Friday (feb 20th. 2004)

After a long flight I finally arrive in Los Angeles. Of course very tired, so outside of the airport I take some time to check out the amount of busses that drive up and down to the hotels and carrentals. I would like to check into a hotel, but an police officer tells me how it works with the busses that give you a free ride to the hotels and carrentals, so I decide instead to go on one of the busses and go rent me a car. It’s the easiest transportation there and that way much easier to find a hotel not to close to the airport. Not much later I find myself next to a Suzuki. It’s an automatic, because they don’t rent them with gears, like I’m used to, so this will be a whole new experience. When I’m about to drive off from the parkinglot, with the wrong foot on the brake, I’m being instructed how NOT to drive.

When I find myself a spot on the busy road, I decide to take a turn and not much later I find myself on the highway. This is the best way to get used to the car without getting into trouble already. I have no idea where I’m heading to, not that I care either, because this is a nice way to checkout LA. Just drive and end up somewhere. My plan is to eventually end up at Sunset Boulevard, but where ever I’m going, it’s not there. The streetname signs are placed in a different way than where I live, so before I notice that, it’s eleven at night and really time to go check into a motel. After all, I’ve been up for 38 hours with only 3 hours sleep in between, if you can call it sleep. Vermont hotel is the first to catch my eye, so that’s the one it will be. Luckily for just one night, because it’s not really what I have in mind when it comes to a hotel. The 2 chairs in the room are covered with dirty spots, the lights next to bed don’t work and the wires don’t even want to make me reconsider try turning them on, afraid I might set the place on fire. And that’s not what I would like to do on my first day...

A quick shower before I hit the sack, trying not to think how long the sheets are on it... In the shower I can’t help myself but to check out the fan which is hanging more off than on the sealing, but at least it works. Surprisingly...

At half past 6 I’m ready to leave the place as fast as I can and head for Sunset Blvd. After asking for directions, it seems I’m closeby, just a few more miles ahead. The boulevards are long, so it’s just a matter of going straight ahead and you will be where ever you want to. Another useful lesson learned for the upcoming days.

With Vermont in my rearmirror, Sunset should have been easy to find, but apparently I missed a sign somewhere, which I don’t regret for a second, when I drive into a beautiful enviroment and decide to go on, up into the mountains. As that same road is about to be closed that day, I drive up and enjoy a wonderful scenery. When the road ends at the top, I have to get back and for a sec I see the big Hollywoodsign. Perhaps I’ll see it some other time again and make some photos. On my way back I don’t miss Sunset Blvd, where I check in at Super 8 for 2 days. This way I can still change hotel when I am at another part of LA.

Saturday

Up till now I haven’t been able to find an internetcafe, so I haven’t been able to inform Marshall I’m in town and let him know I have something to drop off. Since I’m not far from his place, I decide to go up there and shuff his fanmail I’d gotten in his mailbox. I park at an alsmost empty parkinglot, when the parkingmeter rejects my bill. Apparently some money is already stuck in the machine, so I will have to get some change at a nearby store to avoid getting a ticket on my second day.

After a short walk up a hill I arrive at place of destination. No way the big envelope is going to fit in that mailbox, so I ring the bell and tell I have something to drop off, which I promised his fan to deliver personally. After some communicationproblems over the intercom, I’m trying to maintain seriously, though the urge to start laughing is larger. It does help to stay serious, as I know it’s his wife who’s answering me and I don’t know her that well personally. When the door is being opened, I step into a small, rather dark hallway. Just a dimmed light at the leftside makes it a little visible. I don’t see any stairs, nor an elevator at first (was looking into the wrong direction), when I hear somebody say "Are you looking for something?". I briefly turn around and see somebody in an even smaller section of the hallway, who’s checking me out, while I am still checking out the hallway. This person is wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses and in uncontrolled reflex a word that is almost unable to translate pops up in my head. Let’s say the definition was something like a gay leather / bikerboy…? No offence here, just my first thought. Because of that and I’m not somebody who’s eager to ask for help, I didn’t respond to it and meanwhile I was facing the other side again. "Can I help you?" I turn around again, and this time I check this fella out a bit better before I respond. Hey, don’t trust anybody right away, right. :P Yet he seems like a friendly guy, so while I walk towards him, I start my respond with: "Yeah, I'm looking for..." stop my sentence here briefly and can end it with “you”. " I've come to drop off this envelope for you." For a moment even I am surprised that the first person to meet there is Marshall himself. After all, I only stopped by for his mail. I stay seriously in my respond, yet I’m already laughing inside. Although I’d stayed at his ranch a couple years before and we’ve been befriended for several years, we never actually met in person, so he had no idea who was standing in front of him.

Whilst checking out the envelope, he asks me what it is, but I don’t respond and think to myself “just open it and you’ll see”. Also with a surprised look on his face and whilst still thinking the envelope isn’t meant for him, he says “I’m Marshall”. “Yeah, I know”, I reply. Meanwhile he opens the envelope now knowing who it’s from, but not who I am, so I finally introduce myself. After swapping out mobile phonenumbers, we agree on getting together on Monday, since his week is loaded with auditions, meetings and lots more.

Back outside and with enough money in the parkingmeter, I check out a large cdstore. They have some nice collectors stuff, but also for collectors prices. With still a week ahead, I continue my route on Sunset Blvd and check out the many stores and think of the things I’d like to see and places to go to. At the end of Sunset I end up in Beverly Hills to check out those much talked about big and expensive houses. As I’m not that much into houses, I’m not that impressed and soon that view comes to and end and go and get lost in LA. A great way for sightseeing imho. Just drive without thinking where to go to, and by the time it’s getting late, I’ll get my map to see where I am to find my way back to the hotel.

The first raindrops are starting to come down while I’m on the busy highway. When it’s starting to rain faster, the wiper of my almost new rentalcar gives up on me already. Great. Less than 5 minutes after having put the car next to the road, it’s raining so hard, it would have been too dangerous to drive with a broken wiper, I see a patrolcar park behind me. As we both first assume it’s the motoric part that is broken, he can’t help me out at that point, but I get some good tips. When the rain is starting to stop, I can finally drive back to the hotel. No car today anymore.

Sunday

The sun is shining, so a nice day to go en route again. But first the wiper. Apparently it was just a bold that had come loose, but the damage was done already, so the safest way is just to take it off and toss the whole thing in the trunk. Problem solved.

Traffic on a Sunday is just as busy as on a Saturday, but when you get used to it, it’s an easy ride. Only unusual thing (for us), is that driving thru red light on turn is allowed.

Very handy, but when you’re not fast enough, people are very fast with their horn which is very irritating if you’re not used to that. Not that they’re honking for me though… It does help a lot when you look a lot to the right and left and check out everything, that way people easily see you’re not local.

In the afternoon I find myself an internetcafé, where I meet Chris. Chris is a cheerful, young guy and offers me a drink, while I access the internet. After about half an hour I’m done updating the homefront and am ready to pay, but all I have is a hundred dollar note, as I haven’t been able to change it yet. As this is a bit akward for Chris, I suggest I go and change it, but he smiles and says “No need to do that, I trust you will be back sometime.” Since it’s the only place I know where I have internet access, I’m sure I’ll be back, so I agree.

Back on Sunset Blvd, which doesn’t seem to end, I visit a few shops, so on my route back I make a pitstop at Chris, who’s nevertheless a bit surprised I’m back to pay my dues. Hey, I always keep my promises. J

Monday

Early in the morning, down in the lobby of the hotel, time to get some coffee and read the newspaper. Whilst looking around, my eye catches a sign which says "Internet access available". Huh? Where? That’s handy, saves me trips up and down. Down in the lobby there’s one computer with internet access. Not cheap, but better than nothing.

The weather is great outside, sun is brightly shining, so I go outside and wait for Marshall who wanted to show me around. If anybody knows more about LA than me, it’s him, so of course it’s a welcome offer. His schedule for today is a voice-over recording for a Pennzoil commercial. It’s a luxurious building where we take place in the waitingroom along with around 10 other people waiting for their call. With not many seats available anymore, I take the first one available and Marshall has to find his place next to a few of the guys who are deeply in a discussion. It doesn’t take long before he has joined the conversation and introduces me to them. Apparently familiar faces for him, though not for me. When both guys have left and he’s got the whole couch for himself, he jumps up to end at the other side of it. What do you mean, very enthusiastic? He passes me the paper with the text of the commercial so I can read his lines and then a final time reads it himself, after which he can take place in the studio for recording it. Only a few minutes later he’s done already and takes me to producer Dave Weisman, who speaks Dutch as well.
Dave lives in a very remarkable way. From the outside nothing much to see, but as soon as the gate opens and we walk inside, I find myself in a wilderness of plants and animals. Incredible. Apparently I’d been introduced to David before, when he already starts by talking Dutch to me. In the seventies he had made a movie in Amsterdam and clearly learned the language very well.

At the back of the house we’re being surrounded with many plants again and pass his parrots who don’t mind visitors. In the back of the garden we enter another room that leaves nothing to the imagination of a movie-addict like me. Huge movieposters endorn the walls and while I’m very much under the impression of it all, specially by the extremely big poster of one of his own movies “Kiss of the Spider Woman”, I overhear them talking about me and Marshall makes it clear how he thinks about me. "Very polite and well raised". What a compliment. *lol*

Not much later Dave hands over a print from a charactorsketch he had made of Marshall, which is quite funny. He shows his impression of the drawing I’d given him earlier, made by one of his fans and I take my chance to pass on a little something I’d made from a movieframe of Nightmare on Elm Street 2 which shows him screaming while he’s about to be butchered by Freddy. Meanwhile Dave leaves for a brief moment and Marshall struggles to get it out of the envelope. When Dave comes back, Marshall shows it and laughs of the fact I’d gotten my hands on a trailer which was kinda sleazy. He describes the scene to Dave; it’s the part where he’s under the shower getting his ass whipped before being killed. After this laughable matter, and Marshall’s loaded agenda, it’s time to drop me off at my hotel.

Still half a day left on my schedule, time enough to go to Amoebe, which is located on Sunset Blvd. It’s a huge 2 apartment store, loaded with records, cds and dvds.

With this time no parkinglot in sight, things you overlook when you’re not familiar somewhere..., I need to park next to one of the meters, with already a bad feeling. I’m not staying inside too long, way too much I’d love to take along with me, it’s an amazing store, so I just end up with a magnificent OOP Disney box. A bit further down the road my eye catches a shop that at first only looks like a comicbookstore, nevertheless interesting enough to check out. Inside it’s even a lot better. It’s loaded with McFairlanetoys, so be careful not to give in. These “toys” are extremely detailed and mostly moviefigurines. I have to give in on two items nevertheless and with great proud I walk outside the store, looking for my car.

With a bad feeling, I see a pickuptruck in front of my rentalcar, which at first looks like a towtruck. FUCK! How’s that possible. I tossed enough money in the meter and I’m even half an hour early. The road is very busy so I need to take a run to get to the closest xing and back at the car with trafficlights that aren’t very helpful by giving me a red light. Fortunately it’s not a towtruck, yet the ticket on the windshield doesn’t make me very happy. How on earth is that possible. Up till now that is still a mystery. Anyways, it doesn’t spoil the great time I’m having, so back to the hotel and grab the extra bag I took with me in advance and see if I can get my goodies back home. I also take the opportunity to stay an extra 3 days at the same hotel, since it’s been a good choice.

Tuesday

Already having seen quite a lot, today will be a relaxed day. Stay inside for a while, read the book I got from producer and actrice Darlene and check the area surrounding the hotel on foot. Later on that day I decide to go to Santa Monica, at least, I try. Whatever road I take, I don’t seem to find the correct direction, so without a map, no Santa Monica Beach for me. And since the day is passing quickly, it’s starting to get too late to even go there.

Wednessday

Another bright day and all time on my hand to check out the other side of LA. Again great fun getting lost and finding areas I haven’t been before, but surely worth while checking out. This way I get to see parts of Pasadena, Burbank, Glendale and the view from San Gabriel Mountains is incredibly beautiful. I think it’s the best place to see LA from any mountain I’ve been on. In BellAire I take a route up into the mountains which ends with some sort of hotel, restaurant and by the looks of it a golfcourse. Since I had no idea where I ended at that point, I ask for directions. Looking back at it, it seems this beautiful sightseeing area was Mount Hollywood, so very much worth while going to.

Thursday

Universal Studios is planned for today with nobody less than Marshall. J But he wouldn’t be himself again if his overloaded agenda messes it up. L When he picks me up at the hotel in the morning, I get 2 tickets at the hotel, not knowing yet he can’t make it there with me. At the car I find out he’s only got 1,5 hour and wants to show me LA. I do get to see Universal Studios, yet not from the inside, as I had hoped for. I do get to see all studios from the outside. Not that he pulls over from time to time to shoot some pics, but I do get to hear some nice stories about them. A quick pass on Mullholland Drive, which looks so very different as for what I can remember from having seen the movie, yet it’s a nice ride, since I hadn’t been there by myself anyway. Specially the little roads which one would normally not take, make it a lot more interesting.

“Farmersmarket, that’s a place you must have seen, even though you’re not a mallrat”, thus Marshall. I’d already read a few things about that place, but couldn’t imagine what it must have been, so another place to check out and even rather close to the hotel. Hey, Wallmart!! The place to be to go shopping for Wranglers for just a few bucks. As requested at the homefront I buy a few and check out some of the surrounding stores before heading back again to the hotel afterwards.

Friday is the day that I need to return the car, so the easiest thing that crosses my mind is find a hotel near the airport and return the car. Next to Dollarrent is also a Super8 motel and they have busses to LAX, so I consider it a good plan. But no, not according to Marshall. If I would stay a day nearby LAX, I will be missing a day in LA, since there’s nothing much to see or do around there, specially without transportation. He suggests I get the car back so he can pick me up and take me back to my own hotel, buy dinner and bring me to LAX the next morning. Good plan!! J

Friday

The car needs to be back at 4 today, so even on this day unfortunately I can’t make it to Universal Studios. As the Observatory should be a great place to take some pictures, that will be the plan. Yet when I arrive there, this is close to Griffith Park, I notice I’ve already been there and although the place is nice, making photos is hard to do with all the trees blocking the view. So no pictures, but a relaxed mind. This leads me back to the hotel quickly where I get the message I need to ditch the car a bit earlier than planned, due to Marshall’s still busy schedule. Normally it takes only about 25 minutes to get at the rentalcompany, but the road is so extremely busy today, that it takes about an hour and 15 minutes to arrive, nevertheless I'm exactly on time. When I call Marshall to see if he can find it, it seems he passed it too, without having seen the company.

Instead of taking a normal route back, I get to see a very impressing one. I haven’t been here before and didn’t even cross my mind going there. We take the highway and I’m being prepared to see another world: the Pacific Ocean. Just a few seconds after entering a little viaticum, the area is changed from houses on our sides, to straight mountains on the right and an endless view at the Pacific Ocean on our left. This is indeed a completely different world. This really continues for quite a while, until we stumble upon a traffic jam. Every now and then we can go faster, even beyond speed limits, which of course has to be done when you’re a proud owner of a tuned Dodge SRT4, even if it’s just to show off.

During some silent intervals (I’m not always a very talkative person), I enjoy the scenery and Marshall takes his time to call some friends for the latest gossips and other nice stories. Now what’s easier than holding your mobile in your right hand and gearing with the left. If you do it right, it can be done, not? “That’s not allowed in Holland, calling with a mobile, is it?”, Marshall asks me. “No indeed, it’s not, one needs to have a handsfree kit.”, I respond. “It should be forbidden here too, but some day they will”. That’s a good, idea, Marshall, a veeeeeeery good idea!!!

Thanks to the trafficjams, it takes ages before we finally get back in LA. On a normal day, this trip should only have taken about half an hour, even with a detour. Most likely due to the upcoming Oscars that Sunday, Hollywood Blvd was partially shutdown, traffic was at it’s worst.

Hollywood Blvd was al gedeeltelijk afgesloten. It wasn’t until about 7 P.M. we finally got back at the hotel.

Saturday

Days have passed quickly and unfortunately it’s time to go home. I’ve been up early all week, so even this day is easy to get up and I’m down at the lobby way earlier before I should be. I hear someone say my name and when I look up, my “driver” has already arrived, also 20 minutes too early. No problem at all, rather too early than too late and even before we arrive at LAX he shows me some parts of LA I haven’t seen before.

With numerous of “no parking” signs he pulls over at the correct gate and escorts me inside, thus of course having parked his car at the wrong place. It doesn’t take long before we overhear a conversation about a car being parked wrongly and needs to be town away, whilst pointing at his car. So it’s a quick thanks and saying goodbye and 2 minutes later I can already check in my luggage and have a long flight back home, during which I look back at a, as always seems to happen to me, completely messed up, yet fantastic holiday.