Lollipop's Mom
<font color=teal>Special trip with your little one
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2004
Cast.. Me (mom), 32 yrs & Meg (mature 8.5 yrs). Both LOVE Disney and Hollywood.This was our dream trip!
Day 9/10/11Jan 15/16/17
This was a wonderful day! It was hot and sunny and felt like California. We woke up and went down to the Hollywood & Highland Complex for breakfast (after staring at the Hollywood sign out of our window first!). We couldnt find much, but decided that the Nestles Toll House Bakery would make a perfect vacation breakfast. What could be better than hot & freshly backed toll house cookies and milk? We then went on the Kodak theatre tour. This is a must do for any Oscar fan. We walked the same route the stars take on the red carpet, then waited for our tour guide. We lucked out because we were the only ones on the tour and basically had a private tour. We got to see (and stand in) the VIP lounge, the stair case,etc..etc We went to Kirk Douglas private box for the Oscars. We then went backstage as if we had just won, and he took us through the backstage process of a winner. They go down an empty hall to the VIP elevator (we got to ride the elevator and Meg got a bit star struck!), then down to where they go for all the press stuff. It was 30 mins long and really neat. Meg did get a bit bored, but I really enjoyed it. After that, we headed out to Hollywood Blvd to do some souviener shopping in those cheesey little shops on the blvd. Meg got herself and her best friend matching tees (they are so dirt cheap 2 of 5.99). I bought Meg an oscar that says best daughter on the front. We also got a mug and a couple of other neat things for friends. Meg also got a poster of the Hollywood sign for her room. Some of the stuff is very expensive, and some is really dirt cheap. Most will gladly take cash and not charge tax too. So have cash on you when you shop here. We wandered down to the Hollywood Entertainment Museum. Neither of us are really museum people, but we figured it was free (city pass coupon) and we could just wander around and leave. Wrong! They brought us in to watch a movie, and then we had to go on a guided tour. We were not into this at all. We watched about 2 mins of the movie, and it was about Foley artists. We were bored, so we walked out and left. LOL! We decided to go back to the hotel and swim. They have a beautiful outdoor pool on the 5th floor rooftop. Surrounding the pool are dozens and dozens of lounge chairs. They also had about 12 cabanas. Meg took a liking to the cabanas. We swam a bit and then chose a cabana in the sun. We closed it and had complete privacy. Meg said she felt like a movie star hiding from the fans. Hahaha.
These cabanas all were near walls with high speed internet if you brought your lap top! There was a pool bar and Meg went up and asked for an ice tea. They only had soda and juices and she asked for a pepsi and told them to please charge it to room 1715. The cabana boy (ohhhh yes! The cabana boy ) took a liking to her and said it was on the house because she was so cute. We sat in the cabana for over an hour sipping the pepsi and relaxing/talking. Meg wanted to swim again, so I watched her for a bit, then she came running to me Mommy that famous guy from Jersey Girl is over there!. Ben Affleck???? YES!!! Mommy!!!. I gave her my camera and told her to pretend to take a photo of the pool, then take a photo of him. She did this, and brought it to me. It did indeed appear to be him. So I went out to the pool and dipped my feet in. YEP! It was him!!! He was in a suit and tie and talking to some older people maybe parents? Producers? Who knows. I dont believe in bugging celebs they have to have their own time, and it was just neat to see him. We laid in the cabana and had a tiny nap, then were getting cold.
We went back up to the room. We decided to splurge and get room service. It was quite pricey but we just had to do it. It was about $30 for the 2 of us, and it was basic burger/fries/milk and grilled cheese kiddie meal. I called Alaska Air and explained the license situation to them. They werent overly concerned because it was a return flight and I had all my other id. Phew! We watched the Tsunami Aid show and there was Ben A. dressed the same as we saw him! He must have been staying at the hotel before going to the show. Neat!
We fell asleep and woke up to another beautiful sunny day in LA!
Mary Jo was picking us up around noon at the hotel. We checked out at about 10:30 and stored our luggage. We went across the street to Burger King for breakfast and came back across to the H & H complex for one last look around. Meg got some stuff at Claires (they had a buy 10 items for $5 sale). We realized there was a build a bear in this complex and looked around. I bought Meg a wig for her Eloise kitty. We didnt want to leave!
Mary Jo came and we went for a drive. We had a ball. Boy oh boy can the 2 of us chat non-stop! We went looking around LA and Bev Hills and oogled the homes. We stopped in a few places to get photos. It was really fun.
We drove down Sunset to the beaches and stopped at the Santa Monica Pier for lunch. We had clam chowder in a bread bowl and it was pretty good. Meg really wanted to go on the ferris wheel but the line ups were crazy and we just didnt have time. I bought Meg a shell necklace at the pier and I also got one for myself and Mary Jo.
We went back to Mary Jos house and met her 2 wonderful kids Nick & Kelly. I used her computer quickly to print off our boarding passes and then she took us to the airport. Meg adored Mary Jo and so did I. I cant believe how completely wonderful some people in this world are! Our flight was delayed about an hour so we got some starbucks and a magazine. We arrived back into cold Seattle at about 11:50pm. Luggage came out quickly and we were on the shuttle bus back to the skyway inn quickly. I was really impressed they had my car cleaned off and waiting by the front of the motel for us. We got a room that wasnt as nice as the first one, but we were so tired we didnt care. We only slept until about 8am, and had a quick muffin/coffee/juice at the hotel and drove home in horrible rain!!! It seems that we brought the storms with us and now we are in torrential downpours like we have never seen and everything here is flooded!!! Meg is hoping they close the schools soon!
All in all we had an amazing time! Despite a few setbacks (and arent there always some setbacks?), nothing too major happened. Just trying to get back into our normal routine now!
Day 9/10/11Jan 15/16/17
This was a wonderful day! It was hot and sunny and felt like California. We woke up and went down to the Hollywood & Highland Complex for breakfast (after staring at the Hollywood sign out of our window first!). We couldnt find much, but decided that the Nestles Toll House Bakery would make a perfect vacation breakfast. What could be better than hot & freshly backed toll house cookies and milk? We then went on the Kodak theatre tour. This is a must do for any Oscar fan. We walked the same route the stars take on the red carpet, then waited for our tour guide. We lucked out because we were the only ones on the tour and basically had a private tour. We got to see (and stand in) the VIP lounge, the stair case,etc..etc We went to Kirk Douglas private box for the Oscars. We then went backstage as if we had just won, and he took us through the backstage process of a winner. They go down an empty hall to the VIP elevator (we got to ride the elevator and Meg got a bit star struck!), then down to where they go for all the press stuff. It was 30 mins long and really neat. Meg did get a bit bored, but I really enjoyed it. After that, we headed out to Hollywood Blvd to do some souviener shopping in those cheesey little shops on the blvd. Meg got herself and her best friend matching tees (they are so dirt cheap 2 of 5.99). I bought Meg an oscar that says best daughter on the front. We also got a mug and a couple of other neat things for friends. Meg also got a poster of the Hollywood sign for her room. Some of the stuff is very expensive, and some is really dirt cheap. Most will gladly take cash and not charge tax too. So have cash on you when you shop here. We wandered down to the Hollywood Entertainment Museum. Neither of us are really museum people, but we figured it was free (city pass coupon) and we could just wander around and leave. Wrong! They brought us in to watch a movie, and then we had to go on a guided tour. We were not into this at all. We watched about 2 mins of the movie, and it was about Foley artists. We were bored, so we walked out and left. LOL! We decided to go back to the hotel and swim. They have a beautiful outdoor pool on the 5th floor rooftop. Surrounding the pool are dozens and dozens of lounge chairs. They also had about 12 cabanas. Meg took a liking to the cabanas. We swam a bit and then chose a cabana in the sun. We closed it and had complete privacy. Meg said she felt like a movie star hiding from the fans. Hahaha.
These cabanas all were near walls with high speed internet if you brought your lap top! There was a pool bar and Meg went up and asked for an ice tea. They only had soda and juices and she asked for a pepsi and told them to please charge it to room 1715. The cabana boy (ohhhh yes! The cabana boy ) took a liking to her and said it was on the house because she was so cute. We sat in the cabana for over an hour sipping the pepsi and relaxing/talking. Meg wanted to swim again, so I watched her for a bit, then she came running to me Mommy that famous guy from Jersey Girl is over there!. Ben Affleck???? YES!!! Mommy!!!. I gave her my camera and told her to pretend to take a photo of the pool, then take a photo of him. She did this, and brought it to me. It did indeed appear to be him. So I went out to the pool and dipped my feet in. YEP! It was him!!! He was in a suit and tie and talking to some older people maybe parents? Producers? Who knows. I dont believe in bugging celebs they have to have their own time, and it was just neat to see him. We laid in the cabana and had a tiny nap, then were getting cold.
We went back up to the room. We decided to splurge and get room service. It was quite pricey but we just had to do it. It was about $30 for the 2 of us, and it was basic burger/fries/milk and grilled cheese kiddie meal. I called Alaska Air and explained the license situation to them. They werent overly concerned because it was a return flight and I had all my other id. Phew! We watched the Tsunami Aid show and there was Ben A. dressed the same as we saw him! He must have been staying at the hotel before going to the show. Neat!
We fell asleep and woke up to another beautiful sunny day in LA!
Mary Jo was picking us up around noon at the hotel. We checked out at about 10:30 and stored our luggage. We went across the street to Burger King for breakfast and came back across to the H & H complex for one last look around. Meg got some stuff at Claires (they had a buy 10 items for $5 sale). We realized there was a build a bear in this complex and looked around. I bought Meg a wig for her Eloise kitty. We didnt want to leave!
Mary Jo came and we went for a drive. We had a ball. Boy oh boy can the 2 of us chat non-stop! We went looking around LA and Bev Hills and oogled the homes. We stopped in a few places to get photos. It was really fun.
We drove down Sunset to the beaches and stopped at the Santa Monica Pier for lunch. We had clam chowder in a bread bowl and it was pretty good. Meg really wanted to go on the ferris wheel but the line ups were crazy and we just didnt have time. I bought Meg a shell necklace at the pier and I also got one for myself and Mary Jo.
We went back to Mary Jos house and met her 2 wonderful kids Nick & Kelly. I used her computer quickly to print off our boarding passes and then she took us to the airport. Meg adored Mary Jo and so did I. I cant believe how completely wonderful some people in this world are! Our flight was delayed about an hour so we got some starbucks and a magazine. We arrived back into cold Seattle at about 11:50pm. Luggage came out quickly and we were on the shuttle bus back to the skyway inn quickly. I was really impressed they had my car cleaned off and waiting by the front of the motel for us. We got a room that wasnt as nice as the first one, but we were so tired we didnt care. We only slept until about 8am, and had a quick muffin/coffee/juice at the hotel and drove home in horrible rain!!! It seems that we brought the storms with us and now we are in torrential downpours like we have never seen and everything here is flooded!!! Meg is hoping they close the schools soon!
All in all we had an amazing time! Despite a few setbacks (and arent there always some setbacks?), nothing too major happened. Just trying to get back into our normal routine now!
I never thought I'd actually meet someone real from the boards 
I'm glad you had fun!
