Thursday, July 12, 2007

Hooray for Hollywood

When I came to this country at the age of two, I learned how to speak English by watching television. If you ever heard me speak it would explain a lot. Anyway, I used to watch old Hollywood movies. The classic black and whites entertained me for hours on end. I loved stars like Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart, Bette Davis, Grace Kelly, Betty Grable, Sean Connery, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. And that’s my short list. My television favorites were Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason, Dick Van Dyke, Carol Burnett and Tim Conway to name a few. I watched the Academy Awards and loved all the beautiful gowns the ladies wore. I often watched as stars placed their footprints and handprints in cement in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.

So when visiting our son, I asked if he would take me to Hollywood. I wanted to go to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and see the Walk of Fame. It was nighttime and the streets were crowded. I kept snapping away pictures and my son made sure I was safe. He walked along on my right and my hubby on my left. My son walked closer whenever he didn’t like the look of someone. I never felt safer in my life walking around with my favorite two men in the world.

I’ll have to admit that I acted like a tourist. I know you are shocked. I know what you’re thinking. Nadine is too cool to be such a geek, but I couldn’t help it – I’m talking Hollywood here. I took some pictures of my favorite stars “stars.” Here’s just a couple.

Lucille Ball
This is a cool spray paint image of Lucille Ball on a security gate
You can’t forget Desi
Next up was Hollywood and Vine. Pictured is Tom posing for me. The men in my life really know how to humor me.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre was great. It was smaller than I had pictured it in my mind as a kid. I didn’t see some of the footprints I expected to see. My son told me they exchange them from time to time. It was hard to get a whole cement block in one shot with my camera. But I did manage to get most of it. One thing I found interesting was how many female stars wore high heel shoes when placing their very small feet into cement. Here are a few pictured below.

Marilyn Monroe
Who could forget the famous “I Love Lucy” episode when she steals John Wayne’s footprints and then breaks it putting it back? Too funny.
My favorite actor of all time. . . drum roll please . . . Cary Grant.
Thank you son for taking your mom to a place she always wanted to see since she was a little girl.

The trip home is next up. Stay tuned. I’m not sure when I’ll post it. I’m teaching another class this weekend and will be busy from Thursday night through Saturday night. Until then have a great weekend.

© Nadine Z. 2007

23 comments:

Louise said...

Oh yeah the tourist comes out...lol!!
I did the same thing when I was there only I think I took pics of the cuties to me at the time....gotta love it!
Everyone has gotta do that at least once right??

Knit-Wit said...

Great memories. I'm impressed you learned English through television.

There is something exciting about visiting places which you have only heard about since childhood. I remember how dorky I must have been when I saw my first sky scraper. :)

Anonymous said...

Great pictures!! I would totally have to be a tourist there, too! It looks like you guys are having a fabulous time!

Thanks for sharing these wonderful memories!

Jane, P&B Girls

Art said...

Cool. I've always wanted to see Grauman's.

marykathryn said...

How fun for you!!! So sweet of your guys to make your dream come true...Cracking me up about the safety thing...What great men they are!!

Deb said...

Awsome awsome and more awsome! Looks like your really enjoying yourselves! Go ahead let your hair down...well Nadine anyway! LOL sorry Tom!

Tammy said...

Nadine- you are a girl after my own heart! From the time I was a kid, I have loved old movies! Maybe because I had older parents and it was from their era- but there is something about old Hollywood!
Did you know I had an old movie blog? Well, I haven't been keeping it up lately, but you'll have to go stop by if you haven't...Oh, and would you believe I just happened to have been watching Cary Grant earlier today- I'm home alone so I popped in "My Favorite Wife"! :D

Shionge said...

This is wonderful and glad that you are two bodyguards with you all the time Nadine :D

Thank you for the wonderful pictures I've enjoyed this walk wtih you :D

palmtreefanatic said...

wow! I was getting so excited reading your post! I would no doubt be a major tourist here and take tons of photos too...this is so cool!

Sandy said...

Interesting how you learned English!
Love our new banner too!
Sandy
For Reluctant Entertainers

Mrs.Martin said...

So do you speak like Katherine Hepburn in that wonderful 40's way? What is cuter, is to think of a little girl learning to speak english, like our older stars of Hollywood. I also loved all the old movies and would watch them as a kid,instead of skate boarding with my friends.

Love the pictures Nadine.

Diane Viere said...

I love it! With the song, Hooray for Hollywood running it's tune through my head...I traveled with you as I read my post! It is such a fun place to visit,....only made better by the fact that you were able to share it with your 'two favorite men!" Glad you had such a good time.

Diane

eph2810 said...

How awesome that the two favorite men in your life protected you like that. Even cooler is that you went down to Hollywood to see all the things you wanted to see.

BTW - that is how pretty much learned my English - through movies - old movies indeed. I loved "I love Lucy" - she cracked me up. I think my favorite episode is when she traveling Europe and makes wine :)

Blessings to you and yours.

a woman who is said...

I hope Pink Lucy makes it over here to see her favorite. I really enjoyed seeing the stars sidewalk prints. Weird they rotate them. You really make us feel like we are on the road trip with you. Fun!

Cheri said...

Neat pictures. I would like to see Hollywood some time. I've only ever been to San Francisco...and that was for work.

Susan said...

Sounds like you're having a grand time.
Susan

Erin said...

Sounds like you had a great trip! Adventuresome at least : ) Glad you stayed safe!

~Crystal~ said...

Awe! That made me miss Hollywood so much! When I lived there, D & I would go on dates to Hollywood & Highland. My very first time was at night also & when I walked up to Grauman's I cried. Just because it was a place I had dreamed of going to my entire life.
I love the Lucy stuff you captured. I have my picture on the star.
Oh & Cary Grant is my favorite male actor too. Hubba Hubba

Demara said...

Oh that's so neat Nadine. WOW what a trip! And just like television taught you something it taught me something too...I learned how to tie my shoes from sesame street when I was 4 years old. And your son was sure nice to do that for you! So cool~

Lala's world said...

oh how fun! hope you are having a blast, it sure looks like it!

Jill said...

Oh, I love all those old Hollywood starts, too. They just don't make them like that anymore. The photos were great.

Ann(ie) said...

oooooooooooh...what great pictures!!

Anonymous said...

I voted, and loved these pictures.
I have to read the whole saga, of course. Helen