Day 20 - L.A. Celebrity stalking and then on to San Diego to talk Waste Management

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Day 20 - L.A. to San Diego, Distance travelled - 130 miles

The day started with another load of packing but we're getting good at this now and everything was chucked into the bags quickly and put into storage ready for our departure later that day. We headed out to our usual start point, the Chinese Theatre to pick up our star line bus tour once we had ducked, Mickey, Pirates, Captain America and the bloody Hulk again! This time we weren't getting the big double decker but the smaller 8 seater open top minibus for a back street 'cheesy' stars homes tour.

Now this wouldn't be my usual cup of tea but as it turned out it was highly interesting, not really for the celebrity aspect but more for the history and geography of the area. We boarded the bus along with the obligatory Aussie family groups and our slightly mad, dog and car obsessed driver/tour guide. You listen to her through earphones as she rambles away pointing out every breed of dog and make of car that we passed!

We headed straight up into the Hollywood hills winding through very narrow back roads to a Japanese restaurant near the top of the hills overlooking LA below, the Hollywood sign and some of the big stars mansions clinging to the side of the rocky hills. She reeled off loads of names pointing out funky Miami style box homes, colonial style villas and all sorts of other styles in between. Jon Bon Jovi, Keanu Reeves, the list was endless and after a quick stop for photos we descended back down the hill past the very simple looking house of Helen Mirren.

The tour then left the Hollywood hills and headed 4-5 miles towards Beverley Hills and Rodeo drive, after a little repeat of some of the previous day highlights, (Rodeo Drive shops, Bugattis, Ferraris, Beverley Wilshire hotel etc.) we headed into the residential streets behind. Here was very different and a fascinating insight into early Beverley Hills life. You had very neat and tidy tree lined streets with large but not huge plots of land fronted by a whole different array of side by side large detached homes all very different. The main streets closest to Rodeo Drive housed the original Hollywood legends and streets like Roxbury Drive had the old homes of Lucille Ball, Jack Benny, George and Ira Gershwin etc. with lots of them are still owned by the familes, with the average price of these small plots of land running at 25 to 40 million dollars you can understand why. The biggest disappointment was to see a huge prime plot had been bulldozed ready for redevelopment which was apparently Frank Sinatras magnificent house. In the UK this would probably had listed and protected status!

The most interesting thing was just how close these homes were to the road with little in the way of fences, bushes or gates to keep the prying eyes away. The plots are also small with barely enough room in the back to fit in a small pool and a tennis court back to back (the aerial view map shows that some of these streets have exactly that in every home) before the service road running behind each street for rubbish and 'staff' begins. The first house we passed that had a 'current' star in this area was Lisa Kudrows house which looked like a very nice, small bungalow but fully open to the road and prying eyes. The big buses arent allowed into these roads and the mini buses aren't allowed to stop but they do go slow past.

As you move further back, the roads become less structured, the houses get bigger and more protected. Lionel Ritchie and Julie Andrews have huge houses occupying a cul de sac with big gates and fences surrounding . Lionel's had a toy Ferrari in the driveway for his grandkids (don't get any ideas Jess!) the houses of Ringo Star, Madonna, Phil Collins, Jennifer Aniston and others are here and totally invisible to the road as they are shrouded with massive trees but Madges gate was open, but no sign of her.

Then suddenly Shas was wide awake and drooling, we had started climbing again into the real Beverley Hills away from the manicured palm lined streets and the guide said the magic word "Beckham". Clambering over Aussie kids and pensioners she was up on the roof waving her underwear before the words had left the poor woman's mouth. Sadly for her we were at the bottom of a narrow hilly street, his place was at the top and much to Shas's disappointment we weren't going up there, even after assurances there would be nothing to see and this long distance view was the best you could get, she wasnt happy. I think she expected to find him topless, washing his car in the driveway and invite us in for coffee!

The guide by now was throwing so many numbers and names around it was difficult to remember but the biggest and priciest house/estate was up on the hill, and appeared to have been bought for $85m by Bernie Ecclestones daughter! I obviously met the wrong girl!

Having seen some great and very different views of parts of LA, we returned back to the mad house around the Chinese Theatre for one last time, grabbed some lunch summoned up Merlin from the bowels of the hotel for a final time and loaded the luggage. Four cases, two crates of beer and diet coke plus umpteen carrier bags of shopping and souvenirs is probably not the standard luggage load that Mustang designers had in mind for the car which we quickly discovered. With the roof down and a bit of pushing and pulling we got it all in there.

We set off through the busy but moving traffic on the I5, stuck the car in the 'car pool' lane (for cars with 2 or more occupants which at times is the outside lane of 8!) clicked on cruise control and headed for San Diego. Even with the roof down and doing 70, Shas was out like a light, sleeping away in the passenger seat, dreaming of Beckham washing his car. She missed some great scenery (once out of LA) as the road once again hugged the Pacific coast. Just before the Mexican border, the last city is San Diego and we headed into the centre of town and over a huge bridge into the bayside suburb of Coronado.

As far as we can see there are four main things that make up the island area of Coronado, in the San Diego bay. The golf course, the residential area, the huge area occupied by the Hotel Del Coronado ( known as 'The Del'😉 and the huge Coronado naval base and airport. Just over the water is also the San Diego Naval base, so safe to say 'The Del' is slap bang in the middle of a huge military area.

We arrived at The Del and it truly is spectacular, a huge Victorian structure with white walls, red tile roofs, wooden balconies, turrets and a huge red roofed round tower at the entrance. Opened in 1888 it is spectacular and despite a number of fires, refits, extensions and changes, you really feel the history of the place. The reception and lower levels are all in dark wood with decorative carpets and it looks very opulent. It has a massive history having entertained many Presidents, official state banquets, Edward VIII, and countless movie stars have lived or stayed here including Marilyn Munroe and Humphrey Bogart. Some Like it Hot was filmed at the hotel (will have to watch it now) as was The Stuntman. It has a spectacular beach, great pool areas, bars, restaurants and shops....it has 12 to 15 massive luxury villas 'bungalows' attached to it on the sea front where Madge and co apparently stay and its flipping idyllic! All of the above you can get from travel books, brochures and Google (as we did). What all of them fail to mention is it's in the middle of a naval base!

Check in was quick and we were given the key and directions to our ocean front room. Filled with excitement we opened the door to probably the longest hotel room I have ever stayed in, but possibly the narrowest as well. It has high Victorian ceilings, spectacular decoration and the bedroom at one end and a lounge area at the other with a 'cube' in the middle housing the bathroom. Both rooms have 42 inch plasma TVs and the lounge opens up onto the spectacular sea view terrace which is fantastic. I'm guessing it either used to be a wide corridor to the sea or servants rooms to the massive suites on either side, it is huge, but very oddly shaped and we struggle to get past each other when travelling from one end of the room to the other!

We unpacked the bags straight away and settled into the rocking chairs on the balcony with one of the mountain of cold drinks we bought with us leftover from the RV. This was lucky as there is no mini bar in the room, just a large empty fridge for you to self stock! As we caught the afternoon sun rays (85-90 degrees here) we were immediately introduced to Coronados air force and naval heritage....and I promise this is not an exaggeration.

Almost immediately a huge military transport came into land over head shaking the whole place as it passed, it was following the line of the beach to the runway about half a mile along the shore, this was followed in by a couple of fast jets, F something or others which looped round a couple of times before landing. Next came the helicopters, some which landed, others which went out a couple of hundred yards offshore to hover inches above the sea and deposit divers in the water, other helicopters then came in to follow, track, pick them up etc....it was like watching a royal navy recruitment video from your rocking chair! Planes and helicopters came in regularly till about 7 then it all suddenly stopped. I found it fascinating and could sit and watch it all day long, others however wanting a nice quiet nap by the pool might find it a bit irritating after a few hours. We we're told it stops at the weekend as well, so obviously just a 9-5 Navy and Air Force round here! A quick google shows seals, navy divers, air corps, naval ships, and many other units based out of this area, it's certainly busy.

Dinner in the evening was in the main restaurant, sat on the terrace looking out to sea. We were worried that we hadn't booked but it was empty with only three tables and by 9-15 we we're the only ones left and our waiter brought the bill during the main course as if he was in a hurry to leave....so we ordered a desert.... and he left anyway .... so we paid the bill and gave his tip to the cleaner ;-)

Although the restaurants are very quiet, the bars and public areas aren't as there are several major business conferences underway here. Our favourite was the huge group Barby underway on the lawn celebrating 15 years in waste management, we wanted to join some of the conference sessions arranged for them around the hotel such as 'landfill' or 'bio waste' especially as I am qualified in the latter after two weeks emptying the RV tanks out. Tomorrow we might try joining the Boeing senior management team away day, or the Top Fuel seminar which sounds much more fun (maybe I can introduce them to the bio waste guys!)

Lot of Waffle today but shorter tomorrow, I promise, as we're only on the beach!

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Comments

[Dave]

Merlin
Now I could look after THAT Merlin for a year

[Jase and Shas US Adventure]

Shassy says you blew your chance after you left the last Merlin on anti depressants! She will never trust you with any of her merlins ever again!

[mum]

Where are all the photos of celebs then........

[Jase and Shas US Adventure]

They were all hiding!