L.A. Trip - Day 2: TCL Chinese Theatre

Up at 6am this morning, got going around 9:30.  Walked a mile down Hollywood Blvd. to have breakfast at Mel's Drive-In.

The W lobby/lounge/"Living Room"

Spotted on our walk to breakfast

Oj, hash browns and Yuppie Joe's Scramble:  "Ground turkey, fresh spinach, mushrooms & green onions scrambled with two large farm fresh eggs."  Delicious.

After breakfast we walked across the street to the Hollywood & Highland open-air mall which was large on spectacle, but mediocre otherwise.

Giant elephants

Massive wall

Next to the mall was the famed Chinese Theatre currently known as the TCL Chinese Theatre, formerly Mann's Chinese, formerly Grauman's.

Detail

The cast of Star Trek left their mark

One of those places you never really think you'll see in person, then suddenly there you are.  We'll come back again tonight and later in the week.

It really is something to see such an iconic location in person.  It's a little less exciting on the way though when you have to push through a crowd of cheap-imitation, dirty-rented-costume, if-you-take-a-picture-give-me-$1, Spidermans, Captain Jack Sparrows, Marilyn Monroes of all ethnicities, Minions, Thors, Iron Mans, living statues, and one Samuel Jackson from Pulp Fiction.  In fact, there's a Spiderman in the photo above - can you find him?

Hint:  He's near the Falun Gong ("Falun Dafa Is Good!") protest sign.

It was just like being in Times Square in New York; the only thing missing was Elmo.

After looking at the signatures and handprints on the ground for a bit we headed back to the hotel, being careful to avoid being sucked into the Scientology building on the way - their doors were open and people were handing out pamphlets, but they must have had the mind-control signals turned down or off as it was easy to just keep walking.  If Tom Cruise himself had come out, I might have stepped into the lobby.  Not Xenu or John Travolta though...just Tom Cruise.

Is it just me, or does their sign look like "Scientology, pile of poo"?  Just sayin'.

We made it back to the hotel and after a short rest got in the car to head to the Griffith Observatory.