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- Aug 7, 2000
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MONDAY 2/27
This was it, our last day.
We began by getting up and getting ready as usual. I turned on the news to hear the weather and instead I heard Long Beach Airport was evacuated and closed due to a security breach. 
UGH! It was reported shortly thereafter that it had reopned and things were getting back to normal. Phew! 
We started out to breakfast about 8:45. The boys wanted to go back to the Jazz Kitchen today so we made our way to DTD. While walking over I was thinking of all the packing left to do so I decided I would just get something at Compass Books & Café, to take back to the room. So DH took the kids to the Jazz Kitchen while I went back to the room and started packing. It's easier to do it with no one there.
The boys returned and we continued packing and loading the car. By 10:45 we were on our way.
This is always such a sad feeling! But the good news was we werent going right to the airport.
Since our flight wasnt until 9:20 PM we decided to take some time today to explore Hollywood. We had never been so this was all new to us.
We started off by going to Hollywood Blvd. Here is where I became the classic "tourist" again, videotaping and snapping pictures of everything.
We drove up Hollywood Blvd for a while until we sort of got our bearings and decided to park. Surprisingly on street parking was easy to come by. We then began walking and checking out all the stars on the Walk of Fame. It started sprinkling on us now, but quickly stopped.
We then came upon the Hollywood and Highland Center, which is a huge complex, like a mall. This has restaurants and shops, but it also includes the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel. This looked beautiful. Id love to stay there sometime. The Kodak Theater is also sort of attached to this too.
After some walking around we found a nice little lookout area where you get a great view of the Hollywood sign (I had this on my list of places to go later, but I was still glad to see it).
We then found the Meet The Oscars Exhibit that was in here.
With the Oscars just 6 days away, this was a great time to be in Hollywood. In this exhibit we got to see the real Oscars that were to be given out (in glass cases) and we each got to hold one that was on display (attached with a wire). There was a short line here to hold it take pictures.
Those things are heavy...8.5 lbs! After we each took a turn and got a picture a woman approached us and told us she was from the NY Times. She had taken the kids picture and wanted to know if she could use them. She took all our information, asked why we were there, any favorites or predictions, etc... I dont know if the kids made the paper or not, but I didnt see them on the website.
It was now DH went to get the car and park it in the garage which was more centralized to where we were going to be. It was getting very cloudy and the forecast was calling for heavy rain. We realized we had walked quite a bit and didnt want to be stuck later on.
The kids and I found tables and chairs with a nice view so we sat and took a break there.
When DH returned we started out next door to the Kodak Theater. There was lots of work going on outside here getting ready for the Oscars. The bleachers were up and some areas were being blocked off. We were able to walk up the big stairs that go up to the Theater, but the main doors were closed of course.
We walked a bit further because I new Mickey Mouses star was coming up soon and wanted to be sure to see that.
Notice "Elivs"(the white outfit) in the background,LOL! We also saw "Michael Jackson" here.
After that it was back to the Manns Chinese Theater. While taping some of the handprints in the cement out in front it started raining make that pouring. This was the heavy rain we had heard about. So, I got what I could on tape and looked around some. DH and he kids had gone off to the side under some cover. I wish it had been nicer out because this was really cool to see.
Don't mind the rain drops on the picture.
I also wanted to check out the Disney Soda Fountain and store I had heard about so we crossed the street to see that. I was a bit disappointed here as it seemed to be mostly the soda fountain, and just a tiny bit of store almost like a gift shop. After being at the World Of Disney, this was nothing.
From there we saw a few more stars on the ground then decided we were ready for lunch.
We crossed the street again and went to the California Pizza Kitchen. Here I thought we were getting a true Californian experience. After the meal I took their card off the podium up front just to find out this is a chain that is located all around the world, including 4 right here in Massachusetts. Go figure.
After lunch we decided to start driving again. It was really pouring by now. Our next stop was to see the Hollywood sign. Since we had seen it already, this wasnt too much of a necessity, but we had plenty of time to kill so we followed the directions I had gotten. These directions took us up a hill (I think that was Mulholland) on 1 long winding narrow road. We finally got to the top and I was out of pictures on my camera. Boy, I had taken a lot, LOL! But we didnt like the idea of stopping on this road anyway. I dont think Id try it again, at least not in the rain.
Now we had 1 more place to check out Beverly Hills!
Again, DH did great with the directions and got us to Rodeo Drive. I would have loved to have gone shopping
ok, browsing, but it wasnt worth getting out of the car and getting soaked. I just thought it was neat seeing all the places here. We also drove through a residential area and checked out some of the houses. Wow!
Now it was late afternoon and we figured we should start off to the airport. We knew we would hit traffic since it was coming up on rush hour and it was pouring. Of course we did, but that carpool lane is wonderful. We made it back to Long Beach Airport just about 6:15. We were very early, but its better than being late.
DH dropped us and the luggage off while he returned the car. We then checked in and went through security. Cam beeped in the metal detector with his Indiana Jones dog tag he had gotten in DL.
Soon we were at the gate, just waiting for our flight. While waiting, alarms kept going off every time someone opened a door. An employee had us all cover our ears and she tried climbing up on a chair to cover the alarm. I thought for sure we were all going to be evacuated in the rain, but luckily they knew it wasnt a real problem. 
Before long we were boarding our flight and taking off on time, 9:20 pm. We actually landed about 20 minutes early at 5:20 am. When the sun started coming up on the ride home we were welcomed to a newly snow covered ground. Id take CA over MA any day!
Overall we had a wonderful trip.
Disneyland is of course, magical as always, the game was a lot of fun, and Hollywood was very exciting. I thought the kids might be a little bored in Hollywood, but they really werent. I would go back there again, and possibly stay there. While my next scheduled trip is to WDW, Im hoping I can come up with a reason to get back to DL sometime in the near future too. 
This was it, our last day.
We began by getting up and getting ready as usual. I turned on the news to hear the weather and instead I heard Long Beach Airport was evacuated and closed due to a security breach. UGH! It was reported shortly thereafter that it had reopned and things were getting back to normal. Phew! We started out to breakfast about 8:45. The boys wanted to go back to the Jazz Kitchen today so we made our way to DTD. While walking over I was thinking of all the packing left to do so I decided I would just get something at Compass Books & Café, to take back to the room. So DH took the kids to the Jazz Kitchen while I went back to the room and started packing. It's easier to do it with no one there.
The boys returned and we continued packing and loading the car. By 10:45 we were on our way.
This is always such a sad feeling! But the good news was we werent going right to the airport. Since our flight wasnt until 9:20 PM we decided to take some time today to explore Hollywood. We had never been so this was all new to us.
We started off by going to Hollywood Blvd. Here is where I became the classic "tourist" again, videotaping and snapping pictures of everything.
We drove up Hollywood Blvd for a while until we sort of got our bearings and decided to park. Surprisingly on street parking was easy to come by. We then began walking and checking out all the stars on the Walk of Fame. It started sprinkling on us now, but quickly stopped.
We then came upon the Hollywood and Highland Center, which is a huge complex, like a mall. This has restaurants and shops, but it also includes the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel. This looked beautiful. Id love to stay there sometime. The Kodak Theater is also sort of attached to this too.
After some walking around we found a nice little lookout area where you get a great view of the Hollywood sign (I had this on my list of places to go later, but I was still glad to see it).
We then found the Meet The Oscars Exhibit that was in here.
With the Oscars just 6 days away, this was a great time to be in Hollywood. In this exhibit we got to see the real Oscars that were to be given out (in glass cases) and we each got to hold one that was on display (attached with a wire). There was a short line here to hold it take pictures.
Those things are heavy...8.5 lbs! After we each took a turn and got a picture a woman approached us and told us she was from the NY Times. She had taken the kids picture and wanted to know if she could use them. She took all our information, asked why we were there, any favorites or predictions, etc... I dont know if the kids made the paper or not, but I didnt see them on the website.
It was now DH went to get the car and park it in the garage which was more centralized to where we were going to be. It was getting very cloudy and the forecast was calling for heavy rain. We realized we had walked quite a bit and didnt want to be stuck later on.
The kids and I found tables and chairs with a nice view so we sat and took a break there. When DH returned we started out next door to the Kodak Theater. There was lots of work going on outside here getting ready for the Oscars. The bleachers were up and some areas were being blocked off. We were able to walk up the big stairs that go up to the Theater, but the main doors were closed of course.
We walked a bit further because I new Mickey Mouses star was coming up soon and wanted to be sure to see that.
Notice "Elivs"(the white outfit) in the background,LOL! We also saw "Michael Jackson" here.
After that it was back to the Manns Chinese Theater. While taping some of the handprints in the cement out in front it started raining make that pouring. This was the heavy rain we had heard about. So, I got what I could on tape and looked around some. DH and he kids had gone off to the side under some cover. I wish it had been nicer out because this was really cool to see.
Don't mind the rain drops on the picture.
I also wanted to check out the Disney Soda Fountain and store I had heard about so we crossed the street to see that. I was a bit disappointed here as it seemed to be mostly the soda fountain, and just a tiny bit of store almost like a gift shop. After being at the World Of Disney, this was nothing.
From there we saw a few more stars on the ground then decided we were ready for lunch.
We crossed the street again and went to the California Pizza Kitchen. Here I thought we were getting a true Californian experience. After the meal I took their card off the podium up front just to find out this is a chain that is located all around the world, including 4 right here in Massachusetts. Go figure.
After lunch we decided to start driving again. It was really pouring by now. Our next stop was to see the Hollywood sign. Since we had seen it already, this wasnt too much of a necessity, but we had plenty of time to kill so we followed the directions I had gotten. These directions took us up a hill (I think that was Mulholland) on 1 long winding narrow road. We finally got to the top and I was out of pictures on my camera. Boy, I had taken a lot, LOL! But we didnt like the idea of stopping on this road anyway. I dont think Id try it again, at least not in the rain.
Now we had 1 more place to check out Beverly Hills!
Again, DH did great with the directions and got us to Rodeo Drive. I would have loved to have gone shopping
ok, browsing, but it wasnt worth getting out of the car and getting soaked. I just thought it was neat seeing all the places here. We also drove through a residential area and checked out some of the houses. Wow! Now it was late afternoon and we figured we should start off to the airport. We knew we would hit traffic since it was coming up on rush hour and it was pouring. Of course we did, but that carpool lane is wonderful. We made it back to Long Beach Airport just about 6:15. We were very early, but its better than being late.
DH dropped us and the luggage off while he returned the car. We then checked in and went through security. Cam beeped in the metal detector with his Indiana Jones dog tag he had gotten in DL.
Soon we were at the gate, just waiting for our flight. While waiting, alarms kept going off every time someone opened a door. An employee had us all cover our ears and she tried climbing up on a chair to cover the alarm. I thought for sure we were all going to be evacuated in the rain, but luckily they knew it wasnt a real problem. Before long we were boarding our flight and taking off on time, 9:20 pm. We actually landed about 20 minutes early at 5:20 am. When the sun started coming up on the ride home we were welcomed to a newly snow covered ground. Id take CA over MA any day!
Overall we had a wonderful trip.
Disneyland is of course, magical as always, the game was a lot of fun, and Hollywood was very exciting. I thought the kids might be a little bored in Hollywood, but they really werent. I would go back there again, and possibly stay there. While my next scheduled trip is to WDW, Im hoping I can come up with a reason to get back to DL sometime in the near future too. 
)
