The Griffith Observatory

The Observatory is actually a famous icon of Los Angeles, - located at 1,134 feet above sea level on the southern slope of Mt. Hollywood in Griffith Park, and is visible from various points of the LA basin.

The place is accessible by cars and buses and vehicle parking is free. Parking is very limited and usually gets full during weekends. Disabled parking is also available.

From the parking lot, there are also shuttle buses operating during the weekend from 10am-10pm to go uphill.
The exact location is at 2800 East Observatory Road, Los Angeles, CA 90027.
Admission is free but there are minimal charges for shows inside the building.

The place is a great location for learning that mostly deals with space and astronomy, - ideal place to those who love to learn ;).

There is the famous Samvel Oschin Planetarium, where shows are held, and exhibits.

If you always wanna know about what's in the sky, this is the place where the answer to your queries might be.

The Griffith Observatory

Overlooking the city of LA

September 11, 2010

This is where we were during the 9/11 commemoration. With my uncle and cousin as tour guides, my husband and I had the opportunity to see the entire view of the city of Los Angeles, plus the famous Hollywood sign close to it.

From the Griffith Park, there was a shuttle bus who took us to the Observatory up way the hill (or mountain?). It was nice up there feeling the cooler breeze without the smug, lol!
We missed the scheduled show at 12 noon! But there were other things to see there, mostly about astronomy and other interesting information and astronomical gadgets.

High up there is 1, 134 feet above sea level located on the south portion slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park.

Visit To Staples Center

This should have been posted earlier, but what can I do? I always end up being tangled into many things, lol!

Anyway, better late than never so here it is.

September 10, 2010

After checking in at our hotel, we hardly had enough time to rest before my uncle had picked us up to visit the Staples Center, the home of the NBA Lakers! They say this is a world class arena for special events and performances.
We arrived at the place around 5pm that day, and unluckily we were not able to go inside because they won't allow any camera which we were carrying that time. Besides, there was a long line going inside although it seems there was no special event that day. Other buildings surrounding it were all closed, so we didn't have any chance to go around and explore, plus we were scheduled for our dinner at 5:30pm at Ichiban Restaurant in Glendale, CA...a chance to meet another uncle and auntie I haven't seen for 30 years!
Boy! it was overwhelming to see a part of my family once again.

Grauman's Chinese Theater

Grauman's Chinese Theater is built by Grauman costing to $ 2,000,000. of entire expenses. It had its grand opening on May 18, 1927 in Hollywood. Then it was opened to the public the next day, May 19, 1927.

Grauman's Chinese Theater is not only famous of studio premieres but is as well widely known as the home of hands and footprints of the Holywood stars. This site is always flocked by many visitors and tourists alike (including me) to take photos of the hands and footprints of the famous celebrities; - to name a few, Marilyn Monroe, Shirley Temple, Rita Hayworth, etc...

Hollywood Bowl

Since it was started on July 11, 1922 with only benches made of simple wood on the hillsides of Bolton Canyon, it has been continously known as a place of concerts and large perormances or world-renowned musicians and legendary performances.

But it is not only exclusive for music performances but also a place for school commencement exercises, a place for dining, etc.

Currently, it has a seating capacity of almost 18,000 but still continue to expand in the near future.

Los Angeles Grand City Tour & Movie Stars' Homes Tour

March 15, 2008

We signed up for the LA City Tours with Starline Tours. The tour package includes visits to the Hollywood Bowl, Beverly Hills, Farmer's Market, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Sunset Strip, Rodeo Drive and a quick visit to a place called "Mission Nuestra Senora Reina de Los Angeles" where small shops (mostly Mexican products) are located.

I was nearly tempted to shop for purses, (I got a lot of these stuffs already :)) but finally I decided not to buy one this time.
I thought of sharing my trip to each of the places mentioned on this post, so more of this trip will be added as separate posts.

Hollywood's The Guinness World of Records Museum

This museum is located right on Hollywood Blvd., a block away on the east portion of Chinese Theater.

When we visited the place, it seems most are not that fond of going there, as nobody was there except me and my husband, and a couple. We have been to this museum many times during our previous several trips in other states, so it was kinda boring seeing the same thing over and over again. But since most of our visit is on the area, we had a quick glimpse inside.

By the way, there's a charge worth $12.95 for adults and $6.50 for children (6-12 yrs old). Don't waste your money if you think you have already been visiting Guinness World of Records in the past because you are exactly seeing the same things inside.

Kodak Theater

March 14, 2008

We went back walking along Hollywood Walk of Fame with some friends. We then thought of going to Kodak Theater since we were all first timers. We were all curious to see what's inside, so we went in :).

The Kodak Theater opened in Nov. 2001, where Academy Awards are being held. It's always a place where they hold live theaters and where American Idol is also held. Guided tours are also available, but we missed the time as it ends as early as 4PM.

Inside the theater are some signature shops and small food stores located on both sides of the building inside from the entrance.

Hollywood Wax Museum

Beverly HillBillies replica

Marilyn Monroe's replica

This is located along Hollywood Blvd., closely adjacent to Guinness Book Of World Records and other museums. First timers would always be curious to see what's inside, not bad for a $12.95 admission charge. If you have been into the museum hundred times, you will find the admission charge expensive and would wish the museum would just be free, LOL!

The museum shows many wax replicas of famous personalities and celebrities. Each replica would take at least 3 months to make with combined efforts from sculptors, hair stylists, eye and teeth specialists, make-up artists, costume and set designers and special effects technician with a whooping $25,000 to make one replica. Tough job, huh?

The Hollywood Sign

According to its history, the Hollywood sign is more than just 9 white letters spelling out the city's name.

Would you believe before the hollywood sign existed, the place where the sign is today used to be the home of citrus groves and stray camels? And that was wayback 18th century until the year 1916. By the year 1920, Hollywood boomed and America was film-crazed. The sign then arrived on the scene the year 1923.

The Hollywood sign rests on top of Mt. Lee Perch that can be visibly seen for miles. It's known to be one of the most photographed in Hollywood and a mecca for millions of tourists and visitors who come to take pictures each year.

Surprisingly, it's illegal to hike or get anywhere near the sign. The sign is protected by restricting gates, park rangers and security cameras. However, some recommended legal spots are available where you can go and get that perfect shot. -

• The Hollywood and Highland - located on the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave. Entry to the public parking is on the Highland, north of Hollywood Blvd. Other options are through Metro Rail Red Line or by taking the Highland Ave. and exit from the 101 highway.

• Beachwood Canyon Drive - You can take good photo shots here at Glen Holly, Glen Oak and Cheremoya. These streets are located north of Franklin Ave. which is the next major east/west street north of Hollywood Blvd.

• Gower Boulevard - This place provides similar views as that of Beachwood Canyon, only that the sign is much easier to see.

• Lake Hollywood - getting here is a little bit tricky but half the fun. Exit Barham Blvd. from 101 highway. Take Barham east to lake hollywood drive. Turn right on lake Hollywood Dr. and follow top of the hill. Lake Hollywood Dr. bears sharply to the right once you're on top of the hill. At the bottom of the hill, - bear sharply to the left onto Montlake Drive. Follow Montlake to Tahoe. Turn left on Tahoe to Canyon Lake, turn right, then proceed up the hill. On your left will then be a park - topped by a big, beautiful white sign.
  

The Hollywood Walk of Fame

When you say you want to "see stars" in Hollywood, - it connotes 2 things; - seeing the bronze-star-plaques embedded in pink and charcoal terrazzo squares on the world's most famous sidewalk - (Hollywood Walk of Fame), and seeing actual Hollywood movie stars walking either on the streets of Hollywood Blvd. to the streets of Beverly Hills. We always wanted to see both, right?

The Hollywood Walk of Fame extends on Hollywood Blvd. from Gower Street to La Brea venue, and on Vine Street from Yucca Street to Sunset Blvd. These stars embedded on the sidewalks honors various celebrities, famous radio, TV and stage performers, directors, singers, and all other well-known personas.

Right below the celebrity's name on a five-pointed star is a round emblem reflecting the celebrity's category, such as a motion picture camera for movie stars/directors, a TV set for those in the TV industry, a photograph record for singers, recording artists and songwriters, a radio microphone for radio personalities, etc...

Hollywood Adventure

March 11, 2008

We got the chance to go Hollywood later in the afternoon and visited the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, Wax Museum and Hollywood's Guinness World Book of Records which were all adjacent to one another.

As many know, Hollywood is one of the most interesting and fun place to visit. It's one of the highly most visited place in the world by many tourists and locals alike. And who doesn't dream of going Hollywood someday? See and hear the story behind the world's most famous Hollywood sign, and perhaps meet some Hollywood stars on the streets of Beverly Hills, and etc...

I should say I had real fun to be one of those million people walking on the streets of Hollywood and Beverly Hills!

Trip to California

March 10-16, 2008 - Los, Angeles, CA

This is a late post but it's still worth sharing. While I was checking this blog, it was too late for me to discover, I haven't shared about our LA, California adventure so here it goes:

We were glad that the weather greeted us so fairly at Woodland Hills, where our hotel was located when we arrived 10-March, 2008. We then spent the rest of our time for dinner at Morton Steak House, just a block away from our hotel with our friend Janell.

As usual, I had my favorite menu - fillet mignon, well done, with a side of garlic green beans. LOL, afterwhich we were treated to a very yummy dessert - a specialty of Morton's!

I forgot the name of this one, but it was really super tasty!

Anyway, this was our first day. We had lots of enough time to take a rest the rest of the day. Well, after that heavy dinner, our sleep was sooooo good! :).

The Glory of Christmas - Crystal Cathedral (Part 3 of 3)

The characters in the play, King Herod and wife. We had a lucky chance to be with them in the photos. I am with my cousin Pearl.

It was such a perfect timing for us to visit Crystal Cathedral on December 11, 2008 because it was one of the days they were showing "The Glory of Christmas", - a stage play that comprised 15 acts narrating the story of the Holy Family until the Messiah was born and praised, done through singing, dancing and acting.
"The Glory of Christmas" had been an instant family tradition for 28 years which delighted and touched the hearts of over 3 million people who have witnessed it's remarkable story.
Cameras and video recordings are not allowed so take photos before the show starts. It was great to see those flying angels looked like they have wings floating on air! And real camels, horses, sheep, etc...have their own acts too! :).

The Glorious Crystal Cathedral - Part 1

The Crystal Cathedral is one of the most favoritely visited during our trip to Anaheim, California. Best of all, the tour is free :).
You can either choose to do the tour on your own, or have a tour guide with you which is also free. Tour guides are mostly church elder members of the church by whom they are very well knowledgeable of everything in and out of the cathedral.

Yes, you can really say Crystal Cathedral is a God-inspired garden situated on grounds where the Bible comes to life! The fact that biblical statues are scattered around the cathedral is a good place for many to experience the Bible in a more exciting way...
You can see famous Biblical persons in the form of rocks and bronze statues such as The 10 Commandments, Jesus Walking on the Water ("Peace be Still") and more.

World famous sculptors such as Henry Van Wolfe - sculptor of "The Good Shepherd" and Dallas Anderson's life-size white Vermont granite statue of Job did these work of arts on the grounds of Crystal Cathedral.

The inside of the cathedral is surprisingly awesome! You'll continously be awed by its unique structural designs as well. This is a good chance to learn more from your tour guide while you ask more questions about the building, their musical instruments, etc...

(to be continued)

My Trip to Los Angeles

This must be really a good timing to blog about my recent trip to Los Angeles the other week. Since the trip was not really a pleasure trip, and more on business trip for my husband, we didn't plan to take a tour trip from a company tour. Since we had our own rented car and close to Hollywood, we just thought of going there on our own. Two of our own friends tagged along with us and so that was fun going there. While in Hollywood, we did have a fun walk along the streets of Walk of Fame and took photo shots of us with different poses, lol! The stars seems to be unendless but our camera was at the peak of giving up!..so we stopped taking photos of the stars :). So, that was like one of our wackiest things we had done. I have noticed while walking, famous landmarks that are worth visiting are pretty much close to each other, so I have analyzed there are really more things to do in Los Angeles. I think this is really good for family vacation ideas, and I think the most ideal way to do it is during later spring or summer season. The warmer it is, the more places you could go to :).
On the other hand, I am still looking forward to visit New York and be able to see Metropolitan Museum of Art. We haven't been to museums lately on most of my trips so perhaps, that will be a good thing to do there. I suggest if you go on a tour with the whole family, there's no other way like Trusted Tours and Attractions does it for you. You don't need to do stressful itineraries because they do it for you by packages, depending on your choices. So, if you are planning your next vacation, sign up today for the Trusted Travels eNewsletter and enter to win an iPod Nano! This promo offer is only until March 31, 2008, and take note, you don't need to purchase anything to join the promo. You can start filling the form online and who knows? Anytime from now, that iPod Nano will be on your hands ;).

San Diego, California Trip

December 4-9, 2006

A very loooong trip!...5 hours 25 minutes on the plane is no joke! Good thing was I was sleepy, so the rest of the time was not wasted. Not much of a good sleep as I am getting when I am in bed, but it helped. Also, in between catching some sleeps, I got quick shots below St. Luis, Missouri covered with snow. It's beautiful! And other shots were just for fun!



Upon checking in at our hotel and had settled in a little bit, first thing I felt was the longing for Jollibee. I was longing for the famous chicken joy, so we went there, just 15 minutes away from our hotel. I was hoping they got the dalandan juice, but they didn't have it. Poor me. :(
That was the missing part of it, but so far so good. Jollibee got too many shots with us, lol!

After a hearty meal from Jollibee, we proceeded to visit San Diego Natural History Museum and Reuben Fleet Science Center, which are both located inside Balboa Park.

Unfortunately, the history museum was closed during that day for a private event, and so we just had to capture shots outside.

We just went straight ahead to Reuben Fleet Science Center and watch some IMAX shows. It was getting darker so we went home sooner than expected. Besides we needed some rest too.

Inside R.Fleet Science Center

Infront of Science Center-fountain area

Inside IMAX theater.No photo allowed but hubby stole one for me :)

December 5, 2006 - Our Trip to Sea World Adventure Park

This is an amusement park not only for the kids but adults as well. Although sometimes, adults just want to be kids at times, and kids are still kids, LOL! My most memorable experience was my close encounter with the dolphins. I fed them, and I enjoyed doing it...they are so cute and really friendly!

That small box in my hands costed 5 bucks each for a few small peices of fish. Geesh..so expensive. No wonder the dolphins kept begging for more :).

There are so much to see here. One day isn't enough to visit the entire park since it's big. Other big things worth recommending would be watching the shamu show. Shamu is a big whale where now, he is a star! For a change, we decided to drop by Mission Bay Theatre to watch the "haunted Lighthouse", a 3D show, and a dog show with some of their special friends, where pigs, cats and ducks are stars!

Back to jollibee for the last time:

December 7, 2006 - San Diego Cruise Harbor Excursion (Bay Tour)