Day 7 - Everyone Just Wants to be a Star

This has been such an eventful day!  We started out by walking to Hollywood Boulevard and reading the names on the Walk of Fame.  We had breakfast at a McDonald's along the way, where we must have encountered no less than 4 unfortunate souls who were begging for food.  Talk about making it hard to enjoy your meal!  Just as we were leaving the joint, we were approached by a young man who wanted us to purchase a sight-seeing tour from him.  Kathy had already told us that's the way they do it, but Carol and I were skeptical. However, this guy was from Ireland and he was funny and believable and he gave us a "deal".  We decided to take a chance.  It turned out to be a wonderful way to see historic landmarks, such as Chateau Marmont and Rodeo Drive, and the homes of the stars, such as Lucille Ball and George Clooney.  When we drove up Mulholland Drive to get a closer look at the HOLLYWOOD sign, we saw a huge home overlooking Los Angeles which is being renovated by Ron Howard.

We had lunch at a sandwich shop where the owner had allowed me to use their restroom before our tour.  As with most of the establishments, it was for patrons only, and I told him I'd buy something if I need to but I need to use his bathroom.  I said, "We'll come back after our tour", and I know he
thought, "Yeah, right.  That's what they all say."  But we did go back there and it was very good.  We
shopped for souvenirs in a hole-in-the-wall next door but we got out of there as soon as we could
after the manager made inappropriate and lewd remarks to us.  Kathy said he rubbed her on the back
with his pen anytime we got too far away from her.  He was so creepy, we just wanted to get back to
the motel....fast! 

It was time to mark another item off our must-do list, which was to see the Glen McDaniel home on
Bellagio in Bel Air.  Kathy drove in gosh-awful traffic and did a pretty good (and scary) job of
getting us there.  The streets were crazy curvy and narrow.  The house was beautiful and elegant, and
it's so hard to believe that we stayed somewhere so nice all those years ago.  Too bad we never heard
back from the current owners when we asked to come visit the property.  They probably thought we were nuts to even ask.

Dinner was appetizers and dessert at Mel's Drive In Diner.  It was a nostalgic experience with juke
boxes at each table and waitresses with cute little uniforms from the '50s. 

We've decided to move on a day early so we can have more time in San Francisco.  We'll be in Paso
Robles tomorrow night in yet another Motel 6.  Hopefully it will be as close to the action as this one
has been.

On a sad note, we may have seen the ambulance today as it transported Sage Stallone after he was found dead in his home on Mulholland.  We had hoped to see a movie star in Hollywood, but unfortunately, this was as close as we came.  So many sad and lonely people in the world.  Everyone just wants to be a star.

Beverly Hills Hotel - "Hotel California"

Witch's House

Former McDaniel home in Bel-Air