Day 7 - Griffith Park Observatory/Dolby Theatre

Today I decided it was time to go to the Griffith Park Observatory which I had read is a good place to see the Hollywood Sign from. As I was finding other things to do I was pushing this further out mainly due to it being about an 8km walk from my hotel.

In the end I'm glad that I did do the trek up the hill as it was a fantastic view and a great view of the Hollywood Sign. There is actually quite a bit to do once there as they have different shows and lots of things to read and look at. Luckily they also have a cafe up there because I was pretty thirsty after the hike up there!

The observatory itself has been in a number of movies including Charlie's Angels (I think it was the second one), there is a bronze statue of James Deans head because 'Rebel Without a Cause' was the first movie to use the observatory for what it was and

supported it.

Once I made my way back to Hollywood Boulevard I did the final activity I had planned for my time in LA which was a guided tour of the Dolby Theatre (previously named Kodak Theatre until they filed for bankruptcy a few years back) this is the permanent home of the Academy Awards Ceremony since 2002. As the theatre was opened post September 2001 they don't allow photos to be taken for security reasons however we were allowed to take some photos from one of the boxes at the edge of the theatre. Along with seeing some of the various rooms in the theatre we were taken along the route that Oscar winners walk after they come off stage.
Interestingly the red carpet is along Hollywood Boulevard and then they enter through the entrance to the mall and walk up a whole heap of stairs (the stairs are very wide and small to make it easier for the females). No matter who you are you have to go through a metal detector and present your photo ID. This is so strict that Tom Hanks, Hugh Jackman and George Clooney have all been denied entry on separate occasions due to not having ID. For Tom Hanks it happened to be the year that he won best actor for Philadelphia. Every floor (there are four lobby floors) has a bar which gives the guests free drinks throughout the night. It used to be just at the start and then paid for afterwards but the actors weren't happy with that. The guests then have to go down a flight of stairs to get to their

seats.

The actual stage is massive as they do host various other events during the year. They showed us how the seats all have big picture cards where the celebrities have to sit. They showed us where Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Laurence, Hugh Jackman and a few others sat at this years ceremony. We then got to go up on stage and stand where the acceptance speeches are done.

We were then taken out stage left to a freight elevator which is where the winners go (although it gets decorated with gold curtains and a red carpet). You will notice that the winners all go off stage right and then have to walk around the back of the stage to the elevator. They then go through a hallway alone (to give them time to reflect on what has just happened). They are allowed 10mins to walk through here. Lining the walls are pictures of various major winners. They then go

through another hallway that leads to the Loews hotel next door which is where a number of press interviews are done. The winners are contractually obligated to do these interviews or the statuette will be taken off them. All the nominees sign a contract before the event agreeing to various terms. Coincidentally the Loews hotel is also where all the celebrities get ready for the night and then go to the lobby get in a limo and drive around the corner to the beginning of the red carpet.

This was actually quite a cool tour and I will be watching the Academy Awards next year with interest spotting the things I saw today. I topped of my day with a sundae from the Disney Soda Fountain store on Hollywood Boulevard which was pretty nice.

Anyway as I mentioned yesterday today was the last day that I would be able to actually do any proper activities as tomorrow I need to check out and make my way across to LAX where the gateway hotel for my tour is. If nothing of interest happens tomorrow I won't bother posting so ill most likely check in in a couple of days.