Star-spotting
Saying farewell - even temporarily - was always going to be tough, but it had to be done somehow.
Travelling by myself this time felt pretty intimidating without my dad around (since he was part of our European voyage the year before), but his confidence in me certainly helped to convince me that I can do it!
Transit in Narita, Tokyo - my first time stepping foot on Japanese soil!
Where packaging and presentation are highly valued - look at the mini-pastries!
Finally, Los Angeles! The palm trees dot the landscape ubiquitously, lending the city a laid-back, vast landscape with yawning spaces and the absence of any claustrophobic feeling, unlike metropolitan cities like New York, Tokyo and Singapore.
Of course, the grid-like structure of LA that is so famous: I actually mistook the houses for parked cars from the plane's view from above, since they were so neatly arranged! Boulevards stretch for miles - if you think Champs Elysees is long, LA's roads seem to be incomparably limitless as they stretch into the horizon.
Union Station - impressive architecture both on the outside and the inside.
Spotted the famous Hollywood sign as I was strolling down Hollywood Boulevard towards my hostel.
Kodak Theatre - the staging venue for some of the past American Idol finales!
The very first star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame that made me stop and stare: the one and only Ella Fitzgerald!
And her incomparable counterpart, Louis Armstrong.
The great Houdini. Enough said.
The Heroes craze continues with the much-anticipated third volume, Villians.
I was walking past the Grauman Chinese Theatre when someone asked me what was happening over there, what with the red carpet, posters of the upcoming movie, Eagle Eye, furnishing the front of the Theatre. Only then did I realise that the premiere of the movie was about to happen right before my eyes! Before that, I had assumed it was simply some random event that happens in LA all the time.
The media positioning for the best shots of the stars before they arrive...
Each time a limo drove up to the front of the theatre, the anticipation of some random celebrity stepping out would build and usually trigger off a scream or two, until they realise that it's just another guest invited to the premiere.
That's Michelle Monaghan in the black dress and neatly-tucked hair! She starred opposite Tom Cruise in MI:III and opposite Patrick Dempsey in the romantic comedy Made of Honor.
My first taste of what it feels like to be pseudo-paparazzi: Shia Lebeouf with the raised hand in the background as he greets fans on the other side of the road - he ran across the street to sign some autographs, sending fans in a frenzy and compelling this long-haired guy to step in to prevent people who were threatening to climb over the security barrier. Shia was the star of Transformers and co-starred opposite Harrison Ford in the latest Indiana Jones sequel.
Shia returning to the red carpet - can you spot him?
Jimmy Kimmel filming his live talk show with this cooking segment being held outside the recording theatre.So that's LA so far - Shia Lebeouf and Michelle Monaghan, check.
Hollywood-esque feeling of disbelief, check.
Cheap thrill of being paparazzi-ish, check.
Looking professional with a Nikon D60 even though nobody knows I'm using auto-mode for now, check.
Hollywood-esque feeling of disbelief, check.
Cheap thrill of being paparazzi-ish, check.
Looking professional with a Nikon D60 even though nobody knows I'm using auto-mode for now, check.
Labels:
Los Angeles
1 spoke up:
i am so jealous
:'(
Post a Comment