Great Concept

Perfection but who are those guys?

Slip Sliding Away

I'm no genius but doesn't seem smart to me to bring in virtually the same vehicle that doesn't have anymore traction to retrieve the one stuck in the mud. Enjoyed watching the 3 men

spin the wheels, yell and bemoan. Stuck when I went up the trail, still stuck when I came back down 45 minutes later. Oh my.

LOL

Shot this pic of the venerable sign this morning before the deluge. It's about as close as one can get to it by foot before your hear the recorded message that bleats about "trespassing."

LOL because at tonight's union meeting reps from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and  Global Icons had been invited to attend.  These folks were there to explain the history of the sign as well as the process to obtain permission to film the sign.  You see, the Hollywood sign is copyrighted and Global Icons charges a fee to film it.  NOT a popular concept.  Peter Sands was snarky and laid open the Global rep by pointedly asking him..." Does your company represent the Eiffel Tower?  The Pyramids?" Brilliant. The Global Icon rep looked like a deer caught in headlights.  Perfect way to start our first 399 meeting of the year.  A good turn out although I knew less the 75% of the attendees. Then again I haven't been to a meeting for a long time.

The Cleats

Geez you'd think I'd robbed a bank for all the inquiries I've had about the baseball cleats.  Here's the back story. It 98' I was working on a new FOX sit com called "Living in Captivity." For years there has been a Show Biz softball league and our cast and crew signed up.  We were playing our first game and I was up to bat.  Contrary to many opinions (Eddie Heaton RU listening?) I'm not a jock.  I was a member of GAA (girls athletic assoc) in high school...the keys words..high school..some FORTY years ago but that was because all my friends were and 6th period was just a laugh for all of us. ANYWAY, I swung the bat and saw the ball sail over the head of the shortstop which meant I got a hit. Giddy with excitement I turned to run and fell flat on my face. I was wearing sneakers. If you have ever watched pro ball you'll notice that when a player goes back to the dug out after a strikeout no one says anything to them.  So even in a "friendly" softball game that tradition remains. Humiliated beyond belief (I mean Diane English was there!) I clamored to my feet and painfully walked back to the dugout. As I was trying to clean the blood and sand mixture from my kneecap sans any whining, actor George Wyner (look him up on IMDB) leaned over and whispered, "Cleats." I bought a pair the next day but rarely played again. Why did they remain in my closest?  Not a clue. 

LA Grey

If you squint you can see the Hollywood sign. Awoke this morning to the rain. Ventured out on a new hiking trail just the same.  What's a little precipitation? Just to prove I'm not the only whack job who was out and about and climbed the trail to Mt. Hollywood here are some fellow trekkers.

See them and Ms. Ramona through the drizzle?

It was great. I looked like a drowned rat but who cares. We virtually had the trail to ourselves.

Except for the tin can man. This fella knows the location of every garbage can on each trail.

Must be one fit sucker.

Looks like the rain has ceased and the sun is peeking through the clouds.

Nice change. Ms. Mona and I are going to stay inside and relax now.

Hot tea anyone?

Holy Spirits

Ever visited a cemetery around the Xmas holidays?

No.  Well you should. Very interesting and festive.

Yes, festive. For reasons I'm not sure I understand, people decorate the grave sites, complete with Xmas trees and tinsel. Am I mad for thinking this odd?

Number 9

What's up with #9 these days? This was the sign that greeted Ramona and I as we returned to the land of the living after trying a new Griffith Park trail ( I use the term trial loosely.)

There's the musical NINE, the animation film 9, the sci fi flick District 9...ah well I am too relieved from this morning's hike to really care. The hike was fun and frightening because the route I choose was very steep and narrow. From Dante's View it looked great and I saw other folks on it so hey... "let's go Ramona."  As I slipped down the first slope on my ass I thought "Nice going Eastman. You're uninsured and you are trying to climb down a mtn side. You're a complete idiot."  2 hours later as I gave Ramona a bowl of water in the car and swigged some out of the bottle myself I was exhilarated.  I'd not broken anything, scratches were minimal Ramona was fine and I hadn't ripped a hole in my pants.  By the way, at least 5 hikers saw my predicament and nary a one yelled "RU OK?"  Nothing. Squat. Only a scowl from an elderly man who saw Ramona at the bottom of the grade off leash.  Really people, if I'd broken my neck would you have at least called 911? Anyway, life goes on.  Here's one part of the "trail" (past the green grass) I had to negotiate on my butt.  Sometimes I scratch my head and wonder.

View From The Top

This is the Griffith Observatory before dawn.  There was a 3/4's moon this morning so I decided to hike up to the Observatory in the moonlight. Once again I was amazed to be greeted by people coming down the trail especially the couple that was jogging. This is a dirt trail complete with divets, ruts, holes, etc and these folks are running down it. All of us dependent on the moonlight. Owls were asking "who? who?" and I kept thinking "why? why?"  

Once I' made it to the Observatory I'm pleased with the accomplishment. I didn't trip, slip or fall. Ramona loved it. Looking out over the vastness of twinkling lights I am reminded of the glitter of fools gold. Rather a perfect analogy of LA I think. This morning's sunrise was exceptionally beautiful so I perched and watched.

 

As each minute passed the sky and the clouds changed colors.  Other hikers stopped and stared as well.  It was that impressive.

I started back down before the sun had actually peaked above the San Gabriels but paused one last time to watch it crest the mtn top.

And so it begins

Who's His Girl?

Before Dawn

My camera makes the pic lighter than it was this morning as Ramona and I climbed up to the Observatory.  I've yet to figure it out but many, many Koreans are on the trails to the Observatory and Mt. Hollywood before sunrise. Hiking and running in the blackness. I hit the trail around 5:30am and some folks were already coming back down.  It was frigging dark and yet this is a daily ritual.  Amazing. I do enjoy the coolness and the fact I can let Ramona off lease which she loves. We keep ears and eyes alert though as I saw two coyotes the other morning.

It is a lovely sight to see the lights of Land of La from the Observatory.

On clear days the best view of LA bar none. You can see all the way down to Long Beach, over to the coast and to the East the San Gabriels. Today it was a bit overcast. Still a nice POV of the sprawl.

Even the Observatory itself has a different glow that early in the day.