanna be eating guac in every picture!  It'll be my thing!"

The movie itself was improved by the crowd.  People sung along with the theme song and all "Ghostbusters!" chants, and even got into yelling, "Noo, don't! Ahhhh!" at times.  Super cool atmosphere.  And, bonus!  At the end, as we got up and walked out, the DJ immediately played "Thriller"...so I had no choice but to get my Leo Strut on.  If my hands weren't full with a cooler and bags, I probably would have needed to rock out the "Thriller" dance (like I did on Jaws night).

On the drive home, I decided to take us down Sunset Blvd, rather than the normal, less scenic route.  I pointed out the Hollywood Palladium, Hotel Café, fun billboards, and finally the "real" Sunset Strip.  Lisa had never been to the Roxy, or Key Club, or anything down that way.  Eventually we hit Beverly Hills, and I really turned into a high-class tour guide.  "And on your right, we will soon be passing a classic Beverly Hills neighborhood sign." I tried to throw in a lot of fun facts and tidbits, communicated in a sweet tour guide announcer voice.  Or maybe I sounded like a game show host.

I decided to take a minor detour, and we turned on to Roxbury Drive so I could show off Lucille Ball's former house, "and next door, you'll see Jack Benny's house! Oh wait, is that a dude in Lucy's door??" Yep, there was a silhouette of a man standing in the glass doorway as we drove by...so I sped up a little to not be that creepo who's driving by super slowly.

I also tour-guided our way past Bel Air and UCLA sorority/fraternity houses, then we were dropped onto our northbound route home.  I suggested a final detour: the Jackson family home, conveniently located within (long) walking-distance of our house...or a short drive.  I told her about my evening outside the gate the day after Michael Jackson died and everyone created a nice memorial, and seeing a family car drive out and be mobbed by reporters.

Nights like that remind me exactly where I live.  For my first 2+ years in Los Angeles, I was stuck in a little bubble surrounding my apartment due to lack of car (and low-quality public transportation).  Getting to Hollywood and Highland took a bus transfer to a train, about a half hour from my door to tourist central.  It's not that I would forget where I live, but I didn't realize how close I am to all the cool stuff.  Now I am mobile and able to explore. And I love Los Angeles.

PS: I just asked Lisa, "If I was on Yelp, how would you rate my tour guiding?" and she said she liked that I knew where things were, and I was very lively.  So there you go.  Hey tour guide companies, I'm willing to learn your route and tour highlights.  Also, I am likable and energetic and available for hire!

Hollywood explorations

I basically decided to move to Los Angeles when I was about twelve years old.  I knew I'd go away to college, and if school wasn't in L.A., then I'd move here after graduation.  So I did.  I graduated from a college in Chicago in spring 2008, then packed up and took a one-way flight to Los Angeles three months later.  Despite knowing this was my plan (rather than an unthoughtout move), sometimes I don't fully realize how close I am to all things Hollywood and iconic and awesome.

Some of it probably has to do with the fact that my first two years here were sans car.  I was limited to the (limited) public transportation, and the system is enough to make Chicago's CTA look glorious.  Going anywhere was a chore, especially with some bus lines only running once an hour...and stopping service sometimes before 10:00pm.  But now I have a car!  And I can go places more easily!  And I can go on my own schedule!

Last weekend, dad was back in town again for the last few days of a work project, so we went "hiking" on Sunday.  I add the quotation marks because it wasn't a major hike through the wilderness—more like a long walk up an incline, and about half of it was a paved road.  So why was it great? We went to the Hollywood sign.

That's right.  The Hollywood sign.  There's a chain link fence and signs warning of arrest and a small fine if you attempt to cross and move closer, but you can follow the utility road all the way up there and look out from behind it.

A few days later, I went to Hollywood/Highland to do a little shopping on my day off.  You exit the parking structure via elevators that drop you right by the staircase to the Kodak Theatre, where they host the Academy Awards.  Oh, no big deal, just walking by the columns of Best Picture winners!  Out front: Walk of Fame stars.  Next door: Grauman's Chinese Theatre.  This is what tourists come to see...and I live about ten minutes from it all.

I never know how to end posts well.

So that's my story.  Bye!